Getting around Latvia - Riga - TravBuddy

Basically, for visitors who are travelling around Latvia. This is good to know. Latvia is my second home now, and I will be moving out there, anyway, enough of my life story...here are some tips.

Arriving at Riga Lidosta (Riga Airport)

From the airport to centre, there are the main red taxis outside the main terminal building, costing 7lvl (around £7 or 14USD upwards). They are very relaible, and taxi drivers are great. For the cheaper backpacker trip, like me, bus 22 (to Stockman centre near Origo centre/railway station) and bus 22A (to blackheads house, old riga, runs very rare) are direct and cost 0.30lvl for the journey, and maybe another 0.50lvl for big luggage. at the bus stop, go for the rear set of doors, and not the drivers door. :) conductors are on board.

Travelling around riga on trams, trolleybuss etc. For trams, you need to buy tickets from local kiosks near the bus stop, same again, 0.30 lvl for one journey. you can buy more than one ticket if you want. There are no conductors on board, and needto validate tickets on board. If you are caught on teh trams, you will have to pay big fine. When kiosks are shut at night, buy tickets from driver.
Trollrybuss and local buses have conductors on them.

Trains - from riga central, there is international trains from platform one to Moscow, St Petersburg, Villiuns, Minisk and Ukraine. Tickets need to be brought in advanced from ticket hall in the Origo centre. Travelling around Latvia on trains is cheap, but always check the times.
Jurmala is a good destination in the summer (for sunbathing next to the sea) and in january/februayr (due to frozen winter seas) Trains also go to Daugvapils, Cesis, Segulda, Valka, Jelgava, and Tukums.

Minibus from near the Origo centre are great to travel on (espeically for Jurmala) and sometimes are faster than trains. costs around 0.60lvl.

My advice for travelling by public transport is, that monday to fridays in late afternoons, forget travelling. roads are always blocked with cars. oh well, a bit like M25, londons biggest car park.

I hope that helps.