Bad year for freight transport in Latvia so far / Article

66.1 million tonnes of freights were carried by land transport, a decrease of 11.2 % compared to a year ago.

In the nine months of 2023 rail transport freights comprised 8.4 million tonnes, which is 27.4 % less than in the nine months of 2023. National freights by rail comprised 1.4 million tonnes – 9.7 % more. In international traffic the volume of freight transported by rail comprised 7 million tonnes, a drop of 31.9 %. 

Freights by road comprised 57.7 million tonnes, which is 8.2 % less than in the corresponding period of the previous year. Transportation of national freights comprised 45 million tonnes, 12.5 % less than a year ago. Transportation of international freights accounted for 12.7 million tonnes – 11.3 % more. 

In the nine months of 2024 the cargo loaded and unloaded at ports comprised 26 million tonnes, which is 11.2 % less than in the nine months of 2023. Freight turnover at Riga port was 13.1 million tonnes, 6.8 % less, at Ventspils port – 5.6 million tonnes or 32.2 % less, at Liepāja port – 5.2 million tonnes or 1.1 % more, but at minor ports – 2 million tonnes or 17.1 % more.

Central Statistical Bureau data also show that in the nine months of 2024, compared to the nine months of 2023, passenger traffic by train, tram, trolleybus and aircraft has risen, but by regular bus traffic lines and ferries – reduced.

During the nine months of 2024, the number of passengers carried by road passenger transport comprised 141.9 million passengers, which is 1.7 % more than in the nine months of 2023.

The number of passengers carried by rail transport comprised 14.6 million, a rise of 11.6 %. The number of passengers carried by national transport rose by 11.2 %, but the number of passengers carried by international transport (due to the new route Vilnius-Riga) – 4.7 times.

75.3 million passengers were carried by regular bus traffic lines, which is 2.4 % less than a year ago. Number of passengers carried in national urban and regional lines reduced by 2.4 %, but the number of passengers carried in international lines – by 10.5 %.

The number of passengers carried by trolleybuses comprised 29.3 million passengers, a rise of 2.1 %, but by trams – 22.7 million passengers, a growth of 10.5 %.

In the nine months of 2024, 287.6 thousand passengers arrived at and departed from Ventspils and Liepāja ports with ferries. Their number has dropped by 5.2 %, compared to the nine months of 2023. At Ventspils port passenger turnover comprised 205.1 thousand passengers, 11 % less, but at Liepāja port – 82.5 thousand passengers, which is 12.9 % more. Ferry traffic at Riga Passenger Terminal has been closed since 2021.

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