St. Petersburg - Riga: the best ways to overcome the distance

Going to Riga on vacation or on business, many Petersburgers and guests of North Palmyra often wonder: and how best to get there? There are several ways to overcome the route of St. Petersburg-Riga length of only 492 kilometers in a straight line.

By bus

The most affordable option is to buy a ticket for a comfortable bus from St. Petersburg to Riga. When buying, it should be noted that in the sales office and in the bus from the driver before departure, the ticket will cost more than the one bought through the Internet.

Buses leave daily. For the convenience of passengers, day and night flights are organized. The journey time is 10-12 hours, but it can vary depending on the traffic situation and weather conditions.

Among the carriers along this route are two major transport companies - Lux Express and Ecolines.

Departure of buses from St. Petersburg is carried out from the station on the Obvodny Canal embankment , from the bus platforms located opposite the railway stations of the Baltic and Vitebsk railway stations.

Almost all routes pass through the territory of Estonia. The St. Petersburg-Riga bus arrives at the international station of the city, located in 5 minutes of unhurried walk from the Old Riga district.

By train

Another way to get to the capital of Latvia from St. Petersburg is to use the services of the railway. Distance Riga-St Petersburg train "Baltic" No. 037P / 038P overcomes in 11 hours. Sitting in the car in the evening, tourists arrive the next morning at their destination.

Traveling by rail is a convenient and comfortable way to overcome the distance dividing cities. Its main advantage over the bus service is that delays in the journey are rare.

Daily shuttling between cities, the train's staff "Baltia" offers passengers accommodation in wagons of various degrees of comfort:

• SW;
• Compartment;
• Reserved seat;
• Common.

The only negative moment of traveling by train is the price of the ticket. Sometimes it is comparable to the cost of air travel St. Petersburg-Riga, because it is directly dependent on the euro exchange rate to the national currency of the country and the time of year.

By plane

The fastest and most expensive way to get to Riga from the Russian northern capital is by airplane. Flights Riga-Saint-Petersburg and back are carried out by AirBaltic. Usually there are two flights per day in the schedule: morning and evening. The flight time is a little less than an hour and a half.

The Riga airport is located 8 kilometers west of the capital. From the airport building to Riga you can take a local taxi or bus (about 30 minutes).

By car

The journey along the route St. Petersburg-Riga by car has a number of advantages:

• You do not need to choose the type of transport and a suitable flight time;
• There is no need to book seats in advance and calculate the fare;
• There is an opportunity to independently choose the route and the necessary stops.

To get from the northern capital to Riga by car can be two routes:

1. Through MAPP "Shumilkino" (Russia) - MAPP "Luhamaa" (Estonia);
2. Through MAPP "Ivangorod" (Russia) - MAPP "Narva" (Estonia).

The length of the first route is approximately 550 km, the estimated time on the road is about 7 hours. The motorway is in good condition, the gas stations are located all along it.

Following the second route, the motorist will spend about 8 hours on the road. The increase in travel time is due to the fact that he will have to surpass the extra 20 km and travel more slowly due to poor road coverage on two sections of the route located on both sides of the border.

However, when planning an independent trip by car, you should remember that possible lines on the border can delay travelers even for several hours.

On a ferryboat

The last way to overcome the distance between St. Petersburg and Riga is suitable for tireless travelers who do not count with time and want to get to the Latvian capital exclusively by sea.

Unfortunately, there is no direct ferry service between the countries, it will be necessary to follow through Stockholm.

But whatever option the traveler chooses, he will in any case be able to get acquainted with the beautiful Riga.