Some owners of cars with foreign registration numbers have been fined dozens and hundreds of times in Riga for violating parking rules, most of them do not even think about paying the fines issued, the Delfi portal writes, citing representatives of the municipal police.

In total, last year the Riga police issued 3,624 protocols for cars with non-Latvian license plates for violations of parking rules, which is 7.5% of the total number. However, in reality there are much fewer violators than there are protocols.

According to municipal police, they already know many of the violators well by sight, and, although there are no exact statistics, it feels like there are cars in Riga that are foreign license plates, whose owners were fined 100-250 times. At the same time, the Riga municipal police note that they, unlike the police of other countries, never ignore cars with foreign license plates and in any case issue a fine.

The fine for violating parking rules in Riga is 30-40 euros (55 for parking in a space for disabled people without having the right to do so). According to Delfi calculations, this means that in total “foreigners” had to pay the city last year from 108 to 150 thousand euros. However, the Riga municipal police do not know whether they paid. And they can only rely on the conscience of car owners, because there is no mechanism yet that would force owners of cars with foreign registration numbers to pay fines for improper parking.

The State Police confirmed this to Delfi, but noted that right now they are developing a mechanism that would allow such fines to be “delivered” at the place of registration to everyone, even the owners of “foreign cars.” For several years, there was a similar problem with fines for speeding, which were detected by radar. It was resolved long ago and today the European owner is fined in any case, regardless of the country of registration of his car’s license plates.

In the meantime, the only effective mechanism for “working” with violators with foreign license plates is to evacuate the vehicle. This is possible in three cases:

• If the intruder is standing where it is not allowed and is impeding traffic, he can be evacuated immediately;
• If a fine is issued for illegal parking and eight hours later the car is still parked, it can also be towed;
• If a violator has already been caught once in a parking lot in spaces for the disabled and is caught again within a year, he can be immediately evacuated.

During evacuation, the car is taken to an impound lot, from where it can only be picked up by paying all associated fines and expenses - regardless of whether registration numbers what country it is installed on.

When traveling around Europe by car, drivers need to remember not so much about local traffic rules as about parking rules in a particular country.

In Latvia, as in other European countries, car parking rules, the observance of which is strictly monitored by law enforcement agencies and violation of which is fraught with serious fines.

Even leaving your car in the wrong place for a couple of minutes, you can come back and find a receipt for a fine on the glass.

Basic parking rules in Riga

Another nuance of parking that guests of the Latvian capital should take into account in advance is its cost. Tourists planning to travel around Riga by car are advised to familiarize yourself with parking rates in advance in different parts of the city, since prices can be quite high depending on the area.

The parking system in Riga is quite clear and simple. The basic principle of parking is that the closer to the center, the more expensive the cost.

In residential areas you can park your car for free or use paid parking. In the center of Riga, parking is almost always paid.

On the streets, the fee for parking a car must be paid to the municipal enterprise “Rigas Satiksme”. Pay for parking quite simple: you need to pay either through payment parking terminals or via SMS.

Almost all RP SIA "Rigas satiksme" car parks (with the exception of Old Riga– Zones R) are open on weekdays from 8:00 to 20:00, on Saturdays from 9:00 to 17:00. At other times, that is, late in the evening, at night and on Sunday, these parking lots allowed to use for free.

In many courtyards in Riga there are paid private parking lots, but their prices are practically no different from municipal ones. There are also special terminals installed, accepting payment. Sometimes there are parking lots with barriers, where payment is accepted by a guard.

Another type of parking in Riga is parking in shopping centers . The same principle applies here as throughout the city. If the shopping center is not in the center, then parking is free.

If the retail space is located in the center of Riga, you will have to pay for parking. However, there are exceptions here too. So, some stores allow free parking if the owner of the car made a purchase in a store.

It is necessary to immediately say about sanctions for non-payment of parking. If the car is parked in a closed or guarded parking lot, then you will not be able to leave without paying, since the car will simply not be released.

If the car is parked in a place where you need to pay through a parking payment terminal and place a receipt under the glass, failure to pay may result in a fine. In Riga Cars are rarely towed in the absence of payment for parking.

