Riga International Airport (RIX) — Latvia's and the Baltic region's main airport — sits 10 km from the center. Options: Bus 22 — ~$2 (€2); Minibus 222 — slightly faster at ~$2.50; taxi $8-15 in 15-25 min. Riga is one of the most accessible Baltic capitals.
🚇 Ways into the center
- Bus 22 → Riga center (Centrāltirgus): 25-35 min, ~$2 (€2)
- Minibus 222 → Riga center: 20-30 min, ~$2.50 (€2.30)
- Bus 241 → Riga center + south: 30-45 min, ~$2
- Night Bus N1 → Riga center: 30-45 min, ~$2
- Taxi → center: 15-25 min, $8-15 (€8-15)
- Bolt: $6-12 (€6-10)
🚌 Bus 22 — the workhorse
Bus 22 is run by Rīgas Satiksme (the city transit operator). From the arrivals exit head to Stop 1.
Frequency: every 10-20 min; running 05:30-23:30.
- Bus 22 → Abrenes iela / Centrāltirgus / Esplanāde
- Ticket: €2 (~$2) from the driver; €1.15 via E-Ticket — much cheaper
- Riga Card 24h €5 (~$5) — full city transit
- Ticket validation required
Grab a Rīgas Karte (E-Ticket) on arrival — at €1.15 per ride it's almost half the driver price.
🚌 Minibus 222 — slightly faster
Minibus 222 is a private operator following a similar route, a bit faster (20-30 min) and a bit pricier (€2.30).
- Minibus 222 → Riga center (Centrāltirgus, Brīvības iela)
- Frequency: every 30-45 min
- Ticket: from the driver €2.30 (~$2.50)
🚖 Taxi — affordable
RIX to Riga center by taxi takes 15-25 min — $8-15 by day. Riga is one of Europe's cheaper cities for cabs.
Official taxis carry a license number in the window — Red Cab and Baltic Taxi are common. Use the official rank outside arrivals.
'Taxi?' offers in the arrivals hall are usually unlicensed and charge 3x the normal rate. Use the official rank outside or Bolt.
📱 Bolt — Latvia's number-one
Bolt was founded in Latvia — extremely active at RIX. Fares $6-12 to the center, often 30% cheaper than a regular taxi. Uber doesn't operate at RIX.
Pickup zone: arrivals exit, Bay 1-3.
💡 Tips
- Get an E-Ticket (Rīgas Karte) on arrival — about half the driver price
- From the central station (Rīgas Centrālā stacija) trains run to Tallinn and Vilnius — Bus 22 stops nearby
- For late-night flights — N1 night service runs 23:00-04:30; or Bolt at $8-12
- ETIAS launches H2 2026 — pre-flight online authorization required
For a broader European airport transfer comparison see Travel365's airport transfer guide.
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