Riga To Tallinn bus – What You Need To Know

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Many people who travel to the Baltic States (Lithuania, Latvia, Estonia) will visit more than one of the countries. They are pretty close together. Well where isn’t in Europe, right?! That’s coming from someone who now lives in Canada where nothing is close. So I guess it’s all relative. But when I was planning my trip to Tallinn in Estonia I realized that it really isn’t that far to Latvia. Why not visit Riga too, and really see more of Europe? But since I’m trying to cut down on flying when I can, I decided to look into how to get from Latvia to Estonia a different way. That’s when I came across Lux Express, the Riga to Tallinn bus.

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What is Lux Express?

Lux Express is a company I found that offer luxury coach services around Estonia and the neighboring countries of Latvia, Lithuania and Russia. They offer a range of buses such as the classic Lux Express, Lux Express Lounge, Lux Express Special and Lux Express Mini. Although the last two are more for the longer journeys to Russia. Lux Express is an Estonian company. Their service was easy to book online, smooth process from start to finish and comparable in price to the train.

Riga to Tallinn bus or train?

I looked into taking the train to Tallinn, but instead decided to try the Riga to Tallinn bus. There were two main reasons. The first was that the price was comparable, and in some cases cheaper to take the bus than the train. The other reason was that the bus would take only about 4 hours end to end and the train journey would be closer to 6 hours. Plus the train has a stop in the middle where you have to change trains. For someone who was traveling on their own with luggage to carry, the bus was way more convenient. And for anyone who doesn’t have too long to spend on vacation, extra time means everything.

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What time does the bus leave?

Here’s the great news. There are quite a few departures each day for the Riga to Tallinn bus. More than 10 a day actually. So you can choose the time that works best for you. If you leave on one of the earlier departures such as 8am, you can be in Tallinn by around noon. Or there are buses later in the day so if you leave at 6pm you can be in Tallinn by about 10pm. I went with the bus at 11:30am. It gave me time to do some last minute sightseeing in Riga in the morning, and timed well with arriving in Tallinn for when I could check in to my hotel, just after 3pm.

How much is a ticket on the Riga to Tallinn bus?

The price for the Riga to Tallinn bus varies depending on the departure you choose. Pricing is around 9-14 EUR per person for the regular seats on the Lux Express bus (one way). I, however, opted for the Lounge ticket which is not available on all journeys so check your bus as you buy your ticket. The Lounge ticket is more like business class and is about 25-28 EUR (one way per person). Still, when you compare to the train which I mostly found for around 22 EUR, then this was the much better option.

How do I book a ticket with Lux Express?

I booked my ticket directly on the Lux Express website. The website was very user friendly, and you can select in a few different languages, English included. So booking was really easy. Simply select the route you are looking for (in this case Tallinn-Riga). Then you have the choice of where to start or end the trip (which direction) and the date you want to travel. You’ll then get all the options available for that date. With so many departures a day there are bound to be plenty of options if you book in advance. I bought mine about 3 weeks before travel and was able to get the time I wanted. Granted, I did travel in December, but still plenty of options.

How do I book the Lounge ticket?

Once you have selected your departure date and how many tickets you are buying, you will see certain departures have a LOUNGE sticker on them. This shows the departures you can select the Lounge option for added comfort. All you have to do is select the time you want, and then you’ll have the option of purchasing a regular ticket for the price shown, or the Lounge ticket for the additional cost.

Can I select a seat?

In some cases you will not be given a seat number and can therefore take any available seats when you get on the bus. But if you are booking a Lounge ticket, like I did, then you select a seat at the time of purchase online. I was shown a seat map and could choose my seat. The Lounge seats are located towards the back of the bus and are separated from the regular seats by a curtain. The lounge seats are larger and more comfortable than the regular seats so they take up more space. That means there are only 3 seats per row (2 together and 1 solo seat with an aisle in between). That was great news for me as a solo traveler, as I had the option of a single seat, knowing I wouldn’t be sat beside anyone else.

What are some of the onboard amenities?