Most often, a car owner who forgot or did not want to pay for parking will return to find an automatic lock on the car wheel. In this case you will have to pay double parking amount.

Another option is when the car owner pays incomplete parking amount. In this case, as well as in case of violation of parking rules, he will most likely have to pay a fine.

If the car was rented, the company will remove the amount of the fine from the presented credit card, as soon as she receives a notification, even if the tourist has already left for Russia.

If the fine is issued for a tourist’s personal car, then it may be required to be paid when crossing the Russian-Latvian border. Thus, it is still better to follow the rules for paying for car parking in Riga.

How much does parking cost in Riga

As already mentioned, street parking in the center of Riga is paid almost everywhere. At the same time, the entire central part of the city is divided into five zones with different tariffs. Parking zones are designated in Latin letters.

The cost of parking in Riga in these zones decreases in alphabetical order, that is, zone A - more expensive parking lots located closer to the center, zone D - parking with minimal tariffs. Particularly prominent is zone R, which stands for Old Riga.

Parking here is the most expensive and always paid regardless of time of day.

Since January 2014, in connection with the transition to the euro, the following zone tariffs for car parking have been in effect in Riga:

Entry by car into Old Riga

Entry into the old part of the city itself is free, but getting around by car is difficult, since the streets in the historical part of Riga are very narrow. In addition, many of them have one-way traffic.

Don't forget about large quantities people moving along the streets of Old Riga. Motorists have to let crowds of tourists and locals, so getting around by car is quite difficult.

The cost of parking in Old Riga has also already been mentioned (zone R). Here it is very expensive - parking costs 4.27 EUR for the first hour, and 7.11 EUR for the next hour.

Therefore, it is not recommended to drive into, let alone leave your car in, the parking lot in the Old Town.

For tourists traveling around Riga by car there are three options:

• The best option– choose a hotel to stay that is located in the very center of Riga or at least nearby and offers its guests parking. In this case, there will be no problems with parking, since the main historical attractions can be reached on foot in just a few minutes;
• Leave your car in a paid parking lot in the central part of Riga, close to the Old Town (for example, in zone A);
• Leave the car in free parking lots away from the center and then move to public transport. From some free parking lots you can reach Old Riga on foot in 15-30 minutes.

Free parking near the center of Riga

Near Old Riga, on the right side of the Daugava there is the only free parking, which is located 3-5 minutes from the historical part of the city. You need to drive here from the embankment through the Statoil gas station.

However, despite the large parking area, getting here during business hours is not so easy, since the parking lot is always crowded. So if you plan to leave your car here, need to arrive before 9 am.

There are many free parking lots on the left bank of the Daugava. To quickly get to the Old Town, we can recommend the following places:

• Parking lot at the Olympia shopping center located on the other side Cable-stayed bridge from Old Riga. From the shopping center you can walk to the main attractions of the city in 15-20 minutes;

The main advantage of this underground parking is that there are always free spaces there, and you can leave your car for the whole day. There, in the shopping center, you can have an inexpensive snack and buy groceries.

• Streets adjacent to the Stone Bridge. From here you can also get to the center in 10 minutes, but finding a free space here is much more difficult.

Read about the city, interesting places, which are really worth visiting. Everything about them is on our website.

Here you can also learn about the sights of the town of Sigulda - castles, Gutman's Cave, museums, historical buildings and other amazing places just half an hour from Riga.

You can find out the weather in winter and summer in Riga at this link: – here you will learn the climatic features of the city and best time his visits.

Payment for parking in Riga

Municipal parking lots have payment machines, which accept payment in accordance with the tariff. The machine issues a receipt indicating the validity period. This receipt must be left under the windshield of the car.

The second option for paying for parking is by using mobile phone . To do this, you need to send an SMS message to number 1859.

When parking the vehicle, the message must include the following information:

• start (that is, the start of payment);
• car number;
• tariff zone.

Example: start AA5243 A

When leaving the parking lot, you need to send an SMS message indicating:

• stop (that is, stopping payment);
• car license plate;
• tariff zone.

