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Riga skyline, Latvia

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Latvia

Travel to Riga

Flying to Riga

Cheap flights to Riga from the UK are available via a number of different low cost airlines including airBaltic, Ryanair and Wizzair. The best time to travel to Riga is during the summer when the temperatures rise. However cheap flights to Riga are available in the shoulder months such as spring and autumn, or in the winter.

Flight times: 

From London - 2 hours 30 minutes; New York - 9 hours 35 minutes; Los Angeles - 12 hours 20 minutes; Toronto - 10 hours 35 minutes; Sydney - 24 hours.

Travel by road

Summary:

Road conditions in Latvia are variable and, while most main roads are of a fairly good standard, some main roads and many minor roads are unsurfaced and become muddy bogs during heavy rainfall or snowmelt.

Speed limits are 50kph (31mph) in towns, 70kph (43mph) in suburban areas, 90kph (56mph) on open roads and 110kph (68mph) on motorways. Driving in Latvia is on the right and the minimum driving age is 18 years. Foreigners driving their own vehicles are required to carry a national licence, an International Driving Permit, proof of third-party insurance (such as the international Green Card) and registration documents, at all times. It is compulsory to drive with vehicle lights switched on at all times.

The Auto-Moto Society of Latvia - LAMB (tel: 6756 6222; www.lamb.lv) provides further information.

Emergency breakdown service:

Riga Autostavietas (tel: 1888).

Routes:

The main transit corridors to Riga are the north-south Via Baltica, which runs from Tallinn to Warsaw through Riga, Vilnius and Kaunas, and Via Hanseatica, which runs from Berlin to Riga through Gdansk, Kaliningrad and Siauliai. Corridors also run east-west, linking Riga to Moscow, Ventspils, Liepaja, Vitebsc and Pskow. The A2 northeast from Riga leads to Cesis.

Driving times:

From Cesis - 1 hour 45 minutes; Vilnius - 5 hours; Tallinn - 5 hours.

Coaches:

Passenger facilities at Riga's coach station (Autoosta), Pragas 1, include an ATM, bureau de change, cafe, left luggage, pharmacy, shops, taxi park and barber shop. The bus station operates both international and domestic services. Tickets to all international destinations can be purchased at the ticket offices in the bus terminal.

Reputable operators include the main state motor firm, Nordeka (tel: 6746 4620; www.nordeka.lv), which operates regular long-distance and international services, as well as Eurolines (tel: 6721 4080; www.eurolines.lv), for services to Berlin, Bremen, Kiel, Warsaw, Prague, Vilnius, Tallinn, Munich, Kaliningrad, Cologne and London. Eurolines generally has the most modern and comfortable buses.

Travel by rail

Services:

Riga's central station, Centrala Stacija, Stacijas laukums, has separate departure and arrival halls for international and domestic services. Passenger facilities include: ATM, bureau de change, train service information, post office, left luggage, cafes and restaurants.

Operators:

Latvia's national railway company, Latvijas Dzelzceļš (tel: 1181; www.ldz.lv), operates rail services in Riga. Some trains are poorly maintained and delays are common, but the routes to the satellite towns and villages around Riga generally have a better service than intercity and international routes.

Long-distance rail services in Riga can be slow and prone to delays. Tickets for mainline services are sold in the main departure hall and tickets for the electric commuter trains are sold in the smaller departure hall. Long-distance journeys can be booked in advance.

Journey times:

To Minsk - 8 hours; Vilnius - 4 hours 30 minutes; Moscow - 16 hours.

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