Lux Express buses all have complimentary wifi available onboard. There are also outlets at each seat so you can charge your devices. Each luxury coach comes with a toilet onboard and hot drink making facilities. All seats also feature a multimedia screen for in travel entertainment. The seats all have reclining features and are really comfortable.

What does the Lounge have that the regular seats don’t?

The Lounge seats are bigger, and even more comfortable than the already relaxing regular seats. The multimedia screens come with headphones to listen to shows and music, whereas the Lux Express only seats and coaches have headphones available for purchase. Lux Express coaches and seats can also purchase water onboard, however Lounge seat guests get a complimentary bottle of water when boarding the coach. There’s a tray table attached to the seat in front, or if like me you’re on the front seat of the Lounge part of the bus, you have a built in table. And lastly, as mentioned above, the single seat option. For me, just having the single seat was a winner!

What about luggage on Lux Express?

There was no information that I found about luggage allowances. Some people were traveling only for a weekend so had very small bags. I had a larger bag as I was on a longer trip. It seemed to pretty much all even out, so they didn’t seem concerned about people having too much luggage. If you have more than a couple of bags/suitcases I would probably reach out to Lux Express to make sure there will be no issues, but it didn’t see that big a problem. The driver was very helpful and confirmed where each person was going so they sorted the luggage as they loaded it onto the coach. He took my bags and handled them for me so I didn’t have to. And they were off loaded at the end of the journey too.

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Safety features on the Riga to Tallinn bus

All of the buses are equipped with seat belts at each seat, and the driver actually came around to check we were all wearing them before we departed. I didn’t have mine on, because well who usually does that on a bus? But he asked me to put on the seat belt before he drove away. I appreciate and respect the safety concerns, so it’s good to know they take safety seriously.

How do I know where to find my bus?

When booking you will select your departure point. For me this was the Riga Coach station, a few minutes from the old town and my hotel Boutique Hotel Monte Kristo. It was so easy to get there, and I ended up there over half an hour early. You don’t need to be there more than about 15 minutes before I would say. Plus, I didn’t need to rush, because I already picked my seat!

When I arrived at the Riga coach station I discovered a big board with all the routes and destinations on. This tells you where to go for the bus. In my case I was leaving from Platform 1. However 15 minutes before my journey there was still no sign of the bus I was taking. In fact another bus was there. I thought maybe I had it wrong, but someone pointed out that the Lux Express tickets have the platform printed on them. Really helpful for a nervous traveler. The bus turned up about 10 minutes before departure.

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The Riga to Tallinn bus journey

The journey was really quick and relaxing. There were a couple of stops in different towns along the way for those getting on and off there. However, there was never more than a few minutes spent in each place and no delays other than regular traffic around the major cities.

I was able to sit back and enjoy the views of the Latvian-Estonian countryside as we drove along. I read my book, watched TV as my phone remained fully charged, and we were in Tallinn before I knew it. The seats were that comfy I was falling asleep as we got there. Although that could just be me and any bus journey.

Arriving into Tallinn the bus parked at the Tallinn Coach Station, which was a little further from central Tallinn than it’s Latvian counterpart. But there were plenty of taxis outside and I had no trouble getting a ride to my hotel. I was staying at the Swissotel Tallinn which was only a 10 minute drive from the coach station and cost less than 10 EUR.

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Overall experience on the Riga to Tallinn bus

It was easy to book my ticket, there were plenty of options for times and seats, and it was a great way to get from Latvia to Estonia. I’m happy I chose this option instead of the train which seemed like it might be a little more stressful with a change in the middle. Plus I saved on time, and was in Estonia in time to walk around and find a nice dinner after checking in at the hotel.

The staff were really helpful and the announcements were in English as well as Latvian and Estonian so I could understand. The Lounge ticket was a good purchase if for nothing more than the single seat and more comfier chairs. The bus was not in any way full, but it could be busier during peak season or perhaps more on weekends. I would definitely travel this way again, and it was nice not going by plane for a change.

If you’ve enjoyed this post leave a comment or share using the social media buttons below. Have you taken the Riga to Tallinn bus or similar through Europe? Have you taken the train on the same journey?