Riga Airport is close to the city and transport costs are reasonable by European standards. Here is a straightforward breakdown — with one honest caveat first.
This page used to carry a price for every option. We have removed those figures, for two different reasons. For the bus, the published sources contradict each other and we could not establish the current fare. For the taxi, Bolt and pre-booked transfer, the price is set on the meter, in the app, or at booking — not by anything we can look up and quote. So instead: here is what is actually knowable.
Bus 22 — the budget winner
Bus 22 is the cheapest way into Riga by a wide margin: a couple of euros, against roughly ten times that for any car. It runs a direct route from the airport to Abrenes iela near the Central Station, every 10-30 minutes depending on the time of day. From there the Old Town is a 10-minute walk, or a tram covers the last stretch. The bus is modern and clean and the stops are announced.
On the fare, we are not going to guess. Rīgas satiksme and the Riga city council have published different figures for the single ticket, and we could not confirm which one is current. Check the current fare with Rīgas satiksme. What both sources agree on, and what actually matters at the door:
- Route 22 is the only Rīgas satiksme route where you can buy a ticket from the driver.
- From the driver, payment is by bank card only — no cash. Do not queue up with a note in your hand.
- Buying in advance is cheaper — from the ticket machine at the stop, or the Narvesen kiosk in the terminal. The advance ticket is a 90-minute ticket valid on all Riga public transport, so it also covers your tram to the Old Town.
- 24-hour, 3-day and 5-day tickets exist and are worth considering if you will use trams and trolleybuses during your stay.
The catch with the bus is luggage, not money: with more than one piece of hand luggage it gets uncomfortable, and at peak times it is standing room only, which is miserable with heavy bags.
Taxi
Riga taxis charge by the meter, and the tariff rates should be displayed on the door. Read them before you get in — that is your authoritative price, published by the operator on the vehicle itself, and it beats any figure a website can give you.
Always check the meter is running. If a driver wants to agree a flat rate at the airport rather than use the meter, take a different taxi. Look for the company name and licence displayed on the car; Baltic Taxi and Red Cab are well known. Avoid unmarked vehicles offering rides.
Bolt
Bolt is the dominant ride-hailing app in Latvia and normally the cheapest car option from the airport, undercutting a metered taxi. It quotes your fare in the app before you confirm — that is your price. You need a data connection, and pickup takes 3-10 minutes.
Pre-booked transfer
Fixed at booking, so you know the figure before you fly. It costs more than Bolt and lands in similar territory to a taxi, while adding meet-and-greet inside the terminal, flight tracking, child seats on request, and larger vehicles for groups.
The reliable ranking
Cheapest first: Bus 22, then Bolt, then a metered taxi, then a pre-booked transfer. The gap between Bolt and a taxi is real but modest. The gap between the bus and anything with a driver is very large.
Distances and drive times
| Destination | Distance | Drive time |
|---|---|---|
| Old Town / city centre | 10 km | 15-25 min |
| Central Station area | 9 km | 15-20 min |
| Jurmala | 25 km | 25-35 min |
| Sigulda | 65 km | 55-70 min |
Fixed-price private transfer
RIX Riga City Center
From€35for 2 passengers
Other destinations
What drives the price
Riga is not a city with extreme congestion. Rush hours add 10-15 minutes to the drive but nothing dramatic, which keeps metered fares predictable and Bolt surge modest.
Time of day matters more for availability than for price. Bus 22 stops running in the late evening. Late at night Bolt driver numbers thin out and fares may tick up, but Riga has enough drivers that you can usually get a car within 5-10 minutes.
There is no rail link between Riga Airport and the city centre. It has been discussed for years and is not operational.
Bottom line
Riga offers good value across the board. If you are travelling light and heading to the centre, the bus is one of Europe's better airport connections — buy the ticket in advance and it is cheaper still. Bolt is the sweet spot for most travellers with a data connection. And a pre-booked transfer, with a price fixed before you fly, is worth it for families, groups, late arrivals or a Latvian January.