Lux Express will start commercial passenger transportation on the regionally important route Riga Centre - RIX Riga Airport from June 12, and ticket sales will also start from today, the company informed.
"It is important for us that airport visitors have access to convenient and fast transportation. We have moved the bus stop closer to the airport, sorted out the issue of taxi vouchers, and now we are opening Lux Express shuttle bus services. Thanks to the company for the cooperation!" says Minister of Transport Kaspars Briškens.
"We are happy that from June 12 we will be able to start providing a new service that will complement the existing transport connections and significantly improve traffic between Riga Airport and the city centre. Our goal is to provide passengers with buses of increased comfort and shorten the time spent on the road," says Aldis Ķibēns, Baltic Business Development Director of Lux Express.
All transportation on the route Riga Centre - RIX Riga Airport will be carried out with Iveco Daily Fergui minibuses, with seats for up to 24 passengers. These buses will be equipped with spacious seats where hand luggage can also be placed, as well as a separate compartment for larger luggage. In addition, all buses will have wi-fi, climate control, seat belts for passengers and info screens where the names of the stops will be announced in Latvian and English.
Every day, 18 departures will be provided on the route from Riga centre to RIX Riga Airport, with stops: Riga International Bus Station, Station Square, Esplanade, National Theatre, Ķīpsala, State Archives, Ventas Street, Riga Airport. On the other hand, 21 departures will be made in the direction RIX Riga Airport–Riga Centre with stops at Riga Airport, Kauguru Street, State Archives, Ķipsala, Z. A. Meierovica Boulevard, Esplanade, Central Station, Riga International Bus Station. Departure times are planned to ensure passenger demand throughout the day, especially during peak hours.
"The summer travel season is here, and the number of passengers at Riga Airport is increasing. Therefore, we are happy that with the opening of the Lux Express route, airport visitors have a new opportunity for convenient and faster trips from the airport to the centre of Riga and from the centre to the airport. We are sure that the reduced number of stops on the route and the coordination of the schedule with the passenger flow will improve the overall experience of passengers and airport guests," emphasizes Laila Odiņa, chairwoman of the board of RIX Riga Airport.
Ticket are available for purchasing from the website, in the Riga Airport Visitor Centre in the "E" departure hall, as well as at the bus drivers and at the Lux Express sales office at the Riga International Bus Station. Tickets on this route will cost 8 euros, while for children and young people up to the age of 16 (including) - 6 euros. Along with traditional payment methods, it will be possible to buy tickets on the luxexpress.lv website using GooglePay and ApplePay payment methods. The duration of the trip from the centre of Riga to the Riga airport is expected to be 35 minutes.
A. Ķibēns adds that in cases where the flight has been cancelled or the departure time has been postponed and a person has purchased tickets for the route Riga centre - RIX Riga Airport, it is possible to exchange or return the tickets. On the other hand, if it is not possible to exchange or return the ticket and the flight is delayed, then the purchased ticket is valid for the whole day after availability.
It has already been reported that on April 16, Lux Express applied to the Road Transport Directorate (ATD) to include the Riga centre - Riga airport route in the list of commercial routes of regional importance and to issue a permit to "Lux Express Latvia" for that route.