The COVID-19 pandemic had a large impact on public transport. Many countries advised that public transport should only be used when needed, the number of passenger fell drastically, and services were reduced. Provision of a reasonable service for the much smaller number of fare-paying passengers incurred large financial losses.

Protective measures such as obligatory mask-wearing and spacing of passengers where possible were introduced, and ventilation and sanitation (disinfection) were implemented. Protection required passengers and operators to make many changes to the way they operated and behaved.

The risks It was suggested in March 2021 that the use of public transport had led to the spread of COVID-19. There has been little evidence that mass transit poses a risk of covid infection. According to Santé Publique France (Public Health France) in June 2020, none of 150 clusters of infection studied were due to public transport; it was suggested that this was helped by spacing passengers out, mask wearing, and disinfection of surfaces. Also, people talk and move little, especially when travelling alone.

By October 2020 according to the Union Internationale des Transports Publics (UITP) there was evidence that, when appropriate measures are implemented, the risk of catching COVID-19 in public transport is very low. The UITP article said that analysis in the UK by the industry-funded Rail Research and Safety Board (RSSB) found that the probability of catching covid on a rail journey was 1 in 11,000 journeys. Later figures have not been released, but are believed to be significantly higher, and expected to increase with the relaxation of COVID-19 restrictions in July 2021 (see United Kingdom section).

Modelling at the US University of Colorado Boulder in North America found that the risk of being infected in a well-ventilated metro, or a bus, with minimal talking and movement is 0 percent after 70 minutes.

COVID-19 protective measures

The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention issued guidance documents on COVID-19 protective measures for passengers and operators of public transportation and hire cars with drivers, updated from time to time. Much of the CDC advice is of general applicability in non-US jurisdictions. Non-essential travel is to be avoided. Drivers and passengers should (or in some jurisdictions must) wear face coverings, avoid frequently touched surfaces, and sit at least six feet apart if possible. To protect bus drivers, passengers can enter and exit through a door far from the driver. Avoid handling cash or payment cards. Frequently touched surfaces should be routinely cleaned. Signage and other visual cues such as decals and tape can alert passengers on appropriate COVID-19 precautions and seat designations. Travelers are encouraged to carry hand sanitizer and disinfectant wipes with them. Necessary travel is best done during non-peak hours when passengers can be spaced further apart.

Research and development

Researchers investigate safe ways of public transport during the COVID-19 pandemic.

A study finds that mandatory face masks and social distancing can allow for relatively safe public transport – in particular of otherwise contemporary ways, established types, designs and procedures of public transport – during the COVID-19 pandemic, reducing infection rates by 93.5 percent and 98.1 percent in tracking-based simulations of common contemporary forms of public transport during congestion peak-hour.

One study tested different virus mitigation technologies in a bus, suggesting that photocatalytic oxidation inserts, UV-C light and positive pressure environment could be efficacious and that it is important that masks are worn.

Field trials of novel durably biocide treated air purifiers for preventing the spread of airborne pathogens were conducted onboard public rail transport.

Proposals for further measures include preventing overcrowded vehicles (or distributing passengers evenly) such as via on-demand services and redesigned services, requiring a proof of vaccination to enter trains, improvements to corona-tracing apps for public transport, smart card data validations, and further research.

A study investigated whether there is an association between public transportation and influenza mortality (as an indicator of disease prevalence), using data from 121 large cities in the U.S., and found no evidence of a positive relationship.

Asia

China On 23 January 2020, the entire Wuhan Metro network was shut down, along with all other public transport in the city, including national railway and air travel, to halt the spread of the virus.

On January 24, 2020, the day after the lockdown was declared in the city of Wuhan, the Beijing Subway began testing the body temperature of passengers at the entry points of 55 subway stations including the three main railway stations and the capital airport."北京道路省际客运今起全部停运" 北京青年报 26 January 2020. Temperature checks were expanded to all subway stations by January 27.(Chinese) "北京地铁将全路网推行测温 体温超37.3°C就需隔离" 人民网 27 January 2020. To further control the spread of the virus, certain Line 6 trains were outfitted with smart surveillance cameras that can detect passengers who are not wearing masks.Beijing's 'intelligent' metro line able to identify unmasked passengers. Xinhua News Agency via China News Service, 9 April 2020.

On 28 March 2020, six lines of Wuhan Metro (Line 1, 2, 3, 4, 6, 7) resumed operation, after a two-month lockdown. On 8 April 2020, Phase 1 of Line 8 resumed operation. On 22 April 2020, Line 8 Phase 3, Line 11, Yangluo line resumed operations.

