 Riga, Latvia... This is Riga old town, seen from the tower of the 'Petera Baznica' church. |
UK to Riga by train or ferry...
Riga is a great place to visit, with more of a 'big city' feel than Vilnius or Tallinn. There are two basic options for travelling from the UK to Riga: Overland by train via Brussels, Berlin, Warsaw & Vilnius, or by train from London to Stockholm and overnight cruise ferry from Stockholm to Riga.
Train times, fares & tickets...
London to Riga via
Hamburg & Stockholm
London to Riga via
Berlin, Warsaw, Vilnius
Useful country
information: currency, dial code...
On other pages...
Riga to Vilnius by train or bus
Riga to Tallinn by
train or bus
Riga to St
Petersburg by train
Route map: London to Scandinavia, Estonia & Latvia by train & ferry...
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Useful
country information
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Train operators: |
Latvijas Dzelzcels (LDz, www.ldz.lv) also see www.pv.lv. Train times in Europe: http://bahn.hafas.de. |
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Ferries to Riga: |
www.tallink.lv (Stockholm-Riga) |
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Time zone: |
GMT+2 (GMT+3 from last Sunday in March to last Sunday in October). |
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Dialling code: |
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+371 |
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Currency: |
£1 = approx 1.11 euros, adopted by Latvia in 2014. Currency converter |
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Tourist information: |
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Hotels in Latvia: |
Find a hotel in Riga Hotel reviews: www.tripadvisor.com Hostels: Hostelworld.com |
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Visas: |
UK citizens do not need a visa for Latvia. |
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Page last updated: |
2 December 2020. |
London
to Riga via Stockholm
Travel by Eurostar & comfortable connecting trains from London to Hamburg on day 1, stay overnight in Hamburg, then travel from Hamburg to Stockholm on day 2. Take a bottle of wine and a good book, and enjoy a 2-day train ride across Europe on modern & comfortable trains with not an airport security queue in sight. Stay overnight and spend most of day 3 exploring Stockholm. Then take the overnight cruise ferry to Riga with a comfortable en suite cabin reserved, arriving on the morning of day 4. What's the journey like?
London ► Riga
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Day 1, travel from London to Hamburg using any of the services shown on the London to Germany page.
For example, leave London St Pancras at 11:04 by Eurostar to Brussels Midi and high-speed ICE3 train to Cologne Hbf, then comfortable InterCity train to Hamburg Hbf arriving 21:14.
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Stay overnight in Hamburg. The Hotel Reichshof Hamburg is just 200m from the station, features art deco-based design and gets great reviews. Other hotels next to Hamburg Hbf with good or great reviews include (starting with the cheapest) the Hotel Continental Novum, Hotel Furst Bismarck, Hotel Europaischer Hof, Hotel Atlantic Kempinski. If you're on a budget, private rooms in the A&O Hotel near Hamburg Hbf start at around £33 for one person or £49 for two people booked at www.hostelworld.com.
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Day 2, travel from Hamburg to Copenhagen by Danish IC3 intercity train, leaving Hamburg Hbf at 08:55 arriving Copenhagen at 13:33.
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Day 2, travel from Copenhagen to Stockholm by SJ 2000 tilting train, leaving Copenhagen at 14:19 & arriving Stockholm Central at 19:36.
You can check train times from Hamburg to Stockholm using www.bahn.de. Trains from Copenhagen to Stockholm cross the impressive Öresund Fixed Link, a tunnel & double-decker road/rail bridge opened in 1999 linking Denmark with Sweden.
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Spend the night in Stockholm. Check hotels in Stockholm.
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Day 3, spend most of the day exploring Stockholm, then sail overnight to Riga. A Tallink cruise ferry sails overnight from Stockholm every other day at 17:00, arriving at Riga passenger port at 11:00 the next morning (day 4 from London). See www.tallinksilja.com to check sailing times & fares. Map of Riga showing ferry terminal.
Riga ► London
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Day 1, sail from Riga to Stockholm by overnight cruise ferry, sailing every second day. See www.tallinksilja.com. The ferry normally sails from Riga daily at 17:30 arriving Stockholm at 10:30. You now have the rest of day 2 free to explore Stockholm.
