The impact of the spatial development of the Riga Region railway network on population mobility in the 1930s

Viktorija Borisova

University of Latvia, Faculty of Geography and Earth Sciences

Juris Paiders

University of Latvia, Faculty of Geography and Earth Sciences

DOI: 10.22364/fg.15.30

Keywords: suburban rail, passenger transport, mobility

Abstract

The development of the railroad in Latvia is directly related to the Russian Empire and its policies in the second half of the 19th century. The first railway line in Latvian territory was already operational in 1860; however, for a prolonged period of time, the railway was only for official use, and the transportation of passengers was not the main function. By the 1920’s and 30’s, a significant number of passengers were carried on long- and short-distance lines as a result of regular rail traffic to/from Jurmala and opportunities to move between stations within the territory of Rīga. Research is based on publicly available passenger train timetables from 1920 until 1940, visually displayed using computer software ArcGIS. The results show that by the end of the thirties the role of the railroad in public transportation in the city of Rīga was severely limited, and that these transport services were only possible in the direction of the Rīga – Jurmala line. It is also important to note that the Rīga area was sparsely populated, and that transportation needs were fully serviced with the welldeveloped public transportation network at that time.