Regional public transport fares in Latvia to rise by about 10% next year
Latvia's Road Transport Administration plans to raise regional bus and train fares by about 10% on average, no later than 15 February 2027. The increase is expected to bring roughly 3.2 million euros in extra revenue a year.
Regional public transport fares in Latvia, covering buses and trains, are set to rise by an average of around 10%. Tomass Beikulis, head of the Public Transport Department at the Road Transport Administration (ATD), told a meeting of the public transport council that the new tariffs should take effect no later than 15 February 2027. They are expected to generate about 3.2 million euros in additional ticket revenue per year, assuming the route network stays unchanged.
Flat 0.2 euro increase in the zone system
In the zone system, tickets in all five zones, A to E, will become 0.2 euros more expensive. The A zone fare goes from 1.5 to 1.7 euros (13.3%), B from 2.3 to 2.5 euros (8.7%), C from 2.8 to 3 euros (7.1%), D from 3.3 to 3.5 euros (6.1%) and E from 3.8 to 4 euros (5.3%). Beikulis explained that an identical increase was chosen to preserve the existing price proportions between zones.
Routes outside the zone system
Outside the zones, prices are planned to rise by roughly 10–11%, rounded to 0.1 euro. A train ticket from Riga to Koknese will go from 4.6 to 5.1 euros, Riga–Daugavpils from 8.9 to 9.8 euros, and Riga–Indra from 11.7 to 12.9 euros. On regional buses, Riga–Saldus rises from 6.2 to 7 euros and Riga–Liepaja from 10.6 to 11.9 euros. The minimum fare in Riga will increase from 1.5 to 1.7 euros, in other state cities from 1.2 to 1.3 euros, and at remaining stops from 0.9 to 1 euro.
A separate bicycle ticket is also planned, priced at 30% of a single-trip fare, and the current luggage ticket would be renamed "Luggage or animal ticket". The new ticket types are to be introduced as technical readiness allows, within six months at the latest.
Funding context
The Ministry of Transport (SM), in an informative report on financing public transport for 2027–2030, proposed three options. It regards as practicable the one that keeps the current bus and train network, raises fares by about 10% on average and reviews fare concessions, capping state support at 70% of the fare. Without additional funding, around 794 bus trips might have to be cancelled, and passenger numbers would fall by more than three million journeys a year. State budget funding available for regional transport in 2027 is 93.78 million euros.
