Back to top

Riga to Vilnius

A comfortable daily train links Riga to Vilnius, see the Riga to Vilnius page.

The Vilnius-Riga-Valga train at Riga station.

Back to top

Riga to Stockholm

Option 1, Riga to Stockholm by ferry

• A comfortable Tallink cruise ferry used to sail from Riga to Stockholm every day at 17:30, arriving at 10:30 next morning.  The ferry has bars, restaurants, lounges, reclining seats or a range of shared or private cabins with shower & toilet.

  Update:  This ferry was suspended in March 2020 due to covid-19 and it remains suspended in 2025.

• Check sailing dates, times & fares at the Direct Ferries website or at www.tallink.lv or www.tallink.se.

• Map of Riga showing ferry terminal.

Option 2, Riga to Stockholm using the Tallinn-Stockholm ferry

• Step 1, travel from Riga to Tallinn  by bus or train as shown here.

• Step 2, sail overnight from Tallinn to Stockholm by ferry as shown here.

Back to top

Riga to Helsinki

• Step 1, travel from Riga to Tallinn as shown above.

• Step 2, take a ferry from Tallinn to Helsinki.

  A variety of ferry companies operate ferries from Tallinn to Helsinki, crossing 2 to 2½ hours, 6 or 7 sailings daily.  For times, fares & online tickets, use the Direct Ferries website or see www.tallinksilja.com & www.eckeroline.com.

Above:  A Tallink ferry leaving Tallinn for Helsinki.  Photo courtesy of Jeremy Nicholls.

Back to top

Riga to Warsaw

In a few years the Rail Baltica project will make this a routine journey by fast direct train.  In the meantime it is indeed possible to make this journey by train via Vilnius, if you want to avoid a lengthy journey in a long-distance bus.

• Day 1, travel from Riga to Vilnius by daily train, leaving Riga Central at 16:55, arriving Vilnius 21:03.

  Fares start at €9.60, easily booked online at ltglink.lt.

  For full details see the Riga-Vilnius page.

• Stay overnight in Vilnius.  Try the inexpensive Stay Vilnius hotel, a 6-minute walk from the station, or the quirky Grotthuss Boutique Hotel, a 11-minute walk from the station towards the old town, both with excellent reviews.  At the upmarket end, the Radisson Blu Royal Astorija Hotel gets great reviews and is just a 13 minute walk from the station.

• Day 2, travel from Vilnius to Warsaw, as shown here.

Above, the Vilnius-Warsaw train service involves a simple cross-platform change at Mockava from a Lithuanian train to a Polish one.

Back to top

There is a comfortable and safe daily overnight sleeper train from Riga to St Petersburg, the Baltiya, with 2-berth and 4-berth sleepers.  To check train times, see www.rzd.ru or use the Real Russia booking system.

This train was suspended due to Covid-19 and remains suspended due to sanctions.

Fare:  Riga to St Petersburg costs around €50 in a 4-bed sleeper if bought at the station.  This train does NOT go through any part of Belarus.

To check train times and book online in either direction, use the Real Russia booking system here.  Real Russia charge a 15-23% mark-up over ticket office prices, included in the prices they show.  For journeys starting in Riga you'll need to have tickets sent to you at a small extra charge as the e-ticket option doesn't work for departure from Vilnius, only for departures from St Petersburg.

Back to top

There is a comfortable and safe daily sleeper train from Riga to Moscow, the Latvijas Express, with 1st class 2-berth sleepers & 2nd class 4-berth sleepers.  In summer there may be an additional daily sleeper train, the Jumala, leaving a little later.  To check train times, see www.rzd.ru or use the Real Russia booking system.

This train was suspended due to Covid-19 and remains suspended due to sanctions & war in Ukraine.

Fares:  Riga to Moscow costs around €60 in a 4-bed sleeper if bought at the station.  This train does NOT go through any part of Belarus.

To check train times & book online in either direction, use the Real Russia booking system here.  Real Russia charge a 15-23% mark-up over ticket office prices, included in the prices they show.  For journeys starting in Riga you'll need to have tickets sent to you at a small extra charge as the e-ticket option doesn't work for departure from Vilnius, only for departures from Moscow.

The Riga to Moscow Latvia Express boarding at Riga.  Courtesy of DiscoverbyRail.com.

Above left:  A comfortable 2-berth sleeper on the Latvijas Ekspress Riga to Moscow train, with 2 lower bunks.  Note the tablecloth, serviettes, and various goodies available for purchase.  4-berth sleepers are similar to 2-berth ones, but with two upper bunks as well. The Riga to St Petersburg train is similar.  Above right: Through the countryside from Riga to Moscow   Photos courtesy of John Walton.

So civilised!  The Riga to Moscow train has an attractive restaurant car serving cheap but pretty good meals.  Photos courtesy of Discoverbyrail.com.

Riga to Copenhagen, Gothenburg, Oslo

• Step 1, take a ferry to Stockholm as explained above and transfer by taxi, bus or metro to Stockholm Central.  I'd allow at least 2 hours between ferry arrival and any train departure.

• Step 2, take a train from Stockholm Central to Oslo, Copenhagen, Gothenburg, Malmö or anywhere else in Sweden, Denmark or Norway, as shown on the Trains from Stockholm page.

Back to top

Riga to Berlin, Amsterdam, Brussels, Paris, London, central & western Europe

Option 1, with overnight stops in Vilnius & Berlin - runs from 14 December 2025, 6 days a week

• Day 1, travel from Riga to Vilnius by daily train, leaving Riga Central at 16:55, arriving Vilnius 21:03.

  Fares start at €9.60, easily booked online at ltglink.lt.

  For full details see the Riga-Vilnius page.

