Sea Passenger Statistics: domestic sea passengers 2025

Q: 顿别蹿颈苍颈迟颈辞苍蝉听

River ferries :听Figures for river ferries are collected annually from the operators. Routes are听generally included听in this statistical release when the passenger-km figure is greater than 500 passenger-kms. Most of the river ferry passengers are on journeys made along the River Thames. The听 notes and definitions 听accompanying this report听have听a breakdown of the routes that are included.听 Inter-island :听Covers routes between the mainland and UK islands, such as听the Isles of Scilly听or the Isle of Wight.听It also covers internal ferry routes on loughs such as Strangford to Portaferry in Northern Ireland and routes between islands. Major domestic crossings (short听sea) :听includes all routes between Great Britain and Northern Ireland, Isle of听Man听and the Channel Islands.听 Minor domestic crossings (short听sea) :听all other short sea passenger routes including routes between Great Britain and Orkney and Shetland Islands.听 Domestic cruise :听passenger figures include all passengers on domestic cruises in the UK (with no cruise stops at foreign ports). These figures were collected for the first time in 2021 and can be found in table听 SPAS0201 . Large domestic cruises did not previously occur but were a feature in 2021 when they were听permitted听under the domestic roadmap for England. This was the first stage of the wider restart of cruises following the industry鈥檚 pause during the coronavirus pandemic, with international cruises restarting from August 2021.

Q: Background information听

We would welcome any feedback on these statistics by听 sea-passenger.stats@dft.gov.uk . We will听attempt听to address any comments in a听subsequent听release.听 The听 data tables 听for sea passenger statistics are available.听 Full guidance 听on听the methods used in the publication of these听releases, and听the quality of the data, and known users and uses of the statistics are available.听 The sea passenger statistics are听 accredited official statistics . The statistics presented in this release were independently reviewed by the Office for Statistics Regulation in February 2013 and are therefore labelled 鈥榓ccredited official听statistics鈥�.听 Details of ministers and officials who receive听 pre-release access 听to these statistics up to 24 hours before release are available.听

Question 1

About this release听

Accepted Answer

This statistical release presents final statistics on sea passengers on domestic routes听within听the UK for听2025.听Passengers听on domestic routes听include听domestic sea crossings, domestic cruises, river听ferries听and inter-island journeys.听

Domestic听passengers听cover a wide range of travel purposes and service types. Passengers are counted in the same way regardless of the reason for travel, but the journeys themselves can be听very different. For example, some passengers use lifeline ferry services to access island communities in Scotland for work, education,听healthcare听and essential services, while others may be regular commuters travelling on passenger ferry services such as those听operating听on the River Thames. Domestic passenger totals also include leisure travel, such as domestic听cruise听and sightseeing trips.听

These statistics include all vehicle drivers (including Heavy Goods Vehicle drivers), their passengers and foot passengers on ferries.听

听2025听谤别濒别补蝉别听

Comparisons have been made听with figures听from听2024,听as听well as听2019,听the last full year before the coronavirus pandemic started.

Question 2

顿别蹿颈苍颈迟颈辞苍蝉听

Accepted Answer

River ferries:听Figures for river ferries are collected annually from the operators. Routes are听generally included听in this statistical release when the passenger-km figure is greater than 500 passenger-kms. Most of the river ferry passengers are on journeys made along the River Thames. The听notes and definitions听accompanying this report听have听a breakdown of the routes that are included.听

Inter-island:听Covers routes between the mainland and UK islands, such as听the Isles of Scilly听or the Isle of Wight.听It also covers internal ferry routes on loughs such as Strangford to Portaferry in Northern Ireland and routes between islands.

Major domestic crossings (short听sea):听includes all routes between Great Britain and Northern Ireland, Isle of听Man听and the Channel Islands.听

Minor domestic crossings (short听sea):听all other short sea passenger routes including routes between Great Britain and Orkney and Shetland Islands.听

Domestic cruise:听passenger figures include all passengers on domestic cruises in the UK (with no cruise stops at foreign ports). These figures were collected for the first time in 2021 and can be found in table听SPAS0201. Large domestic cruises did not previously occur but were a feature in 2021 when they were听permitted听under the domestic roadmap for England. This was the first stage of the wider restart of cruises following the industry鈥檚 pause during the coronavirus pandemic, with international cruises restarting from August 2021.

Question 3

Headline figures听

Accepted Answer

In听2025, domestic sea听passenger听numbers听increased above 2024, however they听remained听below听2019 levels听overall.

Domestic sea passenger numbers听increased听2%, from 38.3听million听in 2024听to 39.2听million in听2025.听This follows a broadly stable trend in domestic sea passengers听before听2019, a听sharp听decrease听in听2020听due to the coronavirus pandemic and an upward trend since听(chart 1).

Chart 1: UK domestic sea passengers, 2015听to听2025听(SPAS0201)

The total number of sea passengers on domestic routes听comprises听passengers on domestic sea crossings, domestic cruises, inter-island domestic听routes听and river ferries.听

For听domestic passengers听in 2025:听

river ferries accounted for 18.4 million (47% of all domestic sea passengers), up 4% compared with 2024, but 4% lower than in 2019听
inter-island services accounted for 16.9 million (43%听of all domestic passengers), up 1% compared with 2024, but 12% lower than in 2019听
domestic sea crossings accounted for 3.7 million passengers (10% of all domestic passengers), down 2% from 2024 and 8% higher than in 2019
domestic cruises accounted for 64,000 (less than 1%听of all domestic passengers)

Chart 2: UK domestic sea passengers by type of route, 2015听to听2025(SPAS0201)

