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

Rail and ferry reference · checked 2026-09-29

Find a recorded connection corridor

Choose endpoints to see the rail or ferry links in this compact reference. It stores no departures, fares or travel times; use the official operator lookup for your direction and date.

Where do you want to connect?

Recorded corridor

  1. Reference path: Tallinn → Riga → Vilnius. This is a corridor match, not a dated itinerary.

  2. Tallinn to Riga: rail

    Elron's Tallinn–Tartu–Valga section connects with Vivi's Valga–Riga section. The operator handoff is at Valga.

    Listed via: Tartu → Valga.

    At Valga, change from Elron to Vivi.

    Operator lookup: Elron · Vivi

  3. Riga to Vilnius: rail

    Elron identifies the Riga–Vilnius section as operated by LTG Link. Check the current date-specific service with LTG Link.

    Listed via: Jelgava → Joniškis → Šiauliai → Radviliškis → Kėdainiai → Jonava → Kaišiadorys.

    Operator lookup: LTG Link

Corridor data checked 2026-09-29; manual review is due at least every 30 days and after operator change notices. Confirm the exact direction, date, timetable and ticket with the operator before travel.

The source records

  • Helsinki–Tallinn ferry corridor

    Mode
    Ferry
    Route detail
    Tallink's date-based timetable lists Helsinki and Tallinn. Check the operator for the direction and date you need.
    Source checked and limits
    Tallink Silja Line: Timetables for Tallink Silja Line ships (checked 2026-09-29; The timetable page says maintenance, cancellations, and special cruises may affect departures. No schedule or frequency is embedded here.)

  • Tallinn–Riga rail corridor

    Mode
    Rail
    Route detail
    Elron's Tallinn–Tartu–Valga section connects with Vivi's Valga–Riga section. The operator handoff is at Valga. Listed via Tartu and Valga.
    Change
    At Valga, change between Elron and Vivi; reverse the order if travelling the other way.
    Operators
    Elron; Vivi
    Source checked and limits
    Elron: Tallinn–Tartu–Riga–Vilnius train connection (checked 2026-09-29; The page contained September/October 2026 timetable changes. No times, frequency, fares, or ticket horizon from it are embedded in this dataset.) Vivi (AS Pasažieru vilciens): Vivi passenger rail and schedule lookup (checked 2026-09-29; Search results are date-specific and are not copied into this static reference.)

  • Riga–Vilnius rail corridor

    Mode
    Rail
    Route detail
    Elron identifies the Riga–Vilnius section as operated by LTG Link. Check the current date-specific service with LTG Link. Listed via Jelgava and Joniškis and Šiauliai and Radviliškis and Kėdainiai and Jonava and Kaišiadorys.
    Operators
    LTG Link
    Source checked and limits
    Elron: Tallinn–Tartu–Riga–Vilnius train connection (checked 2026-09-29; The page contained September/October 2026 timetable changes. No times, frequency, fares, or ticket horizon from it are embedded in this dataset.) LTG Link: Vilnius–Riga route lookup (checked 2026-09-29; The page returned HTTP 403 to this research fetch, so no additional claim is based on a direct read of it.)

Read or download the dated route data and source register (JSON)

No departure or arrival times, journey durations, fares, seat availability, operating frequency, or service guarantees are stored. Use the official operator lookup for the direction and date you plan to travel; works, cancellations, and timetables change. A route not found in this small graph is unknown here, not proof that no transport service exists. Coach, car, and ferry routes other than Tallinn–Helsinki are outside this checked dataset.

Review owner: Baltics Worldwide editorial. Recheck this small route graph monthly and after operator notices; the displayed checked date does not refresh automatically.

A suitcase on a wooden railway platform beside the tracks and a pine forest at sunrise
Contents7

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.

Every getting-around guide on this site

Flights and airports

Ferries

Driving

Rail

  • 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.

The free Baltic Trip Planner Get it