Latvia is located in Northern Europe, on the shore of the Baltic Sea. It’s a beautiful country with lavish forests, vast rivers, and wild beaches. I was born in Riga, and this was my first visit in almost thirty years. For a wheelchair user, a trip to Latvia can be a bit challenging, especially outside of Riga. In this post, I will provide some information about Riga’s accessibility and hopefully make you want to visit this beautiful country.
Getting to Riga
We flew with Air Baltic. It was a good experience; everything went smoothly: the check-in process, the boarding, and the flight. The two negatives: there was no aisle chair on board (you never know if you will need one), and the plane seats were very firm and uncomfortable. If, like me, you don’t have any natural cushioning, bring a pillow or sit on your wheelchair cushion.
Accessible transportation
The city of Riga is small. If you plan to stay in the city, almost anything is easily reached on foot/in a wheelchair. For farther destinations, you will find the bus system very accessible. However, if you want to get out of the city, there aren’t many transportation options. If your chair is not collapsible or you cannot transfer to a car seat, the only options are a wheelchair-accessible taxi or inter-city bus with pre-booked assistance.
- Wheelchair accessible taxi – RedCab offers wheelchair-accessible vehicles. You will need to book it 3-4 hours in advance since they only have a few, but the service is good. We used them from the airport to our hotel. The ride to the city center took ~30 minutes and cost us 22€.
- Wheelchair accessible buses
Most city buses are equipped with a ramp at the second door and have dedicated space for wheelchair users. I only rode it once, and it was a smooth and easy ride. If you choose to ride the bus from the airport, bus 22 will take you close to the city center for 2€. It has only two stops in central Riga, so make sure it suits your needs.
For inter-city buses, more information here.
- Adapted vehicle rental – Several car rental companies offer cars with hand controls.
- Trams/Trains – Only the new trams with low floors are wheelchair-accessible. Only a few train stations in Latvia are accessible, and assistance must be booked in advance.
I wasn’t able to find any specialized wheelchair-accessible transportation. Air Baltic offers transfer services to/from the airport but doesn’t have wheelchair-accessible vehicles.
This link provides more detailed information regarding accessible transport in Latvia.
Renting equipment
Luckily for me, my wheelchair arrived in one piece, so no rentals were needed. Here is a link to a company I’ve talked to that offers mobility aid rentals such as hoists, wheelchairs, shower chairs, etc.: “Speciālo palīglīdzekļu parks“
Accessible accommodation
A new, wheelchair-accessible hotel in a central area, about a 10-minute walk/smooth roll to the old town. The accessible room isn’t big, but big enough to roll around comfortably. The bathroom is spacious, with a roll-in shower, shower chair, roll-under sink, and grab-bars everywhere. The only downside was the small (~1 cm) step at the entrance to the bathroom, which was manageable for me but could be a challenge for others. There’s no lowered reception counter, but all the public areas (lobby, breakfast area, lobby restroom) are fully wheelchair-accessible. The hotel offers a complimentary sauna; unfortunately, I didn’t get a chance to check it out. The room rate includes breakfast, and the breakfast buffet offers a wide variety of choices.
Radisson Blue Latvija Conference & Spa
We didn’t choose this hotel because they only offer single wheelchair-accessible rooms with an optional adjoining room for the caregiver. This configuration didn’t suit our needs. We visited the hotel rooftop bar, however, and the public areas are all wheelchair-accessible. The hotel location is great, right next to Riga’s old town.
Another hotel I was considering during my search. It has only one wheelchair-accessible room, and you will have to enter the hotel from the back door since it’s in a historical building and adding a ramp to the main entrance isn’t possible. However, from travelers’ reviews, it’s very accessible and centrally located.
General Accessibility
Rolling around
Old Town Riga, with its narrow cobblestone streets, is quite challenging for a wheelchair user. The front wheels get stuck in wide gaps between the cobblestones, the sidewalks are narrow, not all curbs are lowered, and most buildings aren’t accessible. Still, if you have reliable assistance and think you can do it, it’s definitely worth the effort. The Old Town dates back to the 13th century and features gorgeous and highly diverse architecture from various periods – Romanticism, Gothic, Baroque, Classicism and Modernism. In 1997, Riga’s historical center was included in the UNESCO World Heritage List.
It’s a different story outside of the old town: the sidewalks are mostly smooth, and the curbs are lowered everywhere. The only challenge is crossing tram rails, but there aren’t many of those. The Central Riga Park (Vērmanes Garden Park) is a smooth roll and is beautiful!
Restaurants/Cafes/Stores
Most buildings aren’t accessible, with 1-2 steps up or down or very steep improvised ramps. Of course, there are also accessible options. On one occasion, I encountered a store with a ramp outside, but when I rolled up the ramp, I found a step to get inside. On another, I encountered a pharmacy with a ramp and even a button to open the door. It’s totally inconsistent, just come prepared for any scenario and don’t be ashamed to ask for help. I had to be carried with my wheelchair into most restaurants by staff. There’s definitely a lot to improve when it comes to accessibility, but the people are very kind and willing to help.
Restrooms
Finding a wheelchair-accessible restroom was a bit of a challenge. If you are close to a mall/shopping center, take the opportunity and use one, all malls are fully accessible. There are no public wheelchair-accessible restrooms on the streets; at least, I didn’t see any. As I mentioned before, most restaurants/cafes aren’t accessible, so no restrooms. The same goes for most museums and tourist attractions. We just asked in museums, theaters, and hotels along the way and eventually found one. As kind and helpful people are, they are often unaware. In the Latvian Museum of Architecture, they didn’t even know if the bathroom is wheelchair-accessible, but they let us in, and it was!
