Why I Like BOLT
Have you ever heard of Bolt?
The very first time I didn’t feel like cooking in Latvia, I remember asking my husband,
“So… can we Uber today?”
“Uber? You mean Uber Eats?”
“Yeah… Uber Eats”
My husband laughed and replied, “We don’t use Uber Eats here in Riga… we use Bolt”
“Bolt?” I was surprised.
Before coming to Latvia, I thought Uber was worldwide & popular in pretty much every country — especially after the pandemic. However, as I found out, some countries in Europe use alternative apps like “Bolt”.
In Sri Lanka, I’ve used Uber & PickMe but Bolt was quite new for me.
Like Uber, Bolt app is useful if you want to travel in Riga with various travel options that will suit your budget & other travel requirements.
Bolt Food is similar to Uber Eats — it provides food delivery service to a large network of restaurants in Riga.
After using Bolt for a little over a year, I can safely say, I prefer Bolt to Uber/PickMe in Sri Lanka.
I don’t know if Uber & PickMe has changed the way it functions in Sri Lanka by 2024 but in 2022, the last time I used the two apps in Sri Lanka, these features were not available in these two apps.
Reason #1: Customer Care & Service
Bolt’s customer care and service have been excellent in my experience. If there was any issue with a delivery or a ride, it was easy to reach support.
My experience trying to contact Uber & PickMe agents when in need back in 2022, was not such an easy, pleasant experience.
Reason #2 Bolt Food UI & Delivery System
Uber Eats and Bolt Food have many similarities but I find the Bolt Food User interface much more intuitive and user friendly. It’s definitely less buggy. Bolt has a solid courier network so there are usually very few delays when it comes to food delivery. Their payment system is also very organized. Just like Uber Eats & Pick Me, they accept card & cash payments. What I love about Bolt is that if we pay by cash — we are told not to expect couriers to have change on hand & that they may add the balance to our Bolt balance so we can use it to pay for future orders.
I love this because when I used Uber Eats back in 2022, in Sri Lanka, there were times when I didn’t have the exact cash payment on hand. When the courier came, we were both in a difficult situation. I’d be asked to double check if I had any cash (even when I insist I don’t) & if I didn’t, reluctantly, the courier has to go somewhere to exchange my cash for change (which leaves me feeling super guilty) or I’d end up compelled to give a tip (even to a rude courier) sometimes at a greater amount than I would have if change was available. If they haven’t introduced it already, having a similar feature would be such an efficient way to handle such situations.
Reason #3: Bolt Drive
Bolt has an amazing feature called Bolt Drive. If you have a valid driving license from one of the countries they’ve listed, you can use a wide range of vehicles parked in various locations in Riga. These vehicles can be identified easily because they are marked “Bolt” in green/white. It’s a very convenient option for short-term travel if you don’t own a vehicle in Riga. You don’t have to pay hefty fees and deposits to rent vehicles and you don’t have to visit car rental locations in person. I heard recently from a friend that they needed to pay close to 600 euros as a deposit fee to rent a vehicle — which seemed affordable upfront but when fuel costs & various other reasons were taken into consideration, it seemed like a complicated process & quite expensive for short-term use.
With Bolt Drive, you skip all the complications.
Here are some reasons why I’d go for Bolt Drive when it comes to short-term use compared with using rental vehicles:
- There’s no deposit fee.
- There’s no need to pump fuel out of your pocket as it’s already included in the fare you pay. They provide a fuel card in each vehicle that you can use to pump fuel.
- There’s no requirement to return the vehicle to the same location as it can be parked in any specified parking location close to you. There are some places where you cannot park but you can use their map to identify these.
- There’s also no requirement to return the vehicle with a full tank of fuel.
How to Use Bolt Drive
It’s pretty simple & straightforward.
- Locate the closest vehicle that suits your budget and your preferences. The vehicles range from Toyota Yaris & Corolla to Audis etc. The cost changes depending on the category of vehicle you choose (Compact, Everyday, Everyday SUV etc).
- Choose the payment package of your choice.
These are the options they have to date:
- Pay as you go
In this option, you pay according to the time & distance you travel. For the vehicle I chose under the Everyday SUV category,
Pay as you go cost = 0.16 €/minute + 0.26€/kilometre
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Additionally, for each hour it was 6.99 € & the 24 hour cost was 23.90 €
*Please note that in “Pay as you go”, there’s a minimum fee of 2.45 € regardless of the time/distance travelled.
