Opening the express route Riga City Centre – RIX Riga Airport
Lux Express today, June 12, has launched passenger commercial transportation on the regional route Riga City Centre – RIX Riga Airport.
“Thanks to Lux Express and RIX Riga Airport for the successful cooperation – the new shuttle bus is a significant step in improving the service quality for airport visitors. Each such step, where we improve airport connectivity and accessibility, leaves a good impression of Latvia. Now airport visitors will have the opportunity to reach the Riga city centre in an average of 30 minutes and also get from the centre to the airport. Compared to other international airports, the ticket price for such a service is on average 2 euros cheaper. The Ministry will continue to support similar cooperation models, where private carriers offer high-quality and affordable services to our residents and tourists,” emphasizes the Minister of Transport, Kaspars Briškens.
“Today we are opening the express route Riga City Centre–RIX Riga Airport, which will be a great benefit to the residents of Riga and its visitors. Our top priority is to provide passengers with high-comfort buses and shorten travel time, and we are pleased that our services can now be conveniently received by airport visitors. This is a great benefit not only to RIX Riga Airport but also to the capital city itself, as convenient and efficient connectivity is one of the foundations of a European city’s development,” notes Aldis Ķibēns, Director of Baltic Business Development at Lux Express.
All transportation on the Riga City Centre – RIX Riga Airport route will be carried out with Iveco Daily Fergui minibusses, which have seating 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. Additionally, all buses will have Wi-Fi, climate control, seat belts for passengers and info screens where stop names will be announced in Latvian and English.
Every day, there will be 18 trips on the route from Riga City Centre to RIX Riga Airport, with stops at: Riga Coach Station, Centrala stacija, Esplanade (Riga city centre), Z. A. Meierovica bulvaris, Kipsala, Valsts arhivs, Kauguru iela, Riga Airport. In the direction RIX Riga Airport–Riga City Center, there will be 21 trips with stops at: Riga Airport, Kauguru iela, Valsts arhivs, Kipsala, Z. A. Meierovica bulvaris, Esplanade (Riga city centre), Centrala stacija, Riga Coach Station. Departure times are planned to meet passenger demand throughout the day, especially during peak hours.
Tickets can be purchased on the company's website, at RIX Riga Airport Visitor Centres, as well as from bus drivers and at the Lux Express sales office at Riga International Bus Station. Tickets for this route cost 8 euros, while for children and up to 16 years old (including) – 6 euros. In addition to traditional payment methods, tickets can be purchased on the luxexpress.lv website using GooglePay and ApplePay payment methods. The journey time from Riga City Centre to Riga Airport is expected to be 35 minutes. Tickets can be purchased on the company's website.
A. Ķibēns adds that in cases where the flight is cancelled or the departure time is changed and a person has purchased tickets for the Riga City Centre–RIX Riga Airport route, tickets can be exchanged or refunded. However, if the ticket cannot be exchanged or refunded and the flight is delayed, the purchased ticket is valid all day based on availability.
It has already been reported that Lux Express submitted an application to the Road Transport Directorate (ATD) on April 16 to include the route Riga City Centre–RIX Riga Airport in the list of commercial regional routes and to issue a route permit for “Lux Express Latvia” for this route.