 Riga old town seen from the tower of the Petera Baznica church. Larger photo. |
UK to Riga without flying
Riga is a great place to visit, with more of a 'big city' feel than Vilnius or Tallinn. There are two basic options from the UK to Riga: Overland by train via Brussels, Berlin, Warsaw & Vilnius, or by train from London to Stockholm, overnight ferry to Tallinn, then bus to Riga.
Train times, fares & tickets
Option 1, London to Riga via
Warsaw
Option 2, London to Riga via Stockholm
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On other pages
Riga to Vilnius & Tallinn by train
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Which option to choose?
There are several good options for travel between the UK and Latvia. By all means go out one way and back the other!
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Option 1, overland by train via Berlin, Warsaw & Vilnius. This is the overland option shown in light blue on the route map above, with overnight hotel stops in Brussels or Berlin, Warsaw & Vilnius and lots to see on the way. Daily departures. See details.
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Option 2, by Eurostar & onward trains to Stockholm, ferry to Tallinn, bus or train to Riga. A bit of a round-about route if going to Riga rather than Tallinn, perhaps, but a lovely journey. Going out one way and back this way (or vice versa) makes a great circular trip! Take an evening Eurostar to Brussels and stay overnight, then travel to Hamburg and take the SJ sleeper train overnight to Stockholm. Enjoy a day in Stockholm, then sail overnight by ferry to Tallinn arriving on the morning of day 4. Then take a bus or train to Riga. This route is shown in red on the route map above. The trains run daily, but the Stockholm-Tallinn ferry only runs every second day. See details.
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Alternative via the Harwich-Hoek ferry: If you'd prefer a ferry to Eurostar, if Eurostar is expensive or if you live in East Anglia, you can travel from London, Cambridge or Harwich to Warsaw as shown here. Stay overnight in Warsaw, then continue to Riga as shown in option 1. Or you can travel from London, Cambridge or Harwich to Hamburg as shown here, then continue to Stockholm, Tallinn & Riga as shown in option 2.
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Alternative by ferry from Newcastle or Hull: You can travel from Newcastle or Hull to Holland by overnight ferry, then by train to Warsaw as shown here. Stay overnight in Warsaw, then continue to Riga as shown in option 1. Or you can travel from Newcastle or Hull to Holland by overnight ferry, then by train to Hamburg as shown here, then continue to Stockholm, Tallinn & Riga as shown in option 2.
Option 1, London to Riga via Warsaw
This is the overland option, taking 3 nights, shown in light blue on the route map above.
London ► Riga
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Days 1 & 2, travel from London to Warsaw by train, using any of the options on the London-Poland page.
You can leave London in the evening, stay overnight in Brussels, and (with an early start) travel Brussels-Warsaw on day 2, see details.
Or travel London to Cologne on day 1, stay overnight, then travel Cologne to Warsaw on day 2, without early starts.
Or travel London to Berlin on day 1, stay overnight, then travel to Warsaw on day 2 with an afternoon & evening to explore Warsaw, see details.
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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. Eisenhower and De Gaulle stayed here amongst others. 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 by train, leaving Warsaw Centralna at 07:35, change at Mockava, arriving Vilnius 17:34.
A Polish restaurant car runs as far as Mockava. For details see the Warsaw to Vilnius page.
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Stay overnight in Vilnius. The inexpensive Stay Vilnius hotel is a 6-minute walk from the station. The Conti Hotel Vilnius is a 9-minute walk from the station towards the old town. The Grotthuss Boutique Hotel is in a historic building on a medieval street in the old town itself and only an 11-minute walk from the station. All get great reviews.
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Day 4, travel from Vilnius to Riga by train.
A comfortable air-conditioned train links Vilnius with Riga every day, see the Vilnius to Riga page.
Riga ► London
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Day 1, travel from Riga to Vilnius by train.
A comfortable air-conditioned train links Vilnius with Riga every day, see the Riga to Vilnius page.
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Stay overnight in Vilnius. The inexpensive Stay Vilnius hotel is a 6-minute walk from the station. The Conti Hotel Vilnius is a 9-minute walk from the station towards the old town. The Grotthuss Boutique Hotel is in a historic building on a medieval street in the old town itself and only an 11-minute walk from the station. All get great reviews.
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Day 2, travel from Vilnius to Warsaw by train, leaving Vilnius 12:10, change at Mockava, arriving Warsaw Centralna 20:14.
For details see the Vilnius to Warsaw page. A Polish restaurant car runs between Mockava & Warsaw, treat yourself to dinner and a beer.
