How to Get to Riga, Latvia
When planning a vacation in Riga, the first thing to do is to decide on transport. There are several options, and the choice depends on the total duration of the trip. If this is a weekend tour, then it is better to go by plane. Direct flights connect Riga with Moscow and St. Petersburg. Residents of other regions will have to plan their route with a transfer.
In addition, there are bus and train connections. Trains from Moscow and St. Petersburg run once a day, there are a few more bus trips. The latter are preferable in all respects – tickets are almost half the price, and time costs are reduced by 3-6 hours.
Districts of Riga
As you might guess, the most popular among tourists is the Central District of Riga. Here, on a tiny square, most of the sights of this Baltic city are concentrated, the main of which is considered to be Old Riga. Since the area itself occupies only 3 square meters. km, we can say with confidence – per 1 sq. km there are 3-4 museums. In addition to the cobbled streets of the Old Town, the Dome Cathedral and the museum dedicated to the history of the Latvian capital are also of interest.
Do not ignore one of the most significant historical and cultural buildings – Riga Castle, as well as museums of the History of Latvia and Foreign Art. In terms of lodging, rooms in most hotels in the city center are not cheap, however, if you are only here for a couple of days, it is still worth staying here.
Budget accommodation options can be found near the Central Station.
Of the remaining 5 administrative districts of Riga, Vidzeme suburb and Ziemel district deserve special attention. The first of them houses the Latvian Ethnographic Museum. In addition to an extensive exposition, it is also interesting for unusual excursions conducted by guides in national costumes. It is also worth a look at the Riga Motor Museum, where you can admire vintage cars and motorcycles. The Ziemel region is great for outdoor recreation. It contains Lake Kisezers, Mežaparks with numerous recreational areas and the Riga Zoo.
Riga Hotels
The popularity of Riga among tourists from Russia is due not only to ancient architecture, an abundance of entertainment and transport accessibility. Far from the last role is played by quite democratic prices for accommodation. You can spend the night in a shared hostel room on the outskirts for 15-20 EUR, a double will cost more – 30 EUR. True, you will have to spend time on the road from the hotel to the center. However, there are also hostels near the Old Town, but one night in them will cost 2 times more.
Riga is a very popular tourist destination, especially during the Christmas and May holidays, so it is better to book a hotel in advance.
There are many middle-class hotels in the city, the cost of accommodation varies from 30 EUR. For this money you will get a cozy room without any frills. The service in all hotels is at a high level, and the staff is very friendly. There are expensive luxury hotels in the Latvian capital with all the consequences – luxurious rooms, chic restaurants and first-class service. Such pleasure costs a lot – from 250 EUR per night.
Transportation
According to CachedHealth, public transport in Riga is well developed: there are many bus, trolleybus and tram routes. The former cover all districts and suburbs of the city, and the latter converge in its center. Tickets can be purchased from drivers. In addition, there are unified travel tickets in Riga – e-tickets. A ticket for one train will cost 2 EUR. If you plan to move around the city a lot, you can load the required number of trips on the card (up to 50). The passes are sold at customer service centres, ticket machines and online. Prices on the page are for July 2022.
There are temporary tickets in the city that allow you to make an unlimited number of trips on all routes of the city during the day, 3 or 5 days. This fare payment option will save you money if you plan to visit all the sights of the Latvian capital.
In addition to the main city transport, minibuses also run in Riga, and on weekends there are also night buses. Since transportation is carried out by another company, general travel cards do not work in them, tickets must be purchased separately. However, the fares are the same, and you can pay for the fare with the driver.
There are many taxis in the city, and all of them are official and equipped with meters. They are distinguished from ordinary cars by yellow numbers and light shades on the roof. Despite the fact that there are no private traders in Riga at all, it will not be difficult to find a taxi at special parking lots. In addition, the car can be ordered by phone, the call is free.
In most cases, credit cards are accepted for payment. However, it is better to check with the driver about the presence of the terminal before boarding.
Different rates apply depending on the time of day. Night trip will cost 20% more. The prices for transportation from different companies are about the same. You will have to pay about 2 EUR for landing, the cost of 1 km is from 0.60-0.80 EUR.
When traveling around Latvia in your own car, you must have driver’s civil liability insurance. “Antiradar” is prohibited in the country: before entering it will have to be removed. A pedestrian in Latvia is always right – he must certainly give way.
- Center of Riga
Rent a Car
Although renting a car in the Latvian capital is easy, it is often not necessary. Riga is a compact city, and public transport works well here, routes cover all districts and suburbs. However, a car can still be useful for those who plan to visit nearby Jurmala and other cities that also have something to see.
Car traffic in Riga, of course, is not as dense as in Moscow, but there are traffic jams during peak hours, and quite serious ones. There are many parking lots in the city, but on weekdays and Saturdays, most of them are paid. Parking fines are issued without the presence of the driver.
When traveling around Latvia in your own car, you must have driver’s civil liability insurance. “Antiradar” is prohibited in the country: before entering it will have to be removed. A pedestrian in Latvia is always right – he must certainly give way.
There are many car rental companies in the city. There are local (Car Rent, Riga Cars, Car4rent) and international (Rentalcars, Avis, Club Rent Car). Prices vary depending on the class of the car, the specific company and even the rental point (this service is more expensive at the airport). The cost of a day of rent is from 40 EUR.
