Published: 04.09.2026.
Translated by machine translator
Two pearls of Riga Art Nouveau in the quiet center - Alberta street and Antonijas street section - have become pedestrian streets on weekends since August 14th. Riga residents and city guests are invited to enjoy the unique architecture, summer atmosphere on cafe terraces and leisurely walks in the urban environment during Mobility week.
Pedestrian Street Mode at Alberta Street and Antonijas Street section from Dzirnavu Street to Elizabetes Street will operate every weekend until September 20. It takes effect Fridays at noon 20.00 and is in place until midnight on Sunday. Pedestrian street mode is organized with appropriate road signs that will determine the status of the residential zone, prohibit the passage of motor vehicles, as well as vehicle stops and parking on street edges. Physical barriers will not be placed on the carriageway to ensure operational transport access and residents' access to their properties.
The initiative is being carried out in close collaboration with restaurants and cafes on the streets. On weekends, entrepreneurs, in coordination with the municipality, can expand their terraces, as well as offer visitors special offers.
Such initiatives, when streets are temporarily dedicated to pedestrians, are widespread in many parts of Europe. They help support local entrepreneurs while making city space more lively, accessible and attractive to residents and guests.
On September 11, the Mobility week warm-up event “Meža Street Neighbours evening” will take place, during which you will be able to discover and get to know the implemented improvements on Meža Street and its surroundings together. These solutions have been developed within the framework of the international project “just streets”, creating a safer, more accessible and more people-friendly urban environment.
Since 15.00, children from surrounding schools and kindergartens have been invited to Meža Street for creative activity together with local artists.
On the other hand, from 17.00 to 21.00, at Meža Street 4, near the “SABRES Workroom” and the newly created pedestrian zone, visitors will have the opportunity to get acquainted with the new characters of Meža Street, participating in creative workshops for children and adults, as well as enjoy various other activities.
The European Mobility week from 16 September to 22 September will feature an international step challenge organised by the European Commission's EIT Urban Mobility in cooperation with the walk 15 app for the second time.
The aim of the initiative is to involve as many people as possible from different cities, promote environmentally and health-friendly movement, as well as pedestrian-friendly infrastructure, but at the end of the challenge - to find out the most active city in Europe.
Riga City Council invites Riga residents to participate in the step challenge, walk a lot and secure the title of the most active city in Riga! The more people we have in our city team, the more steps we will accumulate, so invite friends and colleagues to participate!
To take part in the challenge:
- Need to download Walk15 app on mobile: https://onelink.to/walk15app
- Then join the “European Mobility week steps challenge 2026” challenge by clicking on this link https://walk15.app/challenge/code/EMW2026.
- You have to choose the team “Riga” and start accumulating steps. In-app registration is already open, but step counting will start automatically on September 16 and continue until September 22. The steps walked during the European Mobility week will be added to the Riga team.
- We recommend that you open the walk 15 app daily to synchronize your steps. This will ensure the results are spot on.
- The busiest cities will be announced after the challenge concludes.
Inviting Riga residents to use the new bicycle paths and learn something new about various Riga neighborhoods, the coordinators of the Riga neighborhood population Center invite them to join one of the three bicycle rides planned for European Mobility week. No advance application is required for them, only weather-appropriate clothing, a bicycle and preferably a protective helmet.
16.09. Direction of Dreilinkalns. Riga - Ulbroka. At the beginning of European Mobility week, Daiga Mežale, Teika point neighborhood coordinator, invites you to go in the direction of Dreilinkalns through Riga's largest neighborhoods - Purvciems and Pļavnieki. The trip is scheduled to begin at 18.00 In Grīziņkalns Park near the monument of 1905, end at the cultural center “Ulbrokas Pērle”. The total distance in one direction is about 9 km, in both directions about 18 km. The planned total length of the trip with a return of ~ 1.5 h.
Along the way, it is planned to stop at the Catholic Church at the corner of Deglava/Astras streets, at the intersection of Dreiliņkalns Lielvārdes and Sakharova streets, as well as before the so-called “Mother-in-Law's Circle” (rotation circle of Lubāna, Deglava, Jugla, Kaiva streets). Each stop will have the opportunity to learn something new about the specific object, including Grīziņkalns and Ulbroka Pearl.
20.09. Direction of Aniņmuiža. Riga - Babite. At the end of the Tweed ride and approaching the European School Sports Day on September 26th, Gaidis Balodis, coordinator of the Bolderāja point region, invites you to a cycling race on Sunday, September 20th.
The trip is scheduled to begin at 13.00 at the shopping center “Olimpija”, follow the new bicycle path to Babīte and back to the starting point. Total planned distance about 19 km. A slow ride with a stop is planned, on the way to see and learn something new about the LU Botanical Garden, Anniņmuiža Park and Anniņmuiža itself, the Jurmala bicycle path, Babīte and the railway station “Babīte”, the Culture House “Imanta”, the Imanta market, as well as the neighborhoods of Imanta, Dzirciems and Ķīpsala in general.
22.09. Direction of Bishumuiza. Riga - Kekava. On a car-free day – Tuesday, September 22nd, Imanta point neighborhood coordinator Daira bite and Liene Siņicka, Agenskalna point coordinator, invite you to go in the direction of Bišumuiža and Ķekava. The start of the trip is planned at 17:30 at the Latvian National Library. More details will follow.
