Vivi carried 14 million train passengers over eight months this year
Latvian rail operator Vivi transported 14 million passengers in the first eight months of 2026, down 0.7% year-on-year, while keeping punctuality high at 97.2%.
Latvian passenger rail operator Vivi carried 14 million passengers in the first eight months of this year, about 99,000 fewer, or 0.7% less, than in the same period of 2025. The steepest drop occurred on the Tukums line, where repair works carried out by state railway company Latvijas dzelzceļš reduced passenger numbers by 451,800. Despite the decline, Tukums remains the busiest route, carrying 4.7 million passengers over the eight months.
The company's punctuality rate, measuring how closely trains adhered to schedule, reached 97.2% for the period. Vivi maintained this level despite extensive infrastructure damage caused by an August storm and ongoing electrification repair works on the Jelgava line. The operator noted that when track availability is limited in certain sections, any single disruption can trigger a chain reaction affecting several subsequent services.
Growth on several electrified lines
Passenger numbers rose on three electrified lines this year. The Jelgava direction saw the fastest growth, up 7%, or 155,000 passengers. The Aizkraute line grew by 4%, nearly 140,000 more passengers, while the Skulte line rose 3%, or 57,000 passengers. Diesel train services between Riga and Daugavpils also gained, carrying 6,000 more passengers than last year. On the international Lugaži–Valga route, passenger numbers climbed 16%, reflecting continued demand for convenient cross-border rail travel within the Baltic states.
Vivi noted that Latvijas dzelzceļš is continuing a broad infrastructure modernization program, including rebuilding passenger platforms and upgrading electrified networks on several lines, which may bring schedule changes. Vivi is the largest passenger rail carrier in the Baltics, having transported 21.3 million passengers in 2025 and employing more than 950 people.
