Getting around Latvia: trains, buses, driving and domestic flights

Latvia is small: Riga to Liepāja is roughly 220 km, Riga to Daugavpils about 230 km. Trains cover the busiest corridors and the coast; buses fill in everything else. Fares are low, so the real choice is time versus flexibility, not cost.

Summer (June–August) brings the most departures and the most demand on coastal routes; book weekend buses and any car hire ahead. Winter keeps the same rail timetable but short daylight and snow make driving slower and less appealing.

Step 1: decide whether you actually need a car. If your plan is Riga plus Jūrmala, Sigulda and Cēsis, trains and buses cover it and a car is a cost with no benefit. Add a car only when Kurzeme's coast, the smaller Gauja stops or the Latgale lakes are on the list.

Step 2: buy rail tickets in the Vivi app or at the station. On-board purchase costs more, and inspectors do check. For buses, book Lux Express, Ecolines or FlixBus online for cross-border routes and use regional operators for smaller towns; the Riga bus station sits next to the Central Market.

Step 3: sort out Riga itself. Trams, trolleybuses and buses run on one e-ticket system; validate each ride because inspectors fine on the spot. Bus 22 links the airport with the centre, and Bolt is cheap and reliable. Street taxis at the airport and in the Old Town can overcharge, so use the app.

Step 4: if you drive, plan for the local rules. Headlights stay on at all times, many side roads are gravel, and elk and deer cross at dusk. Parking in central Riga is paid and enforced; use a garage rather than hunting for a space.

Step 5: leave the country by bus unless you specifically want the train. Buses are more frequent to Tallinn and Vilnius; the daily Riga–Vilnius train and the through Tallinn–Riga–Vilnius ticket are comfortable but run only a few times a day.

There are no scheduled domestic passenger flights inside Latvia; Riga International Airport (RIX) is the hub, and flying between Latvian cities is not a practical option.

Cross-border rail has improved but remains thin: expect a handful of departures a day, so check times before building a plan around the train. Buses remain the flexible choice.

Tickets and passes: single fares are cheap enough that a pass rarely pays off for a short trip. If you are moving daily for a week or more, compare a rail pass or a bus operator's multi-trip offer against point-to-point fares before buying; availability changes, so check.

Tap water is safe to drink, which keeps travel days simple. Public toilets cost €0.50–1; malls and museums are free.

Around Līgo/Jāņi (23–24 June) and Christmas, transport runs a reduced timetable and many services sell out; book early.