Andris Berzins
Preserving Latvia's narrow gauge railway heritage through accessible cycling experiences for every generation.
With 14 years of expertise in heritage transportation and cycling infrastructure, Andris has transformed abandoned rail corridors into thriving routes for pensioners and families. His work combines rigorous historical research with practical ergonomics—proving that heritage preservation and modern community needs don't just coexist, they strengthen each other.
What Andris Specializes In
Heritage Rail Corridors
Deep knowledge of Latvia's narrow gauge railway history, from Gulbene to Alūksne and beyond. He's spent years documenting abandoned routes, uncovering stories, and identifying the best cycling paths through these cultural treasures.
Accessible Cycling Design
Specializes in creating low-impact cycling experiences for older adults. He understands the practical realities—comfort, pacing, safety, and rest stops matter more than distance or speed.
Route Development & Mapping
Created detailed cycling guides for over 20 heritage routes across Vidzeme and Latgale. Each route is meticulously tested for safety, accessibility, and authentic historical experience.
Community Training & Education
Trained over 150 cycling guides and mentors. He believes heritage knowledge should be shared—not locked away in archives. His guides are practical, engaging, and rooted in real experience.
From Gulbene to Latvia's Heritage Champion
How a childhood passion became a 14-year career preserving the past while serving the present.
Degree in Cultural Heritage Management
Graduated from Riga Stradiņš University with a focused degree in cultural heritage management. His thesis explored the economic and social potential of abandoned railway corridors in rural Latvia.
Latvian Heritage Preservation Foundation
Five years documenting abandoned rail corridors across Vidzeme and Latgale. He traveled thousands of kilometers on foot and by bike, photographing stations, collecting oral histories, and mapping routes that others had forgotten.
Breakthrough Project: Gulbene-Alūksne Survey
Coordinated the first organized cycling survey of the historic Gulbene-Alūksne heritage corridor. The project identified optimal routes for different fitness levels and became a model for future heritage cycling initiatives across the country.
Senior Heritage Routes Specialist at pilbaracement SIA
Nine years as the leading voice on accessible cycling infrastructure for pensioners. He's authored detailed route guides, collaborated with regional tourism boards, trained 150+ cycling guides, and created cycling experiences that serve real communities while honoring real history.
Why Heritage Routes Matter
Heritage preservation isn't nostalgia.
It's about understanding where we come from. The narrow gauge railways that crisscrossed Latvia for over a century weren't just transportation—they connected villages, enabled trade, and shaped entire communities. When those routes closed, something important disappeared.
But here's what most people miss: those old railway beds aren't relics. They're assets. Flat terrain, historical significance, natural beauty. They're perfect for cycling—especially for pensioners who want low-impact outdoor activity without steep hills or heavy traffic.
That's where Andris's real work begins. He doesn't just preserve history. He activates it. He creates routes that let modern communities experience the past while getting healthy, social time outdoors. The heritage corridor becomes a living thing again.
"Heritage routes shouldn't just preserve the past. They should actively serve modern communities by providing safe, enjoyable experiences for cyclists of all ages. The railway beds are still there—we're just giving them new life."
Education, Certifications & Achievements
Education
Degree in Cultural Heritage Management
Riga Stradiņš University, 2010
Advanced Course in Heritage Tourism Development
European Heritage Association, 2017
Cycling Guide Certification (Level 3)
Latvian Cycling Federation, 2016
Recognition & Awards
Heritage Preservation Excellence Award
Latvian Heritage Foundation, 2019
Featured Expert: Accessible Cycling Infrastructure
Baltic Tourism Forum, 2021 & 2023
Published Route Guide: Gulbene-Alūksne Corridor
Over 2,000 copies distributed, 2018–present
Current Role
Senior Heritage Routes Specialist
Pilbaracement SIA, 2015–present
Responsibilities: Route development, guide training, tourism strategy
Focus: Pensioner-friendly cycling experiences
Key Projects & Publications
Andris's work appears across heritage cycling guides, tourism platforms, and educational materials. Here's where to explore his research and recommendations.
The Gulbene to Alūksne Corridor: A Gentle 36-Kilometer Journey
His flagship guide to the 36-kilometer heritage cycling route. It's the definitive resource for pensioners planning multi-day trips, with station histories, rest stop recommendations, and practical safety tips.
Read the guideHeritage Stations Along the Route: Stories and Stops
Deep dives into the history of stations, junction points, and restored buildings along the corridor. Andris combines archival research with community interviews to bring these places to life for modern cyclists.
Explore the stationsCycling for Pensioners: Safety, Comfort, and Pacing Tips
Practical advice for older cyclists. Andris covers bike selection, joint care, hydration, pacing strategies, and what to do if something goes wrong on the route. Based on real experience with hundreds of participants.
Read the guidePlanning a Multi-Day Cycling Adventure on the Heritage Corridor
Step-by-step planning guide for longer trips. Covers accommodation, route pacing for different fitness levels, weather considerations, and how to organize group rides safely.
See the planning guideWhere It Started
Andris grew up in Gulbene, where the historic narrow gauge railway was a defining part of the local landscape. He'd walk to the old station as a kid, fascinated by the tracks, the station building, the stories from older people who remembered when trains actually ran. That childhood curiosity never went away.
When he studied cultural heritage management at Riga Stradiņš University, he wasn't just earning a degree—he was following a passion. After graduation, he joined the Latvian Heritage Preservation Foundation, spending five years documenting abandoned rail corridors across the country. No glamorous work, just meticulous research, field photography, and oral histories from people who remembered the railways.
His breakthrough came in 2015. He saw the potential in the Gulbene-Alūksne corridor not as a relic, but as an asset. That first organized cycling survey changed everything. It proved that heritage preservation and practical community service could work together. Since then, he's built a career on that insight—combining rigorous historical research with real-world cycling experiences for real people.
Today, Andris remains based in the region where it all started. He cycles the routes regularly, trains guides, collaborates with local communities, and keeps learning. For him, heritage isn't something you preserve in a museum. It's something you live on, cycle on, and share with others.
Interested in Heritage Cycling?
Explore Andris's research, guides, and route recommendations. Or get in touch with questions about heritage cycling, accessible routes, or guide training.
Senior Heritage Routes Specialist at Pilbaracement SIA
Based in Gulbene, Latvia