Central Statistical Bureau (CSB) data show that in the nine months of 2021, compared to the nine months of 2020, passenger traffic by all modes of transport has fallen.

During the nine months of 2021, the number of passengers carried by land passenger transport comprised 95.2 million passengers, which is 18.6 % less than in the nine months of 2020.

The number of passengers carried by rail transport comprised 8.3 million, a drop of 19.1 %. Number of passengers carried by national transport reduced by 18.9 %, but the number of passengers carried by international transport reduced – by 86.4 %.

54.5 million passengers were carried by regular bus traffic lines, which is 18.5 % less than a year ago. Number of passengers carried in national lines reduced by 18.4 %, but the number of passengers carried in international lines reduced – by 59.7 %.

The number of passengers carried by urban electrified transport comprised 32.4 million passengers, a drop of 18.9 %.

Passengers carried by land passenger transport

(million passengers)

	I–IX, 2018	I–IX, 2019	I–IX, 2020	I–IX, 2021	Changes, % I–IX, 2021 / I–IX, 2020
Total	180.0	178.6	117.0	95.2	-18.6
Rail	13.9	14.2	10.2	8.3	-19.1
Regular bus traffic lines	104.2	104.3	66.8	54.5	-18.5
Trolleybuses	30.6	29.5	21.8	17.9	-17.8
Trams	31.3	30.6	18.2	14.5	-20.1

See OSP database: TPA020c

The largest impact of Covid-19 on passenger transport by land was in the 1st quarter of 2021, when the number of passengers reduced by 51.8 %. As the situation improved, in the 2nd quarter passenger traffic increased by 45.5 %. In the 3rd quarter the number of passengers fell by 11.5 %.

Passenger traffic by road transport in quarters of 2021

(million passengers)

	I–III, 2020	I–III, 2021	Changes, % I–III, 2021 / I–III, 2020	IV–VI, 2020	IV–VI, 2021	Changes, % IV–VI, 2021 / IV–VI, 2020	VII–IX, 2020	VII–IX, 2021	Changes, % VII–IX, 2021 / VII–IX, 2020
Total	51.6	25.0	-51.8	21.9	31.8	45.5	43.5	38.4	-11.5
Rail	3.8	2.0	-48.7	2.3	2.7	16.0	4.1	3.6	-11.9
Regular bus traffic lines	29.2	14.3	-51.0	12.9	18.3	41.9	24.7	21.9	-11.4
Trolleybuses	10.1	4.9	-52.0	3.7	6.0	62.8	8.0	7.0	-11.8
Trams	8.5	3.8	-55.7	3.0	4.8	62.8	6.7	5.9	-11.6

See OSP database: TPA020c

In the nine months of 2021, 181 thousand passengers arrived at and departed from Latvian ports, which is 56.4 % less than in the nine months of 2020. At Riga Passenger Terminal ferry traffic was closed, at Ventspils port passenger turnover comprised 148.2 thousand passengers, which is 29.6 % more, but at Liepāja port – 32.8 thousand passengers, 38.2 % more than a year ago.

Under the impact of Covid-19 pandemic in the 1st quarter passenger traffic by ferries reduced by 72.6 %. In the 2nd quarter, as the number of passengers rose rapidly on ferry lines at Ventspils and Liepāja ports, the total number of passengers carried increased by 22.6 %. In the 3rd quarter the passenger turnover in ferry traffic fell by 61 %.

Passengers arriving at and departing from Latvian ports via passenger ferries in quarters of 2021

(thousand passengers)

	I–III, 2020	I–III, 2021	Changes, % I–III, 2021 / I–III, 2020	IV–VI, 2020	IV–VI, 2021	Changes, % IV–VI, 2021 / IV–VI, 2020	VII–IX, 2020	VII–IX, 2021	Changes, % VII–IX, 2021 / VII–IX, 2020
Total	161.5	44.2	-72.6	45.4	55.8	22.6	207.8	81.0	-61.0
Riga port	110.4	-	-100.0	10.7	-	-100.0	155.6	-	-100.0
Ventspils port	43.8	36.6	-16.3	28.4	45.9	61.1	42.1	65.7	56.1
Liepāja port	7.3	7.6	4.0	6.3	9.9	56.8	10.1	15.3	51.2

See OSP database: TPO010c

The number of passengers arrived at and departed from the Riga International Airport constituted 1.4 million, which is 21.2 % less than in the nine months of 2020.

Media requests:
Communication Section
E-mail: media@csp.gov.lv
Phone: +371 27880666

More information on the data:
Vida Lukaševiča
Transport and Tourism Statistics Section
E-mail: Vida.Lukasevica@csp.gov.lv
Phone: +371 67366681

Passenger traffic

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RTP2503

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RTP2502

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