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Spend the day & night in Stockholm. Check hotels in Stockholm.
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Day 3, travel from Stockholm to Copenhagen by SJ 2000 tilting train, leaving Stockholm Central at 08:21 arriving Copenhagen at 13:22.
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Day 3, travel from Copenhagen to Hamburg by Danish IC3 intercity train leaving Copenhagen at 15:26 & arriving Hamburg Hbf at 20:02.
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Stay overnight in Hamburg. The Hotel Reichshof Hamburg is just 200m from the station, features art deco-based design and gets great reviews. Other hotels next to Hamburg Hbf with good or great reviews include (starting with the cheapest) the Hotel Continental Novum, Hotel Furst Bismarck, Hotel Europaischer Hof, Hotel Atlantic Kempinski. If you're on a budget, private rooms in the A&O Hotel near Hamburg Hbf start at around £33 for one person or £49 for two people booked at www.hostelworld.com.
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Day 4, travel from Hamburg to London using any of the services shown on the London to Germany page.
For example, the earliest departure leaves Hamburg Hbf at 06:46 by InterCity train to Cologne Hbf and ICE3 train to Brussels Midi, then a Eurostar to London St Pancras arriving 16:05. Or you can leave at 08:46 arriving London 18:06 (16:57 Fridays & Sundays). Or have a leisurely breakfast and leave Hamburg at 10:46 arriving London at 19:57 (21:33 on Saturdays & some other dates).
How much does it cost?
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London to Brussels by Eurostar starts at £52 one-way or £78 return in standard class, £115 one-way, £199 return standard premier (1st class).
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Brussels to Hamburg starts at €39.90 each way in 2nd class, €69.90 each way in 1st class.
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Hamburg to Stockholm starts at €56.90 each way in 2nd class.
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Stockholm to Riga by ferry varies by cabin type & season, but fares start from around €33 each way including a bed in a shared cabin. Check fares & cabin types and book online at www.tallinksilja.com.
How to buy tickets...
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Step 1, buy your ticket from London to Stockholm online as explained on the London to Sweden page.
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Step 2, book the Stockholm-Riga ferry using the Seat61 Ferry Shop or at www.tallinksilja.com.
How to buy tickets by phone...
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Step 1, buy your train tickets from London to Stockholm. You can buy all these tickets through a number of UK agencies, but the best for this trip is probably Deutsche Bahn's English-speaking telesales line on 00 49 (0)30 311 68 29 04, lines open 08:30-20:00 Monday-Friday, 09:00-13:00 Saturday & Sunday UK time, 1.5% fee for phone bookings. Click here for a list of agencies and more info on how to book.
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Step 2, book the ferry: Viking Line tickets can be booked online using the Seat61 Ferry Shop or at www.vikingline.fi or by phone though its UK agent, Emagine Ltd, on 01942 262662. Silja Line tickets can be bought at www.tallinksilja.com or through their UK agents, DFDS Seaways, on 0871 522 9955.
What's the journey like?
1. London to Brussels by Eurostar...
Eurostar trains link London & Brussels in just 2 hours, travelling at up to 300 km/h (186 mph). There are two bar cars, power sockets at all seats and free WiFi. Standard Premier and Business Premier fares include a light meal with wine (or breakfast, on departures before 11:00). There's a 30-minute minimum check-in (10-minutes for business premier) as all border formalities are carried out before you board the train. More information about Eurostar including check-in procedure. St Pancras station guide. Brussels Midi station guide & short cut for changing trains in Brussels.
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A Eurostar e320 at St Pancras. More about Eurostar. |
Standard Premier/Business Premier. Larger photo. |
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Standard class seats. Larger photo. |
One of two cafe-bars, in cars 8 & 9. Larger photo. |
2. Brussels to Cologne by ICE3...
Germany's superb ICEs have a bistro-restaurant car, power sockets at all seats & free WiFi. In 1st class, bistro orders are taken at your seat. 50 minutes after leaving Brussels the ICE calls at Liège, where you can admire the impressive station designed by celebrity architect Santiago Calatrava. As you approach Cologne Hbf you'll see the twin towers of Cologne Cathedral on the right, next to the station. More information about ICE3. Brussels Midi station guide. Cologne Hbf station guide.