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Stay overnight 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 using any of the options on the London-Poland page.
You can travel from Warsaw to Brussels on day 3, stay overnight in Brussels, then take a morning Eurostar to London on day 4, see details.
Or travel from Warsaw to Berlin on day 3, spend some time in Berlin, then travel Berlin to London on day 4, see details.
How much does it cost?
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London to Brussels by Eurostar starts at £51 one-way or £78 return in Standard, £98 one-way, £140 return in Plus (1st class).
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Brussels to Warsaw starts at €46.99 each way 2nd class, €79.99 each way 1st class.
Fares vary like air fares, so book ahead.
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Warsaw to Vilnius costs €25, see the Warsaw to Vilnius page.
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Vilnius to Riga costs between €9.60 and €24, see the Vilnius to Riga by train page.
How to buy tickets
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Step 2, buy a ticket from Warsaw to Vilnius at ltglink.lt/en.
Booking opens 60 days ahead.
There's more about how to book this train on the Warsaw to Vilnius page.
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Step 3, buy a ticket from Vilnius to Riga at ltglink.lt/en.
Booking opens 1 month ahead.
Or use an Interrail pass
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Using an Interrail pass usually costs more than the cheapest advance-purchase fares you can find if you book ahead as shown above. However, for a round trip between the UK & Lithuania, a pass can make sense: If the cheapest fares have sold out on your dates, a pass can be cheaper. An Interrail pass covers trains from your local station to London so if you live far from London this can make a difference. And a pass is worth considering even if it costs more, for the flexibility to reschedule or reroute if you need to. How do Interrail passes work?
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Step 1, buy a 4-days-in-1-month pass, see prices & buy a pass here, to cover the London-Warsaw-London part of the journey (or London-Stockholm-London, or London-Warsaw out, Stockholm-London back). I recommend buying normal tickets for Warsaw-Vilnius & Vilnius-Riga as these are so cheap using a 10-day pass for the whole trip doesn't make financial sense.
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Step 2, book your Eurostar passholder fares out & back, see prices & how to book.
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Step 3, make reservations from Brussels to Berlin & back as shown here. Make reservations from Berlin to Warsaw & back as shown here.
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Step 4, buy regular tickets from Warsaw to Vilnius and from Vilnius to Riga using ltglink.lt/en.
Or have your trip arranged as a package
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Tailor Made Rail can organise a trip to the Baltic States by train, with hotels and transfers. Call their dedicated seat61 phone line 020 3778 1461 and quote seat 61 when booking. From outside the UK call +44 20 3778 1461. Lines open 09:00-17:30 Monday-Friday. Their website is www.tailormaderail.com/destinations/estonia.
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. Plus and Premier fares include a light meal with wine (or breakfast, on departures before 11:00). There's a 30-minute minimum check-in as all border formalities are carried out before you board the train. More about Eurostar & check-in procedure. St Pancras station guide. Brussels Midi station guide.
2. Brussels to Cologne by ICE3
These superb ICE3neo trains have a restaurant car, power sockets at all seats & free WiFi. In 1st class, food & drink orders are taken and served 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 about ICE3 trains. Brussels Midi station guide. Cologne Hbf station guide.
An ICE3neo at Brussels Midi with restaurant car, power sockets at all seats & free WiFi. More about ICEs. Photo above courtesy of Christian Hunt.
3. Cologne to Berlin by ICE2
ICE2 trains have a restaurant car, bar car, power sockets at all seats & free WiFi. In 1st class, food & drink orders are taken and served at your seat. Immediately after leaving Cologne Hbf, the train crosses the Hohenzollern bridge over the Rhine. It passes through the industrial Ruhr via Wuppertal & Hamm. After leaving Hannover, the train passes non-stop through Wolfsburg - look out for the original Volkswagen factory on the left, built in 1938. The train then travels at up to 280 km/h (174 mph) on the high-speed line to Berlin Hbf, where it arrives at the low-level platforms. More about ICE trains. Cologne Hbf station guide. Berlin Hbf station guide.
4. Berlin to Warsaw by EuroCity train
These comfortable air-conditioned trains have a restaurant car, treat yourself to lunch. More about these EuroCity trains. Warsaw Centralna station guide.
A Berlin-Warsaw EuroCity train on platform 12 at Berlin Hbf.
Restaurant car.
Above left, Zurek soup, a tasty starter. Above right, kotlet schabowy, served on proper china.
