Fuel Prices: Some Drivers Say They Would Keep Their Cars Even at €3 a Litre
In a discussion on the social network Threads, drivers explained that for many a car is a necessity, not a choice. Statistics show fuel prices in Latvia continued to rise in September.
Fuel prices in Latvia are climbing, but that has not yet led drivers to switch en masse to public transport. In a discussion on the social network Threads, users were asked to name a price per litre at which they would give up their car. The replies suggest that price alone does not always decide the matter.
Since 1 October, Latvia has applied a lower excise tax rate on fuel, and the price per litre was expected to fall by about eight cents. Still, the question of how big a financial hit would make people give up daily car trips remains open.
The car as a necessity
Some participants said there is no critical price at all. One woman wrote that she would keep driving even at €3 a litre, because no public transport runs from her rural area to her workplace or her child's kindergarten. Another lives in the countryside, where no bus serves her daily route. A third noted that the nearest stop is a 20-minute drive away. Work at unusual hours and taking children to school or activities also make giving up a car harder.
Public transport shortcomings and counterarguments
One public transport user claimed trams are crowded at almost any time of day. Another commenter said she has taken a bus for 30 years that has to be waited for 50 minutes. One participant argued that, in a time of crisis, Riga City Council should improve routes.
Another commenter, however, said city residents have bicycles, public transport and walking available, though a car is more convenient. One user ironically suggested that well-off people would keep driving even at €10 a litre.
Official data
Data from the Central Statistical Bureau show that in September 2026 the average price of transport fuel in Latvia was 9.6% higher than in August. Diesel rose by 10.3%, petrol by 8.2% and autogas by 1.8%. Compared with September 2025, fuel prices were 35.3% higher on average.
The views in the discussion do not form a statistically representative survey, but they show that a single price threshold at which all drivers would switch to public transport probably does not exist.
