When I was planning my trip to the amazing city of Riga last month, I tried to do as much research as I possibly could including how we would be able to travel from Riga Airport to Riga city centre where our hotel was located in the heart of the Old Town.

I knew that there was a bus but there was not really any of what I would call detailed information available online but the truth is that there really is not much to tell at all as the journey really could not be any easier.  To show just how simple and easy it is to get the bus from the airport into Riga, I decided to write this blog and travel guide along with all the photos that you need along with answering any questions that you might have and to help anyone who is travelling to Riga in the near future.

Once you land in Latvia, you will soon find out that Riga Airport is very small which makes everything even easier as you cannot get lost however it is important to know that there are two different arrival areas at Riga Airport – one for Schengen arrivals and one for non-Schengen arrivals.

Non-Schengen arrivals use Arrivals Hall C and there is a ticket machine located next to the exit of the arrivals hall after you have left baggage reclaim and customs.

Arrivals from within the Schengen area use Arrivals Hall E and I found that there was a lot more information about the bus in this area including where the ticket machines and the bus stop are located as well as the different ticket prices.  The ticket machine in this area is located just outside the door next the Narvesen shop where you can also buy tickets if needed.

The ticket machines can be used in Latvian as well as in both English and German. After selecting which language you want to use on the first screen:

Select “Buy a Ticket”

Select which type of ticket you would like to purchase. If you are just travelling into the city centre of Riga, select “90 Minutes”

As of May 2024 the current ticket prices are:

90 Minutes – €1.50
24 Hours – €5.00
3 Days – €8.00
5 Days – €10.00
1 Month – €30.00

You can pay for your tickets with Credit Card (Visa, Mastercard and Maestro) or by cash and the machine will display what coins and banknotes are currently being accepted at that time.

On Bus 22 only it is also possible to buy a ticket directly from the bus driver which costs €1.81 and this is only payable with a credit or debit card as no cash is accepted once onboard the bus.

The information boards at the airport also advertise being able to buy tickets using the Rigas Satiksme, Narvesen and Mobilly apps but do not waste your time downloading them as Rigas Satiksme can only be used with a phone number from one of the three Baltic countries, Narvesen is only available in Latvian and I never even got the Mobilly one to load!

Finding the bus stop for Bus 22 is as simple as just walking outside as it is located just in front of the terminal building. From Arrivals Hall C (Non Schengen Arrivals) you will need to exit the terminal and turn to the right and from Arrivals Hall E (Schengen Arrivals), it is located right opposite the door. Many websites say that the bus stop is a much longer walk across the large car park but this is now old and outdated information.

Bus 22 runs on average every 10-15 minutes during the day and every 20 minutes early morning and during the evening so you will never have to wait long for the next one. At this time the first bus into the city departs Riga Airport at 5:25am and the last departure is at 12:40am. You can check up to date timetables on the Rigas Satiksme website.

If you need to access mobile data whilst visiting Latvia, you can purchase a travel E-Sim through Airalo. If you would like to use my referral code NIKKI8866 when signing up, you will receive £2.50 / US$3 off your first purchase.

To validate your ticket, simply tap it against the card reader as soon as you board the bus.

As this is a regular bus service (and not a direct airport route) there is no dedicated luggage space onboard. As the airport is at the start of the route, you will not have any problem getting a seat but the bus will start to get very busy as you get closer to the city centre.

You will be able to follow the journey on the television screen located at the front of the bus and each stop is announced as well.

If travelling to Riga Old Town, the bus stop that you need is 11.Novembra Krastmala (also known as Grēcinieku Iela) and the bus also travels onto the Central Bus Station (Rīgas Autoosta) and the Central Market (Centrāltirgus). There is no public transport available within the old town itself (as it goes around the outside of it) but as it is so small, it is very quick to walk to wherever you need to go once you get off the bus.

The journey time from Riga Airport to Riga Old Town is approximately 25-35 minutes depending on traffic.

When leaving Riga and heading back to the airport, you will need to take Bus 22 again in the direction of Riga Airport (Lidosta Rīga) and there will be an airplane symbol on the bus stop next to the number 22. There are ticket machines available at some of the bus stops in the city (there is one at Grēcinieku Iela) but as the ticket does not activate until you tap it on the bus, we simply bought our tickets the day before when we passed a ticket machine. Once you arrive at the airport, the bus will drop you off right outside the entrance to departures.

So as you can see, it really is that easy to get the bus from Riga Airport into the city centre of Riga. We spent a wonderful few days exploring Riga before travelling onto both Tallinn and Vilnius as part of our incredible Baltic road trip. Riga is a great little city and an absolutely perfect city break and as it is so small and compact, it is very walkable (you do not need to use any other public transportation when there) making it very easy to see everything in a very short amount of time.

Have fun in Riga and enjoy travelling to Latvia.

This blog post was written in 2024 so some of the information may no longer be accurate or up to date. Be sure to do your own research and check official websites for the latest details before making any of your own travel plans.

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