Rīgas Satiksme
 | |
| city municipality owned corporation | |
| Industry | Public transportation |
| Founded | 2003 |
| Headquarters | Riga, Latvia |
Area served | Riga |
| Parent | N/A |
| Website | www.rigassatiksme.lv |
Rīgas Satiksme (English: Riga Transport) is a limited liability company of Riga municipality which operates public transport and vehicle hire in the Latvian capital Riga and its surrounding areas. The organisation's principal activities involve the operation of the city's 476 buses, 354 trolleybuses and 267 trams.[1] It is also responsible for the operation of the city's car parks. It currently employs nearly 5000 staff members.[1]
History
Rīgas Satiksme was founded on February 20, 2003[1] as an umbrella organisation for the respective operators of trams, buses and trolleybuses in the city of Riga. Two years later, the separate operators of the different modes of public transport were merged and re-branded as Rīgas Satiksme, making it the largest provider of public transport in Riga.
Buses
In 1924, the first buses were put into service in Riga, initially operated by private companies, although by 1941 all buses in the city were taken over by the state. In the years between the end of World War II and the breakup of the Soviet Union, buses were under the control of the Ministry of Road Transport and latterly the city's Executive Committee. The 1960s saw vast improvement in the bus network, with the building of a new central bus station and the introduction of new Ikarus vehicles. In 1970, conductors were replaced by automatic ticket machines as the principal method of fare collection, although conductors were re-introduced in 1996. Until 1992, the bus network comprised two separate entities, and both were in desperate need of modernisation as they were re-structured into one single organisation. 1997 saw the introduction of new Mercedes-Benz vehicles, and the bus network has seen steady modernisation thereafter.
By 2005, Rīgas Satiksme was responsible for the operation of some 460 buses on a total of 57 routes [2] across the city and its suburbs, as well as 15 regional routes connecting Riga with its surrounding towns.[2] Buses are by far the most modern mode of public transport in the city, with a variety of models in service, including many newly delivered articulated and rigid vehicles built by Solaris (Urbino), Mercedes-Benz (Citaro, O345) and brand new Ikarus buses for regional routes, although many older Ikarus vehicles are still used in everyday service. By 2007, all old Ikarus vehicles had been removed from everyday service. Since summer of 2011, Rīgas Satiksme is operating 9 night bus routes. It used to be 10 but line Nr. 9 was closed due to low amount of passengers. Starting from January 7, 2012, Rīgas satiksme is operating 9 bus routes, which are designed so as to cover a majority of Riga’s most populated districts. One ride costs 2 euro if purchased from the driver and 1.15 euro if purchased from a ticketing machine or convenience store. Night lines runs each Saturdays and Sundays night.
Night Bus routes
| Number | Start point | End point |
|---|---|---|
| N1 | Riga Central Station | Jugla |
| N2 | Riga Central Station | Vecmīlgrāvis |
| N3 | Riga Central Station | Bolderāja |
| N4 | Riga Central Station | Imanta |
| N5 | Riga Central Station | Mežciems |
| N6 | Riga Central Station | Dreiliņi |
| N7 | Riga Central Station | Ķengarags |
| N8 | Riga Central Station | Zolitūde |
| N10 | Riga Central Station | Ziepniekkalns |
Regular Bus routes
| Number | Start point | End point |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Abrenes Street | Berģuciems |
| 2 | Abrenes Street | Vecmīlgrāvis |
| 3 | Pļavnieki | Bolderāja |
| 4 | Abrenes Street | Piņķi |
| 4z | Abrenes Street | Zolitūde |
| 5 | Abrenas Street | Mežciems |
| 6 | Dreiliņi | Riga Central Station |
| 7 | Abrenes Street | Stīpnieki |
| 8 | Riga Central Station | Zolitūde |
| 9 | Abrenes Street | Saules dārzs |
| 10 | Abrenes Street | Brūkleņu Street - Jaunmārupe |
| 11 | Abrenes Street | Jaunciema Cemetery / Suži |
| 12 | Abrenes Street | Cooperative "Ziedonis" |
| 13 | Babīte station | Preču 2 |
| 14 | Abrenes Street | Zvēraudzētava |
| 15 | Jugla -3 | Dārziņi -2 |
| 16 | Abrenes Street | Mucenieki / Garkalnes Mucenieki |
| 18 | Abrenes Street | Dārziņi -2 |
| 19 | Jugla -3 | Sarkandaugava |
| 20 | Pļavnieku Cemetery | Pētersalas Street |
| 21 | Imanta -5 | Jugla -3 |
| 22 | Abrenes Street | Riga International Airport |
| 23 | Abrenes Street | Baloži |
| 24 | Abrenes Street | Mangaļsala |
| 25 | Abrenes Street | Mārupe |
| 26 | Abrenes Street | Katlakalns |
| 28 | Jugla -3 | Langstiņi |
| 29 | Jugla -3 | Vecmīlgrāvis |
| 30 | Riga Central Station | Bolderāja |
| 31 | Jugla -3 | Dārziņi -2 |
| 32 | Abrenes Street | Piņķi |
| 34 | Riga Central Market | Saulīši |
| 35 | Abrenes Street | Pleskodāle |
| 36 | Imanta -5 | Vakarbuļļi |
| 37 | Imanta -5 | Esplanāde |
| 38 | Abrenes Street | Dzirciema Street |
| 39 | Abrenes Street | Lāčupes Cemetery |
| 40 | Ziepniekkalns | Jugla -3 |
| 41 | Imanta -5 | Esplanāde |
| 44 | Zolitūde | Ziepniekkalns |
| 46 | Zolitūde | Ziepniekkalns |
| 47 | Abrenes Street | Šķirotava |
| 48 | Pļavnieku Cemetery | Sarkandaugava |
| 49 | Rumbula | MAN-TESS |
| 50 | Aberenes Street | TEC-2 |
| 51 | Abrenes Street | Ulbroka |
| 52 | Abrenes Street | Pļavnieku Cemetery |
| 53 | Esplanāde | Zolitūde |
| 54 | Abrenes Street | Voleri |
| 55 | Abrenes Street | Jaunmārupe |
| 56 | Bolderāja | Ziepniekkalns |
| 57 | Abrenes Street | Ķīpsala |
Regional bus routes
Almost every regional bus route has been fixed since 1 January 2009. Some of them have been fixed, some routes are united with city routes and some routes have been extended.
