Latvia operates a centralized transport system radiating primarily from Riga, which contains approximately one-third of the country's 1.9 million population. The rail network extends 1,860 kilometers but prioritizes cargo over passenger service. Bus networks cover 95 percent of populated areas with frequency declining sharply outside the Riga metropolitan region. No domestic commercial flights operate within Latvia's 64,589 square kilometers because distances rarely exceed 200 kilometers from the capital. Road infrastructure divides between well-maintained highways connecting major cities and deteriorating rural routes in Latgale and eastern Vidzeme where municipal budgets have contracted alongside population decline.
Riga city transport operates 54 tram routes, 22 trolleybus routes, and approximately 40 bus routes under unified ticketing managed by Rigas Satiksme. Single-journey tickets cost 1.15 euros when purchased from drivers, 1 euro through mobile applications or automated machines. A 24-hour pass costs 5 euros, a 3-day pass 10 euros, and a 5-day pass 15 euros as of 2024 pricing structures. Electronic e-talons cards require a 2-euro deposit and allow per-journey rates of 0.92 euros with automatic daily capping. Tram Line 11 connects Riga International Airport to the city center in 22 minutes during off-peak hours. Inspections occur without announcement and carry 50-euro fines for fare evasion, enforced through on-the-spot payment or formal citation.
The Riga metro system does not exist despite recurring political proposals since 1997. Proposals have cited populations insufficient to justify construction costs estimated at 1.2 billion euros for a 14-kilometer initial line. Trolleybus networks in Liepāja and Daugavpils ceased operation in 2006 and 2008 respectively due to infrastructure maintenance costs. Jelgava retained trolleybuses until 2012 when the city council voted to transition to diesel buses, eliminating Latvia's last operational trolleybus network outside Riga.
Lux Express, Simple Express, and Ecolines dominate intercity routes, operating from Riga International Bus Station located at Prāgas iela 1. Riga to Daugavpils requires 3 hours 15 minutes and costs 8 to 12 euros depending on booking timing. Riga to Liepāja takes 3 hours 30 minutes at similar pricing. Riga to Ventspils runs 2 hours 45 minutes with five to seven daily departures. Rezekne routes operate four times daily with journey times of 3 hours 40 minutes. Buses to Cēsis depart every 30 to 60 minutes during weekday daylight hours, requiring 1 hour 20 minutes for the 90-kilometer distance.
Regional operators including Nordeka and CATA service smaller municipalities but run limited weekend schedules. Routes to villages in Latgale may operate once daily or on alternate days only. The national route planning website autoosta.lv aggregates schedules but does not sell tickets for all operators, requiring separate bookings through company websites. Printed timetables at bus stations frequently contain outdated information because operators file schedule changes with municipalities rather than updating centralized databases. Passengers report discrepancies of 15 to 30 minutes between posted schedules and actual departure times on rural routes.
International bus connections operate to Tallinn in 4 hours 30 minutes with 12 to 15 daily departures costing 9 to 18 euros. Vilnius routes take 4 hours with similar frequency and pricing. Warsaw connections require 11 to 12 hours overnight with tickets ranging from 25 to 45 euros. St. Petersburg routes ceased in February 2022 following international sanctions. Buses to Berlin operate twice weekly requiring 18 hours with prices reaching 60 to 85 euros depending on season.
Passenger trains in Latvia operate under Pasažieru vilciens, a state-owned company managing 37 routes as of 2024. Elektrichka suburban trains connect Riga to Jūrmala in 25 to 40 minutes depending on the specific beach town destination, with departures every 20 to 30 minutes during summer months and hourly in winter. Trains to Tukums depart every 1 to 2 hours covering 66 kilometers in 80 minutes. Sigulda receives hourly service requiring 53 minutes for the 53-kilometer journey. Cēsis trains operate six times daily in 1 hour 45 minutes. Valmiera service runs four daily trains taking 2 hours 15 minutes.
Long-distance trains to Daugavpils depart twice daily, requiring 3 hours 30 minutes to cover 231 kilometers at average speeds of 66 kilometers per hour. Rezekne receives one daily train in 3 hours 45 minutes. No passenger rail serves Liepāja or Ventspils despite functional cargo tracks reaching both ports. The Liepāja passenger line closed in 2009 when ridership fell below 40 passengers per day. Proposals to restore service in 2018 and 2021 failed to secure European Union infrastructure funding.
International rail connects Riga to Valga on the Estonian border with three daily departures requiring 2 hours 50 minutes. Passengers transfer to Estonian trains for Tallinn connections. Moscow sleeper trains ceased operation in May 2022. No direct trains operate between Riga and Vilnius despite a functional rail connection; passengers must transfer at Daugavpils and navigate a four-hour layover. Railway infrastructure dates primarily to Soviet-era construction with tracks using 1,520-millimeter Russian gauge rather than the 1,435-millimeter standard gauge used across Western Europe, preventing direct rolling stock interchange.
Ticket prices on Latvian trains cost approximately 60 percent of equivalent bus journeys. Riga to Daugavpils costs 5 to 7 euros in second class. Riga to Jūrmala costs 1.50 to 3 euros depending on specific station. Advance booking provides no discount because dynamic pricing does not exist. Tickets purchased from conductors onboard carry a 2-euro surcharge. The official website pv.lv offers English-language booking but requires Latvian bank cards or PayPal for payment processing.
Rail Baltica, a standard-gauge line connecting Warsaw to Tallinn through Latvia, began construction in 2019 with an anticipated completion date of 2030, though delays have pushed projections to 2032. The project will construct 265 kilometers of new track through Latvia with stations at Riga Airport, Riga Central, and the Lithuanian border near Bauska. Promised journey times place Riga to Tallinn at 2 hours 30 minutes and Riga to Warsaw at 7 hours. Total project costs have escalated from initial 5.8 billion euro estimates to current projections of 8.2 billion euros across all three Baltic states.
Latvia maintains 1,860 kilometers of state roads designated with the letter A followed by a number. The A1 connects Riga to the Lithuanian border via Jelgava and Bauska, fully paved with two lanes in each direction for the first 40 kilometers before narrowing to single lanes. The A2 runs to Sigulda and continues to the Estonian border at Valga. The A9 reaches Liepāja through Tukums and Ventspils. The A10 connects Riga to Ventspils directly through Jūrmala. The A12 serves Jēkabpils and continues east toward the Russian border.
Regional roads carry the letter P and total approximately 7,500 kilometers. Surface quality varies dramatically with roads in Kurzeme generally well-maintained while Latgale routes show extensive pothole damage and shoulder deterioration. The Latvian Road Administration reports that 42 percent of regional roads rate below acceptable condition standards as of 2023 assessments. Winter frost heaves damage road surfaces annually and repair schedules lag by 18 to 24 months in low-priority regions.