Getting Around

Getting Around the Baltic States: Flight Tickets to Latvia, Buses, Trains and Ferries

How to book flight tickets to Latvia, then move between Tallinn, Riga and Vilnius by rail, coach, ferry or car.

Last updated September 2026

A suitcase on a wooden railway platform beside the tracks and a pine forest at sunrise
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Flight tickets to Latvia usually route through Riga, the busiest of the three Baltic capital airports. Once you land, getting around the Baltic States comes down to four options. Those are rail, coach, ferry or a rental car.

Book flight tickets to Latvia into Riga for the widest choice of routes. From there, the rail and coach corridor connects Riga to Tallinn and Vilnius quickly and cheaply. A rental car only pays off for castles, national parks and small towns off that corridor.

Flight tickets to Latvia: where to land

Riga International Airport is the busiest hub in the Baltics. It has the widest range of direct routes from Western Europe. Booking flight tickets to Latvia into Riga usually gives more schedule choice. Flying into Tallinn or Vilnius first gives less. The rail and coach network reaches the other two capitals in a few hours from there.

Compare a few booking platforms before settling on a fare. Prices for the same route can vary by platform, and by how far ahead you book. Flexible tickets cost more but matter if the rest of the itinerary is not fully set yet.

The rail and coach corridor between capitals

Lux Express and other operators run frequent coach service between all three capitals. Since January 2025, trains also link Tallinn, Riga and Vilnius, with a change at Valga on the Estonia-Latvia border. For a capitals-only trip, this beats a rental car on price. It wins on booking effort too, once parking and fuel are counted.

When a rental car earns its cost

Trakai Castle, Rundāle Palace, Cēsis, Lahemaa National Park and the Curonian Spit are all hard to reach by bus or train. A rental car turns a half-day logistics exercise into a simple morning trip instead. See the car rental in Estonia guide for pickup advice there. The car rental Latvia and car rental Lithuania guides cover the other two countries.

The Helsinki-Tallinn ferry crossing is short enough to add as a day trip. This works well if a Nordic capital is already part of the itinerary. Tallink and other operators run this route often. See the Tallink and Silja Line guide and the Tallink ferry terminal guide for specifics.

The Rail Baltica project is still under construction. It will eventually link all three capitals by modern rail. See the Rail Baltica guide for its current status.

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  • Rail Baltica: the new standard-gauge line and today's trains.

What's new for getting around the Baltic States in 2026

Two changes matter for 2026.

Since 12 October 2025, the EU's Entry/Exit System (EES) has logged non-EU visitors on short stays. It does this when they cross the Schengen outer border. It records passport details, fingerprints and a facial image, and it replaces passport stamps. The European Commission says it has run at all Schengen borders since April 2026.

Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania are all in Schengen, so there are no routine checks between them. You register only once, at your first Schengen entry point. Check the EU's official EES page before you travel. ETIAS, a separate travel authorization, has not started yet.

Rail has improved too. Since January 2025, trains have run from Tallinn via Tartu and Valga to Riga and Vilnius. You change trains at Valga. Elron and LTG Link publish the timetables.

Mapping out flights, rail legs and any car-hire days is easier with a printable plan. Get the free Baltic Trip Planner below.

Verdict on flight tickets to Latvia and getting around

Book flight tickets to Latvia into Riga for the widest schedule choice. Use the rail and coach corridor from there to reach Tallinn and Vilnius. Add a rental car only for castles, national parks and small towns. The coach network skips those.

Questions people also ask

Do I need a car to see the Baltic States?

Not for the three capitals themselves. The rail and coach corridor between them is fast and frequent. A car matters for castles, national parks and small towns off that corridor.

Is the ferry worth adding to a Baltic capitals trip?

Mainly if a Nordic capital, Helsinki or Stockholm, is already part of the trip. The Helsinki-Tallinn crossing in particular is short enough to add as a day trip.

Should I book flight tickets to Latvia directly into Riga?

For most itineraries, yes. Riga has the busiest airport of the three capitals, and it sits well for either a Riga-first or Riga-last routing.

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