Social ConventionsHandshaking is customary. Normal courtesies should be observed. The Latvians are somewhat reserved and formal, but nevertheless very hospitable. They are proud of their culture, and visitors should take care to respect this sense of national identity.
International Travel:Getting There by AirLatvia’s national airline is
airBaltic (BT) (website:
www.airbaltic.com).
Departure TaxNone.
Main AirportsRiga (RIX) (Spilve) (website:
www.riga-airport.com) is 8km (5 miles)
from the city.
To/from the airport: Buses run regularly to the city center throughout the day (journey time - 30 minutes). Several hotels provide a shuttle bus to and from the airport. Taxis are also available (journey time – 15 minutes).
Facilities: Duty-free shops, banks, business lounge, information office, left luggage storage, car hire, restaurants, bars, cafes, VIP service center and post office.
Liepaja International Airport (LPX) (website:
www.liepaja-airport.lv) has charter and business flights to Europe and CIS countries.
To/from the airport: Taxis are available.
Facilities: Car hire, hotel reservation service, and tourist information bureau.
Getting There by WaterMain ports: Riga and
Ventspils. There are ferry connections from Riga to Stockholm with
Tallink (tel: 709 9700; website:
www.tallink.com) (journey time – 16 hours).
DFDS Tor Line (tel: 01469 575 231, in the UK; website:
www.dfdstorline.com) runs ferry services from Riga and Ventspils to Lübeck in Germany (journey time - 32 hours) and from Riga to Immingham in the UK (journey time - 3 days, with connection and some road travel). Ferries also go from Ventspils to Nynäshamn, Karlshamn and Rostock with
Muller Baltic (website:
www.mullerbaltic.lv), and Sāremā with
SSC Ferries (tel: 360 7184; website:
www.slkferries.ee).
Getting There by RailRiga has rail links with Moscow and St Petersburg in the Russian Federation, Tallinn in Estonia, and Vilnius in Lithuania.
Getting There by RoadThe road network is relatively well developed and there are good routes through to Belarus and to the neighboring two Baltic Republics. Entry by car is possible from the Russian Federation, Estonia, Belarus or Lithuania. The
Via Baltica highway runs through the Baltic countries.
Coach services with
Eurolines (tel: 0870 580 8080; website:
www.eurolines.com) depart from London and other European cities to destinations in Latvia.
OverviewThe following goods may be imported into Latvia without incurring customs duty by persons aged 17 years and over arriving from countries outside the EU:
200 cigarettes, 100 cigarillos, 50 cigars or 250g of tobacco;
1l of spirits over 22% volume; or 2l of spirits, aperitifs, wine or similar less than 22% volume; 2l wine;
up to 50g of perfume;
250ml of eau de toilette;
medication for personal use up to three months, provided it is accompanied by documentary confirmation;
other goods up to a value of €175.
Internal Travel:Getting Around by RailLatvia’s rail network includes routes from Riga to all other major towns in the country. The railway terminal in Riga is at Stacijas laukums. For more information about the train services, contact
Latvian Railway (Latvijas dzelzceļš) (
LDz) (tel: 1181, in Latvia only; website:
www.ldz.lv).
Getting Around by RoadThere are reasonable connections to all parts of the country. Traffic drives on the right.
Bus: There are bus connections to regions throughout the coutry. The Central Bus Station is at Pragas iela 1.
Car hire: Available through hotels and directly from international and local car hire companies. Drivers can also be hired.
Regulations: Seat belts must be worn. Speed limits on highways are 90kph (56mph) and 50kph (32mph) in cities. It is compulsory to drive with headlights on 24 hours a day all year round. The use of mobile telephones while driving is forbidden. The minimum age for drivers to hire a car is 21 years.
Documentation: European nationals should be in possession of an EU license, otherwise an International Driving Permit is required.
Getting Around Towns and CitiesThere is a good network of bus, tram and trolleybus routes in Riga (website:
www.rigassatiksme.lv). Tickets should be bought on board from the conductor and retained for inspection.
Taksobussi (share-taxis) also operate but are slightly more expensive than ordinary buses. Fines for fare dodging are common.Taxis are privately run and have meters; there is a surcharge at night. There are some trams and trolleybuses running through the night.
Journey TimesThe following chart gives approximate journey times from
Riga (in hours and minutes) to other major cities/towns in Latvia.
| Road | Rail |
| Jurmala | 0.45 | 0.20 |
| Liepaja | 3.15 | 3.09 |
| Cesis | 1.40 | 1.50 |
| Ventspils | 3.00 | - |
Next Page »