5. Warsaw to Vilnius
A comfortable daily train service links Warsaw & Vilnius, consisting of a Polish Intercity train from Warsaw to Mockava and a connecting Lithuanian train from Mockava to Vilnius, for details see the Warsaw to Vilnius by train page.
The Intercity Hacza about to leave Warsaw Centralna for Mockava.
You can select a 2nd class seat in a classic 6-seat compartment (above left) or an open-plan car (above right). Most travellers prefer open-plan seating, but if you're a family or group of friends you may prefer a compartment.
Restaurant car on the Warsaw to Mockava Hancza. I recommend the Polish Breakfast eastbound (above right), a sort of tasty ham-and-cheese omelette. For lunch eastbound and dinner westbound, try the wonderful zurek soup and the kotlet schabowy (schnitzel). Or just go along for a coffee or beer!
Above, the easy cross-platform change at Mockava from the Polish train (left) to the Lithuanian train for Vilnius.
The Lithuanian train arrived on platform 1 at Vilnius station, right on time!
6. Vilnius to Riga
A comfortable daily train links Vilnius & Riga, for details see the Vilnius to Riga by train page.
The Vilnius-Riga train ready to leave Vilnius station platform 1, track 1.
Your first view of Riga, on the left as the train crosses the Daugava river into Riga Central Station. You can climb the tower of St Peter's church (on the right) for superb views over Riga's old town.
The Vilnius-Riga train at Riga Central Station.
Arrived at Riga Central Station, platform 2, track 1.
Option 2, London to Riga via Stockholm
This takes 3 nights 3 days although one of those days is spent exploring Stockholm. Departures are daily as far as Stockholm, but the Stockholm-Tallinn ferry only runs every second day. On the route map above this route is shown in red as far as Tallinn.
London ► Riga
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Days 1-3, travel from London St Pancras to Stockholm as shown on the Sweden page.
You can leave London on any afternoon or evening Eurostar you like on day 1, stay overnight in Brussels, take daytime trains to Hamburg on Day 2 then the SJ EuroNight sleeper to Stockholm, arriving in the morning of day 3. Or use any other option shown on that page.
In Stockholm, the easiest way to reach the Värtahamnen ferry terminal is to take the Tunnelbana (metro) from T-Centralen (Central Station) to Gärdet, just 3 stops on line T13 towards Ropsten. The Tunnelbana accepts contactless bank cards, you can just touch in and out. From Gärdet station it's a easy well-signed 13-minute 800m walk to the Värtahamnen terminal, see walking map. You won't be the only person walking it!
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Day 3, sail from Stockholm to Tallinn by overnight ferry, leaving Stockholm every second day at 17:30, arriving Tallinn at 10:45 next morning.
The ferry is run by Tallink, check sailing dates & times at www.tallink.com or the Direct Ferries website.
The m/v Baltic Queen offers a range of comfortable cabins: E-category inside cabins are below the car deck, I recommend paying for a B-category inside cabin (all on upper decks) or an A-category outside cabin with sea view. There are also deluxe cabins and suites, all cabins have toilet & shower. There is a large buffet restaurant (Grande Buffet), 3 à la carte restaurants (Grill House, Aleksandra & Chef's Kitchen), 2 pubs, and (of course!) a sauna. Make sure you're on deck as the ship sails out of Stockholm past the many islands.
In Stockholm, the ferry sails from the Värtahamnen terminal. A transfer bus leaves from the Cityterminal (the bus station next to Stockholm Central Station) at 14:45 & 15:50 to connect with the ferry (check times with Tallink). Alternatively, take the tunnelbana (metro) to Gärdet metro station, just 3 stops on line T13 towards Ropsten, the tunnelbana accepts contactless payment. it's then an easy well-signed 1km 13-minute walk to the Värtahamnen ferry terminal, see walking map. A taxi from Central Station to the terminal costs around £20.
In Tallinn, the ferry arrives at the D-Terminal - make sure you're on deck next morning to see the spires of Tallinn's old town as the ferry arrives. The D-Terminal is a 24-minute 1.7 km walk from Tallinn's old town square or a 28-minute 1.9 km walk from the railway station (Balti Jaam). Alternatively, tram 2 links the harbour tram stop (a short walk from D-Terminal) to the railway station, the tram accepts contactless payment on board. Map of Tallinn showing ferry terminal.
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Day 4, take a bus from Tallinn to Riga, see luxexpress.eu. A few buses leave from the D-Terminal, most leave from Tallinn bus station to the south of the city centre. Allow plenty of time for connections, perhaps have lunch in Tallinn's old town first.
