Riga sits on the Daugava in the Baltic states (EET/EEST time zone). Most visitor sights cluster in the UNESCO Old Town and Art Nouveau districts — no subway, but frequent trams. Pair this guide with our 1–2 day self-guided itinerary, family route with kids or winter tips. Book central lodging near a tram line rather than “by the metro”.
Rīgas satiksme: trams, trolleybuses and buses
What runs on the street
One operator, Rīgas satiksme, covers the Old Town, Art Nouveau grid, Āgenskalns and the park belt. Trams 1 and 11 are the scenic backbone — centre to Mežaparks through greenery. Trolleybuses run major corridors like Brīvības; buses reach the airport, the open-air museum and outer districts.
Main hubs: Rīga Centrālā stacija (trains plus city transit) and Rīgas SAO (intercity coaches next to the centre). Most self-guided days start from one of these.
Yellow vs blue e-talons
Yellow e-talons — pay once, ride once on one mode, no transfer. Buy at a stop machine, Narvesen or in the app; tap the validator when you board.
Blue e-talons — personal reloadable card with a small deposit. Cheaper if you ride daily; a 90-minute transfer on the same mode counts as a single fare. Load 24-hour, 3-day or 5-day passes onto blue plastic or buy them in the app.
Fares below were checked on 2026-08-28; Rīgas satiksme may change them — confirm on rigas-satiksme.lv.
Fares, passes and fines
| Ticket | Price (2026 guide) | When to buy |
|---|---|---|
| Single ride (yellow e-talons) | ≈ €1.50 | One mode, no transfer |
| 24-hour pass | ≈ €5 | Unlimited Rīgas satiksme in the city zone |
| 3-day pass | ≈ €10 | Worth it at 5–6 rides per day |
| 5-day pass | ≈ €15 | For a full week based in the centre |
| Blue e-talons card | ≈ €2 + balance | Reloadable personal card |
Drivers do not sell tickets — machines, kiosks and the app only. Inspectors in Rīgas satiksme uniforms issue fines around €20–50 for riding without a valid tap. On two or three active days a 24-hour or 3-day pass usually beats a stack of yellow singles.
RIX airport to the city centre
Riga International (RIX) is 10 km west of the centre. Bus 22 is the default budget link to the Daugava embankment (≈35–45 minutes). Route 322 fills some night gaps. Use the same city e-talons — buy before boarding.
Taxis and ride-hail take 15–20 minutes off-peak (≈€15–25 to the Old Town). For late arrivals compare hotels near the centre early — overnight buses are thin. Add 20 minutes buffer for the return trip at rush hour.
Trains to Jūrmala and the Gulf of Riga
The beach resort strip is on Latvijas dzelzceļš commuter trains from Rīga Centrālā stacija to Majori, Dzintari and Bulduri (25–40 minutes). Buy at the station — city e-talons do not cover LDz. Summer weekends fill up; leave before 10:00 or after 16:00 for a seat.
Sample combo: Art Nouveau morning in the centre, afternoon train to the sea, evening tram 11 back through the parks. For other Baltic hops compare intercity coaches.
Taxis, car-share, bikes and scooters
Taxis and car-share
Metered official taxis and Bolt-style apps. Car-share (Citybee and others) suits a day trip west on the A2 — locally called the Riga highway — not to be confused with Moscow’s “Novorizhskoye shosse”.
Bikes and e-scooters
Summer hire and shared scooters work along the canal and in parks; cobbles and tram tracks in the Old Town need care. For flights in compare air fares, pack travel insurance and an eSIM for live maps.
Apps that actually help
The official Rīgas satiksme app sells e-talons and shows live departures. Google Maps and Moovit parse Riga transit well; ldz.lv for Jūrmala trains. Timetables use local time — winter days are short, so check the last tram home.
Why Riga has no metro
There is no underground metro — only surface trams, trolleybuses and buses. A 1980s Soviet metro plan never broke ground; today’s rails are tram-only.
Search noise like “Riga metro” or “Novorizhskoye highway” often points to Moscow, not Latvia. In the capital, plan around trams and the central station instead.
Reaching the main sights
Riga Castle and the Old Town
Rīgas pils on the Daugava is a short walk from Old Riga sights, or take a bus/tram to «Nacionālais teātris» / «Torņa iela». Most Old Town highlights sit within a 15-minute walk of the cathedral.
Open-Air Ethnographic Museum
Bus 1 from the centre to «Brīvdabas muzejs» (≈25–30 minutes). In summer pair it with Mežaparks on tram 11.
Kalnciema quarter (Āgenskalns)
Saturday market and Art Nouveau Āgenskalns: tram 2 or 4 to «Kalnciema iela» / «Slokas iela», then a five-minute walk. Trams thin out after 23:00 — check the return time.
| Route | Time | Note |
|---|---|---|
| RIX airport → city centre (bus 22) | ≈ 35–45 min | Off-peak; night service is sparse |
| Old Town → Mežaparks (tram 11) | ≈ 25 min | Through parks and the centre |
| Central station → Jūrmala Majori (train) | ≈ 30 min | Latvijas dzelzceļš commuter |
| Centre → Open-Air Ethnographic Museum (bus 1) | ≈ 25–30 min | Stop «Brīvdabas muzejs» |
One-day sample using only transit
AlpacaBag sketch: Old Town and the castle on foot in the morning; tram 11 through parks to Mežaparks at midday; if the weather holds, a train to Majori (Jūrmala); Kalnciema on tram 2 in the evening — centre, greenery and sea without a taxi.
Turn it into a full trip with the 1–2 day itinerary or let AlpacaBag count the transfers for you.
An itinerary with the transfers already counted
Set your pace — the wizard will not stack the open-air museum and a Jūrmala train in the same hour.
FAQ
Is there a metro in Riga?
No. Latvia’s capital runs on trams, trolleybuses and buses operated by Rīgas satiksme. A Soviet-era metro project was never built. If you searched for “Novorizhskoye highway” or a “Novorizhskaya station”, that is Moscow region — not Riga.
How do e-talons work — blue vs yellow?
Yellow is a disposable single-ride ticket: buy at a kiosk or in the app, tap the validator on boarding, no transfers. Blue is a personal reloadable card: small deposit plus balance; 90-minute transfers on the same mode count as one ride. Official fares live on rigas-satiksme.lv — not third-party “ticket desks”.
Can I buy a ticket from the driver?
No. Drivers do not sell tickets — use stop machines, Narvesen / Rimi, the Rīgas satiksme app or the website. Riding without a validated e-talons typically draws a €20–50 fine from inspectors.
How do I get from RIX airport to the centre?
Bus 22 is the budget default to the Daugava embankment stops (≈35–45 minutes). Route 322 covers some night gaps. Taxis and Bolt take 15–20 minutes off-peak. Check the last bus if you land after midnight.
How do I reach Jūrmala and the Gulf of Riga beach?
Commuter trains from Rīga Centrālā stacija to Majori, Dzintari or Bulduri take 25–40 minutes. Buy at the station — city e-talons do not work on LDz trains.