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

In total, last year, 3624 protocols were issued by the Riga police for violations of parking rules for cars with non-Latvian numbers, which is 7.5% of their total number. However, in reality, there are far fewer violators than protocols.

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

The fine for violation of parking rules in Riga is 30-40 euros (55 - for parking on site for disabled people, without having the right to do so). According to Delfi's calculations, this means that all "foreigners" last year had to pay the city 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 so far there is no mechanism that would force the owners of cars with foreign registration numbers to pay fines for incorrect parking.

The State Police confirmed this to Delfi, but at the same time noted that a mechanism is being developed that would allow such fines to be "delivered" at the place of registration to everyone, even the owners of "foreign cars". For several years, a similar problem was with speeding tickets, which were recorded by radars. It was resolved long ago and today the fine is found by a European owner in any case, regardless of the country of registration of his car numbers.

So far, the only effective mechanism for "working" with violators on foreign license plates is to evacuate the vehicle. It is possible in three cases:

• If the intruder stands where it is impossible and interferes with the movement, he can be evacuated immediately;
• If a parking ticket is issued and eight hours later the car is still standing, it can also be evacuated;
• If the offender has already been caught in a parking lot at places for disabled people and has been caught again within a year, he can be immediately evacuated.

When evacuating, the car is taken to a parking lot, from where it can be picked up only by paying all associated fines and expenses - regardless of which country registration numbers are installed on it.

When traveling across 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 well as in other European states, there are established parking rules, the observance of which is strictly monitored by law enforcement agencies and the violation of which is fraught with serious fines.

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

Basic parking rules in Riga

Another nuance of parking, which 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, as prices may 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 sleeping areas, you can park your car for free, or use the services of a paid parking lot. In the center of Riga, parking is almost always paid.

On the streets, the car parking fee 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 car parks of RP SIA "Rigas satiksme" (except for Old Riga - Zone R) are open on weekdays from 8:00 to 20:00, on Saturdays from 9:00 to 17:00. The rest of the time, that is, late in the evening, at night and on Sunday, these parking lots allowed to use for free.

There are paid private parking lots in many courtyards of Riga, but their rates are practically the same as in municipal ones. There are also special terminals installed accepting payment. Sometimes there are parking lots with barriers, where the watchman accepts payment.

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

If the shopping areas are located in the center of Riga, you will have to pay for parking. However, there are also exceptions. For example, some shops allow free parking if the car owner made a purchase in a store.

Immediately need to say about sanctions for non-payment of parking... If the car is parked in a closed or guarded parking lot, then it will not work to leave without payment, since the car will simply not be released.

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

Most often, a car owner who has forgotten or did not want to pay for parking, upon returning, will find an auto-lock on the car wheel. In this case, you will have to pay double the amount of parking.

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

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

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

How much is parking 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 for 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 minimum tariffs. Zone R stands out, denoting Old Riga.

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

Since January 2014 in Riga, in connection with the transition to the euro, the following zone tariffs for car parking are in force:

Entry by car to Old Riga

The entrance to the old part of the city itself is free, but it is difficult to get around by car there, since the streets in the historical part of Riga are very narrow. In addition, many of them have one-way traffic.

Do not forget about the large number of people moving along the streets of Old Riga. Motorists have to skip crowds of tourists and locals, so it is quite difficult to get around by car.

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

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

For tourists traveling in Riga by car, there are three options:

• The most optimal option- to select a hotel for accommodation, which 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 sights can be reached on foot in just a few minutes;
• Leave your car in a paid parking lot in the central part of Riga, near the Old Town (for example, in zone A);
• Leave the car in free parking lots further from the center and then use public transport. From some free parking lots you can get to Old Riga and 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 enter here from the embankment through the Statoil gas station.

However, despite the large parking area, it is not so easy to get here during working hours, as the parking lot is always crowded. So if you are planning to leave your car here, you 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, you can recommend the following places:

• Parking at the shopping center "Olympia" located on the other side of the 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 that adjoin the Stone Bridge... From here you can also get to the center in 10 minutes, but it is much more difficult to find a free seat here.

Read about the city, interesting places to visit. All about them on our website.

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

You can find out the weather in Riga in winter and summer by following this link: - here you will find out the climatic features of the city and the best time to visit it.