| Number | Start point | End point |
|---|---|---|
| 10(Extented route) | Riga | Jaunmārupe |
| 55(New route instead of 853) | Riga | Jaunmārupe |
| 43 | Riga | Skulte |
Livery
All buses are painted blue and white except Ikarus E91's which are yellow.
Trolleybuses
The first trolleybuses in Riga entered service in 1947, using a portion of the budget initially set aside for the new tramway, with the intention of moving slightly slower trams away from the city centre to allow for faster trolleybuses. The service was operated initially by Soviet-built units, although these were later replaced by Škoda vehicles brought in from Czechoslovakia. Conductors remained on trolleybuses for 5 years after they disappeared from the buses, with electronic ticket machines replacing them in 1975. Conductors were re-introduced on the trolleybus network in 1997. From 2007 new electric ticket machines were installed and conductors disappeared. In 2009 electronic ticket machines were replaced with e-tickets (E-talons).[3]
Rīgas Satiksme is responsible for the operation of 19 trolleybus routes throughout the city.[2] In recent years (2000–2009) some of the older trolleybuses have been modernised while the rest have been replaced by new Solaris and Škoda trolleybuses. Old non-modernised Škoda trolleybuses do not run on the lines anymore.
Trolleybus routes
| Number | Start point | End point |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Pētersalas Street | Valmieras Street |
| 3 | Riga Central Market | Sarkandaugava |
| 5 | Daugavas Stadium | Riga Clinical Hospital |
| 9 | Iļģuciems | Riga Central Station |
| 11 | Ieriķu Street | Riga Central Station |
| 12 | Šmerlis | Āgenskalna priedes |
| 13 | Ieriķu Street | Riga Central Market |
| 14 | Mežciems | Esplanāde |
| 15 | Ķengarags | Latvian University |
| 16 | Šmerlis | Pļavnieki |
| 17 | Purvciems | Riga Central Station |
| 18 | Mežciems | Riga Central Station |
| 19 | Pētersalas Street | Ziepniekkalns |
| 20 | Latvian Television | Latvian University |
| 22 | Katlakalna Street | E. Birznieka Upīša Street |
| 23 | Purvciems | Riga Central Station |
| 24 | Pētersalas Street | A/S "Dzintars" |
| 25 | Iļģuciems | Brīvības Street |
| 27 | Ziepniekkalns | Riga Central Station |
Livery
Trolleybuses are painted in the same blue and white colours as buses, although some carry advertising. Older trolleybuses still hold the old TTP two tone blue and white.
Trams
Trams have been in operation in Riga longer than any other mode of public transport, with the first horse-drawn trams entering service in 1882. In 1900 it was agreed that a number of electric tram lines would be built in the city, with the first electric trams starting operation in 1901.[4] Tram construction continued until the outbreak of World War I. Operation of the tramways remained largely unchanged until 1918 and the emergence for the first time of Latvia as an independent nation, when a Belgian company took over. This period of private ownership was deemed a failure, and the city authorities regained control of the tram network in 1931. World War II devastated Riga's public transport system, and it was gradually re-built to its current level.[4]
Trams remain the principal mode of transport in Riga, with Rīgas Satiksme operating almost 300 units on 11 routes across the city.[2] The bulk of journeys on the tram network are operated by fairly elderly Tatra T3 units, which have been in service in Riga since long before Latvia became independent from the Soviet Union in 1991.
In 2002, Rīgas Vagonbūves Rūpnīca signed an agreement with the Mayor of Riga which would see the company replace the trams in Riga once their period of operation ended in 2010. The new trams would have offered enhanced comfort and safety, as well as would be far quieter than the city's current fleet of elderly ČKD Tatra units. According to RVR they would have featured bright and spacious interiors and would have been 20-30% more power efficient than their predecessors. The new units were expected to be produced at a rate of 15-20 per year and would have resulted in a gradual phasing out of the Tatra tramcars.[5] Instead, 20 Škoda 15 T trams were built for Riga and entered service in spring 2010.