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An ICE3M to Cologne at Brussels Midi. More information about ICE. Advice on changing trains in Brussels. |
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2nd class seats on an ICE3M. Larger photo. |
1st class seats on an ICE3M. Larger photo. |
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Food is served on proper china with metal cutlery. I recommend the Erdinger Weissbier! See current month's menu. |
Restaurant car: This is the small 12-seat restaurant on an ICE3M... Larger photo. |
3. Cologne to Hamburg by Intercity train...
Germany Intercity trains travel at up to 200km/h (120mph), with power sockets at all seats and a bistro car serving tea, coffee, wine, beer, snacks and hot dishes. On the Cologne to Hamburg route you'll find some departures are operated by high-speed ICEs (usually ICE1) rather than Intercity trains, although the ICEs are no faster than ICs on this section of line. More information about Intercity trains. Hamburg Hbf station guide.
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A German Intercity train. More information about Intercity trains. |
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Dinner in the bistro. The beef ribs were delicious... |
Bistro car. See current month's menu... |
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2nd class seating is usually in open-plan saloons like this, most seats unidirectional, but with some tables for 4. Sometimes you'll find 2nd class compartment cars with side corridor and ten 6-seat compartments Larger photo. |
4. Hamburg to Copenhagen by Intercity train
Hamburg-Copenhagen trains are operated by Danish IC3 trains like this, shown in the timetable as IC for Intercity. See more photos, tips & information about the Hamburg to Copenhagen journey.
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The late afternoon Hamburg-Copenhagen IC3 leaving platform 5 at Hamburg Hbf on a busy summer day. The yellow stripe above the windows indicates first class, located at one end of both 3-car units. More information about the Hamburg-Copenhagen journey. |
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Boarding a Danish IC3 train at Hamburg Hbf... |
1st class seats on an IC3 train. Larger photo. |
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2nd class seats on a IC3 train. Larger photo. |
An IC3 train to Copenhagen at Hamburg. |
5. Copenhagen to Stockholm by X2000.
These Swedish 200km/h (125mph) tilting trains link Copenhagen & Stockholm in just a few hours, centre to centre. They cross from Denmark to Sweden over the Oresund Link, a combined tunnel and bridge. On the bridge section you seem to be flying just feet above the water... More information about X2000
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A Copenhagen-Stockholm X2000 train boarding at Copenhagen main station... |
2nd class seats on an X2000 train from Copenhagen to Stockholm. |
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X2000 bistro car... |
X2000 bistro car seating area... |
Bistro self-service... |
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Winter scenery from a train between Copenhagen & Stockholm. Courtesy of Radoslav Sharapanov |
6. Stockholm to Riga by Tallink cruise ferry...
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The daily Tallink ferry from Stockholm to Riga has a range of comfortable cabins, plus bars and restaurants. |
Sunset as the ferry to Riga leaves Stockholm. Courtesy of Alistair Weaver. |
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London to Riga via
Warsaw
The overland option...
Journey time is roughly the same as going via Stockholm. What might be termed normal daily inter-city train service ends at Warsaw, you then have something of a patchy regional train service from Warsaw to Vilnius and Vilnius to Riga, and may end up using buses for these two sectors, a less civilised by more-used mode in the Baltic States.
London ► Riga (via Warsaw)
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Days 1 & 2, travel from London to Warsaw by train, using any of the options shown on the London to Poland page. You travel by train from London to Cologne or Berlin on day 1, stay overnight in Cologne or Berlin, then take a train from Cologne or Berlin to Warsaw on day 2.
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Stay overnight in Warsaw. The Polonia Palace Hotel is excellent, historic, relatively inexpensive for such a good hotel, and it's just across the road from the station. For something much cheaper, but still with great reviews and near the station, try the Hotel Metropol next door to the Polonia Palace or the nearby Novotel Warsaw Centrum. See the Warsaw Centralna station & city information.
