Latvia Transport

Air
The primary airport in Latvia is Riga International Airport, which is situated 13kms southwest of Riga, while there are secondary airports in the cities of Liepaja and Ventspils.

Riga International Airport is one of the best airports in Europe. It won the Best Airport Award in the one to five million passenger category in the year 2005. It offers direct flights to international cities, with the majority of flights being to continental Europe, with Ryan Air, Aerosvit Airlines and Air Baltic providing several routes.

International routes offered include flights to London (2 hours, 30 minutes), Manchester (2 hours, 50 minutes), Frankfurt (2 hours, 10 minutes) and Dublin (3 hours), while eastern European cities such as Warsaw (1 hour, 20 minutes), Tallinn (55 minutes) and Prague (2 hours) are also serviced by regular flights. There are also plentiful connections to other European destinations with the likes of Austrian, Norwegian and Turkish airlines.

Having won the Best Airport Award in 2005, you can expect good facilities at the airport and modern and convenient services. Facilities include shopping and dining outlets on both levels of the terminal. The airport is divided into two terminals on three levels.

Transfer options from the airport are by road, with local buses and taxis available from outside both Arrivals entrances for the short journey into the city. Bus number 22, which leaves from Abrenes Street, has direct services between the airport and the city centre; walk out of the terminal on the second level. To get on the bus at the airport, look for the bus stop located opposite the terminal, ‘behind’ the car park. Those with a room booked at a reputable hotel will likely be offered a complimentary transfer to their hotel. Alternatively, it is possible to rent a car from the airport and drive to your hotel.

Liepaja Airport is situated seven kilometres from Liepaja town centre. The distance from the airport to Riga is 210kms. It provides services for charter, business and general aviation flights for groups of up to 120 passengers. Regular services are offered to London, Dublin, Hamburg and Stockholm among other European cities by Air Baltic. They also operate a scheduled service to Riga four times a week. Taxis and minivans are available for transport into town.

Ventspils Airport is a small airport on the West coast of Latvia. Over the summer, it has regular connections to Riga as well as regular charters to various destinations in the Mediterranean region. It is nicely renovated, but provides very little in the way of modern facilities. The distance to the city is six kilometres. There is a regular bus service into Liepaja town.

Rail
Latvia has links with Belarus, the Russian Federation, Estonia to the north and Lithuania to the south. The main route into Western Europe runs from Riga to Berlin via Warsaw and Vilnius. There are regular services to several cities in Russia including St Petersburg and Moscow as well as Vilnius in neighbouring Lithuania. From the UK, you can travel overland by rail via Brussels, Berlin, Warsaw and Vilnius, or by train from London to Stockholm, then by catching either the three times weekly ferry direct to Riga or the daily overnight ship to Tallinn in Estonia, from where buses run on to Riga.

Sea
It is possible to arrive in Latvia by ferry from Stockholm (17 hours) and Karlshamn (17 hours) in Sweden and from Rostock (26 hours) and Lubeck (30 hours) in Germany. The country is also a popular stop off destination for cruise ships touring the Baltic Sea, with liners docking in Riga.

Bus
There are direct buses to Riga from all the Nordic countries as well as from Germany, Poland, Russia, Belarus, Estonia and Lithuania. The bus station is just south of the Old Town in the centre of the city.

Car
The road network is relatively well developed and there are good routes through to Belarus and to the neighbouring two Baltic Republics. Entry by car is possible from the Russian Federation, Estonia, Belarus or Lithuania. Recent changes in Eastern Europe have opened a new highway through the Baltic countries, known as the via Baltica. Services along this very attractive route are improving all the time.

Air
The only regular domestic flight route is from Riga to Liepaja with Air Baltic. There are four scheduled flights a week, with a journey time of 40 minutes.

Rail
Latvia has an extensive rail network to most major destinations within the country. However, this has been cut back in recent years due to budget constraints. Services tend to be slow and often you will have to take a bus from the end of the railway line to reach your final destination.

Bus
Buses are probably the quickest and most convenient way to travel around Latvia. There is a vast network of bus routes around the country. You can buy bus tickets at bus stations or on the bus when boarding. If you have luggage, ask the bus driver to put it into the trunk. It depends on the company whether they will charge extra for storing your luggage. There are express bus connections to all major towns, which will save travellers time. On Fridays and Saturdays, buses can be quite crowded in the outbound direction from Riga.

Car
Driving in Latvia is popular, as the main roads are good and distances aren't great. Driving is done on the right side, and there are 24-hour petrol stations along all the major roads. To rent a car, you must be at least 21 years old and have held your license for one year. Drivers under the age of 25 may incur a young drivers’ surcharge. An International Drivers License is required for car rental. The wearing of seatbelts is mandatory.

Taxi
Latvia is no different than any other major tourist destination in the world. Taxi drivers drive in a manner that you might not approve of and they often try to overcharge you. To be safe, always make sure that the meter is turned on and working before you start the trip. If they tell you that the meter is broken, consider taking another taxi.

Tram
Riga has a good tram network, with eight lines operating out of the Old City. Tickets are inexpensive and can be bought on board the tram.