On the social media platform "Threads," a passenger shared an unpleasant experience during her trip from Daugavpils to Riga, claiming that access to the toilet was closed to passengers shortly before the final station.
On the social media platform "Threads," a passenger shared an unpleasant experience during her trip from Daugavpils to Riga, claiming that access to the toilet was closed to passengers shortly before the final station.
The woman writes that she usually does not complain publicly, but this time she was truly shocked by what she experienced.
"I was traveling by train to Riga from Daugavpils — departure at 18:10, arrival at 21:29. I went to the toilet at 21:01, and it was closed. I waited for nine minutes, but there was no one there.
Then a man came up and said that the conductor had closed it because the toilet time was over. Seriously? Half an hour before arrival! What if someone feels unwell, or if a child really needs it? Do we really have to run around the whole train looking for the conductor?" she writes.
The woman adds that such a situation seems incomprehensible to her: "Why does the toilet need to be closed at all?"
To find out why this situation arose, LA.LV contacted representatives of the company "Vivi."
The head of the communications and marketing department of "Vivi," Sigita Paula, explains that the availability of toilets in trains depends on the type of train.
She notes that in electric trains and modernized diesel trains, toilets are available to passengers throughout the journey. In contrast, older diesel trains designed in the 1970s lack a closed wastewater collection system.
"Therefore, in such trains, toilets are not closed a certain time before the final station, but at specific sections of the route, that is, in sanitary zones, when approaching larger populated areas," Paula explains. The sanitary zone is established between Riga Central Station and the stations of Garkalne, Ogre, and Jelgava to comply with environmental protection requirements and sanitary standards.
The company representative acknowledges that such a situation can create inconveniences for passengers.
"In such cases, we encourage passengers to contact the conductor, who will individually assess the situation and seek a solution if possible," Paula points out.
At the same time, Paula emphasizes that the company continues to gradually update its fleet of trains. In the coming years, new battery-powered electric trains are also planned to be put into operation, which will operate on regional routes and provide passengers with more modern conditions.
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