Riga International Bus Station stake sold to private firm

The Riga International Bus Station is transitioning to private ownership following the sale of a 49.99% stake by Rīgas acs, a subsidiary of the municipal company Rīgas satiksme. The Latvian government approved the transaction this summer, marking the conclusion of a privatization process that has spanned nearly three decades.

Rivaro Holding acquired the shares for approximately 3.82 million euros. The proceeds from this sale are intended to be used by Rīgas satiksme for the purchase of new buses. The transaction was supported by the Cabinet of Ministers, though the bus station is considered critical infrastructure, requiring security service verification.

The bus station serves as a major transport hub, handling roughly 450 regional and 60 international routes daily, with approximately six million passengers passing through annually. While the Riga City Council has expressed concerns regarding the potential loss of the station's primary transport functions in favor of commercial development, officials noted that any change in land use would require a formal revision of the territory plan.