Example: stop AA5243 A

Proper parking will allow vehicle owners to move freely around Riga and leave their car in the parking lot without violating local traffic rules.

Last modified 09/24/2018

Looking ahead, I want to say that I really liked Riga (). There is a desire to come back here again and take a leisurely walk around the Old Town, and when you get tired, sit in a nice cafe, watching the measured life of Latvians. My only regret is that we didn’t have enough time to go to Jurmala. Well, as they say, there is a reason to come back and later supplement the article with impressions about resort town Latvia.

Let's start as usual with parking. If you travel by car, then this information will come in handy. Riga is full of paid parking lots.

The airport is 3 minutes by car. You need to write a letter in advance and reserve a place. They take you to the airport in a minivan and meet you from the airport.

The parking lot is located in a closed area with video cameras. As I understand it, the owners live there, i.e. they have landscaped their own site and rent out parking spaces.

Cost per day 2.5 euros.

Parking address: Kantora iela 124, Mārupe, Mārupes novads, LV-2167, Latvia

I'm happy with the parking lot and will use it if necessary.

(Visited 9,742 times, 1 visits today)

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When traveling to the capital of Latvia, drivers should study the traffic rules in the European state before heading to tourist trip. They are also advised to find out the cost of parking in Riga. The traffic police strictly enforce the rules. The slightest violation will result in severe penalties. Even leaving vehicle for five minutes in the wrong places, you can see that the car is being taken by a tow truck to the impound lot.

Parking rules vary in different areas of the city. The shorter the distance to the center, the higher the price.

Features of parking in the capital of Latvia

The rules for placing cars in parking lots are simple and clear. First of all, you need to find out where parking is in a particular area. How does it work and is there a fee for it?

You can pay for the service in two ways - using payment terminals installed in parking lots, or through the mobile application of the municipal enterprise of the capital Rigas Satiksme.

Parking spots are marked with a “P” sign and are easy to spot. Information about operating hours is also indicated here. Parking lots are divided into certain zones, which directly determine the price for a specific period of time. If drivers need to leave their car in guarded parking lots located near an office building, shopping or entertainment center, then you will have to pay a large amount.

There are signs in front of the signs indicating how the car is allowed to be parked. For example, standing on the side of the road or driving completely onto it.

Reference. Local residents strictly observe the rules, since the penalties for violating them are impressive. In addition, the amount doubles if the vehicle is sent to a impound lot.

Working hours and penalties

A special sign usually indicates the parking hours. Almost every paid street (municipal) parking is open from 8.00 to 20.00 (on weekdays). On weekends and holidays, opening hours are from 9.00 to 17.00. During other periods of time, cars are parked free of charge. However, this rule does not apply to places located near shopping and entertainment centers.

If the complexes are located in residential areas of the capital, or in its suburban area, places, as a rule, are not paid for (at any time of the day).

Parking lots in the center of Riga are divided into five zones, designated by letters: A, B, C, D, R. The last one is the most expensive. This is the old area of ​​the city. A - municipal, also expensive for drivers. D – located in the distance, therefore one of the most budget-friendly.

Payment for parking is carried out in euros:

• A – for the first hour 2 euros, for all subsequent hours 3;
• B – 1.5 euros initially and hourly 2.3;
• C – 1.3 for the first 60 minutes, for the rest of the time – 1.8 euros each;
• D – 1 euro for the first hour, 1.2 for subsequent hours.
• R – 4.27 initially, for the rest of the time – 7.11 each.

Important information! It is more profitable to leave the vehicle for a long period of time near a business center or office building, where payment is made at three euros per 12 hours (from 8.00 to 20.00).

There is no cost to enter Old Riga, although getting around in this area is quite problematic due to the narrow streets. Most of them are one-way. In addition, many other difficulties arise. The capital of Latvia is a favorite destination for tourists. Therefore, there are always a lot of pedestrians in the central part, which causes difficulties with the movement of cars.

Experienced car enthusiasts traveling around Latvia give advice on how to save yourself from unnecessary problems:

1. The best option is to choose a place to stay in close proximity to the parking lot. Then there are no difficulties with parking, and you can get to historical attractions without problems.
2. Leave vehicles away from the central part using free parking. And travel around the capital by tram, trolleybus or other public transport. Usually free parking lots are located close to Old Riga. You can reach them on foot in 15-20 minutes.
3. Leave cars in budget zone D.