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Day 3, travel from Warsaw to Vilnius...
Thankfully, it's now possible to travel between Warsaw & Lithuania by train in comfort at least on Fridays, Saturdays & Sundays, for details see the Warsaw to Vilnius page.
Bus alternative: The other option is a cramped 9-hour bus journey from Warsaw to Vilnius, either all day or overnight in a bus seat, see www.luxexpress.eu/en/vilnius-warsaw or http://ecolines.net/en. Not something that was necessary in communist times, when a good train service operated! Many buses leave from the bus station next to Warsaw Zachodnia (West) station, so it can be better to get off there rather than Warsaw at Centralna.
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Stay overnight in Vilnius.
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Day 4, travel from Vilnius to Riga by bus or train. There are a number of bus services every day which would get you to Riga on Day 4, see www.luxexpress.eu. Or you can travel by local train with an overnight stop in Daugavpils near the Lithuania/Latvia border, as shown on the Vilnius to Riga by train page, then you'd arrive in the morning of Day 5.
Riga ► London (via Warsaw)
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Day 1, travel from Riga to Vilnius by bus, see www.luxexpress.eu for details of the several daily buses. Or you can travel by train with an overnight stop in Daugavpils near the Lithuania/Latvia border, as shown on the Riga to Vilnius by train page. If you take the train, you'd leave the previous afternoon, i.e. Day 0.
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Stay overnight in Vilnius.
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Day 2, travel from Vilnius to Warsaw.
It's now possible to travel between Lithuania & Warsaw in comfort by train at weekends, for details see the Vilnius to Warsaw page.
The alternative is a cramped 9-hour bus journey, either all-day or overnight from Vilnius to Warsaw, see www.luxexpress.eu/en/vilnius-warsaw or http://ecolines.net/en.
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Spend the night in Warsaw. The Polonia Palace Hotel is excellent, it's relatively inexpensive for such a good hotel and it's just across the road from the station. For something much cheaper, but still with great reviews and near the station, try the Hotel Metropol next door to the Polonia Palace or the nearby Novotel Warsaw Centrum. Also see the Warsaw Centralna station & city information.
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Days 3 & 4, travel from Warsaw to London by train, using any of the options shown on the London to Poland page.
How much does it cost?
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London to Brussels by Eurostar starts at £52 one-way or £78 return in standard class, £115 one-way, £199 return standard premier (1st class).
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Brussels to Warsaw starts at €46.90 each way in 2nd class, €79.90 each way in 1st class.
Fares between London & Warsaw are dynamic like air fares, for the cheapest prices book early & avoid busy times such as Fridays or Sunday afternoons.
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Warsaw to Vilnius: Around €24, see the Warsaw to Vilnius page.
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Vilnius to Riga: Around €16, see the Vilnius to Riga by train page.
How to buy tickets...
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Step 2, buy the Warsaw to Vilnius tickets at the station in Warsaw. Or if you wish to endure a bus, buy bus tickets at www.luxexpress.eu/en/vilnius-warsaw or ecolines.net/en.
Step 3, book the Vilnius to Riga bus or train tickets when you get to Vilnius.
Train travel within Latvia...
Moving on from Latvia...
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See the Trains & ferries from Riga page for travel from Riga to Tallinn, Vilnius, St Petersburg, Moscow, Helsinki, Stockholm...
European Rail Timetable & maps
The
European Rail Timetable (formerly the Thomas Cook European
Timetable)
has train & ferry times for every country in Europe plus
currency & climate information. It is essential
for regular European train travellers and an inspiration for
armchair travellers. Published since 1873, it had just
celebrated 140 years of publication when Thomas Cook decided
to pull the plug on their entire publishing department, but
the dedicated
ex-Thomas Cook team set up a private venture and resumed publication of the
famous European Rail
Timetable in March 2014. You can buy it online with worldwide shipping
at
either
www.stanfords.co.uk or
www.europeanrailtimetable.eu.
More information
on what the European Rail Timetable contains.