Question 4

Passengers on river ferries听

Accepted Answer

In听2025,听there were听18.4听million passengers on river ferries,听an increase of 4% compared with 2024听at 17.8 million passengers.听This increase is driven听largely by听a 6% increase in听passenger numbers on听London services.听听This can be attributed to higher demand following the introduction of tolls at the Silvertown and Blackwall tunnels, alongside the introduction of a new operating model in May 2024 that expanded the service to a seven-day, two-vessel operation.听

Data for one river ferry operator has听been听imputed听since听2023, therefore no comparisons听to pre 2023听have been made.听The听methodology听for the imputation can be found in听notes and definitions听page.听

Question 5

Passengers on inter-island domestic routes听

Accepted Answer

The number of passengers on inter-island journeys was stable from 2010 to听2019 but saw a large decrease from 19.3 million passengers in 2019 to 9.1 million in 2020.听Passenger numbers recovered sharply until听2022, but听have听remained听steady since at a level below 2019.听In听2025,听there were 16.9听million passengers,听which is a 1% increase compared with 2024听and听12% below 2019 numbers.听

There were 7.4听million passengers between Hampshire and the Isle of Wight in听2025,听remaining听stable with 2024 levels.听Passengers on other inter-island routes听combined听saw an听increase of听21% from 2024,听largely driven听by the Cowes-East Cowes route.听听This听may reflect the return to normal service levels following planned maintenance works to the Cowes Floating Bridge听in听2024.听

In听2025, passengers on Scottish inter-island routes听decreased 1% compared to听2024听passenger numbers.听See the听Transport听Scotland Water Transport Statistics听for further information, including figures for individual routes.

Question 6

Passengers on听domestic sea crossings听

Accepted Answer

The number of passengers undertaking domestic sea crossings was听relatively stable听from 2010 to 2019. This dropped听substantially from听3.5 million passengers in 2019 to 1.5 million in 2020 due to travel restrictions during the coronavirus pandemic. By 2022, passenger numbers on domestic sea crossings had recovered and, despite a 2% decrease compared with 2024, were 8% above 2019 levels in 2025, with 3.7 million passengers (chart 2).听

Of all passengers on domestic sea crossings, 78% of passengers travelled on major domestic routes, with the remaining 22% of passengers travelling on minor domestic routes. These proportions are broadly consistent with previous years.听

Passengers on major domestic routes (short sea)

Map 1: Top 5 UK major domestic short sea routes in听2025听by number of passengers (millions) and change from 2024听(SPAS0201)

In听2025,听passenger numbers听on domestic short sea routes听were听2% lower than in 2024 but remained听8% above 2019 levels.听听

Domestic sea crossings from Great Britain to Northern Ireland听were听2% above 2019 levels.听Cairnryan-Belfast is consistently the busiest domestic short sea route. In听2025, this route saw 1.2听million passengers, a 1%听increase compared with 2024.听Liverpool-Belfast听is the next busiest domestic short sea route, with听0.5 million passengers,听closely followed by Larne-Cairnryan听with 0.4 million passengers.听

Both听routes听from听Great Britain to听the听Isle of Man are听in the top 5 UK听domestic short sea routes with听0.3 million听passengers听each听in听2025. Heysham 鈥� Douglas had a听7%听increase from 2024听and Liverpool 鈥� Douglas had a听9%听increase听from 2024听(map 1, chart 3).听

Chart 3: Top 5 busiest major domestic sea crossing routes,听2010 to听2025听听(SPAS0201)

Question 7

Passengers on听domestic cruises听

Accepted Answer

In May 2021, UK domestic cruises were allowed to听operate听as part of the gradual lifting of coronavirus restrictions and in 2021 there were 433,000 domestic cruise passengers. This decreased by 90% to 46,000 in 2022 following the reopening of听international cruises. In 2025, domestic cruises carried around 64,000 passengers,听up 32% from 48,000 in 2024.

Detailed statistics on domestic sea passengers can be found in听data听table听SPAS0201.

Question 8

Annex: timeline of coronavirus events affecting sea travel听

Accepted Answer

A timeline of events during the coronavirus pandemic that affected sea travel since March 2020 until March 2022 can be found in the听Notes and definitions听section.听

Question 9

Background information听

Accepted Answer

We would welcome any feedback on these statistics by听sea-passenger.stats@dft.gov.uk. We will听attempt听to address any comments in a听subsequent听release.听

The听data tables听for sea passenger statistics are available.听

Full guidance听on听the methods used in the publication of these听releases, and听the quality of the data, and known users and uses of the statistics are available.听

The sea passenger statistics are听accredited official statistics. The statistics presented in this release were independently reviewed by the Office for Statistics Regulation in February 2013 and are therefore labelled 鈥榓ccredited official听statistics鈥�.听

Details of ministers and officials who receive听pre-release access听to these statistics up to 24 hours before release are available.听

Question 10

Instructions for printing and saving听

Accepted Answer

Depending on which browser you use and the type of device you use (such as a mobile or laptop)听these听instructions may vary.听

You will find your print and save options in your听browser鈥檚听menu. You may also have other options available on your device. Tablets and mobile device instructions will be specific to the make and model of the device.听

Question 11

How to search听

Accepted Answer

Select Ctrl and F on a Windows laptop or Command and F on a Mac

This will open a search box in the top right-hand corner of the page. Type the word you are looking for in the search bar and press enter.听

Your browser will highlight the word, usually in yellow, wherever it appears on the page. Press听enter听to move to the next place it appears.听

Question 12

Contact us听

Accepted Answer

To hear more about听DfT听statistical publications as they are released, follow us on X at听DfTstats.

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