Photo credits: European Union 2025 | Laura Jay Nethercott
Riga has been named the winner of the European Mobility Week Award 2025, recognising the city’s creative and inclusive approach to promoting sustainable urban mobility.
The award was announced at a ceremony hosted by the European Commission in Brussels yesterday evening, celebrating cities that inspire people to choose cleaner, healthier and more sustainable ways to travel.
“The winners show that mobility can be fair, inclusive and truly people centred,” stated Apostolos Tzitzikostas, Commissioner for Sustainable Transport and Tourism. “When cities and regions put citizens first, transport becomes more than just a way to move. It connects communities and improves everyday life. This is the future we want for transport in Europe, more sustainable and accessible for everyone.”
A European movement for sustainable mobility
Every year, European Mobility Week, held in September, encourages behavioural change focusing on active mobility, public transport and other clean transport solutions.
The campaign highlights innovative local initiatives that help transform how people move in cities. In 2025, more than 2,700 towns and cities from 46 countries participated, alongside hundreds of organisations registering mobility actions.
This is the future we want for transport in Europe, more sustainable and accessible for everyone
Riga was selected among three finalists, alongside Innsbruck, in Austria and Limassol, in Cyprus. All three cities demonstrated inspiring approaches to sustainable mobility and community engagement.
The city of Braga also received a special mention from the jury, recognising its continued commitment to sustainable urban mobility. An award winner in 2022, Braga has consistently demonstrated innovation and dedication in promoting walking, cycling and shared transport, implementing diverse initiatives and permanent measures that benefit residents and visitors alike.
Riga’s winning approach
Riga impressed the awards jury with a lively and wide-ranging programme that combined large-scale public events, grassroots initiatives, digital engagement and policy discussions. Throughout the week, the city transformed streets, public transport and online platforms into spaces promoting sustainable mobility.
Accepting the award, Marta Kotello, Head of Riga City Council Transport Committee, said: “I know that our entry this year will be even more powerful because we are now actively working to make Riga a more community friendly city. This year, Riga will see a record number of small improvements that will make a great difference. We are building many more new pedestrian crossings, there will will be new bike lines in the city centre and new bicycle infrastructure in our neighbourhoods, along with new safe school zones near education buildings.
“This recognition is needed and appreciated for Riga, to gain additional confidence that we are moving in the right direction. Thank you to all our Riga team for your hard work, and thanks to every resident in Riga who is choosing a more sustainable way to move around in their daily life.”
Thank you to all our Riga team for your hard work, and to every resident in Riga who is choosing a more sustainable way to move around in their daily life
One of the highlights of the city’s mobility week activities was the Tweed Ride, which brought together more than 300 cyclists dressed in elegant retro-style outfits riding vintage bicycles through the city. The event also included a social initiative repairing bicycles for children from SOS Villages, giving them the chance to experience cycling.
The ‘Riga Rolls’ campaign reached several thousand people across parks, streets and public transport stops, rewarding pedestrians, cyclists and rollerbladers with small prizes and distributing around 2,700 reflective items to encourage safe and sustainable travel.
Public transport was also turned into an engaging experience. Special ‘positive emotion’ routes on buses, trams and trains featured entertainment such as cartoonists and interactive activities, with hundreds of passengers taking part. Zumba classes at a public transport stop added a playful and unexpected dimension to daily commuting.
The programme extended into the digital space through a Mobility Influencers campaign, where content creators tested different transport modes and shared their experiences online, reaching tens of thousands of people and encouraging wider participation.
Involving residents and young people
Citizen participation was at the heart of Riga’s campaign, with activities engaging schools, families and the wider public.
Walking challenges formed a key part of the programme. In an international ‘Walk for your city’ challenge involving more than 3,100 participants, Riga’s team recorded over 128 million steps in one week. Alongside this, a school-based challenge involved 64 schools and nearly 6,000 participants, encouraging children and families to adopt more active daily habits.
Young people were also invited to help shape the city’s mobility future through the ‘Mobile Riga’ youth workshop, where students worked alongside city officials and transport operators to develop proposals on accessibility, public transport and cycling infrastructure.
Community and family engagement extended further through events such as the Imulrings competition, which combined cycling, running and other activities, as well as radio competitions that invited residents to share their experiences and learn more about sustainable mobility.
At the same time, the Smart Cities Conference and the Riga Cycling Conference brought together experts, researchers, policymakers and residents to explore how innovation, planning and cycling culture can contribute to more liveable and sustainable cities.
From temporary actions to lasting change
Beyond the activities of the week, Riga is implementing permanent measures to create safer and more attractive streets. These include expanding 30 km/h zones, installing traffic-calming measures such as speed bumps, and developing new cycling infrastructure both within the city and connecting Riga with neighbouring municipalities.
During European Mobility Week, parts of the city were temporarily transformed into pedestrian areas for Car-Free Day, allowing residents and visitors to enjoy the city centre without traffic and reimagine public space. Local businesses and communities contributed to creating a vibrant and welcoming environment.
These activities not only encouraged short-term behavioural change, but also supported Riga’s broader efforts to build a more sustainable, accessible and people-friendly transport system.
Become the next winner
Cities across Europe continue to play a leading role in shaping cleaner, safer and more inclusive transport systems. European Mobility Week is your opportunity to join this movement, share your city’s initiatives, and engage citizens in reimagining how we move.
Find out how to take part in the next edition at www.mobilityweek.eu.
