Direct flights link Riga with Berlin, Copenhagen, Frankfurt, Geneva, Hamburg, Helsinki, Kiev, London, Minsk, Munich, Moscow, Paris, Prague, Stockholm, Tallinn, Vienna, Vilnius, Warsaw and Zurich. There are no direct flights between Riga and North America, Australia or Asia. Latvia is yet to cotton on to the departure tax lurk, but once those tourists start pouring in....

There are direct buses to Riga from Denmark, France, Germany, Norway, Poland, Sweden, Finland, Russia, Belarus, Estonia and Lithuania. If trains tickle your fancy, the Berlin-St Petersburg service passes through Daugavpils in south-eastern Latvia. Trains also link Riga with Moscow, St Petersburg and Minsk, and Daugavpils with Chernivtsi.

If you prefer to suck in the sea air, there are direct ferries to Riga from Travemünde in Germany and Stockholm in Sweden.

Riga's airport is at Jurmala, 14km (8mi) west of the city centre. The airport is connected to the capital by bus and taxi.

Buses and, to a lesser extent, trains go just about everywhere in Latvia, although services are less frequent to off-the-beaten-track destinations. Both are cheap and slow. Riga has a comprehensive network of trams, trolleys and buses.

Driving and bicycling in Latvia are popular, as the main roads are good and distances aren't great. Most of the major car rental agencies have offices in Riga and at the airport. Driving is done on the right side, and there are 24-hour petrol stations along all the major roads. The Tourist Club of Latvia offers a nine-day cycling itinerary round Vidzeme and Latgale (eastern Latvia) plus three days in and around Riga.