RIGA, Jan 1 (LETA) - Starting today, Jurmala entrance toll will increase from EUR 3 to EUR 5.

One-day entrance toll will rise from EUR 3 to EUR 5, weekly toll from EUR 10 to EUR 20, monthly toll from EUR 31 to EUR 60, three-month toll from EUR 55 to EUR 100.

Half-year toll will increase from EUR 107 to EUR 180, and annual toll from EUR 180 to EUR 270.

The procedure for paying the toll has also been changed - payment of the toll at the day-pass machines will no longer be possible in cash, but only by card. The possibility to pay in cash at the Jurmala Administration building at Jomas Street 1/5 in Majori has been maintained.

Jurmala City Council said that easing traffic in the city was the main reason for raising the entrance toll. Opposition members though argued that this would have a negative impact on the number of tourists visiting Jurmala, which in turn would impact local businesses.

Jurmala City Council's opposition members in turn proposed to waive the entrance toll during the winter season, and to exempt from the toll employees of Jurmala companies who live elsewhere. Jurmala City Council rejected both proposals.

As LETA was informed by the municipality, the traffic volume in Jurmala has remained at a constant high level over the last three years: in 2024, 4.4 million arrivals were registered in Jurmala, from April 1 to September 30, in 2022 - 4.3 million, in 2023 - 4.5 million.

According to the Central Statistical Office, in 2024, Jurmala was the second biggest tourist destination after Riga, with around 599,000 trips. Last year, 85.3 percent of day trips in Latvia were made by car or motorcycle.