Guide · Living in Riga

Getting to and around Riga: the airport, transport and tickets

Riga is small and easy to get around, and the airport is close to the centre. Here is how to get from the airport into the city, how public transport and tickets work, and how to reach the coast and the day-trip towns.

From the airport to the centre

Riga International Airport (RIX) is about 10 km south-west of the centre. A few easy options:

  • Bus 22 runs from the airport to the centre in about 20 to 30 minutes for the price of a normal ticket, the cheapest way in.
  • Bolt or a taxi takes about 15 to 20 minutes; order a Bolt in the app to avoid overpaying at the rank.
  • Minibuses also run the route.

Buy your bus ticket with the e-talons card (below) or, more expensively, from the driver.

Getting around the city

The centre is flat and compact, and most things are within a 20-minute walk of one another, so you will often not need transport at all. For longer hops, buses, trams and trolleybuses run frequently and cheaply on the e-talons card. For late nights, Bolt is cheap and everywhere.

Tickets and the e-talons card

Public transport runs on the rechargeable e-talons card. Buy it at a Narvesen kiosk or a ticket machine and top it up; a single ride costs around a euro, cheaper than buying from the driver, and there are monthly passes if you travel every day. Keep the card for your whole stay and just reload it.

Trains and getting out of town

Cheap regional trains leave the central station for the seaside at Jūrmala (about 30 minutes), and for Sigulda, Cēsis and Tukums, ideal for day trips; see our day trips guide. For the neighbouring capitals, Vilnius and Tallinn, and for Liepāja, modern coaches (Lux Express, Ecolines) are comfortable and cheap.

Staying central

Where you stay decides how much you use transport at all. All of our residences are a short walk from the central train and bus stations and from the Old Town, so you can drop your bags and set off on foot, and reach any campus by a quick tram or bus ride. See available rooms in central Riga.

Tu base en el centro de Riga

Todas nuestras residencias están a pocos minutos a pie del casco antiguo, el Mercado Central y Miera iela. Habitaciones amuebladas, con todos los gastos incluidos, para tu semestre o unas noches.

Ver habitaciones disponibles

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