Last year, the largest bus transportation company in the Baltic region Lux Express, carried more than 431 thousand passengers on routes to and from Riga, which is an increase of 26% compared to 2022.

Last year, the largest bus transportation company in the Baltic region Lux Express, carried more than 431 thousand passengers on routes to and from Riga, which is an increase of 26% compared to 2022.

"The past year has been very successful for the company. According to our estimates, we have become the Baltic market leader in terms of the number of transported passengers, exceeding 50% of the market share. In addition, in 2023 we have managed to return to the number of passengers carried before the Covid-19 pandemic. In fact, the past year could be called a year of growth and preparation for the works planned for 2024," says Aldis Ķibēns, Baltic Business Development Director of Lux Express.

Last year, the number of passengers transported between the Baltic States increased by 22%. The biggest increase last year was precisely for the Riga-Tartu route, where the number of passengers increased by 66%.

"In 2023, the company not only increased the number of transported passengers, but also renewed its bus fleet - by purchasing 27 new Scania buses, which offer one of the highest levels of comfort in the industry. Also, this year, the company plans to continue improving the service offered to its customers by purchasing additional new buses, which will be the largest purchase of new buses in the company's history," emphasizes A. Ķibēns.

In addition, in the middle of November of last year, Lux Express submitted an application to the Road Transport Directorate (ATD) to include the Riga-Liepāja and Liepāja-Daugavpils routes in the list of commercial routes of regional importance and to issue route permits to "AS Lux Express Estonia" for them. At the moment, the company is waiting for a response from ATD regarding the issuance of the route permit. "After receiving the permit, a very important thing will be the amendments to the law developed by the Ministry of Transport on the granting of discount compensations in regional commercial routes, which are currently stuck in the corridors of the ministry. However, we hope that with the receipt of the permit, these amendments to the law will be developed and Latvian residents will be able to receive services without any problems," said the Baltic Business Development Director of Lux Express.

Also, last year the company opened a new international route Tallinn – Warsaw, providing Latvian passengers with a direct connection to the Polish capital.

"We have reason to believe that this year will also be successful for us and that all the projects started by the company will be realized. This will increase the mobility of citizens in Latvia and Europe, as well as allow us to provide even better and wider services," A. Ķibēns admitted.