Riga International Airport is located in the town of Skulte, 10 km from the Latvian capital, and is considered to be the largest not only in Latvia, but also in the whole Baltics. Riga airport is a hub for Latvian national airline airBaltic and one of the main airports for popular low-cost airlines Wizz Air and Ryanair.
The airport consists of one three-story terminal, divided into arrival (‘E’, ‘C’) and departure (‘A’, ‘B’) sectors.
According to the classification of the International Air Transport Association, Riga Airport has a code ‘RIX’.
The official website of the airport is https://www.riga-airport.com.
From the airport to the centre of Riga
Inexpensive and relatively fast travel to Riga from the airport is possible by bus. Arrived passengers are served by several routes.
City bus No. 22 goes through the entire historic centre, the so-called Old Riga, and stops on Abrenes Street, near the main railway station of the city. The bus stop is opposite the terminal behind the parking lot. The whole trip will take no more than half an hour. Interval of the route: from 10 to 30 minutes, depending on traffic and time of day.
A one-way ticket costs €2 if purchased from the driver, and only €1.15 if purchased at the Narvesen kiosks in the terminal building, the information office ‘Welcome to Riga!’ (‘Sveicināti Rīgā!’) on the first floor of the terminal or a special machine at the bus stop. If you wish, you can buy a multi-use ticket for €5, valid for 24 hours.
A more comfortable mode of transportation for the same money is the minibuses of the company Rīgas Mikroautobusu Satiksme, which run between the airport and Riga every 10-15 minutes.
The shuttle No. 222 connects the airport with the Central Railway Station (see route map), and No. 241 with the centre of Riga (see route map). Stops are located in front of the terminal in the parking lot. Tickets can be purchased from the driver, as well as at the above-mentioned press kiosks and airport bureaus.
There, in the parking lot, is a stop of Riga Shuttle Bus, which connects the airport with Riga hotels, railway station and bus station. Interval of movement: every half hour, from 10:30 am to 7:00 pm. The fare is €6 without extra charge for luggage. Tickets can be purchased from the driver.
If you take an ordinary cab, the trip to the centre of Riga will cost €12-15 (fares are listed on the car doors). The airport is served by two taxi companies – Rīgas Taksometru Parks and Baltic Taxi Lidosta, whose stops are opposite the terminal in the parking lot.
Besides, from Riga airport you can go not only to other Latvian cities, but also to such countries as Lithuania, Estonia, Poland, Belarus and Russia. International buses are represented by several companies. For more information, please visit the airport website.
From the centre of Riga to the airport
To do this, you need to use one of the listed modes of transport. Only you should take into account some nuances:
- City bus No. 22 drops off passengers right in front of the terminal building on the level of the 2nd floor, which is very convenient.
- Minibus No. 222 leaves the centre of Riga in the direction of the airport from the railway station (opposite the Origo Shopping Center).
- Minibus stop No. 241 is called Esplanāde and is located in the centre of the city, near the Cathedral of the Nativity of Christ (Rīgas Kristus Piedzimšanas pareizticīgo katedrāle).