Tram lines
| Number | Start point | End point |
|---|---|---|
| 2 | Tapešu Street | Riga Central Market |
| 3 | Shopping Center "Dole" | Jugla |
| 4 | Imanta | Riga Central Market |
| 5 | Iļģuciems | Mīlgrāvis |
| 6 | Jugla | Ausekļa Street |
| 7 | Shopping Center "Dole" | Ausekļa Street |
| 9 | Shopping Center "Dole" | A/S "Aldaris" |
| 10 | Bišumuiža | Riga Central Market |
| 11 | Mežaparks | Riga Central Station |
Livery
Most trams are painted in regular Rīgas Satiksme two-tone blue and white livery, although some are in special overall advertising liveries.
E-talons
On 1 March 2009 Rigas Satiksme implemented a new payment procedure for public transport in Riga. Single E-talons tickets are available, as are 24-hour, 3-day, 5-day and monthly passes. The fares remain the same. E-talons and tickets can be bought from various sales points around Riga. The ticket can also be bought from the driver, at a higher price. When boarding public transport (bus, tram, or trolleybus) the ticket card is held in front of the electronic card reader.
Fares
| Ticket type | Fare EUR | Transport type | Routes | Drives | Notes | Card type |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 24 hour ticket | 5.00 | Trolleybus, bus, tram | All | Unlimited | Carton | |
| 3 day ticket | 10.00 | Trolleybus, bus, tram | All | Unlimited | Carton | |
| 5 day ticket | 15.00 | Trolleybus, bus, tram | All | Unlimited | Carton | |
| 5 day ticket | 9.00 | Trolleybus, bus or tram | One route | Unlimited | Carton | |
| 5 Rides | 5.75 | Trolleybus,bus,tram | All | 5 | Carton/NP/P | |
| 10 rides | 10.90 | Trolleybus,bus,tram | All | 10 | Carton/NP/P | |
| 20 rides | 20.70 | Trolleybus,bus,tram | All | 20 | Carton/NP/P | |
| 1 ride | 1.15 | Trolleybus,bus,tram | All routes | 1 | Use ticket for one ride in all transports. 2.00 when buying a ticket from the driver | Paper |
NP - Non personalised card (no name or picture required) P - Personalised card (with name and a picture on it)
All tickets are valid 12 months from the date of issue.
Fares
A flat fare (applies from 1 February 2015) of 1.15 EUR per single journey ( 2.00 EUR, if bought from the driver) applies on all Rīgas Satiksme bus, tram and trolleybus services within the city boundaries. Fares on the regional bus routes vary depending on the journey destination.
The method of fare collection on public transport in Riga has since 1996,[6] been by conductor, and indeed this practice was widespread on buses operated by Rīgas Satiksme even after conductors where phased out in trams and trolleybuses. Tickets were available for purchase from the driver or newsagents operating in the city.
An electronic ticket system was introduced in 2009, making paper tickets obsolete.
Other services
Car parking
Rīgas Satiksme took over the operation of car parks in Riga in 2005, the first of which was built in 1993 to introduce parking charged to the city. Electric parking meters were introduced in 1994 with the assistance of both Riga City Council and local authorities in Helsinki, Finland. Since 1996, the operation of car parks has gone hand-in-hand with the responsibility of the removal of illegally parked vehicles in the city. In 2001, it was decided that vehicular access to the city centre would be allowed only through use of a smart card, and such cards were later introduced as a method of payment for parking. A system of parking charges by SMS was introduced by Rīgas Satiksme in 2005.[7]
Vehicle rental
Vehicle rental, initially operated by SIA Rīgas domes autobāze, was set up in 1992 with the main goal of providing vehicles to Riga City Council, although it now offers rental services to the general public. Operated by Rīgas Satiksme since 2005, the service currently boasts 180 rental vehicles, comprising cars, minibuses, coaches and ambulances.[8]
Minibuses
Rigas Satiksme controls the minibus transport in Riga via SIA "Rīgas Mikroautobusu Satiksme".
See also
Pasažieru Vilciens (Commuter rail & national passenger rail)
Riga Airport
Freeport of Riga
Riga Passenger Terminal (Passenger ferry terminal)
Riga International Coach Terminal
References
- 1 2 3 "About us". Rīgas Satiksme. Retrieved 2011-11-30.
- 1 2 3 4 "Traffic schedules". Rīgas Satiksme. Retrieved 2007-06-12.
- ↑ "History of trolleybuses in Riga". Rīgas Satiksme. Retrieved 2007-06-16.
- 1 2 "1901. : History : About us : Rīgas Satiksme". Rīgas Satiksme. Retrieved 2013-07-13.
- ↑ "trams". RVR. Retrieved 2007-07-12.
- ↑ "Conductors". Rīgas Satiksme. Retrieved 2007-06-14.
- ↑ "Car parking in Riga". Rīgas Satiksme. Retrieved 2007-06-16.
- ↑ "Vehicle rental in Riga". Rīgas Satiksme. Retrieved 2007-06-16.