• Stay overnight in Vilnius.  Try the inexpensive Stay Vilnius hotel, a 6-minute walk from the station, or the quirky Grotthuss Boutique Hotel, a 11-minute walk from the station towards the old town, both with excellent reviews.  At the upmarket end, the Radisson Blu Royal Astorija Hotel gets great reviews and is just a 13 minute walk from the station.

• Day 2, travel from Vilnius to Warsaw, leaving Vilnius at 06:??, change at Mockava, arriving Warsaw Centralna 13:02.

  The fare is €25, easily booked online at ltglink.lt.

  For full details see the Vilnius-Warsaw page.

  You've time for lunch in Warsaw and perhaps a visit to the Palace of Culture.

• Day 2, travel from Warsaw to Berlin by EuroCity train, leaving Warsaw Centralna at 17:00 daily except Saturdays, arriving Berlin Hbf 22:06.

  The EuroCity train is a comfortable air-conditioned Polish train with restaurant car.  Treat yourself to dinner, I recommend the zurek soup and kotlet schabowy.

  Fares start at €27.99 in 2nd class or €39.99 in 1st class.  Fares vary like air fares, so book ahead.

  Buy tickets at the German Railways website int.bahn.de.

  Booking opens up to 6 months ahead.  I recommend registering when prompted, so you can log on at any time and check or reprint tickets.  You print your own ticket or can show it on your phone.

• Stay overnight in Berlin.  Top choice here is the InterCity Hotel Berlin Hbf (my favourite), only 200m from Berlin Hbf's main entrance, relatively inexpensive with great reviews, or if you're in the money, the excellent 5-star Steigenberger Hotel just outside the station.  If you're on a budget, the cheaper 3-star Motel One Berlin-Hbf is behind the station or use www.hostelworld.com.  Of course, if you really want to push the boat out, the famous Hotel Adlon Kempinski Berlin is next to the Brandenburg Gate just 17 minutes walk away.

• Day 3, travel from Berlin to Paris, Brussels, Amsterdam, Luxembourg or cities in Germany & Switzerland, as shown on the Trains from Berlin page.

  For example, Berlin to Amsterdam starts at €37.99, Berlin to Paris from €59.99.  Fares vary like air fares, so book ahead.

  Buy an onward ticket from Berlin at the German Railways website int.bahn.de.

  Booking opens up to 6 months ahead.  I recommend registering when prompted, so you can log on at any time and check or reprint tickets. You print your own ticket or can show it on your phone.

  Tip:  For many destinations including Amsterdam, Brussels, Germany or Switzerland (but not Paris), you can save a few euros by booking through from Warsaw.  For example, it's cheaper to book Warsaw to Amsterdam with stopover in Berlin than to book Warsaw to Berlin then Berlin to Amsterdam.  To get the overnight stop in Berlin, click Stopovers, enter Berlin Hbf and a suitable length of stay, say 10 hours.  Adjust the length of stay and departure time to get the trains you want either side of Berlin.  A little trial & error may be needed!

Option 2, using a sleeper train from Warsaw - runs from 14 December 2025

• Day 1, travel from Riga to Vilnius by daily train, leaving Riga Central at 16:55, arriving Vilnius 21:03.

  Fares start at €9.60, easily booked online at ltglink.lt.

  For full details see the Riga-Vilnius page.

• Stay overnight in Vilnius.  Try the inexpensive Stay Vilnius hotel, a 6-minute walk from the station, or the quirky Grotthuss Boutique Hotel, a 11-minute walk from the station towards the old town, both with excellent reviews.  At the upmarket end, the Radisson Blu Royal Astorija Hotel gets great reviews and is just a 13 minute walk from the station.

• Day 2, travel from Vilnius to Warsaw, leaving Vilnius station at 06:??, change at Mockava, arriving Warsaw Centralna 13:02.

  The fare is €25, easily booked online at ltglink.lt.

  For full details see the Vilnius-Warsaw page.

  Enjoy an afternoon in Warsaw & perhaps a visit to the Palace of Culture.

• Day 2, take a sleeper train from Warsaw to Vienna, Salzburg, Munich, Prague, Bratislava or Budapest as shown on the Trains from Warsaw page.

Option 3, with overnight stops in Vilnius & Warsaw - runs daily

• Day 1, travel from Riga to Vilnius by daily train, leaving Riga Central at 16:55, arriving Vilnius 21:03.

  Fares start at €9.60, easily booked online at ltglink.lt.

  For full details see the Riga-Vilnius page.

• Stay overnight in Vilnius.  Try the inexpensive Stay Vilnius hotel, a 6-minute walk from the station, or the quirky Grotthuss Boutique Hotel, a 11-minute walk from the station towards the old town, both with excellent reviews.  At the upmarket end, the Radisson Blu Royal Astorija Hotel gets great reviews and is just a 13 minute walk from the station.

Enjoy a morning free in Vilnius.

• Day 2, travel from Vilnius to Warsaw, leaving Vilnius at 12:30, change at Mockava, arriving Warsaw Centralna 20:05.

  The fare is €25, easily booked online at ltglink.lt.

  For full details see the Vilnius-Warsaw page.

• 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.  Also see the Warsaw Centralna station & city information.

• Day 2, travel from Warsaw to all points south and west, for times, fares & how to buy tickets see the Trains from Warsaw page.

  There are direct daytime trains from Warsaw to Berlin, Vienna, Prague, Bratislava, Budapest.

Option 4, Riga to central & western Europe via Stockholm

• You can also take the ferry to Stockholm, train to Copenhagen, and onward train to Hamburg, Brussels, Amsterdam, and so on.

• See the ferry to Stockholm section above, then see the Trains from Stockholm page.

Back to top