Attention! You can save money by using free parking lots located as close to the center as possible. These are the streets that adjoin the Stone Bridge, or the place near the Olympia shopping center. It is quite difficult to park a car on such sites; they are constantly filled. However, if you arrive at 9 am, this is quite possible.

Traveling around different countries Europe, many tourists choose their own or rented car. And this is not surprising. After all, having an “iron horse”, you can reduce the cost of travel, take your family, fellow travelers, and friends with you. And traveling with a pet by car is easier than by plane, train or bus. Not to mention the fact that your own vehicle gives you an incomparable feeling of freedom. You are not dependent on public transport schedules and stop wherever you want. But this seemingly ideal way of transportation has its own nuances, even if you are an experienced driver. The main problem here is the parking rules. In many European cities, especially ancient ones, they differ and depend on the decisions of local authorities. In this article we will tell you how to choose the right parking in Riga and not pay extra money.

Can I park my car for free?

Latvia, like many other European countries, has very strict rules in this area. Therefore, do not be surprised if you decide to leave the car “just for a second”, jumping out, for example, to the store, and when you return, you find a fine ticket on the windshield. To prevent such troubles from happening to you, you need to follow the parking rules in Riga. The most important thing to pay attention to in advance is the cost of leaving a car, which varies depending on the zone. This system may seem confusing to some, but it is actually quite simple. The closer you want to park to the center, the more it will cost. You cannot leave your car for free near Old Riga at all. But somewhere in residential areas you will have a choice. You can place your car in a paid parking lot, or leave it without any money at all.

Basic Rules

All parking spaces in Riga are marked with the letter “P”. There is also information about the hours and other operating conditions of such parking lots. Most often, street parking is open from 8 am to 8 pm on weekdays, and on Saturday from 9 to 5. At other times, municipal parking lots can be used for free. The only exception is parking in the old town. They are almost always paid, regardless of the time of day. Without money, you can leave your car there only from 12 at night to 6 in the morning, and also in holidays. In addition, under the main sign there is Additional Information. For example, a parking lot may indicate exactly how you should park your car there. Sometimes you can drive onto the side of the road or the indicated place completely, but sometimes you should only stop with one side or two wheels. You shouldn't ignore these rules, even if they seem funny or useless to you. note that local residents they are strictly observed. The fine for violating them is too high, and the extra money would be better spent on museums, restaurants or entertainment.

Zones

All municipal parking lots are divided into five regions. They are also called zones. They are designated by Latin letters. If you see the letter R, then in front of you are parking lots in Old Riga. They are the most expensive. After them in price come parking lots under the letter A. They are located closest to the center. The remaining letters - B, C and D - indicate parking lots that are located farthest from the old city. The most budget-friendly municipal parking lots are marked D. But there are also free parking lots near the center. One of them is located on the right bank. From there it takes no more than five minutes to walk to the old town. However, the chances of leaving the car there are slim. Many Riga residents who work in the center are already busy with their cars early in the morning. You can only be lucky if you are an early bird and park your car there while the city residents are still having breakfast. But on the left bank of the Daugava there are more such parking lots. True, they are quite small. There are also special zones extending to the sea coast - the Vetsaki region.

Types of parking

We have already mentioned that parking lots in the city of Riga are divided into zones. But the cost of parking a car in the capital of Latvia depends not only on proximity to the center. In addition to street parking, there are also guarded parking lots. They are usually located near business centers or offices. Such parking lots are called “Europarks”. The price there is higher than in a regular parking lot. There are also parking spaces in shopping centers. But they are paid only when they are in the center of Riga, and also for a certain time. One of the most popular parking lots is the underground parking lot in the Olympia shopping center, which can accommodate quite a lot of cars. From there, you can walk to the city's attractions in a quarter of an hour, and you can leave your car even for the whole day. There are also private parking lots. There are also small shops with their own parking lots. Some of them are free if you buy something from that establishment.