On September 17th, the fifth Smart cities Conference will take place at Riga Technical University (RTU) within the framework of European Mobility week, bringing together representatives of the urban, public administration, research, entrepreneurship and innovation ecosystem from Latvia and Europe. The conference will focus on smart city development, digital transformation and how innovations go from ideas and pilot projects to practical and scalable solutions.
The central question of this year's conference - “What does it take for urban innovation to really work?” The conference will focus on the prerequisites for successful innovation in cities – how to strengthen the ability of municipalities to implement changes, build effective governance and cooperation models, use data and new technologies, as well as ensure that promising ideas and pilot projects become practical and sustainable solutions for citizens.
The conference programme includes several thematic blocks and discussions:
- Innovation governance and public sector transformation
How cities can move from innovation strategies and pilot projects to practical implementation – creating effective governance models, strengthening organizational capacity and cooperation between different sectors and institutions.
- Innovation ecosystems and cooperation models
How municipalities, companies, startups, investors and academia can work together successfully – from defining urban challenges to implementing pilot projects and scaling solutions.
- Data and digital transformation in urban governance
How data, digital twins, and interoperable digital solutions help cities make data-driven decisions, manage city processes more efficiently, and develop new services.
- Future mobility and new technologies
Autonomous solutions, drone technologies, Urban Air Mobility (Urban Air Mobility) solutions, and other technologies that can help address urban development challenges.
Within the framework of the conference, the Expo Zone will also operate, where you will have the opportunity to get acquainted with innovative urban environment solutions and technologies from Latvia and other European countries, including companies of the EIT Urban Mobility Innovation ecosystem, meet solution developers and discuss the possibilities of testing and implementing them in municipalities.
The conference is organized by RTU, the Riga City Council, the Open Innovation movement “VEFRESH” and the University of Latvia. The event takes place with the support of the EIT Innovation Community “Urban Mobility”.
The conference will take place at the RTU auditorium center “Domus Auditorialis” at Zunda krastmala 8, Riga.. The working language is English, but if necessary, a Latvian translation will be provided.
The conference programme and application form are available here.
Saturday, September 19, in Bolderāja, Stūrmaņu Street from Elms to Brūžu Street, from noon 12.00 am to noon 18.00 an entertaining mobility event will take place, where every resident of the neighborhood and every other resident of Riga can gain experience on how mobility and movement with the aim of changing our daily life and habits.
Programme of the event:
- Stage Zone
- 12.00 Morning gym class
- 12.45 Velotrial showcases
- 13.00 Educational puppet theatre performance for children “Chicken in the City”
- 13.45 Velotrial demonstrations
- 14.00 Discussion “Mobility in the city – changing habits?”
- 15.00 Performance by illusionist Edzus
- 16.00 Concert by Valters Pūce and Dainis Tenis
- 17.00 Concert by the band “bus in the Sky”
- Amusement area
- Mini BMX
- Cycling map
- Big wooden Games
- Big soap bubbles
- Creativity zone
- Painting faces
- Creative workshops
- Embellishing mobility tools
- Utility area
- Workshop “meet the bicycle master”
- Bolderaja point tent of the neighborhood population Center
- Lounge area
- Mobile dining point
- Stage Zone
Event manager Juris Šteinbergs
During the event, the Stūrmaņu Street section will be closed to road traffic, while visitors with scooters and bicycles are invited to move around the event area, pushing them by the hand, taking care of the safety of each participant.
On Saturday, September 19th, the Riga Tweed ride will take place in Riga during European Mobility week – one of the most elegant and anticipated events in Latvian cycling culture. Riga residents and city guests are invited to put on their costumes in a retro mood, pack bicycles and enjoy the cityscape together on a unique ride through the streets of Riga.
The aim of the event is to popularize cycling as a sustainable mode of transportation in the city, it is organized by the Latvian old-age bicycle club and its course takes place in cooperation with the Riga municipality.
Preparation for the trip is planned from already at 14.00. The parade ride is scheduled to begin at 16.00 at the LU Botanical Garden, heading towards the center and finishing, returning to Pārdaugava and finishing around noon 17.00 Kalnciema quarter, where the brightest and most magnificent participants will be awarded and celebrated. Anyone who owns any bike can take part in the ride, and membership is free.
During the course of the Tweed ride, there will be temporary traffic restrictions along the route.
Within the framework of European Mobility week, on September 21st at 10:00 in Ilguciems, Slokas Street 52B, a “Senior healthy walk” will take place, during which a warm-up with a physiotherapist and a guided walk along the route “Green Ilguciems” is planned.
the 1.5-2 hour walk will be a great opportunity to combine physical and emotional well-being, socialize and get to know the beauty of Riga.
To apply for the walk, please fill out the application form HERE or apply by calling/writing to +37127804480 (Elza).
The International car Free Day is part of the European Mobility week to encourage citizens to change their habits and choose environmentally and health-friendly modes of travel - public transport, bicycle, walking and other mobility solutions.
To draw attention to sustainable mobility in the city, Riga City Council will close city hall parking lots in old Riga on this day, and invites companies and organizations to join the initiative - closing their parking lots for one day and encouraging employees to give up using a private car, choosing public transport, bicycle or walking instead.
We also invite you to organize various activities that promote sustainable mobility, such as cycling trips, joint walks, educational events, mobility challenges for the team or other initiatives.