A Traveller's Railway Map of Europe covers the whole of Europe from Portugal in the west to Moscow & Istanbul in the east, Finland in the north to Sicily & Athens in the south. On the back are detailed maps of Switzerland, Benelux & Germany, plus city plans showing stations in major cities. Scenic & high-speed routes highlighted. Buy it online for £14.50 + postage worldwide (UK addresses £2.80) at www.stanfords.co.uk/Continents/Europe-A-Travellers-Railway-Map_9789077899090.htm or (in the Netherlands) for €13 + €5.50 postage from www.treinreiswinkel.nl.
Recommended guidebooks:
Make
sure you take a good guidebook. For the independent traveller,
this means either the Lonely Planet or the Rough Guide. I
personally prefer the layout of the Lonely Planets, others prefer the
Rough Guides. Both books provide a similarly excellent level of
interesting background and practical information. You won't
regret buying one of these! My own book, an essential handbook
for train or ferry travel to Europe
based on this website called "The
Man in Seat 61", was published in June 2008, and
is available from Amazon.co.uk with shipping worldwide.
Click
the images to buy online at Amazon.co.uk...
Hotels
in Riga & Latvia
Other hotel sites worth trying...
www.tripadvisor.com is the place to find independent travellers' reviews of all the main hotels.
Backpacker hostels...
www.hostelworld.com: If you're on a tight budget, don't forget about backpacker hostels. Hostelworld offers online booking of cheap private rooms or dorm beds in backpacker hostels in most cities at rock-bottom prices.
Travel insurance & VPN
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Always take out travel insurance...
Never travel without travel insurance with at least £1m or preferably £5m medical cover from a reliable insurer. It should also cover trip cancellation and loss of cash & belongings up to a reasonable limit. An annual multi-trip policy is usually cheapest even for just 2 or 3 trips a year, I have an annual policy myself. However, don't expect travel insurance to bail you out of every missed connection, see the advice on missed connections here. Here are some suggested insurers, Seat61 gets a little commission if you buy through these links, feedback is always welcome.
In
the UK, reliable insurers include
Columbus Direct.
If you have a pre-existing medical condition or are over 65, see www.JustTravelCover.com - 10% discount with code seat61.
You
can use
www.confused.com to compare prices & policy features across
major insurance companies.
If you live in Australia, New Zealand, Ireland or the
EU, try
Columbus Direct's other websites.
If you live in the USA try
Travel Guard USA.
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Get a Curve card to save on foreign transaction fees...
Banks often give a poor exchange rate, then charge a currency conversion fee as well. A Curve MasterCard means no foreign transaction fees and gives you the mid-market exchange rate, at least up to a certain limit, £500 per month as I write this. The balance goes straight onto one of your existing debit or credit cards. And you can get a Curve card for free.
How it works: 1. Download the app for iPhone or Android. 2. Enter your details & they'll send you a Curve MasterCard - they send to most European addresses including the UK. 3. Link your existing credit & debit cards to the app. 4. Now use the Curve MasterCard to buy things online or in person or take cash from ATMs, just like a normal MasterCard. Curve does the currency conversion and puts the balance onto whichever of your debit or credit cards you choose. You can even change your mind about which card it goes onto, within 14 days of the transaction.
I use a Curve Blue card myself - I get a little commission if you sign up to Curve, but I'm recommending it here because I think it's great. See details, download the app and get a Curve card - they'll give you £5 cashback through that link, too.
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Get a VPN for safe browsing. VPNs & why you need one explained...
When you're travelling you often use free WiFi in public places which may not be secure. A VPN means your connection to the internet is encrypted & always secure, even using unsecured WiFi. In countries such as China where access to Twitter & Facebook is restricted, a VPN gets around these restrictions. And lastly, you can select the geographic location of the IP address you browse with, to get around geographic restrictions which some websites apply - for example one booking site charges a booking fee to non-European visitors but none to European visitors, so if you're not located in Europe you can avoid this fee by browsing with a UK IP address using a VPN. VPNs & why you need one explained. ExpressVPN is a best buy and I use it myself - I've signed up as an ExpressVPN affiliate, and if you go with expressvpn.com using the links on this page, you should see a special deal, 3 months free with an annual subscription, and I get a small commission to help support this site.