After a five-year break, from May 17 until September 28, night public transport will be available in Riga on weekends and public holidays – three bus routes that will travel from Riga centre towards Mežciems, Imanta and Dārzciems.
Night traffic buses will be available at night from Friday to Saturday and from Saturday to Sunday, as well as on public holidays. The first buses will start running overnight from May 16 to 17. Buses will leave Riga Centre (Riga Central Railway Station) to neighborhoods five times – at 00.00, 1.00, 2.00, 3.00, 4.00.
“Riga is alive also after dark – culture, entertainment and work does not end with the last voyage of the day. With the restoration of night public transport, we are taking a step towards a more comfortable, safe and accessible city for everyone. This summer, we will analyse the demand and how to make this service an integral part of future traffic in all Riga neighbourhoods,” emphasizes Miroslavs Kodis, the head of the Licensing Commission for Commercial Passenger Transportation.
By 2020, eight night public transport routes were running in Riga, but due to decreasing passenger numbers and taking into account the COVID-19 pandemic restrictions, public transport night routes were cancelled completely. In order to assess whether there is currently a passenger demand for the night public transport service after a five-year break, the Riga municipality will implement a pilot project by September 28 and the issue of the return of public transport to permanent routes will be evaluated in autumn on the basis of its results.
Three special round bus routes have been developed for the pilot project to assess passenger demand for night public transport. They are designed to cover as many densely populated neighbourhoods as possible, as well as to allow the bus to return to its starting point within an hour.
Residents and guests of the city are invited to use night-time buses, attending various cultural and entertainment events, inspecting the city during late evenings and nights, and using it to get to or from work at home, as their use is the safest way to navigate the city during the dark hours of the day.
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The following night public transport routes will be available until September 28:
- Bus No. 1, with the route “Centre - Teika - Jugla - Mežciems” will run from the stop “Central station” along Raiņa Boulevard, Marijas Street, Merķeļa Street, Brīvības Boulevard, Brīvības Street, Air Bridge, Brīvības gatve, Silciema Street, Murjāņu Street, Juglas Street, Malienas Street, Hipokrāta Street, Biķernieku Street, Viļa Ģelbes Street, Brīvības gatve, Raiņa Boulevard to the stop "Central station”.
- Bus No. 4 with the route “Centre - Āgenskalns - Zolitūde - Imanta” will run from the stop “Stacijas laukums” along Marijas Street, 13. janvāra Street, 11. novembra krastmala, Stone Bridge, Uzvaras Boulevard, Bāriņu Street, Nometņu Street, Lapu Street, Melnsila Street, Kalnciema Street, Ventspils Street, Apuzes Street, Anniņmuižas Street, Rostokas Street, Zolitūdes Street, Jūrmalas gatve, Anniņmuižas Boulevard, Bebru Street, Kurzemes prospekts, Jūrmalas gatve, Slokas Street, Uzvaras Boulevard, Stone Bridge, 11. Novembra krastmala, 13. Janvāra Street, Marijas Street to the stop "Stacijas laukums”.
- Bus No. 6, with the route “Centre - Purvciems - Pļavnieki - Dārzciems” will run from the stop “Stacijas laukums” along Marijas Street, Aleksandra Čaka Street, Zemināna Bridge, Dzelzavas Street, Ulbrokas Street, Brāļu Kaudzīšu Street, Ilūkstes Street, Sesku Street, Nīcgales Street, Augusta Deglava Street, Augusta Deglava Bridge, Valmieras Street, Satekles Street, Marijas Street to the stop "Stacijas laukums”
A detailed bus route and stops will be available from SIA "Rīgas satiksme” website "rigassatiksme.lv" and application. Fares and usage arrangements will remain the same as for daily routes.
The decision to restore night public transport on May 6 was made by the Riga City Council and the Licensing Commission for Commercial Passenger Transportation. The proposal for the provision of night public transport service in the warm season of 2025 - from May to September, when people and tourists spend their evenings outdoors and different concerts and events take place in the city, was developed by a specially established Riga municipality evening and night time management planning working group. In order to implement the pilot project, additional funding of up to EUR 100 000 will be granted to SIA "Rīgas satiksme"