China has largely contained the COVID-19 outbreak since June 2020, allowing for subway ridership and service to gradually recover to pre-pandemic levels. Several subway systems such the Changsha Metro and Hefei Metro posted ridership growth in 2020 due to opening of new lines. Several Chinese metro networks broke historic daily ridership records on 2020's New Year's Eve. Overall annual ridership of major Chinese public transport systems fell around 35 percent in 2020 compared to pre-pandemic ridership.

India Various Indian states announced local and state level partial and incremental transport shutdown as early as March 11, 2020.

Indonesia Restrictions have been implemented to public transport in Jakarta, Indonesia.

Transportation Ministry Greater Jakarta Transportation Agency (BPTJ) head Polana B. Pramesti said that Jakarta in particular had initiated various restrictions including transportation restrictions in March. "After the official, large-scale social restrictions (PSBB) status it can be ascertained that public transportation user numbers have declined as people's mobility has been limited," she added.

Philippines In the Philippines, public transportation has been suspended in Luzon as part of the implementing measures of the enhanced community quarantine. In the absence of public transport, citizens could only resort to using their own private vehicle, but the critical role played by public transport cannot be replaced fully by private vehicles. In June, several regions in Luzon that were previously in enhanced community quarantine were downgraded to general community quarantine, allowing the use of public transportation in limited capacity and subject to social distancing protocols.

Turkey On 20 March, free public transportation for people 65 years of age or older was temporarily suspended in Balıkesir, Konya and Malatya to encourage them to stay at home. A day later, similar measures started to be imposed in Ankara, Antalya and İzmir. On 24 March, it was announced that public transportation vehicles that work in and across the cities could fill up only 50 percent of their capacity with people at a time.

Europe At the start of the second wave of the COVID-19 pandemic, demand for public transportation in the top EU economies declined just 20% according to Google Mobility Reports. Traffic to key transportation hubs fell by 30%-40%, while traffic to workplaces fell by 20%-30%.

Denmark In August 2020, Denmark made face masks compulsory on public transport.

France Based on data released by Transit, France saw the largest decrease in use of public transport. This included a 92 percent decrease in Lyon and an 85 percent decrease in Nice.

France made face masks compulsory on public transport when it eased COVID-19 lockdowns on 11 May 2020.

According to the French statistical agency INSEE, 3% of the French labor force frequently teleworks. 2% of French workers travel fewer than 5 kilometers from their home to work, and 8% must travel more than 50 km.

Germany In Germany, after COVID-19 lockdowns were lifted, face masks were mandatory on public transport. This mandate was lifted in February 2023. At the same time, Health Minister Karl Lauterbach encouraged the voluntary use of masks indoors and on trains.

Ireland

By April 2020, Dublin Airport was only running repatriation flights, or those with vital supplies (a reduction of more than 95 percent from the same week in 2019); Cork Airport was reduced to three return flights each day, all of which went to and from London, the first of which left at 4 pm and the last returning at 7:30 pm; Ireland West Airport had no commercial flights and both daily flights to and from Kerry Airport went to Dublin.

On 27 March, the National Transport Authority announced that operators of public transport services are to move to a new schedule of services on a phased basis from 30 March. Revised timetables for Iarnród Éireann came into effect on 30 March, while those for Dublin Bus, Go-Ahead Ireland, and Bus Éireann, came into effect on 1 April. Under the revised timetables, services ran at approximately 80 percent of current levels. Many public transport timetables returned to normal by 29 June, but social distancing requirements meant that overall passenger capacity remained restricted.

On 10 July, the Minister for Health Stephen Donnelly signed regulations to make the wearing of face masks mandatory on public transport, which came into effect on 13 July. Those who refuse to comply to regulations can face fines of up to €2,500 and a possible jail sentence of six months. Figures from the National Transport Authority showed levels of compliance of between 70 percent and 95 percent on buses, trains and trams. Bus Éireann reported a compliance rate of 95 percent on its services, Iarnród Éireann said it was 90 percent, Dublin Bus reported a rate of about 80 percent and Luas said it was between 75 percent and 80 percent. On 21 July, the Department of Health announced that face shields will be accepted as an alternative to a face covering on public transport.

Prevented the reopening of all closed railway lines along the island of Ireland.

United Kingdom In 2020 bus, air, and train services were reduced in the United Kingdom. Initially public transport use declined by around 90% in London since the COVID-19 lockdowns were implemented. London's mayor Sadiq Khan made all bus travel free from 20 April and told passengers to only board by the middle doors in a bid to protect bus drivers, after 20 of them and several TfL employees died from COVID-19. Bus travel fares were reinstated from 23 May, after a conditional bailout of Transport for London by the Department for Transport. From 15 June it became compulsory to wear a face covering on public transport in England.

Throughout the pandemic, people had been told not to use public transport for non-essential travel, to help stop the spread of COVID-19 and allow for social distancing in carriages for essential workers. This advice was rescinded on 17 July 2020, in advance of further easing of lockdown measures, including the removal of remote work advice.