Payment for parking in Riga

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

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

When parking the car, the message must contain the following information:

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

Example: start AA5243 A

Leaving the parking lot, you need to send an SMS message, which states:

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

Example: stop AA5243 A

Correct 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 stroll around the Old Town, and when you get tired - sit in a nice cafe, observing the measured life of Latvians. I only regret that we did not have enough time to go to Jurmala. Well, as they say, there is a reason to come back and then supplement the article with impressions of the resort town of Latvia.

Let's start as usual with the parking lot. If you are traveling 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 book a place. Transfer to the airport by minivan and meet from the airport.

The parking lot is located in a closed area with video cameras. As I understood the owners live there, i.e. they have landscaped their own plot and are renting out parking spaces.

Cost per day 2.5 euros.

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

I am happy with the parking lot and will use it if necessary

(Visited 9,742 times, 1 visits today)

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Driving to the capital of Latvia, drivers should study the traffic rules in a European state before going on a tourist trip. They are also advised to find out the cost of parking in Riga. Compliance with the rules is strictly monitored by the traffic police. For the slightest violation, severe penalties are imposed. Even leaving the vehicle for five minutes in the wrong places, you can see that the car is taken by a tow truck to the parking lot.

Parking rules differ in different parts 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 a car in parking lots are simple and straightforward. First of all, you need to find out where the parking lot is located 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.

The parking spaces are marked with a “P” and are easy to spot. It also contains information about the working hours. The parking lots are divided into certain zones, on which the price for a specific period of time directly depends. If drivers need to leave their car in guarded parking lots located near an office building, shopping or entertainment center, they will have to pay a large amount.

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

Reference. Local residents strictly follow the rules, as the penalties for their violations are impressive. In addition, the amount doubles if the vehicle is sent to a parking lot.

Working hours and penalties

A special sign usually indicates the parking opening hours. Almost every paid street (municipal) parking lot is open from 8.00 to 20.00 (on weekdays). On weekends and holidays, the opening hours are from 9.00 to 17.00. At other times, 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 the sleeping areas of the capital, or in its suburban area, places, as a rule, are not paid (at any time of the day).

Parking lots in the center of Riga are divided into five zones, marked with letters: A, B, C, D, R. The most expensive is the last. This is the old part of the city. A - municipal, it also costs drivers a lot. D - located in the distance, therefore one of the most budgetary.

Parking fees are paid in euros:

• A - 2 euros for the first hour, 3 euros for all subsequent hours;
• B - 1.5 euros initially and hourly at 2.3;
• С - 1.3 for the first 60 minutes, for the rest of the time - 1.8 euros each;
• D - 1 euro for the first hour, for the next 1.2.
• 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).

Entry to the old Riga is not paid, although getting around in this area is rather problematic due to the narrow streets. Most of them are one-way traffic. 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 in Latvia give advice on how to save themselves from unnecessary problems:

1. The best option is to find a place to stay in the immediate vicinity of the parking lot. Then there are no difficulties with parking, and you can get to historical sites without any problems.
2. Leave transport further from the central part using free parking lots. And to move 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 the cars in the budget area D.

Attention! You can save money using free parking 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 put a car on such sites, they are constantly full. However, if you arrive at 9 am, it is quite possible to do this.

Traveling to different European countries, 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, friends with you. And traveling with your pet by car is easier than by plane, train or bus. Not to mention the fact that your vehicle gives you an incomparable feeling of freedom. You are independent of the public transport schedule and stop wherever you want. But this seemingly ideal way of getting around has its own nuances, even if you are an experienced driver. The main hitch here is parking rules. In many European, especially ancient, cities, 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 leave my car for free?

Latvia, like many other European countries, has very strict regulations in this area. Therefore, do not be surprised if you decide to leave the car “just for a second”, jump out, for example, to the store, and when you return, you will find a penalty 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 the opportunity to leave the car, which varies depending on the zone. To some, such a system may seem confusing, but in fact it is quite simple. The closer you want to park to the center, the more expensive it will be. You cannot leave a car near old Riga for free at all. But somewhere in the sleeping areas, you will have a choice. You can park your car in a paid parking lot, or leave it without any money at all.

