Public transport –buses and trams– in Tenerife Users increased by 16.3 million from January to July compared to the same period in 2022. Titsa and Metrotenerife, companies dependent on the Cabildo, set record figures in the first seven months of the year with 50.9 million passengers, just 12.2 difference from the total of last year when 63.1 were registered. In fact, the figures are without historical precedent.
The Island Councilor for Mobility, Eulalia García, indicates that the data to date is very positive and “we hope to be able to retain a large part of these new users so that little by little there is a change in the mobility habits of citizens.”
Buses
In the case of Titsa, in the period from January to July 38.5 million people used the bus, that is, almost 12 million more than in the same period of 2022, a 45.74% increase in travelers. By zones, the Metropolitan Area stands out with 6.1 million more and the South, with over three million, while long-distance lines increased 1.7 million passengers.
Metrotenerife is also experiencing an unprecedented increase in users, breaking record figures with 12.4 million users. Between January and July of this year, a total of 12.4 million people used the tram compared to 8.1 million in the same period of the previous year, which means 4.2 million more (+52.4%).
Lines 1 and 2
Tram line 1, which connects La Laguna with the Santa Cruz de Tenerife Interchange, was the most used in the last seven months with a cumulative 11.3 million passengers, 3.8 more than last year. As for Line 2, which runs between La Cuesta and Tíncer, it registered more than one million people compared to 644,000 users in 2022, which represents an increase of 67.1%.
Santa Cruz
The island’s capital, Santa Cruz de Tenerife, on the other hand, increased urban transport users by 2.3 million up to July, according to data released a few days ago. In the first seven months of 2023, the exact record shows an increase of 2,397,619 passengers on urban bus lines compared to the same period in 2022. Users grew by 44.7 percent in the first seven months of the year. A total of 7,763,044 travelers used the lines in the Tenerife capital until July this year, compared to the 5,365,425 who did so in the same period last year. Titsa has transported more than a million passengers on its urban lines every month since March, with increases of more than 40% each month in comparison.
on the rise
These balance data are very positive, but they acquire even more importance if one takes into account that in previous years Titsa and Metrotenerife registered excellent numbers. Of those 63.1 million passengers in 2022, the bus company transported 48.1 and almost 15 the tram. In Titsa they were 5.3% more than before the pandemic (2019) and 31.3% compared to 2021, when there were still limitations on public transport. In Metrotenerife, the 14,960,000 passengers last year were very close to the figure for 2019, the highest demand record since commissioning (2007) with 15,555,000 users. This number means an increase of 19% compared to 2021, when 12,543,000 were counted. In 2023 all records will be broken.
Free, a key factor
The gratuity, in force from January 1, 2023 -in principle during this year; later, we’ll see-, is a key factor to understand the exponential increase in passengers on buses and trams. A significant rise was already registered last year due to the already attractive discounts, but the cost 0 encourages many citizens to travel by public transport in Tenerife. Paradoxically, this has not meant an equivalent reduction in the volume of vehicles, more than 840,000, with a population close to one million inhabitants. Recurring collapses continue on part of the 1,550 kilometers of roads, especially on the two highways. One reason may be the occupation: only one person in each car. The 100% bonus is designed for frequent users. Hence, having to make at least 15 trips during the 30 days prior to the purchase of the next voucher. Otherwise, when renewing you have to pay the corresponding price, 19 euros for the Canarian Resident. | JDM
