Riga Airport (RIX) Transfer Guide: Getting to the City Center Easily

Riga International Airport is about 10 km southwest of the city center. The drive takes 15-25 minutes depending on traffic. A pre-booked transfer costs EUR 15-25, a taxi runs EUR 15-20, and the airport express bus is EUR 2.50. Riga is compact and most hotels are within the Old Town or nearby, so all road transport ends up in roughly the same area.

Riga airport is a single-terminal facility that handles both domestic and international flights. For EU/EEA passport holders, arrival is fast — automated gates process you in minutes. Non-EU travelers go through manual immigration, which typically takes 10-20 minutes.

After baggage claim, you exit into a compact arrivals hall. There are ATMs (Swedbank, SEB), a currency exchange counter, car rental desks, and a small convenience store. Latvia uses the euro, so if you are coming from another eurozone country, no currency exchange is needed.

Free Wi-Fi is available throughout the terminal and works reliably. SIM cards can be purchased from vending machines or the convenience store — LMT and Tele2 are the main operators. A prepaid SIM with data costs about EUR 5-10.

Taxi: Official taxis wait outside the arrivals exit. Riga taxis use meters, and the fare to the city center is typically EUR 15-20. Make sure the meter is running — reputable companies include Baltic Taxi and Red Cab. Avoid any driver who quotes a flat rate significantly above this range.

Airport Express Bus (Bus 22): Runs between the airport and the city center (Abrenes iela, near the Central Station) every 10-30 minutes. The fare is EUR 2.50 if purchased with a contactless card on the bus. Journey time is about 30 minutes. It is clean, reliable, and the stops are announced.

Bolt: The ride-hailing app is the dominant platform in Riga (more popular than Uber here). Fares to the city center run EUR 8-15. You need a data connection to use it. Pickup area is outside the terminal.

Rental car: Available from Sixt, Europcar, Budget, and others at the terminal. Parking in Riga's Old Town is expensive and restricted, so a rental car only makes sense if you plan to explore Latvia beyond the city.

Train: There is no direct rail connection from Riga Airport to the city center. A rail link has been discussed for years but is not operational as of 2026.

All prices in euros (EUR) for 2026:

• Pre-booked transfer to Old Town: EUR 15-25
• Pre-booked transfer to Central Station area: EUR 15-22
• Taxi to city center: EUR 15-20 (metered)
• Bolt to city center: EUR 8-15
• Airport Express Bus 22: EUR 2.50
• Pre-booked transfer to Jurmala: EUR 30-45
• Pre-booked transfer to Sigulda: EUR 55-75

Riga airport handles flights until midnight, and budget airlines sometimes arrive later due to delays. After 11 PM, Bus 22 stops running. Bolt availability decreases but does not disappear — Riga has enough drivers that you can usually get a ride within 5-10 minutes even late at night.

Taxis remain available outside the terminal 24 hours. Fares do not increase at night — meters run the same rate. A pre-booked transfer is the most guaranteed option for late arrivals, with flight tracking to accommodate delays.

Latvia requires child restraint seats for children under 150 cm tall. Taxis and Bolt vehicles rarely have them. If you are traveling with young children, a pre-booked transfer lets you request appropriate child seats in advance.

Bus 22 can accommodate strollers and luggage, but space is limited during busy periods. If you have more than one large suitcase per person, the bus becomes impractical.

The airport has family restrooms, baby changing facilities, and a small play area near the departure gates. These can be useful if you need to regroup before heading to the city.

Pre-booked transfer drivers wait in the arrivals hall near the exit, holding name signs. The hall is not large, so spotting your driver is easy.

Taxis line up directly outside the arrivals exit — turn left and the rank is visible. The queue usually moves quickly.

Bolt pickups happen from the same area outside arrivals. The app provides real-time driver location.

Bus 22 departs from the bus stop directly outside the terminal — well-signed and impossible to miss.

Choose a taxi if: you want door-to-door service without pre-planning and are comfortable with metered fares.

Choose Bolt if: you have a working phone with data, want the cheapest door-to-door option, and are flexible on wait time.

Choose Bus 22 if: you are traveling light, heading to the center, and want to save money. It is genuinely a good option at EUR 2.50.

Skip the rental car if: you are only staying in Riga. Parking is expensive and the Old Town is best explored on foot.