Public Transport Users Increase 8.1% in March 2025

Public transportation users in Mexico’s main cities increased by 8.1% year-on-year in March 2025, reports INEGI. While regions like Mexico City’s Metropolitan Area (ZMVM) and Queretaro recorded double-digit growth, other cities like Monterrey recorded consecutive months of contractions.

According to INEGI’s Urban Passenger Transport Statistics (ETUP), during March 2025, ZMVM’s urban transport systems served 181.3 million passengers. This figure represents a 10.9% increase compared to March 2024. The Mexico City Metro transported 104.9 million passengers, registering a 15.7% increase. The system transported 57.8% of  the area’s total passengers, making it the largest transportation system across all the cities measured by ETUP.

Following Mexico City’s Metro were the Metrobús system with 38.8 million passengers, registering 5.4% growth; the State of Mexico’s Mexibus system with 10.6 million passengers (+17.9% increase); and Mexico City’s Trolleybus with 8.7 million passengers, representing a 17.7% increase. 

Following ZMVM's, Queretaro also posted double-digit passenger growth of 41.1% year-on-year in March 2025. This was the highest growth rate recorded in the country, with the city's Qrobus system transporting 500,000 passengers during this month.

Guadalajara's public transport system catered to 27.7 million passengers, marking a 0.4% increase. The main public transport systems were the Light Rail system, with 13.6 million passengers, moving over 49% of the city’s passengers. The system was followed by the bus-rapid transit (BRT) Mi Macro Periferico Troncal service with 7.6 million passengers, a 1% increase; and the Macrobús Servicio Troncal moving 3 million passengers, a 4.1% increase.

Monterrey experienced a decrease in public transport usage, with 12.6 million passengers in March 2025, down 1.9% compared to the previous year. The city’s largest transportation system was Metrorrey with 8.9 million passengers and a 6.7% decrease. It was followed by the BRT system Transmetro with 3.4 million passengers, an 14.9% increase; and the Transmetro Garcia-Monterrey service with 900,000 users, a 30.8% increase.

In Leon, 16.6 million passengers used public transport, a 2.6% rise from March 2024. Ridership grew in Puebla by 6.2%, and in Pachuca by 1.6%. However, passenger numbers decreased in Acapulco by 2.8% and in Chihuahua by 3.4%.

Mexico City, an Example of Creative Mobility Solutions 

Investment in transport infrastructure is fundamental for urban development, as deficient systems can hinder economic productivity and social mobility, says the UN. The organization identifies solutions like Cablebús systems, which moved 3.8 million passengers in March 2025, as viable for cities facing topographical challenges. “Mexico City's Cablebús Lines 1 and 2 emerge as an innovative transport solution, addressing the challenges of mobility and quality of life in urban areas marked by high levels of inequality and geographical difficulties,” reads UN’s website. 

An UN Office for Project Services (UNOPS) analysis comparing greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions indicates that the Cablebús system generates significant environmental and economic benefits by replacing Vans, a common means of transportation in Mexico City in areas with accidented topographies. Economically, the benefits derived from emissions savings, calculated as the project's net present value, amount to US$2.1 million. In terms of preventing GHG emissions, the use of Cablebús allows for a cumulative savings of 102,932t of CO2e over 20 years, which represents an average annual reduction of 5,147t of CO2e. This demonstrates that Cablebús not only lessens air pollution but also contributes substantially to mitigating climate change, generating long-term sustainable benefits for the city.