No April Fool’s joke; From Monday, bus tickets will become more expensive – BauskasDzive.lv

Residents who will be going somewhere by bus during the Easter holidays should expect that from Monday, April 1, they will have to pay more for bus tickets.

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The Directorate of Road Transport (ATD) explains that the tickets purchased until March 31 (inclusive) will be valid until the relevant ticket expires, while from April 1, all tickets will be sold exclusively at the new tariff. Tickets purchased electronically in mobile applications and on the Internet will gradually become cheaper. The aim is to change the habits of passengers and encourage them not to buy tickets from the driver or at the ticket office.

ATD representative Viktors Zaķis states that the new tariffs were prepared since the spring of 2023. In the final version, the Public Transport Board approved them on December 14 last year. “Practically all the meetings of the Public Transport Council were attended by the management of the Latvian Passenger Carriers Association. In parallel with the carriers, ATD organized two seminars on the new tariffs, where they not only informed about the progress of their implementation, but also listened to the carriers’ comments and provided answers to their questions. All minutes of the meeting of the Public Transport Council and the adopted decisions are publicly available. Mass media were informed about the new tariff system at the end of last year,” said V. Zaķis.

As for the new tariff system, V. Zaķis explains that it is based on new principles. In certain connections, ticket prices have become even cheaper than before, but there are also connections where the price increase is large.

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It is already possible to view price changes on the 1188.lv portal. If you specify your planned route after April 1, you will see the new prices. For example, from Bauska bus station to Riga bus station, the ticket price will increase by 45 cents or 3.60 euros instead of the previous 3.15 euros, but to Jelgava the increase will start from 35 cents or 3.30 euros instead of the previous 2.95 euros.

V. Zaķis clarifies that only one section has remained cheaper in the Bauska route network – from Bauska to the center of Bürstele, from April 1, the ticket will cost five cents less.

Edvards Valdmanis, head of the passenger transport department of A/s “Nordeka”, confirmed that the agreement with ATD has been concluded. “The information was sent to all carriers on time. We have also informed our employees about the tariff changes. It is possible that somewhere in the system there will be failures in the first days, because the volume is quite large, says E. Valdmanis. He admits that bus drivers will be the first to receive criticism from passengers.

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“Probably, there will be a big swing from the public side. I believe that the Autotransport Directorate could have launched a better information campaign about the upcoming changes. In many places, however, the trip has remained more expensive. Yesterday, at the public transport meeting, we pointed out that after April 1, ATD’s information phone should be placed on buses, so that people call and ask why this way and not that way,” said E. Valdmanis. He promises that bus drivers will approach each situation individually.

Meanwhile, most of the residents interviewed at the Bauska bus station this week admitted that they had heard about the changes for the first time. Ceraukstiete Lúcija revealed that she came to Bauska on Wednesday and noticed information about ticket price changes at the bus station. Now 70 cents is required from the center of Ceraukste to Bauska, how much it will be from April 1, she doesn’t know. “It is clear that this is not an April Fool’s joke. Quite simply, we need to open our wallets wider,” concludes Lucija.

“On my word, this is the first time I hear that prices will be raised! I drove today and still paid the old price – two euros. I live in Mēmele, Skaistkalne parish. It’s good that the bus is still running, so who else will postpone what they ask for, they will pay for it,” says Regīna, a resident of the Skaistkalne side. She says that she doesn’t go to Bauska often, her neighbors pay for it with a transport service.

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“Many already have their own cars and the buses are often empty. Clearly, covering the costs is difficult. For example, a bus came from Skaistkalne on Wednesday without a single passenger, but it comes from Barbele, the first person boarded at Zvaigzne and then two were taken to Vecsaule, that’s all. How can anything pay off with such a flow?” says Regina.

Ligita, a resident of Bauska district, had heard about the changes. “Everything is getting more expensive, it’s no wonder that the bus fare is being raised. I don’t know how much the ticket will cost for me. When I go to work next week, I will notice the new price. Until now, it was 70 cents, maybe it will rise to 90 cents, or to a round euro,” admits Ligita.