On weekday mornings, if they have to commute to work in Rīga, recent changes to railway timetables mean two popular commuter choices have gone missing. Trains previously left Jelgava at 6.08 and 6.19.
“In the new train timetable, which came into effect on December 15, these trains have been replaced with trains from Jelgava at 5.38 and 6.38, which arrive in Rīga at 6.25 and 7.25 respectively. The new arrival times are ill-considered, because the first of the trains arrives in Rīga too early and the second too late.”
Passenger Zaiga also believes that the new timetable does not encourage people to use public transport instead of their cars.
“Unfortunately, the new list also proves that. Now I – and I think I am no the only one – am faced with a dilemma: be late for work, leave an hour earlier, change jobs, or use the car and add to the traffic jams in Rīga and ignore the most realistic and greenest option,” said Zaiga.
Some of the Jelgava residents surveyed by Studio 4 were aware of the changes in train schedules. Some of them also emphasized that the train to Rīga should run more often in the morning, not just once an hour.
Passenger rail operator “Pasažieru vilciens” stated in a press release:
“A new train timetable has come into effect from December 15, which includes changes on all railway lines. After assessing the demand for transport services, state funding, as well as the availability of other forms of public transport, the number of train departures on certain routes and times has been reduced, while at the same time increasing the number of trips on other routes.”
Train and bus routes are monitored and approved by the Road Transport Directorate, which makes changes to the route lists once a year. Its representative Viktors Zaķis said that in Europe, it is common practice to adjust transport schedules on the second Sunday of every December, adjusting them both according to infrastructure and flows. He explained:
“In the Jelgava situation, there is probably one reason for the dissatisfaction. It is the line that is currently being reconstructed. In principle, the tracks are being changed there, all the systems are being adjusted.”
It is planned that the repair work on the Jelgava track section will be completed in mid-2025. In the future, the time that passengers will have to spend on the train will be significantly reduced. However, for now, while the flow of trains on several sections of the road is possible only on one track, inconveniences must be expected.