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Back to Jēkabpils

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Voykit pocket guide · Latvia

Jēkabpils

Skip unless you need a halfway stop between Riga and Daugavpils: one night for Krustpils Castle and the Struve Geodetic Arc point, or a lunch break.

Jēkabpils sits on the Daugava River, halfway between Riga and Daugavpils. The main draw is Krustpils Castle, one of the best-preserved medieval castles in Latvia, and a point on the UNESCO-listed Struve Geodetic Arc. The town itself is quiet, with a small old town and a few cafés. Most travellers use it as a stopover rather than a destination.

RigaAlūksneBauskaCēsisDaugavpilsGulbeneJelgavaJūrmalaKuldīgaLiepājaLigatneLimbažiMadonaRēzekneJēkabpils50 kmdots: other places in this guide
Sketch, not to navigate by: shapes follow this guide’s areas and places, not official boundaries. North is up.
Country
Latvia
Best months
May–Sep
Avoid
Nov–Feb (cold, short days)
Stay
1 night

Checked 2026-09. Prices, hours and rules change; anything marked (check) is not confirmed.

Essentials

Currency
EUR
Money
Currency is the euro (EUR). Cards and contactless work almost everywhere in Riga.
Daily spend
Budget €30–50 excl. bed · Mid €50–80 excl. bed · High €80+ excl. bed (estimate; check)
SIM and data
LMT, Tele2 and Bite sell prepaid SIMs in Narvesen kiosks and supermarkets.
Emergency
Police 110 · Fire and ambulance 112 · Ambulance 113
Plugs
Types C, F · 230 V · 50 Hz · EU two-pin.
Tipping
Restaurant: About 10% in Riga if no service charge.; Café or bar: Round up.; Taxi / Bolt: Round up or tip in app.; Guide: €5–10 per person.
Water
Tap water is safe.
Toilets
Paid public toilets €0.50–1; free in malls and museums.

What things cost

ItemPrice
Coffee€2–3.50
Lunch (soup and main)€7–12
Beer (local, 0.5 L)€2–4
Taxi from centre to Krustpils Castle€5–8 (check)
Bus Riga–Jēkabpils€8–12 (check)

Desk estimates, checked 2026-09; check locally.

Get in

By air

RIX · Riga International Airport
About 2 h by car or bus; check bus schedules from Riga to Jēkabpils.

Typical fares

Bus Riga → Jēkabpils
about €8–12, about 2 h (check)
Taxi centre → Krustpils Castle
€5–8 (check)
Show 7 more sections and the pocket cardHideGet around, See and do, Sleep, Phrase card, Etiquette, safety and scams, One and two days, Sources, Pocket card

Get around

The town is walkable. For Krustpils Castle, cross the Daugava bridge (about 20 min on foot). Local buses are infrequent; a taxi from the centre to the castle costs about €5–8 (check).

See and do

Known for

  • Krustpils Castle
  • Struve Geodetic Arc point
  • Daugava River views

Day trips

WhereHowTime
Rundāle PalaceCar, about 1 h 15 min via P75 and A7About 1.5 h
DaugavpilsBus or car, about 1 h via A6About 1.25 h
RigaBus or car, about 2 h via A6About 2.25 h

Sleep

Town centre
Close to the tourist office and the old town square; limited options.
Daugava riverside
Soviet-era hotel with river views; a short walk from the centre.

Phrase card

EnglishSay or show
HelloSveikisvei-ki
Thank youPaldiespal-dee-es
How much is it?Cik maksā?tsik mak-sah
Where is the tourist office?Kur ir tūrisma informācijas centrs?kur eer too-ris-ma in-for-ma-tsi-yas tsentrs

Etiquette, safety and scams

Etiquette

  • Greeting: Handshake, 'labdien'; avoid: Hugging strangers
  • Flowers: Odd numbers; avoid: Even numbers (funerals)
  • Homes: Shoes off; avoid: Arriving empty-handed
  • Language: Start in Latvian or English; avoid: Assuming everyone speaks Russian
  • History: Listen; avoid: Joking about the Soviet period

Scams and watch-outs

  • Train station is in Krustpils, on the north bank of the Daugava, not in the town centre.
  • The tourist office sells bus tickets for Ecolines and Lux Express; check opening hours.
  • Krustpils Castle opening hours vary; check the official site before visiting.

Jēkabpils is safe for tourists. Standard precautions apply: watch your belongings in crowded buses and avoid poorly lit areas at night.

One and two days

No timed day plan for Jēkabpils yet. Suggested stay: 1 night. Build a day from the list below, mornings for the big sight.

  • Krustpils Castle
  • Struve Geodetic Arc point
  • Daugava River views

Sources

Written by Voykit; facts cross-checked against these sources, last desk check 2026-09. Prices, hours and rules change: check on the day.

Pocket card

Cut along the border and keep it in your wallet. Show the local-script lines to a driver.

Jēkabpils

Uz šo adresi, lūdzu

To this address, please

My hotel (write the name and address in the local script)

Latvian is the official language; Russian is widely understood. English is common among younger people.

Voykit · checked 2026-09

Printed from Voykit (/jekabpils). Written by Voykit; checked 2026-09. Estimates only: confirm prices, hours and entry rules on the day.