As public transport usage across Ireland continues to reach record levels, the environments surrounding buses, rail stations, LUAS stops and transport hubs have become some of the most valuable spaces for advertisers.
For brands seeking both scale and engagement, public transport Out of Home (OOH) media offers a powerful combination of reach, attention, relevance and frequency, making it one of the most effective channels for connecting with consumers throughout their daily journeys.
Data shows that public transport journeys reached a record 364 million in 2025, representing growth of 6% versus 2024 and 17% versus 2023. Dublin Bus accounted for 167 million journeys, while rail and LUAS each generated 55 million journeys and other bus services contributed a further 87 million. Collectively, these figures represent close to one million journeys every day across Ireland, creating a vast and continually replenishing audience for advertisers.
What makes public transport environments particularly valuable is their ability to deliver both mass reach and high-quality audience engagement. Transport OOH is encountered naturally as part of consumers’ daily routines, whether travelling to work, studying, shopping or socialising, audiences are repeatedly encountering advertising messages at moments when they are highly alert and receptive. Vehicles and transport hubs are seen not only by passengers but also by pedestrians, motorists, cyclists and surrounding footfall, extending campaign reach far beyond the commuters themselves.
Transport hubs also provide one of OOH’s greatest advantages: dwell time. Railway stations, platforms, ticketing areas and waiting zones create environments where consumers spend sustained periods of time in proximity to advertising panels. These extended exposure opportunities allow brands to communicate more effectively, particularly through premium digital and motion-led formats that can tell richer stories and reinforce key messages.
The latest results of the annual Canal Cordon Report show that six in ten commuters crossed into Dublin city centre last year using public transport – the highest figure in 20 years.
Ireland’s major rail hubs offer particularly compelling opportunities for advertisers. Connolly, Pearse and Tara Street stations account for more than 25% of national rail footfall, with approximately 95,000 daily visitors passing through these key commuting locations. These environments combine scale, frequency and audience quality, delivering access to some of Ireland’s most economically active consumers on a daily basis.
Importantly, commuters are not simply passing through these environments, they are engaged within them. Research from Global indicates that 75% of rail passengers view advertising as a welcome distraction during their journey, while 35% have spoken to somebody about, or shared on social media, an advertisement they encountered within the rail environment. This demonstrates the ability of transport OOH to drive active engagement and conversation rather than merely passive exposure.
The commuter mindset also presents unique opportunities for brands. Travel time often creates moments of reflection and planning. Our OCS research indicates consumers often think about work, family, finances, purchases and upcoming decisions when in travel environments. For categories such as banking, retail, telecommunications, travel and FMCG, transport environments provide access to audiences at moments when they are naturally considering important aspects of their daily lives. This contextual relevance can significantly enhance campaign effectiveness and message resonance.
The continued growth of Digital Out of Home within transport environments has further enhanced the medium’s effectiveness. According to PML Group research, 81% of consumers say digital screens featuring video or moving imagery are more likely to attract their attention, while 74% say they would wait for an advertisement to replay if it had captured their interest. Motion, animation and dynamic content allow brands to maximise the attention available within transport settings, making premium digital rail and station formats particularly powerful.
While rail and station environments continue to evolve, buses remain one of the most effective and dependable formats within the wider transport media ecosystem. Their ability to travel throughout towns, cities and communities enables brands to build broad reach whilst maintaining high levels of visibility and repetition. Importantly, bus formats consistently demonstrate their effectiveness in real-world campaign measurement.
This is reflected in PML Group’s IMPACT research programme, where bus formats, particularly T-Sides and Supersides, are consistently among the highest-performing OOH formats measured. Their combination of scale, mobility, proximity and frequency allows campaigns to achieve strong levels of noticeability, recall and overall advertising effectiveness. As buses move through high-footfall urban centres, residential communities, retail districts and commuter corridors, they deliver repeated brand exposures throughout the day, helping build familiarity and long-term brand salience.
From a planning perspective, the greatest opportunity lies in combining multiple transport touchpoints into a connected consumer journey. Even better, to weave these transport formats into a wider consumer journey, amplifying effectiveness. OOH’s proven reminder effect means that each additional touchpoint helps reinforce previous exposures and keeps brands top of mind closer to purchase occasions.
As Ireland’s public transport network continues to expand and passenger numbers continue to grow, the case for transport OOH becomes increasingly compelling. Through a combination of mass reach, extended dwell time, premium environments, high-frequency exposure and proven effectiveness, public transport advertising allows brands to connect with consumers at scale while engaging them during some of the most valuable moments of their day.
Transport OOH is one of the most effective ways for brands to be visible, relevant and memorable in modern Ireland.
