The largest airport in Latvia is located just 13 km from the center of Riga. Aeroflot has direct flights from Moscow: tickets – from 114 EUR one way, flight duration – 1 hour 45 minutes, departure from Sheremetyevo. It is cheaper to fly with UTair: 89 EUR one way, departure from Vnukovo, travel time is similar. Air Baltic offers both direct (164 EUR in one direction, 1 hour 45 minutes) and connecting (from 110 EUR, from 5 hours 30 minutes with a transfer in Vilnius) routes. See Countryaah.com for other countries starting with L.
Air Baltic delivers directly from St. Petersburg to the Latvian capital: the flight takes 1 hour 20 minutes, tickets cost from 147 EUR one way. Aeroflot, UTair, Rossiya and other carriers have connecting flights. The cheapest tickets are from UTair: from 100 EUR one way, transfer in Moscow, travel time – from 5 hours. Price records are broken by the tandem of Air Baltic and Scandinavian Airlines: a flight from Pulkovo with a connection in Stockholm will take 3 hours and 30 minutes and will cost 138 EUR in one direction.
From Moscow to Riga, the branded train “Latvia-express” runs daily. Departure – from the Rizhsky railway station, the journey lasts 16 hours 30 minutes, ticket prices – from 47 EUR in a shared car to 224 EUR in a sleeping car. The railway train with the same destination also starts from the Vitebsky railway station in St. Petersburg. Its passengers will have to spend about 16 hours on the road and pay for tickets from 52 EUR (reserved seat) to 164 EUR (SV).
Buses of various companies run between both Russian and one Lithuanian capitals. Most of the routes belong to the Ecolines operator (off. site): they depart several times a day from bus station No. 2 in St. Petersburg (tickets – from 28 EUR, travel time – from 10 hours) and from the VDNKh stop in Moscow (from 48 EUR, 15 hours on the road).
Details on how to get to the popular region of Latvia – Riga.
Transport
Railway tracks are laid between major Latvian cities, along which electric trains of different levels of comfort run: there are both old, shabby, and relatively new cars with soft seats, special bike racks and other amenities. On some routes, improved trains with sockets and Wi-Fi were launched. Tickets are sold at the box office of railway stations, from conductors (20-25% more expensive) and online. A trip from Riga to Daugavpils or Liepaja will cost from 8-10 EUR. For groups of more than 10 people, discounts of 10-30% are provided.
In order to save money, you can purchase a railway pass for 3-5 days. The price depends on the direction: for example, a three-day ticket for the Riga – Daugavpils train costs about 40 EUR and allows you to make an unlimited number of trips in both directions.
Another popular form of intercity transport is the bus. The level of comfort is also different here: the capital’s car fleet has recently been updated, but most of the cars in the regions have already seen life. Tickets are sold at the box office, from drivers, as well as at the office. Riga Bus Station website. You can get from the capital to Ventspils for 7-9 EUR, to Daugavpils – for 6-15 EUR.
Public transport within cities
Inside cities, it is most convenient to travel by bus: they are available in all settlements of the country. Trams also run in Riga, Liepaja and Daugavpils. The metropolitan public transport system is complemented by trolleybuses, minibuses and night buses. A single ticket costs 1.15 EUR (for the driver – 2 EUR), bicycles and hand luggage are transported free of charge. The cost of a daily pass is 5 EUR, for 3 days – 10 EUR, for 5 days – 15 EUR. Public transport hours are 5:30-23:30, night buses in Riga run from 0:00 to 5:00.
Taxis can be caught on the street or called by phone, the second option is cheaper. Parking lots are located everywhere: at airports, railway stations, attractions. The average fare is EUR 1.45 per landing plus EUR 0.55 per km. The cost of a transfer to the Riga airport is up to 35 EUR.
It is also pleasant to ride a bicycle along the picturesque Latvian streets. Rental points are located in all major cities, the average cost of a half-hour trip is 1.80 EUR, daily rent is 10-25 EUR. According to local rules, a special license is required to drive a bicycle, but the police are loyal to diligent riders.
Rent a Car
A trip around Latvia by car can be both a pleasant adventure and a serious test. The main roads are paved, mostly flat, regularly cleared of snow in winter. But as soon as you get further into the regions, the picture changes: gravel roads are everywhere (which means that the speed will have to be reduced), and in winter there is also a snowy mess (communal services are in no hurry to clean up). Drivers hardened by Russian roads will have no problems with car rental in Latvia. In major cities there are offices of international and local rental offices with solid fleets. To rent, you will need a passport, international driving license (driving experience – at least 2 years) and a MasterCard, Visa or American Express credit card.
Car rental companies not only deduct the cost of rent from the account, but also freeze the amount of the insurance deposit, depending on the age and driving experience of the client, car class and other conditions. Funds are defrosted 7-10 days after the car is returned safe and sound.
Renting a compact car will cost from 20 EUR, station wagon – from 27 EUR, SUV or premium model – from 66 EUR per day. The cost of gasoline is 1.30 EUR per 1 liter. Gas stations accept both cash and credit cards. Traffic jams cause inconvenience only in Riga and Daugavpils: there are many bridges and roundabouts with limited capacity. In large cities, paid parking lots, marked with the letter P and equipped with parking meters, predominate. The cost of parking depends on the location: you can leave a car in the center of the capital for 3.50-4.50 EUR per hour, while on the outskirts the price drops to 2 EUR per day.
