Latvia
The Republic of Latvia may be small but it offers much more as a destination than many travelers might guess. Latvia offers markedly different features depending on which area you visit; one-third of this Baltic state is covered by forests, but you'll also find a cosmopolitan city full of art nouveau architecture, plus miles of serene coastline and thousands of rivers. We've collected the best Web sites to help you discover Latvia online and to aid you in planning a trip there.
Expand All Guide SectionsBasic Latvia Travel Information
The Web reveals Latvia's land, culture, enviable sightseeing opportunities, and shadowy history. In ... read more »
Travel Requirements for Latvia
Here you'll find sites to relieve your pre-travel anxiety, covering passport requirements and ... read more »
Getting to Latvia
Latvia may present a challenge if you're used to Eurail-ing it around Europe. Though it lacks the convenience of the famous train system, this Baltic nation maintains an off-the-beaten-path allure. The sites in this section can help you get there by plane, boat, bus, and yes, even train.
Dulcinea's Insight
- Despite not being serviced by Eurail, Lativa is still reachable by train. Russian Rail has overnight trains from Moscow, as well as from other Baltic and Russian cities. LDZ, Latvia's national rail service, has service from Poland, Russia, Belarus, and Ukraine.
- For additional resources that may be of use during your trip to Latvia, see the findingDulcinea Russia Travel Guide or Europe Travel Guide, depending on where you're coming from.
- If you're flying into Latvia from the United States, you may have to book two flights; only Uzbekistan Airways flies direct from the United States (John F. Kennedy International Airport in New York) to Riga, Latvia. Luckily, you can catch an inexpensive flight to Riga on a discount carrier from a number of European cities, such as London and Frankfurt.
- If you're searching for flights to Latvia, consult search engines and individual airline sites to find the best price. Search engines may tack on additional fees for their services. See our findingDulcinea Travel Guide for further advice and information on finding and booking flights.
- Consider a drive into Latvia on the Via Baltica highway, which runs through each of the Baltic states as well as Prague, Helsinki, and Poland. Be aware, though, that environmental concerns have been raised over construction of the road. For a coastal view, drive into Latvia along the Baltic coast from Estonia.
Dulcinea's Picks
For help from a travel agent ...
Tripology
is especially helpful for travelers wanting advice from a travel agent without actually having to visit one. Select what you need help with, whether flight, cruise, hotel, rental car, and/or activities and tours, and Tripology connects you with travel agents specializing in your needs. You'll receive an e-mail or phone call from three agents, usually within 24 hours, after which you can choose which one you'd prefer to work with.
For flight search engines ...
SideStep
eliminates the need to visit numerous airfare search engines. Enter your travel dates and location, and SideStep searches for the lowest fares from more than 200 sites and promptly displays your options.
Mobissimo
not only searches numerous discount fare sites for you, but it also has a handful of nifty additional features. One such feature is "MobiCombo," which helps you book two tickets to get to your European destination, often at a much lower rate than one ticket.
AirNinja
differentiates itself by searching only discount and regional airlines and linking you directly to their sites. You may find that individual airline sites offer slightly lower-priced tickets, as search engines can tack on additional fees when you book through them.
For individual airlines ...
airBaltic
is Latvia's national airline, featuring a friendly, easily navigable site. Consult the list of one-way ticket offers to Riga from numerous destinations in and out of Latvia, as well as the "Travel Information" section covering the new EU security rules, baggage regulations, check-in advice, and more.
Ryanair
is perhaps the most prolific low-fare carrier in Europe, offering surprisingly inexpensive flights to Riga from Frankfurt, London, Stockholm, Tampere, and more. Because one-way flights from the United States to Latvia are hard to find, consider booking a flight to one of the aforementioned cities and then flying Ryanair into Riga.
OrexCA.com
provides flight listings for Uzbekistan Airways representative offices around the world, with contact information. UA is the only carrier with one-way flights from the United States (New York) to Riga, but you must call or e-mail to make a booking. Scroll down to "Uzbekistan Airways in USA" to find the NYC office information.
For ferries ...
VirtualRiga.com
lists ferry routes between the Latvian capital, Sweden, and Germany. Make a selection from the "Choose route" pull-down menu to see departure and arrival times, ferry company and phone number, and notes on price and included meals.
For trains and buses ...
LDZ
is Latvia's national rail system, providing service between Latvia and Poland, Russia, Belarus, and Ukraine. View international routes, and get timetables and prices. Note that timetables must be downloaded as PDFs.
Eurolines Baltic
offers bus service throughout the Baltic states. A useful map of the cities it services is featured on this homepage. Access schedules and routes, and purchase tickets online. Also see "Ways to save," such as the "Baltic Pass" and 30 percent off when you book four people at once. There's also a useful table of bus routes out of Riga.
Ecolines
provides bus service between Riga and several European locations. Included among a few new routes is one to the Czech Republic, notably Prague and Brno. The site has a few spelling and grammatical errors (once translated into English), is difficult to navigate, and does not allow you to purchase tickets online with U.S. dollars. Despite this, Ecolines buses are an efficient method of traveling into Latvia.
Latvia Hotels
Tourists in Latvia have many accommodation options from which to choose: upscale and boutique ... read more »
Getting Around in Latvia
Latvia's size is manageable, which means you'll have plenty of good transportation options once you ... read more »
Latvia Travel Blogs and Forums
Latvia's independence is still relatively new, and Soviet occupation and influence is still a ... read more »
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