Data of the Central Statistical Bureau show that in 2017 the amount of passengers arrived at and departed from the Riga International Airport for the first time has exceeded 6 million.

6.1 mill. passengers arrived at and departed from the Riga International Airport, which is 0.7 mill. passengers or 12.9 % more than in 2016. The largest passenger turnover at the Riga International Airport was with German airports – 0.9 mill. passengers (increase of 4.4 %), British airports – 0.8 mill. passengers (6.5 % more) and Russian airports – 0.6 mill. passengers (13.8 % more), as compared to the previous year.

Passengers arriving at and departing from the Riga International Airport by countries*

* Passengers departing from are registered after the plane's first landing point, but passengers arriving at– after the plane's last take off point.

Passenger turnover at ports is increasing

The number of passengers arrived at and departed from Latvian ports with ferries accounted for 994 thou., which is 37.5 % more than in 2016. 743 thou. passengers arrived at and departed from the Riga Passenger Terminal, which is 45.6 % more, but at the port of Liepāja – 41.1 thou. passengers, which is 24.6 % more than in 2016. Since 2010 continued significant rise in passenger turnover was observed at the port of Ventspils, where in 2017 there were 209.9 thou. passengers that arrived at and departed from the port, which is 16.6 % more than a year ago and 3.4 times more than in 2010.

Passengers arriving at and departing from Latvian ports via passenger ferries by quarters
(thousand passengers)

There were 87.4 thou. passengers who arrived at the Riga Passenger Terminal via cruise ships – 22.4 % more than in 2016.

In 2017, 242.8 million passengers were carried by land passenger transport, which was 0.8 % less than in 2016. The number of passengers carried by rail transport increased by 1.5 %, the number of passengers carried by regular bus traffic lines decreased by 1.9 %, but the number of passengers carried by urban electric transport increased by 0.6 %.

Freight turnover decreases at ports

In 2017, freights transported to and from Latvian ports accounted for 61.9 mill. tonnes, which is 2 % less than in 2016.

Freights transported to and from Latvian ports in 2017

There were 54.2 mill. tonnes of freights shipped from ports, which was 3.7 % less than a year before. The reduction in the volume of freights shipped was mainly caused by a decrease in the volume of oil products by 16.9 %, as well as of grain and grain products – by 8.9 %, of timber – by 5.8 %, of mineral fertilisers – by 20 %. In turn, volume of coal loaded increased by 5.2 %, goods in containers – by 13.1 % and roll on/roll of – by 14.4 %.

The volume of freights received at ports rose by 11.9 %. This was mainly due to rise in the volume of unloaded goods in containers and roll on/roll off by 14.2 % and 14.8 %, respectively, as well as due to increase in oil products unloaded by 16.1 %.

Riga International Airport received and shipped 23.4 thou. tonnes of cargo, which was 20 % more than in 2016.

Freight transport by rail has reduced

In 2017, 43.8 mill. tonnes of freight were carried by rail, which is a decrease of 8.4 % compared to 2016. National freights by rail accounted for 1.7 mill. tonnes – 11.3 % more. In international traffic the volume of freights carried by rail reduced by 4.2 mill. tonnes or 9.1 %. Freight traffic by rail to/from Latvian ports fell by 11.3 %, their share in international traffic comprised 83.2 %.

Freight transport by rail by type of transport in 2017

	Million tons	Changes as % compared to 2016
Total	43.8	-8.4
national freights	1.7	11.3
export freights (of which also freights from ports)	1.8	-22.9
import freights (of which also freights to ports)	36.6	-12.9
transit freights	3.7	92.0

Freight transport by road is increasing

In 2017, 68 mill. tonnes of the freight were carried by road, which is a rise of 4.6 mill. tonnes (7.3 %) compared to 2016. Growth in the volume of freights was mainly determined by increase of 32.5 % in the transportation of products of mining and quarrying. The bulk (76.7 %) of the total freight volumes by road was national freight, where the indicator increased by 3.8 mill. tonnes or 7.8 %. International freight traffic rose by 0.8 mill. tonnes (5.7 %).

Freight transport by road by type of transport in 2017

	Million tons	Changes as % compared to 2016
Total	68.0	7.3
national freights	52.2	7.8
export freights	4.5	12.0
import freights	3.0	10.8
cross-trade and cabotage freights	8.3	1.0

Media requests:
Communication Section
E-mail: media@csb.gov.lv
Phone: +371 67366621, +371 27880666

More information on data:
Edīte Miezīte
Transport and Tourism Statistics Section
E-mail: Edite.Miezite@csb.gov.lv
Phone: +371 67366810

Passenger traffic

KEY INDICATORS

Passenger traffic

PUBLICATIONS

Passenger arrivals and departures at Riga International Airport in 2021

Passenger arrivals and departures at Riga International Airport in 2020

Press releases

In October the number of passengers at airport comprised 552.5 thousand

The number of passengers in September 1.6 times larger than a year ago

On average Latvian residents walk 3.1 km a day