Financial Services, Latvia, Transport

At this time, if you buy a pre-paid "e-ticket" ("e-talons") for a bus, trolley-bus or tram, the price per ride is LVL 0.40, 038 or 0.36.

As Riga Mayor Nils Usakovs' (Harmony Center) press secretary Anna Kononova told LETA, state subsidy for public transport in Riga will be slashed next year, which is why the Riga City Council will have to increase the fares. However, the amount of discounts will also increase.

The state budget for 2010, which Saeima approved on December 1, stipulates that the government will not subsidize public transport in Riga.

On the other hand, the Riga City Council will continue to provide subsidies for passenger transportation in the city, however, the Riga budget will also be smaller next year, which is why the subsidy will be some LVL 6 million smaller than this year.

Because of this, and in order to cover the ensuing financial deficit, Rigas satiksme will turn to the city council asking permission for raising public transport fares to LVL 0.60.

Nevertheless, public transport fares will not increase for schoolchildren, students, persons with disabilities, pensioners and other discount recipients.

The Riga City Council guarantees that all the current public transport discounts will remain unchanged, said Kononova.