Vilnius → Riga
There is one direct train a day from Vilnius to Riga and a steady run of coaches, and both take about four hours, station to station, for the price of a lunch. They are good options, and the table below sets them side by side. A private car is the one to pick when you want your hotel door at both ends, your own departure time, and the Hill of Crosses on the way, which neither the train nor the coach will take you to.
We collect you from your Vilnius hotel or the airport, drive northwest to the Hill of Crosses near Šiauliai, then cross into Latvia for Bauska and, if you like, the baroque palace at Rundāle. You arrive at your Riga hotel relaxed, with luggage carried and the route explained along the way.
How the options compare.
| How | Time | Cost | In practice |
|---|---|---|---|
| Train | About 4 hours | From about 10 EUR per person | One direct LTG Link train a day, leaving Vilnius in the morning. Reserved seats, station to station. Check ltglink.lt before you plan a day around it. |
| Coach | About 4 hours | From about 12 EUR per person | Lux Express, Ecolines and FlixBus, several departures a day, with wifi and reserved seats. The easy, cheap default. |
| Plane | Under an hour in the air, about 3 hours door to door | Usually more than the coach | A few airBaltic flights a day. The airports take back most of the time the flight saves. |
| Private carWith us | 3 hours 45 driving, about 5 with stops | $521 (≈ €445) sedan, up to 3 travelers, total | Hotel door to hotel door, leaving when you like, with the Hill of Crosses and Bauska on the way. |
Stops we can build in.
- Hill of Crosses
- More than one hundred thousand crosses on a low hill near Šiauliai, left by pilgrims for two centuries. Twenty quiet minutes, no ticket needed.
- Bauska
- A small Latvian town for lunch, with a 15th-century castle above the river meeting point. A natural halfway break.
- Rundāle Palace (optional)
- Latvia's baroque showpiece, by the architect of the Winter Palace in St Petersburg. Add about ninety minutes for the rooms and the formal gardens.
What the price covers.
- Private sedan or van, with fuel, tolls and parking
- English-speaking driver
- Hotel or airport door pickup in Vilnius
- A relaxed stop at the Hill of Crosses
- Bottled water and child seats on request
- Door delivery to your Riga hotel
Comfort for the distance.
Sedan for up to three with luggage, van for up to eight. Both carry full-size cases easily. Tell us your group and case count and we send the right vehicle.
- How do I get from Vilnius to Riga?
- Four ways. The coach takes about four hours and runs several times a day. One direct train a day takes about the same. A flight with airBaltic takes under an hour, which comes to about three hours once the airports are counted. A private car takes three hours forty-five without stops, door to door, and can stop at the Hill of Crosses on the way.
- Is there a direct train from Vilnius to Riga?
- Yes, one a day. LTG Link runs a direct train that leaves Vilnius in the morning and reaches Riga about four hours later, with a return from Riga in the late afternoon. Second-class fares start around 10 EUR. Timetables change, so check ltglink.lt before you plan a day around it.
- When is a private car worth it over the coach?
- When there are several of you, when you have heavy cases, or when you want the Hill of Crosses and Rundāle Palace on the way. The coach is cheaper per seat and perfectly comfortable. The car buys your own timing, your hotel door at both ends, and a day of sightseeing instead of a transit.
- How long is the drive?
- About three hours forty-five without stops. With the Hill of Crosses and a Bauska lunch, allow five hours. Add ninety minutes if you visit Rundāle Palace.
- Can we add Rundāle Palace?
- Yes. It sits a short way off the route between Bauska and Riga. We build in the time and you buy entry on arrival.
- How many people and how much luggage fit?
- A sedan takes three travelers with cases, a van up to eight. Note any oversized items such as skis or golf clubs on the form so we send the right vehicle.
- What does the price include?
- Fuel, tolls, parking, the driver, and door pickup and drop-off. Palace entry and lunch are extra and optional.