Fundamental rules

All parking places in Riga are marked with the letter "P". There is also information about the time 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 can be used free of charge. The only exceptions are parking lots 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 am to 6 am, as well as on holidays. In addition, additional information is located under the main sign. For example, the parking lot may indicate exactly how to park the car here. Sometimes you can drive to the side of the road or the indicated place completely, and sometimes you should stop only sideways or with two wheels. You shouldn't ignore these rules, even if they seem ridiculous or useless to you. Please note that local residents strictly adhere to them. The fine for violating them is too high, and it is better to spend the extra money 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 terms of cost, there are parking lots under the letter A. They are located closest to the center. The rest of the letters - B, C and D - denote the parking lots that are located farthest from the old city. The most budgetary municipal parking is marked as D. But there are free parking not far from the center. One of them is located on the right bank. From there, walk to the old town no more than five minutes. However, the chances of leaving the car there are slim. Many residents of Riga, who work in the center, already clog their cars early in the morning. You can only be lucky if you are an early bird and park your car there while the people of the city are still having breakfast. But there are more such parking lots on the left bank of the Daugava. True, they are quite small. There are also special zones extending to the sea coast - the Vecaki region.

Parking types

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 the 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". There the price is higher than in a regular parking lot. There are also parking spaces in shopping centers. But they are paid only in those cases 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 in the Olympia shopping center, where quite a lot of cars can fit. From there you can walk to the sights of the city in a quarter of an hour, and the car can be left at least 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 this establishment.

Old city

In some European capitals, even the entrance to the center is paid. This is not the case in Riga. But getting around by car along the narrow streets of the old city is extremely difficult. There is so little space that two cars may not part at all. Most of the streets are in the center, so you have to drive in a circle 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 a tourist destination, and travelers walk around it in droves, looking mainly at the sights, and not at 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 local attractions by bus, and move along the streets on foot. There is also an option to rent a hotel in the old town itself, and parking is usually included in the price of the room.

The 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 period. The minimum payment - no more than 30 minutes - is 100 rubles. You will pay 2,000 rubles per day. Two more parking lots - P2 and P3 - are long-term. For the price they are approximately the same - the first 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 the car. This is a free service.

If you suddenly do get caught for violation of parking rules, it is unlikely that your car will be taken by a tow truck. This is not accepted in Riga. Rather, a special blocker will be hung on the wheel - behind or in front - that will prevent your car from moving. There are other ways to keep your car parked. 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, then you’ll shell out more money than if you were simply late. For example, in zone A, parking without payment will cost more than 20 euros. Expired - at 14. But even if the blocker was not delivered to you, 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 transferred to various authorities, including border guards. And they are very careful about such things. So you will hardly be able to leave Latvia without paying the fine. In the event that you rented a car, the company will deduct the sanctioned amount from your credit card, even if you leave for Russia.

Please be aware that all parking fees in Latvia are charged in euros. Therefore, further we will provide information in this currency, you can also transfer 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 cheapest parking will cost 1 euro for the first hour and 1.5 for the next. Therefore, experienced tourists are advised to choose a guarded parking lot. The price is fixed there, and you will pay 3 euros for a few hours of parking if you leave your car there during business hours. A whole working day costs at Europarks from 8 euros. But this is more convenient than running to the terminal every hour. And parking in the center of Riga (old town) will cost 5 euros for the first hour and 8 for each next hour. This is done in order to protect old buildings from unnecessary gas pollution. Keep in mind that the center of Riga does not coincide with the concept of "old town". It is much wider. Although in the historical center there are blotches of zone A. The cost of parking near the sea in the summer is 2 euros for any time.

Payment Methods

The money for parking in Riga is collected by the municipal enterprise Rigas Saktisme. There are two ways to pay for his services. Via mobile communication (SMS) or traditionally, using the terminal located next to the parking lot. In private parking, you can pay directly to the guard at the entrance, if the place is guarded. You can put money in a special machine in front of the barrier. He will give you a check indicating the time of its validity at your rate. This piece of paper should be left under the windshield to show that you are in the parking lot legally. How to pay for parking in Riga using a mobile phone? Send SMS to the number that can be found on the parking machine. The message should contain the following information:

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

When you pick up the car, send a similar SMS to the same number. Only instead of "start" you write "stop". But it should be borne in mind that with this method of payment, the number must be Latvian.