JOURNEYS on public transport in the north have increased by 1.3 million, new figures show.
Translink has announced that Ulsterbus and Metro services all experienced major rises, while NI Railways enjoyed an increase of around 900,000 more passenger journeys.
Transport minister Danny Kennedy said the "incredible rise" was the result of government investment.
"Over the last few years we have invested in new buses and trains to offer people an attractive alternative to the car and it is working," he said.
Mr Kennedy congratulated Translink for "continuing to deliver well above the targets they have been set".
Provisional figures show that during 2012/13 more than 78.5 million people used public transport - up from 77 million the year before.
Catherine Mason, Translink group chief executive, said it offers "attractive, sustainable and good-value" travel.
"This is a great result," she said.
Last year Ms Mason warned the company was poised to sink into the red and faced criticism of a decision to award train drivers an inflation-busting 24 per cent pay rise at a time when commuters faced fare increases.