Traveling to different countries of 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 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 motor vehicle gives you an incomparable feeling of freedom. You do not depend 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 hitch here is parking rules. In many European, especially ancient, cities, they are different, and depend on the decisions of local authorities. In this article we will tell you about 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 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 will find a penalty ticket on the windshield. To prevent such troubles from happening to you, you must follow the parking rules in Riga. The most important thing that you should 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 in the center, the more expensive it will cost. You can’t leave a car for free near old Riga at all. But somewhere in the sleeping areas you will have a choice. You can place the car in a paid parking lot, or leave it without any money at all.
Basic Rules
All parking places in Riga are marked with the letter "P". There is also information about the time and other working 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 in the old city. They are almost always paid, regardless of the time of day. Without money, you can leave the car there except from 12 nights to 6 in the morning, as well as on holidays. In addition, under the main sign is additional information. For example, in a parking lot, it may be indicated exactly how to park a car here. Sometimes you can call on the side of the road or the indicated place completely, but it happens that you should stop only sideways or with two wheels. To ignore these rules, even if they seem ridiculous or useless to you, is not worth it. Please note that local residents strictly observe them. The penalty for violating them is too high, and it is better to spend the extra money on museums, restaurants or entertainment.
Zones
All municipal parking areas are divided into five regions. They are also called zones. They are indicated by Latin letters. If you see the letter R, then in front of you is a parking lot in old Riga. They are the most expensive. After them, at a cost, there are 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 farthest from the old city. The most budgetary municipal parking is marked as D. But there are free parking near the center. One of them is located on the right bank of the Daugava River. From there, walk to the old town for 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 in the morning already clog this parking with their cars. You can be lucky only if you are an early bird and put the car there while the inhabitants of the city are still having breakfast. But on the left bank of the Daugava there are more such parking lots. True, they are very small. There are also special zones that extend to the sea coast - the Vecaki region.
Types of Parking
We have already mentioned that parking in the city of Riga is 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 the street, there are also guarded parking lots. They are usually located near business centers or offices. Such parking is called "Europarks." There the price is higher than in a conventional 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 you can leave the car for at least a whole day. Private parking is also available. There are also small shops with their parking lots. Some of them are free if you buy something at this establishment.
Old city
In some European capitals, even entry to the center is paid. In Riga, this is not so. But getting around the narrow streets of the old city by car is extremely difficult. The space is so small that two cars may not part at all. On most streets in the center, traffic is one-way, so you have to drive in a circle for a long time to get to the right place. Yes, and pedestrians and all kinds of onlookers are everywhere full. After all, the capital of Latvia is a tourist place, and travelers walk around it in droves, looking mainly at sights, and not at cars. The prices for parking in Riga in the old city are simply fabulous. Not without reason, most tourists “on wheels” prefer to leave their cars farther from the center and come to inspect local attractions by bus, and move around the streets on foot. There is another option to rent a hotel in the oldest city, and parking is usually included in the price of the room.
An airport
Sometimes tourists prefer to leave the car in an 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 the car for a short time. The minimum payment - no more than 30 minutes - is 100 rubles. For a day you will give 2000 rubles. Two more parking lots - P2 and P3 - are long-term. At a 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 exhausted, they will help you start the car. This is a free service.
Parking ticket in Riga
If you suddenly still fall for violating the parking rules, it is unlikely that your car will pick up a tow truck. In Riga, this is not accepted. Rather, a special blocker will be hung on the wheel - rear or front - which will not allow your car to budge. There are other ways to keep your car out of the parking lot. The cost of a fine is usually an amount two or three times the price of the parking lot itself. However, if you did not pay for parking at all, then lay out more money than if you simply expired. For example, in zone A, parking without payment will cost more than 20 euros. The expired one is at 14. But even if you didn’t get the blocker, and you just received a receipt for payment on the windshield, do not think that you are lucky. The penalty must be paid within 30 days. All violators are entered into an electronic database. Information from it is transmitted to various authorities, including border guards. And they very carefully monitor such things. So you are unlikely to be able to leave Latvia without paying a fine. In the event that you rented a car, the company will withdraw the sanction amount from the credit card you presented, even if you leave for Russia.
Parking fees in Riga
Remember that all parking fees in Latvia are charged in euros. Therefore, further we will provide information in this currency, but you can 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 most budget 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 there is fixed, and for a few hours of parking you will pay 3 euros if you leave the car there during working hours. A whole working day costs in Europarks from 8 euros. But this is more convenient than running to the terminal every hour. And parking in the center of Riga (the old city) will cost 5 euros for the first hour and 8 for each next. This is done in order to protect ancient buildings from excessive gas pollution. Keep in mind that the center of Riga does not coincide with the concept of "old city". It is much wider. Although in the 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
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, which is located next to the parking lot. In private parking you can pay at the entrance directly to the guard 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 so that it can be seen that you are parked 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 begun;
- number of your car;
- parking area.
When you pick up the car, then send the same SMS to the same number. Only instead of “start” do you write “stop”. But you need to consider that with this method of payment, the number must be necessarily Latvian.
Reviews
Tourists disagreed about what is more convenient - paid parking or street parking. After all, it depends on how long you will stay in Riga, and on what term you need to leave the car. Many people who book hotels without parking just took advantage of the fact that they do not charge money for parking at night. Others advise using places where tourist buses are located. By the way, for those who are afraid to leave their car in free parking lots, fearing that something will be stolen from it or the car will be damaged, experienced tourists are advised not to worry. It doesn’t matter if your “iron horse” finds a place in a guarded area or just on the street, the degree of safety is the same. Latvia is a country with a minimum crime rate in this area. Therefore, calmly leave the car where it is convenient and suitable for the money, and go on business or explore the city. Good luck