Macao’s Light Rapid Transit (LRT) transported a daily average of 23,100 passengers last month, an increase of 6,200 over November. That’s according to statistics from the Macao LRT Corporation, published this morning.
Year-on-year, the passenger rate for December represents an increase of roughly 66 percent.
Last month’s figure is only second to the all-time record of 33,000 passengers, which was set during the inauguration of the LRT in December 2019, when rides were offered free of charge for a limited time. Previously, the second highest total was November 2024’s daily average of 16,900 passengers.
The significant increase in passengers transported at the end of last year can be attributed to the opening of the Seac Pai Van Line on 1 November, and the inauguration of the Hengqin Line on 2 December.
[See more: How to use Macao’s LRT train system like a pro]
Both of these routes significantly boost the capabilities of the LRT network. The 1.6-kilometre Seac Pai Van Line gives commuters access to the Union Hospital and the Seac Pai Van district. Meanwhile, the 2.2-kilometre Hengqin Line provides a direct link to Hengqin via an underwater tunnel.
Officials hope that additional extensions will boost usage further. Construction is currently underway on a 7.7-kilometre East Line that extends from Qing Mao Port and the Border Gate to the as yet unnamed reclamation areas known as Urban Zone A and Urban Zone E. This route is not expected to be ready until 2029.
According to transport and public works secretary Raymond Tam, broadening the LRT network into the heart of the Macao peninsula is also not out of the question.
Measuring a total of 16.3 kilometres, the Macao LRT network currently consists of 15 stations.