Parking
You can’t get a handicapped parking badge if you’re not a Latvian citizen. Using your own badge is not an option either (I checked with the Road Traffic Safety Directorate – CSDD ). Finding parking close to Riga’s center is easy but expensive ~2.5-3€ /hour. The hotels also charge parking fees on a 24h basis. On Sundays and at night (8 pm-8 am), parking is free everywhere in Riga.
Mapeirons association
Sightseeing & tourist attractions in Riga
Since it was more of a personal visit for us, we didn’t visit many attractions. I got in touch with Riga’s Tourist Information Center, and they sent me the following list of wheelchair-accessible options. It should be reliable:
- Art Museum Riga Bourse
- Riga Art Space
- The Blackheads House
- The Latvian National Museum of Art
- The Latvian Museum of Natural History
- Botanical garden
- Žanis Lipke Memorial
- Riga Zoo
- Riga Motor Museum
Viewpoints
If you love to see the places you visit from above, here is a list of possible viewpoints and their accessibility:
- Sky Bar at Radisson Blue Latvija Conference & Spa – Located on the 26th floor, the bar offers beautiful views of the city, yummy drinks and food, and a great atmosphere. It’s advised to reserve a table in advance, especially in the evening. We were lucky to get the last table facing the old town views without making a reservation.
- National Library Of Latvia – The observation deck on the 12th floor, offers a different angle of the city of Riga since the library is located on the other side of the Daugava river. It’s fully wheelchair-accessible and free of charge.
- St. Peter’s Church in the old town – The Church itself is wheelchair-accessible, but to get to the tower (76 meters high), there are 3 flights of stairs and an elevator ride. The cost is 9€, and if you’re able to climb/be carried up those stairs, the view is amazing! I still remember being up there as a child, although this time, I stayed behind.
- Latvian Academy of Sciences – Observation Deck Not a wheelchair-accessible option, but the view is great. The observations deck is on the 17th floor, but the elevator reaches until 15th. The last two flights are stairs. The ticket is 5€.
Riga Central Market
Riga Central Market is located next to the Old Town and is one of the biggest markets in Europe. The grand food pavilions, built in 1920’s were originally used as military airship hangars. You can buy almost anything at the market: from Latvian-grown and homemade products to manufactured merchandise. Rolling around the market is easy. Both the pavilion floors and the outside areas are mostly smooth. I didn’t encounter any wheelchair-accessible restrooms.
Jurmala
If you are looking to spend a day on the beach or take a roll through Latvian pine woods, the city of Jurmala is the best wheelchair-accessible option. It’s located ~40 km from Riga center and offers various activities such as beaches, shopping, forest parks, concerts, and restaurants. You can get there by car, wheelchair-accessible taxi or bus (as I mentioned before, the trains aren’t wheelchair-accessible). If you choose to travel by car, a daily pass that costs 2€ will allow you to park anywhere in the city. You can purchase it at the city entrance (toll lanes on the highway ) or from a machine at one of the parking lots.
The streets are mostly smooth. Several public, almost wheelchair-accessible restrooms (there is a step, and I needed help to push me over it) are located along Jomas street – the main pedestrian street of Jurmala. The stores and restaurants are partially accessible; just see as you roll. Many market stands are scattered along Jomas street and offer homemade souvenirs and self-grown products.
A wheelchair-accessible beach is located next to Dzintari Concert Hall. You will be able to roll close to the water line but not all the way to it. There are wheelchair-accessible restrooms on the beach but no beach chairs to take you into the sea. In the same area, you will find a big, wheelchair-accessible forest park.
Other wheelchair-accessible options outside of Riga are Sigulda and Rundale Palace. Unfortunately, we weren’t able to squeeze everything into one week, but I checked with the local Tourist Information Offices.
Sigulda (~50 km from Riga)- Palace Quarter, Castle of Livonian Order, Festivity Square, and Gutman’s Cave are all wheelchair-accessible. The Sigulda Castle is under reconstruction; hopefully, it will be made accessible in the process. Sigulda Tourist Information Office website.
Rundale Palace (~80 km from Riga) is wheelchair-accessible. Rundale Palace website
Enjoy!
I also have information for Jewish travelers, such as Beit Chabad Riga, kosher/vegan food, Synagogues, Jewish museums and monuments, and Jewish cemetery. Email me if it’s relevant to your trip.
I would LOVE to receive your comments!
If you have any questions, please email or DM me on IG.
I am going to visit Latvia and your article is useful for me. Thank you!
Hi, Craig from Finnish accessibility related company called Into Access (@intoaccess instagram). Your blog helped a lot with understanding access issues in Riga and wider Latvia. We covered most of the sightseeing spots and we found accessible beaches in Kauguri (with waterchair from Police office/lifeguard office and Vaivari (as described in your guide without waterchair) – not Jurmala, but along the peninsula area of Jurmala. There is the national rehabilitation hospital beside this beach at Vaivari. Cost from Riga to Kauguri was about 40 euro. We also stayed at Tallink hotel because of related Finnish benefits with cruises of sister company Silja Line during the summer. Doors were a bit heavy and no lock on bathroom, only complaints. Breakfast situation was a bit difficult with poles in the service area but I think this had to do with Covid coronavirus situation.