Passenger transport dropped significantly in first half of 2020 in Latvia

Reduction in the number of passengers by all modes of transport was affected by declaration of emergency situation in the country due to COVID-19 pandemic and consequential restrictions in transportation.

During the first half of 2020, the number of passengers carried by land passenger transport comprised 73.5 million passengers, which is 38.9 % less than in the first half of 2019.

The number of passengers carried by rail transport comprised 6.1 million, a drop of 31.8 %. Number of passengers carried by national transport reduced by 31.4 %, but the number of passengers carried by international transport reduced  by 76.6 %.

42.1 million passengers were carried by regular bus traffic lines, which is 40 % less than a year ago. Number of passengers carried in national lines reduced by 40 %, but the number of passengers carried in international lines reduced – by 58.4 %.

The number of passengers carried by urban electrified transport comprised 25.3 million passengers, a drop of 38.4 %.

Passengers carried by land passenger transport
(million passengers)

The largest impact of COVID-19 on passenger transport by land was in the second quarter of 2020, when the number of passengers reduced by 64.1 %.

Passenger traffic by road and pipeline transport in quarters of 2020
(million passengers)

In the first six months of 2020, 206.9 thousand passengers arrived at and departed from Latvian ports, which is 57.2 % less than in the first half of 2019. Passenger turnover at Riga Passenger Terminal comprised 121.1 thousand passengers, which is 66.5 % less, at Ventspils port – 72.2 thousand passengers, a drop of 31.7 %, but at Liepāja port – 13.6 thousand passengers, 17.5 % less than a year ago.

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

Decision of the Cabinet to cancel international passenger traffic significantly affected passenger turnover in the second quarter, when at ports it reduced by 84.3 %. Mostly Riga Passenger Terminal was affected by the change in the number of passengers, as ferries scheduled are mainly oriented to passenger traffic. Thus, in the second quarter passenger turnover in ferry traffic reduced by 95.2 %, as traffic of ferries between Riga and Stockholm was closed, allowing just a couple of repatriation trips. Ferry traffic in Ventspils and Liepāja ports is mainly oriented to transportation of freights, therefore, changes in the number of passengers in the second quarter were not so large: at Ventspils port reduction comprised 51.3 %, but at Liepāja port there was a drop of 34.3 %.

Passengers arriving at and departing from Latvian ports via passenger ferries in quarters of 2020
(thousand passengers)

The number of passengers arrived at and departed from the Riga International Airport constituted 1.3 million, which is 62.9 % less than in first half of 2019.