Alternatively, stay overnight in Tallinn and take the train next morning, for train information see the Tallinn to Riga page. The train takes longer, but can be a more enjoyable experience.
Riga ► London
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Day 1, travel from Riga to Tallinn by bus, For buses see luxexpress.eu. I'd allow several hours in Tallinn between bus and ferry, in case of delay. One or two buses arrive directly at the D-Terminal, but most arrive at Tallinn bus station which is south of the city centre.
Alternatively, travel from Riga to Tallinn by train the previous day and stay overnight in Tallinn, for train information see the Riga to Tallinn page. The trains takes longer but can be a more enjoyable experience. There is no longer a direct ferry from Riga to Stockholm.
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Day 1, sail from Tallinn to Stockholm by overnight ferry, leaving Tallinn every second day at 18:00, arriving Stockholm 10:30 next morning.
The ferry is run by Tallink, check sailing dates & times at www.tallink.com or the Direct Ferries website.
The m/v Baltic Queen offers a range of comfortable cabins: E-category inside cabins are below the car deck, I recommend paying for a B-category inside cabin or ideally an A-category outside cabin with sea view. There are also deluxe cabins and suites, all cabins have toilet & shower. There is a large buffet restaurant (Grande Buffet), 3 à la carte restaurants (Grill House, Aleksandra & Chef's Kitchen), 2 pubs, and (of course!) a sauna. Make sure you're on deck next morning as the ship sails into Stockholm past the many islands.
In Tallinn, the ferry sails from the D-Terminal, a 22-minute 1.7 km walk from Tallinn's old town square or a 26-minute 1.9 km walk from the railway station (Balti Jaam). Alternatively, tram 2 links the railway station with the harbour tram stop, a short walk from D-Terminal, the tram accepts contactless payment.
In Stockholm, the ferry arrives at the Värtahamnen ferry terminal, walk 800m to Gärdet metro station and take the Tunnelbana (metro) to T-Centralen (Central Station). The walk is clearly signed (see walking map) or just follow all the other foot passengers! The Tunnelbana accepts contactless bank cards, you can just touch in and out. Or take a taxi from the ferry terminal to Central Station.
You now have the best part of day 2 free to explore Stockholm.
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Day 2 & 3, travel from Stockholm to London as shown on the Sweden page, leaving Stockholm in the early evening on the SJ EuroNight sleeper to Hamburg then taking daytime trains to Brussels & London arriving in the evening of day 3.
How much does it cost?
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For fares between London & Stockholm, see the London to Sweden page.
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Stockholm to Tallinn by overnight ferry with private cabin with shower & toilet starts at €122 each way.
How to buy tickets
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Step 1, buy your ticket from London to Stockholm as explained on the London to Sweden page.
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Book the Stockholm to Tallinn ferry at www.tallinksilja.com or the Direct Ferries website.
When using www.tallinksilja.com, if you want the cheapest option, one bed in shared 4-berth or 2-berth cabins, you'll need to open the 'shared places' section when the cabin choice page appears. (1/4) means 1 berth in a 4-berth cabin. You'll be offered lots of optional meals and hotels, just click through unless you want to pre-book dinner and breakfast on board - not a bad idea!
Or have it arranged as a package
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Tailor Made Rail can also organise a trip to the Baltic States by train, with hotels and transfers. Call their dedicated seat61 phone line 020 3778 1461 and quote seat 61 when booking. From outside the UK call +44 20 3778 1461. Lines open 09:00-17:30 Monday-Friday. Their website is www.tailormaderail.com/destinations/estonia.
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. Plus and Premier fares include a light meal with wine (or breakfast, on departures before 11:00). There's a 30-minute minimum check-in as all border formalities are carried out before you board the train. More about Eurostar & check-in procedure. St Pancras station guide. Brussels Midi station guide.
2. Brussels to Cologne by ICE3
These superb ICE3neo trains have a restaurant car, power sockets at all seats & free WiFi. In 1st class, restaurant orders are taken and served 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 about ICE3 trains. Brussels Midi station guide. Cologne Hbf station guide.
An ICE3neo at Brussels Midi with restaurant car, power sockets at all seats & free WiFi. More about ICE trains. Photo above courtesy of Christian Hunt.
3. Cologne to Hamburg by ICE4
ICE4s have a restaurant car, power sockets at all seats & free WiFi, and are capable of 265 km/h (165 mph). Immediately after leaving Cologne Hbf, Cologne-Hamburg trains cross the Hohenzollern bridge over the Rhine, then pass through the industrial Ruhr. More about ICEs. Hamburg Hbf station guide.
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