Storm Disrupts Flights and Train Services in Latvia on August 23

A storm on Sunday, August 23, 2026 delayed some arriving flights at Riga Airport and forced Latvian rail operator Pasažieru vilciens to suspend several routes.

Original report
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Industry impact

Severe weather events continue to expose the vulnerability of regional airport and rail schedules to sudden disruption, underscoring the need for resilient contingency routing.

A storm caused flight delays at Riga Airport and widespread disruption to train services across Latvia on Sunday, August 23, 2026. Riga Airport said all scheduled departing flights that morning had either taken off or remained on schedule, though some arriving flights were delayed; on Saturday evening, bad weather had already caused several inbound flights to be diverted to airports in other countries, with departures also delayed.

Train operator Pasažieru vilciens, operating under the brand Vivi, suspended services on the Riga–Tukums II, Riga–Skulte, Riga–Aizkraukle, and Riga–Jelgava routes due to strong winds and storm damage, while service on the Riga–Sloka section was being gradually restored. Resumption on the Skulte, Aizkraukle, and Jelgava routes was planned for around 11:00, though the operator said the timelines were preliminary and subject to change.

Replacement buses were organized from Tukums II to Riga, stopping at Tukums I, Kemeri, Sloka, Dubulti, and Riga Central Station, with the first departing at 04:40 and the second at 06:30. A diesel train was assigned to the Riga–Skriveri route, departing Riga at about 03:40. The train from Rezekne II, which left at 04:36, ran about 25 minutes late, and the Daugavpils–Riga train, departing at 03:48, was delayed by around 60 minutes. Pasažieru vilciens warned that further initial delays were possible even after services resumed.