Looking to get around Riga fast? Think e-scooters! ‘Cause walking is so old school.
In this post, we take a look at how to rent an electric kick scooter in Riga, see the available scooter sharing options — and give you some coupons to try them out for free. Let’s roll! 🛴
The scooter-sharing companies who offer to rent a stand-up electric scooter right on the street by unlocking it in the mobile app and paying by the minute started popping up in town in Spring of 2019. We first had one company, and as the summer progressed — there are now 4 brands offering to rent an e-scooter in Riga.
First to the party was ATOM, the local Latvian startup backed by the City Council, and it was like a breath of fresh air — finally, the e-scooters were in Riga! ATOM uses an unconvenient lock though, which you need to unlock with your smartphone’s Bluetooth. The scooters can be picked up and dropped off at dedicated docks (usually bike racks), which is definitely a disadvantage.
ATOM costs €.90 to unlock, and €.09/min to ride. Download ATOM and enter our code I0F1L to get your first ride free (up to 12 minutes)!
The next three scooter-sharing brands appeared in Riga almost simultaneously. They offer dockless pickup and dropoff, but obviously, all of them limit the zone of use. Make sure to check each app for details!
Fiqsy — which literally means “quick” in Latvian (fiksi), is another e-scooter platform founded locally. No locks and no docks for the win! Fiqsy charges €1 to unlock and €.10/min to ride.
Besides the local platforms mentioned above, two international players appeared with their experience in similar sharing apps.
Lithuanian CityBee entered the e-scooter market with their carsharing experience. The company has operated in Lithuania, offering both carsharing and scooter-sharing. CityBee even started in Latvia with their van sharing before the scooters, becoming the first BIG CARSHARING company in Latvia, how they dub themselves, so they were already known to some users.
The Southern neighbors price their services at €.50 to unlock the scooter and €.10/min to ride. Snap a free ride worth up to €5 with our code!
Last but not least in the game is Bolt (formerly Taxify), who obviously has an extended global experience in ridesharing (including Riga), and has tested grounds with scooters in other locations.
Current price tags for Bolt scooters are €1 unlock and €.10/min ride. Get your first ride free (up to €10) with our code.
Scooter safety and traffic regulations
You are advised to wear a helmet while riding your scooter. While this is not regulated yet, the lawmakers promise to settle it soon.
Similarly, no speed limits are imposed, but some e-scooter sharing companies have introduced a programmatic limit to their units. If you can’t go faster than 20 km/h, that’s probably it. Choose a safe speed!
Use bike lanes, where possible, and don’t mess with pedestrians if you’re taking a sidewalk.
When dropping off your version of a magic carpet, make sure to park it neatly, so it doesn’t block public spaces and pathways.
Most importantly — have fun!
