Cyprus has the fewest new bus registrations in the European Union, showcasing a significant lag in fleet renewal as reported by Eurostat on Friday. Despite having a total of 3,144 buses in its fleet in 2024, Cyprus ranks among the lower tier of EU member states.
- Across the EU, a total of 37,920 new buses were registered in 2024. France led these figures with 6,625 new registrations, followed closely by Italy at 6,540 and Germany with 5,382.
New bus: Comparative Fleet Sizes Across the EU
According to Eurostat, the EU boasts a total of 737,142 buses and motor coaches, which include trolleybuses, mini-buses, and mini-coaches. In terms of fleet size, Italy leads the pack with an impressive 101,303 buses, followed by France with 94,542 and Poland with 88,840. Germany rounds out the top four with 85,559 buses.
In contrast, Cyprus trails behind countries like Slovenia, Luxembourg, and Malta, which have 3,015, 2,735, and 2,620 buses respectively. Interestingly, while Cyprus’ numbers are low, they are still ahead of these nations.
Bus Registrations and Renewal Rates
In 2024, Cyprus recorded only 102 new bus registrations, giving it a bus renewal rate of 3.24 per cent. Although this figure is low, it is still higher than countries like Bulgaria, which renewed just 0.7 per cent, Poland at 2.4 per cent, and Hungary at 2.5 per cent. Malta, just ahead of Cyprus, registered 107 new buses, while Bulgaria and Croatia had 127 and 174, respectively.
Across the EU, a total of 37,920 new buses were registered in 2024. France led these figures with 6,625 new registrations, followed closely by Italy at 6,540 and Germany with 5,382.
Stability in Motorisation Rates
Eurostat highlighted that the EU’s motorisation rate has remained stable at 1.6 buses and motor coaches per 1,000 inhabitants over the last decade. This stability contrasts sharply with the growing number of passenger cars, which rose from 506 per 1,000 inhabitants in 2014 to 578 in 2024.
In terms of buses per 1,000 inhabitants, Malta leads with a ratio of 4.6, followed by Luxembourg at 4.0 and Estonia at 3.7. On the other end of the spectrum, countries like the Netherlands, Germany, and Austria have much lower ratios, with the Netherlands at 0.5, Germany at 1.0, and Austria at 1.2.
Environmental Policies and Zero-Emission Buses
Environmental concerns are influencing the bus market across the EU. Efforts to reduce urban pollution have led to a rise in the share of zero-emission buses among new registrations, now reaching 17.8 per cent, surpassing the 13.5 per cent for new passenger cars. In total, 6,746 newly registered zero-emission buses and motor coaches were recorded across the bloc in 2024.
