Riga: Transportation

Air
  • Airlines
    • Air Baltic = national carrier
    • EasyJet
    • Finnair
    • LOT
    • Lufthansa
    • RyanAir
    • SAS
  • Riga International Airport
    • ​5 miles from the city
    • Bus #22 runs every 20 min., takes 30 minutes
    • Airport express every 30 min.
    • Taxi = 25 minutes
Sea
  • ​Ferries
    • ​Lisco = Lubeck, Germany
    • Tallink = Stockholm
    • Terrabalt = Sweden and Rostock, Germany
    • Scandlines
    • Ave Line
  • Cruise Ports
    • Old Town
      • Small cruise ships (not RCI Serenade of the Seas)  dock 500 meters from old town
      • 10 minute walk to town
    • Lumber Yard
      • Larger cruise ships like RCI Serenade of the Seas docks 30 minutes from the city. The cruise line offered a $14 round trip shuttle service.
      • No taxis were available
Coach
  • Best way to travel between Estonia, Latvia, and Lithuania
  • Costs less than travel by air, but not by much
  • Lines
    • Ecolines
    • Eurolines
    • Nordeka
    • Autoosta
Rail
  • Latvian Railways
  • Destinations
    • Moscow
    • St. Petersburg​​
Taxi
  • Tips
    • Official cabs have yellow license plates
    • Can be expenisive!
    • Book in advance rather than hail one from the street
    • Ensure the meter is used or negotiate a fare in advance
    • Taxis are not allowed to enter the Old Town
  • ​Companies
    • Riga Taxi
    • Rigas Taxometru Parks
Cycling
  • Heavy traffic
  • Cobblestone streets in old town
Walking
  • It is best to walk the old town, as there is no public transportation or taxis allowed
Public Transport
  • Buses, Trolleybuses, Trams
    • Company = Rigas Satiksme
    • Pay driver upon boarding or buy a ticket at a kiosk
    • ​Etalon smart card
      • 5, 10, 20 journeys at a discount
    • Free transport for Riga Card holders
Driving
  • ​Required documents
    • Vehicle registration
    • Valid third party insurance policy
    • European drivers license or international drivers permit
  • Required items
    • First aid kit
    • Fire extinguisher
    • Hazard warning triangle
  • Rules
    • December through March winter tires must be used
    • Spiked tires are prohibited from May 1st to October 1st
    • BAC limit = 0.05%
    • Headlights on at all times
    • Speed limit
      • 50 kph in built up area (white rectangles with the name of the village)
      • 90 kph on larger roads
  • Tips
    • Gas is expensive!
    • Riga has heavy traffic and aggressive drivers
    • Entering old town requires an expensive permit
    • Buy a good roadmap
    • SOS Motor Club
    • Traffic police often give out speeding fines and demand payment on the spot. Ask for a receipt for the paid fine.
  • Car Rental
    • Car rentals are expensive
    • Companies
      • Budget
      • Rent A Car
  • Parking
    • Expensive in the city center
    • Choose a hotel with parking