The Best Ways To Travel From Vilnius To Riga

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The Baltic capitals are incredibly easy to travel between and I would encourage you to visit more than just one country. They are now linked by train as well as bus and there are a few ways to travel from Vilnius to Riga. You can travel by plane, car, train or bus.

The same goes for Riga to Tallinn and Vilnius to Tallinn. I wanted to visit two countries in one trip without the faff of checking in at the airport and flying 3 times. To minimise long travel times at the airport, we had pre-booked flights, flying in to Vilnius and out of Riga.

It was great to experience a different mode of transport to one we are accustomed to (planes), and the journey was so much more pleasant than if we had simply flown.

This is my experience of travelling from Vilnius to Riga in luxury..

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The Best Ways To Travel From Vilnius To Riga

Vilnius to Riga by bus

The bus from Vilnius to Riga takes around 4.5 hours depending on traffic (though there really isn’t much). Our journey took just over 4 hours, and made for a very pleasant experience.

Each coach station is in the heart of the city, making it accessible for everybody visiting, and our fabulous hotel in Riga was walking distance from the bus station too.

There are a few bus companies that operate this route regularly, so there is no shortage of connections throughout the day and sometimes even overnight.

FlixBus is possibly the most affordable option with tickets starting from €5, though I must admit I haven’t heard great things about their service or cleanliness. They seem like a good option if you are on a small budget though.

EcoLines is possibly a middle ground and Lux Express, as the name would suggest, is for those wanting to travel in luxury.

Lux Express lounge bus at Vilnius Bus station

If you feel like treating yourself, I highly recommend Lux Express, which is the company we chose to travel with.

We booked premium class seats on the Lux Express Lounge bus from Vilnius to Riga – and the extra leg room felt like a real treat. Paying around €20 each for the journey was definitely worth it for the spacious feel and seats that recline.

Jass reclining on a premium seat on Lux Express lounge bus

inside a Lux Express lounge bus at Vilnius Bus station

Lux Express have free Wi-Fi which works remarkably well, USB charging ports, pull down tables similar to planes and a coffee station for all to use. They also hand out bottles of mineral water to passengers. A nice touch, but not something I made use of as I intended to dehydrate myself for the journey as the thought of public toilets – especially on a bus, give me the ick. Thankfully I didn’t need to use them, but I was informed that they were indeed clean.

The service was efficient, the bus left on time from Vilnius coach station, making one stop around 20 minutes in, to pick up passengers further out of the city before driving straight to Riga.

Nishi on Lux Express bus from Vilnius to Riga

I have not travelled on a coach in over 20 years as I suffer from terrible motion sickness, so I was hesitant about this journey. In preparation for it, I had purchased travel sickness tablets as well as my trusty travel wristbands which I wore for the duration of the journey – just for good measure. I’m not entirely sure how they work – something to do with acupressure, and whether it is all psychological, but I didn’t suffer from any travel sickness.

To my surprise, I even managed to read my book for most of the journey from Vilnius to Riga! This is a big deal coming from someone who can’t even reply to a text message as a passenger in the car – my nausea is that bad.

I will say that premium class isn’t necessary, but without knowing what to expect, I welcomed the idea of luxury for my first bus journey in over 20 years. Lux Express frequently have sales on heavily discounted seats, booked in advance, for as little as €7, and on closer inspection, I would have been fine in those seats too.

Lux Express Lounge Bus Premium Class From Vilnius to Riga

Busses also run from Riga to Tallinn or Vilnius to Tallinn too, which takes around 8 hours as Riga is the halfway point between Lithuania and Estonia.

Had I known in advance that travelling by coach would be fine, I’d have extended my trip and visited all three Baltic countries in one.

Vilnius to Riga by train

Very recently, (Feb 2025) it has become possible to get to Riga by train from Vilnius too. The service is operated by the Lithuanian Railways Company, LTG and the journey takes 4 hours, costing €24.

There is currently only one train per day, departing Vilnius at 7:05 and arriving in Riga at 11:04. The return journey from Riga, departs at 16:55 and arrives in Vilnius at 21:03.

The train station in both Riga and Vilnius are located next door to the bus station, in the city centre.

Bear in mind that as this option is relatively new, many locals are also choosing to travel this way, so tickets often sell out a week in advance. While it takes the same amount of time as a the bus journey, there is currently only one train travelling between the capitals, so you should take that in to consideration.

We took the train from Vilnius to Kaunas and back again and it was wonderful. We travelled first class one way and second class on the return journey, just for the experience.

The trains are comfortably air-conditioned, have free WiFi on-board, handy information screens with announcements and have power sockets for laptops and phones. The first class seats aren’t much more expensive to the second class and are ideal for those wanting to work as there are large tables with every seat. The upper deck is first class seating as well as being the silent section.

Driving from Vilnius to Riga

Hiring a car in Europe as a whole, isn’t as common as it is in the USA, however, there are car rental options available to you.

Driving from Vilnius to Riga may not be the most cost-effective way to travel between the Baltic capitals, but you do get to do it at a more leisurely pace. Making stops as and when you would like to or even staying in a different part of Lithuania or Latvia along the way.

If you do choose this option, I would recommend spending a night in Kaunas along the way!

Vilnius to Riga by plane

Flying between the Baltics is by far the quickest mode of transport and flights start from around €31 upwards.

The flight time on AirBaltic is only 50 minutes, however, I always consider the time it takes to travel to and from the airport, the potentially long security queues, hanging around at the airport either side of your flight, whether it is to depart or collect your luggage, etc.

All things considered, this doesn’t make it ‘quick’ at all. I knew it would take me a lot longer than 4.5 hours to get from Vilnius to Riga by plane, which is why I opted for the bus instead.

Take a tour from Vilnius to Riga

The final way to travel between Vilnius and Riga is one you may not have considered, but you can take a sightseeing tour.

I imagine it’s rather interesting to have either a Lithuanian or Latvian local keeping you entertained on the journey with all their knowledge of the surroundings and the shared Soviet history between the neighbouring countries.

FAQ’s – travelling between the Baltic Countries

Travelling between the Baltic countries; Estonia, Latvia, and Lithuania is super easy. Buses and trains are a popular choice for city-to-city travel, while cars offer more flexibility for exploring more rural areas.

Can you do a day trip from Riga to Vilnius?

A day trip from Riga to Vilnius is feasible, though it requires a long journey, around 4 hours each way. So it would be better suited for those who are backpacking or enjoy a mix of travel and sightseeing, with a short time frame available.

Is Vilnius or Riga better?

Whether Vilnius or Riga is ‘better’ really depends on your preferences. Generally, Vilnius is known for its charming, less touristy atmosphere and a more relaxed pace, while Riga is a larger, more cosmopolitan city with a vibrant nightlife and a wider range of attractions.

3 Days In Vilnius Lithuania: What To Do, See And Vegan Food To Eat 🇱🇹

In my opinion, I preferred Vilnius due to it being a more underrated city to visit. Though Riga was more touristy, I felt the drinking culture and beer bikes attracted stag parties and less desirable tourists which ruined the charm of Riga Old Town.

3 Days In Riga Latvia: What To Do, See And Vegan Food To Eat 🇱🇻

Is there border control between Latvia and Lithuania?

We had our passports to hand, not knowing what to expect when crossing the Latvia Border, but we didn’t need them. There was no physical border, nobody checking documentation and the bus didn’t stop. The only thing I saw was a street sign saying something like you are now entering Latvia and we continued.

I don’t know what it is like when driving or taking the train from Vilnius to Riga, but it is best to keep your passport and visa, if you need one, to hand for the process to be efficient.

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