To reduce the risk that tourists will have to overpay for a taxi ride from Riga Airport, various solutions have been sought for many years — including prepaid vouchers. However, as it turned out, there is almost no demand for them, and complaints about inflated prices continue, reports TV3 News.
Riga Airport introduced a voucher system for taxis nearly two years ago. The essence is simple: to ensure that the first trip in Latvia does not unexpectedly become expensive, the passenger pays in advance and knows the exact price — 33 euros and 50 cents.
"Vouchers were created to diversify the offers for passengers with different ways of ordering taxis at the airport," reminds Laura Kulakova, head of the communications department at Riga Airport.
However, demand has proven minimal — only 63 vouchers were purchased last year. Meanwhile, discussions about high taxi prices have persisted for years. Although the number of so-called illegal carriers at the airport has significantly decreased, with 135 fines issued in 2024 (compared to 94 in 2023), the biggest surprises await passengers among licensed taxis.
"I personally had a trip from the airport for 60 euros, which I think is excessive. In Paris, there is a fixed price — 50 euros, we pay that, but why should I pay such an amount in Riga? I don’t think the argument that 'it’s the same everywhere in the world' holds. We are a small country, and we have been talking about this for 20 years. It’s time to bring order; I don’t know if there are any corruption risks involved, but why are certain companies still not eliminated from the airport?" wonders Janis Enzis, president of the Latvian Restaurant Association.
Currently, three licensed taxi companies can officially serve passengers. However, their rates vary — each company sets its own price for the pickup, per kilometer, and per minute.
Even when choosing a state-licensed taxi at Riga Airport terminal, the final fare can vary significantly. For example, one company may charge 20 euros to get to Old Riga, while another may charge a much higher amount for the same distance and time.
"How much will it cost to get to Old Riga? — Approximately 25 euros. Plus or minus. Up to 30 euros to the center. If there are traffic jams or accidents — it could be more. We go by the established rates," says taxi driver Ivars.
"Here are our prices — all taxis have them indicated on the doors. For example, for a minibus, there is an additional charge of 7 euros. Other companies have their own rates. At night — around 20 euros, during the day — also around 20, plus 2 euros for the pickup to the airport — this is for all companies," states Vilar.
"No one regulates the rates. Accordingly, at night or on holidays, transport costs 7 euros, per kilometer — 4 euros, per minute — 1–1.5 euros. So, calculating a trip to the center of Riga, it comes out to 50, 70, or sometimes even 90 euros. And formally, this is not fraud because the rate is approved by the Riga Planning Region," explains Denis Yatskiv, head of the Riga Airport police department.
"Yes, undoubtedly, at Riga Airport, you can get into a taxi with a very high price. But that’s the reality, and passengers need to be very careful. We are seriously working on developing alternative services, for example, collaborating with 'Bolt'," assures Kulakova.
On a weekday during the day, a trip with 'Bolt' to Old Riga can cost around 17 euros, premium — around 20, for six adults — 24 euros.
Currently, the airport is working on creating a similar digital solution so that licensed taxis can also be ordered in the same way. Another possible solution is clear zoning of routes with fixed or estimated trip costs.
The Ministry of Transport reported that a study on the methodology for calculating fares has been completed, and the next step will be regulatory measures to introduce a maximum fare for taxi trips from Riga Airport. A presentation of the study at the ministry is scheduled for the near future.
Last year, Riga Airport served over 7 million passengers, of which about 2% — approximately 140,000 — chose taxis as a means of further transportation.
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