The Largs to Cumbrae ferry route gained the second highest passenger total on the whole Caledonian MacBrayne network in 2016 with 738,549 people using the service.
The busiest route overall in the network continues to be Ardrossan to Brodick, carrying 828,262 people and 202,843 cars in 2016 – a rise of 8.7 per cent and 6.84 per cent respectively.
Completing the top three highest passenger totals were 738,549 (+7.49 per cent) on Largs to Isle of Cumbrae and 675,714 (+6.97 per cent) on the Wemyss Bay/Gourock to Rothesay on the Isle of Bute route.
There was a total of 161,298 cars on the Cumbrae ferry compared to 138,167 in 2015 - an additional 23.131 cars.
Caledonian MacBrayne’s official carrying statistics passed five million passengers for the first time since 1997.
The company operates the UK’s largest ferry network, with 32 vessels carrying out more than 136,000 individual sailings annually.
Many routes saw very significant rises in both passenger and car numbers in the first full year after the roll-out of the road equivalent tariff.
“Last year was our busiest in terms of passengers for two decades,” said CalMac’s Managing Director Martin Dorchester. “This is a great reflection of the professionalism of our staff in dealing with an increase of more than 400,000 passengers and almost 190,000 cars, whilst still running a smooth operation to help all our travellers."