Getting there & Getting around

Getting there

Direct flights link Rīga with Berlin, Copenhagen, Frankfurt, Geneva, Hamburg, Helsinki, Kiev, London, Minsk, Munich, Moscow, Paris, Prague, Stockholm, Tallinn, Vienna, Vilnius, Warsaw and Zurich. There are no direct flights between Rīga and north America, Australia or Asia.

There are direct buses to Rīga from Denmark, France, Germany, Norway, Poland, Sweden, Finland, Russia, Belarus, Estonia and Lithuania. If trains tickle your fancy, the Berlin-St Petersburg service passes through Daugavpils in southeastern Latvia. Trains also link Rīga with Moscow, St Petersburg and Minsk, and Daugavpils with Chernivtsi.

If you prefer to suck in the sea air as you travel, there are direct ferries to Rīga from Travemünde in Germany and Stockholm in Sweden.

Getting around

Rīga's airport is at Jurmala, 14km (8mi) west of the city centre. The airport is connected to the capital by bus and taxi.

Buses and, to a lesser extent, trains go just about everywhere in Latvia, although services are less frequent to off-the-beaten-track destinations. Both are cheap and slow. Rīga has a comprehensive network of trams, trolleys and buses.

Driving and bicycling in Latvia are popular, as the main roads are good and distances aren't great. Most of the major car rental agencies have offices in Rīga and at the airport. Driving is done on the right side, and there are 24-hour petrol stations along all the major roads.

Visa information

Many nationalities require a visa, and a few require an invitation as well. Citizens of Andorra, Belgium, the Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Greece, Hungary, Iceland, Ireland, Italy, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Luxembourg, the Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, the UK, Australia, Canada and the USA can travel visa-free for stays of up to 90 days; citizens of many countries do not require a visa if they already have one for Estonia or Lithuania