- Hourly package
This is considered the best choice for longer trips. For the vehicle I chose, the hourly package starts from 1 hour & for 5 km, it starts at 6.79 €
You can increase the distance travelled for 1 hour & the cost would also change accordingly.
Similarly, you can choose a different time duration.
You can choose from 1-3 hours, 6/12 hours.
You can also choose between 1–3 days or for 7 days.
The distance range available increases from 5 km up to even 1500 km depending on the time duration you select.
The cost you pay for the package you choose is exactly what is indicated to you as long as you don’t travel for a longer time or travel beyond the number of kilometres you chose.
If you do, there will be a per minute and per km charge for any additional time/distance you travel.
- Fixed price package
If you have a definite destination, you can use this option to receive a fixed cost. This is ideal during high traffic or adverse weather conditions because the price shown when you initially choose your vehicle does not change even if you take a longer time to reach the destination.
Of course, there are more details that you can check for yourself on the app when you actually consider using Bolt in Europe. Please also note that the details I share may be specific to Latvia. I don’t have any exposure to Bolt in other European countries so I cannot say if it’s the same if you use Bolt Drive in other countries or not.
3. Reserve according to your chosen option & go to the vehicle following the map displayed on the app.
You can reserve a vehicle for about 15 minutes for free, after which — you will be charged. So if you reserve a vehicle, make sure it’s within a 15-minute walk from your location!
4. Unlock the door.
When you identify the correct vehicle (based on the image & vehicle plate number in the app), unlock the door by using the “unlock” button displayed on the app. It’s so cool that you don’t need a physical key these days! I’m always amazed by these cool technologies~
5. Enter the vehicle & start using it.
Your timer started the moment you unlocked the vehicle (if you reached it before 15 minutes. If not, it starts after 15 minutes from the time you reserved it).
For anyone unfamiliar with recent car models, small tips —
- The car engine may start by pressing a small button near the wheel (you don’t need to put a key in).
- The handbrake (parking brake) in the car you pick may be a button. You might not find a hand-operated lever.
- Side mirrors may be adjusted using buttons or a small joystick.
The video below shows certain features of a Toyota CH-R (which includes the above 3). If you watch this, you’ll definitely know what to look for in a vehicle with these features.
2 additional tips if you’re planning to drive in Latvia —
- Remember to keep your lights on all throughout the day when you drive in Latvia. It’s a law here.
- If you haven’t heard of Waze, download that app! It works better for navigation than Google Maps in Latvia.
Bolt Scooters
In late spring, summer & autumn — before Riga is covered by sleet & snow, if you walk around the city, you’ll notice green scooters parked here & there, rather randomly on the pavements/streets. These are Bolt Scooters. They are available for use in a similar way via the app. Simply find a scooter near your location using the map in your Bolt app & unlock the scooter via your app to start your ride. Similar to Bolt drive for cars, these scooters do not have to be returned to the same location where you picked them up. It’s a wonderful way to enjoy the sun & get to your destination if you don’t feel like walking during the warmer months.
To finish off this rather long but (hopefully) informative article, if you’re a foreigner visiting Latvia for the first time or if you recently moved to Latvia — I hope you found this information useful.
If you want any specific information — whether it’s about Bolt or any other topic related to “life in Riga/Latvia”, from a foreigner/Asian’s perspective, feel free to let me know. I can’t say my experience is the same as everyone else’s — but I’ll do my best to help with what I know.
Till then, take care ~ & maybe… just maybe… enjoy a Bolt Food delivery for a change? ;)
**Disclaimer**
As this is a personal blog, please note that any views or opinions represented here are personal and belong solely to Chamathka. It does not represent the views or opinions of people, institutions or organizations that she may or may not be associated with in a professional or personal capacity unless explicitly stated.
The content of this article is based on personal thoughts, experiences and opinions. Any facts shared would be included with necessary references if required. The content shared is meant to inspire, encourage, empathize and connect with readers. The author condemns the use of this article to incite hate speech, violence or any legal/illegal activity that can harmfully affect another person/organization.