Old city

In some European capitals Even entry into the center is paid. This is not the case in Riga. But moving by car through the narrow streets of the old city is extremely difficult. There is so little space that two cars may not pass each other at all. Most of the streets are in the center so you will have to drive around for a long time to get to the right place. Moreover, there are plenty of pedestrians and all sorts of onlookers everywhere. After all, the capital of Latvia is tourist place, and travelers walk along it in droves, looking mostly at the sights rather than the cars. The prices for parking in Riga in the old town are simply fabulous. It is not for nothing that most tourists on wheels prefer to leave their cars away from the center and come to see the local attractions by bus, and move around the streets on foot. There is also the option of renting a hotel in the old city itself, and parking is usually included in the room price.

Airport

Sometimes tourists prefer to leave their car at the international hub and travel around Riga by public transport. This method has its pros and cons. There are three parking lots at Riga Airport. On one of them - P1 - you can leave your car for a short time. The minimum payment - no more than 30 minutes - is 100 rubles. You will pay 2000 rubles per day. Two more parking lots - P2 and P3 - are long-term. They are approximately the same in price - the first one costs 277 rubles. per calendar day, and the second - 240 rubles. Payment is made in euros. These parking lots are guarded, and if you forget to turn off the headlights and the battery is dead, they will help you start your car. This is a free service.

If you suddenly get caught for violating parking rules, it is unlikely that your car will be picked up by a tow truck. This is not accepted in Riga. Rather, a special blocker will be hung on the wheel - behind or in front - which will prevent your car from moving. There are other ways to keep your car in the parking lot. The cost of the fine is usually two or three times the price of the parking itself. However, if you didn't pay for parking at all, you'll end up shelling out more money than if you were just late. For example, in zone A, parking without payment will cost more than 20 euros. Overdue - at 14. But even if you were not given a blocker, and you just received a receipt for payment on the windshield, do not think that you are lucky. The fine must be paid within 30 days. All violators are entered into an electronic database. Information from it is passed on to various authorities, including border guards. And they monitor such things very carefully. So you are unlikely to be able to leave Latvia without paying a fine. In the case when you rented a car, the company will withdraw the sanctioned amount from the credit card you presented, even if you leave for Russia.

Remember that all parking fees in Latvia are charged in euros. Therefore, further we will provide information in this currency, but you can convert the amounts for yourself at the exchange rate (1 euro - 69.44 rubles at the beginning of 2018).

So, if you park closer to the center, in zone A, then you will have to pay 2.5 € for the first hour, and 3 for every next 60 minutes. That is, the longer you leave the car, the more you pay. The most budget parking will cost 1 euro for the first hour and 1.5 for the next. Therefore, experienced tourists are advised to choose guarded parking lots. The price there is fixed, and for a few hours of parking you will pay 3 euros if you leave your car there during working hours. A whole working day in Europarks costs from 8 euros. But it’s more convenient than running to the terminal every hour. And parking in the center of Riga ( Old city) will cost 5 euros for the first hour and 8 for each subsequent one. This was done in order to protect ancient buildings from excess gas pollution. Keep in mind that the center of Riga does not coincide with the concept of “old town”. It's much wider. Although in historical center there are inclusions of zone A. The cost of parking near the sea in the summer is 2 euros for any time.

Payment Methods

The municipal enterprise Rigas Saktisme collects money for parking in Riga. You can pay for his services in two ways. Through mobile communications(SMS) or traditionally, using the terminal, which is located next to the parking lot. In private parking lots, you can pay directly to the guard upon entry if the place is guarded. You can put money into a special machine in front of the barrier. He will give you a receipt indicating the time it is valid for your tariff. This piece of paper should be left under the windshield so that it can be seen that you are in the parking lot legally. How to pay for parking in Riga using a mobile phone? Send an SMS to the number that can be found on the parking machine. The message must contain the following information:

• the word "start" in Latin letters. This means that the time for payment has started;
• your car number;
• area where parking is located.

When you pick up the car, you send a similar SMS to the same number. Just instead of “start” you write “stop”. But you need to take into account that with this payment method, the number must be Latvian.