Riga, March 26 (LETA) - The introduction of a single train and Riga public transport ticket will enable residents of the capital to travel cheaper by public transport, Olafs Pulks (New Unity), head of the Riga City Council's traffic and transport committee, told a press conference today.

If currently a train journey, for example, from Imanta with a transfer in the city center to one of the Rigas Satiksme vehicles costs a passenger EUR 3, after the introduction of the single ticket the cost of the journey will be EUR 2.

In addition, the single ticket will operate as a 90-minute ticket on Riga public transport, allowing passengers to transfer to other Rigas Satiksme vehicles during this time at no extra charge.

Pulks said he hoped that the introduction of the single ticket would encourage a change in people's habits and that people would choose public transport to get to work and home rather than private vehicles.

The politician noted that currently the single ticket will only be available on the Pasazieru Vilciens passenger train company app. However, in order not to slow down the implementation of the project, the municipality has agreed to this offer.

Pulks also pointed out that it is currently unknown how much additional subsidy will be needed for Rigas Satiksme, and this will be clarified during the pilot project.

As reported, initial estimates suggest that the company will need an additional subsidy of EUR 400,000 to cover the difference between the ticket price and the real cost of the journey.

The amount of the subsidy will depend on how many passengers use the single ticket.

The Riga City Council will decide today on support for the single ticket pilot project between Rigas Satiksme and Pasazieru Vilciens.

It is also planned to set a time limit for the pilot project - no longer than one year from the moment of its launch, and Rigas Satiksme will submit an interim report on the results of the pilot project by December 15.

The pilot project foresees that only Pasazieru Vilciens will provide the single electronic ticket during the pilot period.

Around EUR 50,000 from the Riga City Council reserve fund is planned for the development of the technical solution for the code ticket application.

The single ticket will be available on routes operated by Rigas Satiksme and in Zone A of regional rail routes. After the pilot project, the single ticket is planned to be introduced on a wider network of railway routes.

The main goal of the Riga City Council in implementing the idea is to ensure more modern, convenient and financially viable passenger transport in Riga," the local authority said. It is also a good start for inter-institutional cooperation to work together towards greening the transport system.

The Transport Ministry's report says that the pilot project could tentatively start on June 1, 2025, with a planned timeframe of one year from the date when the single ticket will be available for purchase.

The Transport Ministry expects the introduction of the single ticket to increase passenger numbers. Currently, around 38,000 passengers a year use the services of both carriers at the same time. The potential increase in the number of passengers using the single ticket is estimated at around 30 percent.