Trying to figure out if buses and metros in Latvia take cards or if Ill need small cash. Any recent experiences?
The fact that you can’t simply use a contactless bank card was frustrating. Every other European city I visited on the same trip allowed me to tap in, but Riga still insists on its e-talons card. I wasted time hunting down a Narvesen late at night when I just wanted to get back to my hostel. For a city full of tourists, it feels outdated. I managed fine once I had the card, but it was an annoying first impression.
I liked how organized Riga’s public transport felt. The trams through Brīvības iela and the buses to the airport all used the same ticketing system, which saved me the hassle of juggling different passes. The e-talons card was cheap and straightforward, and I was glad I didn’t need to worry about carrying coins every day. While you can’t just tap a foreign card, the system itself was clean and efficient. For a small capital, Riga’s network was really solid.
When I stayed at Tree House Hostel in Riga’s Old Town, I bought an e-talons at the Narvesen near Origo Mall. It worked across buses to Mežaparks and trams toward Ķengarags. I made the mistake of trying to board with coins once, and the driver waved me off. In Riga, unlike smaller towns, you really need the card system. It wasn’t expensive, and topping it up at the yellow machines by Central Station was easy enough with my Mastercard.
Riga doesn’t have a metro, but it has a strong network of buses, trams, and trolleybuses. You can’t just tap a foreign bank card on board. Instead, you buy an e-talons card from Narvesen kiosks, bus stations, or ticket machines. You load it with rides or time-based passes and validate it inside the vehicle. Conductors do random checks, so don’t risk riding without a ticket. Cash payment directly to the driver is mostly phased out in Riga city routes.