Getting around Riga is really easy. You can easily get about on foot in the historic centre and its immediate surroundings. For longer journeys, you can use the extensive public transport network, which includes buses, trolleybuses and trams.

Walking

You can explore the hidden corners and main sights on foot. It takes about 20 minutes to walk through the historic centre at a leisurely pace. There is also an easy route along the waterfront to the main markets Rīgas Centrāltirgus paviljoni.

Furthermore, no public transport services run into the centre itself. All routes pass by the historic centre.

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It is important to bear in mind that Riga’s historic centre has cobbled streets and pavements. When travelling with a pushchair or, for example, a wheelchair, you should expect a degree of reduced comfort, even though many of the sights and services are wheelchair-accessible.

Public transport

Public transport in Riga comprises 6 tram routes, 22 trolleybus routes and 51 bus routes. The operator is the transport company Rigas Satiksme; on its official website, rigassatiksme.lv, you will find all the latest information on timetables, route maps, ticket prices and any service disruptions.

When planning your journey, please bear in mind that the numbers of individual routes may overlap depending on the type of transport. Tram, trolleybus and bus routes all start with the number one.

Public transport is cheap, accessible, reliable and safe. The vehicles are well-maintained and are gradually being modernised. You can travel on a 30-year-old tram or a brand-new one. All vehicles, including buses, are fitted with USB sockets for charging mobile phones.

Passengers may board and alight through any door, with the exception of the following routes, where boarding is via the front door only:

• trolleybuses: 1, 11, 13, 20, 27, 34 and 35
• buses: 7, 9, 10, 12, 18, 20, 23, 26, 28, 29, 32, 33, 34, 38, 39, 43, 44, 47, 54, 55, 57, 58, 60 and 63

You can also find this information at the bus stops.

Tickets

As a tourist visiting Riga, single-journey paper tickets are all you’ll need.

You can buy these at Narvesen newsagents throughout the city or from ticket machines at busy stops. Alternatively, you can use the Rigas satiksme, Mobilly or Narvesen mobile apps. You can find out how to pay using a mobile app on the transport company’s website at rigassatiksme.lv/code-tickets.

Tickets are available in several time-based options:

• 90 minutes – price 1,50 eur
• 24 hours – price 5 eur
• 3 days – price 8 eur
• 5 days – price 10 eur
• 1 month – price 30 eur

Please note that you must validate your ticket every time you board a vehicle, even when changing between two buses. You should only tap your ticket on the reader when boarding the vehicle, not when alighting.

Tickets are valid for transfers and can be validated for the last time 1 minute before they expire.

Bus route 22

On the sole bus route 22, which connects the city centre with Riga Airport ( RIX), tickets can also be purchased from the driver.

You can only pay by contactless card, and a 90-minute ticket costs 1,81 eur.

Night services

All public transport services in Riga start running early in the morning, from around 4.45 am, and operate until midnight. The last service leaves the terminus no later than 11.50 pm.

There are no night routes or services in Riga.

Boat trips

You can make your visit to Riga even more enjoyable with a cruise along the River Daugava. Sightseeing cruises are available from spring to autumn, specifically from April to October, and there are four different cruises to choose from. All are operated by River Cruises Latvia.

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You’ll find the jetties between the bridges at Vanšu Tilts and Akmens Tilts.

You can choose from the following sightseeing cruises:

Name	Route	Sailing times	Duration	Price
River Boat	Around Zakusala Island	5 times a day from 10.00 to 20.00	1 hour	15 eur
Canal Boats	Through the historic centre	11 times a day from 10:00 to 20:00	1 hour	15 eur
Mežaparks	to the northern district of the city	10.30	1 hour 15 minutes	15 eur
Jūrmala	to Jūrmala beach	10:00	2 hours and 30 minutes	20 eur

Discounts are available for students with a valid ISIC card, with the price of the crossing being 10 eur or 12 eur for the crossing to Jūrmala, whilst children pay 5 eur for the crossing.

Tickets for the cruise can be purchased at the docks or online at rivercruises.lv, where you will also find further official information.

Bicycles

On sunny days, you can hire a bicycle and cycle not only through the city centre but, above all, through the wider suburbs of Riga.

Just like in other European cities, you’ll find Nextbike bike racks in Riga.

You can easily hire and return a bike using the Nextbike mobile app, which you can download from both the App Store and Google Play.

Taxis

If you intend to use a standard taxi, make sure the driver uses the meter.

You can book a taxi stress-free via the Bolt app. Uber does not operate in Riga. Baltic Taxi is slightly more expensive, but always offers excellent and rapid availability.

By train to Jūrmala

You can easily reach this popular seaside resort on the Baltic Sea by train from Riga Central Station. Don’t search for ‘Jurmala’ station on online transport search engines; you’ll need to choose one of the many stations within the city. The most popular ones (closest to the beach) are Dzintari, Majori or Melluži.

The train to Jurmala takes half an hour and runs 2–3 times an hour during the day. You can simply buy a ticket at the station; it costs 1.4 euros. There is no discount on return tickets.

You can find the exact timetable on the Latvian Railways website, or use the general transport search engine for Latvia, 1188.lv, which also lists all intercity bus services.