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The Baltic capitals are now linked by train!
In December 2023, Lithuanian Railways (LTG Link) introduced a daily Vilnius-Riga train which has been so successful it's surprised LTG Link themselves. On 6 January 2025 train travel in the Baltic States takes another step forward, when Lithuanian, Latvian & Estonian railways co-ordinate their timetables to create a daily Vilnius-Riga-Tallinn train service as shown below. It's cheap, easy to use and an enjoyable alternative to hours in a bus. Reservation is necessary for the Vilnius-Riga train, but no prior reservation is necessary for Riga-Valga-Tallinn.
On other pages: Warsaw-Vilnius by train
How to read these timetables: Read downwards. Each column of times is a train you can take. A horizontal line means you need to change trains.
How to check these train times: 1. Check Vilnius-Riga train times at ltglink.lt. 2. Check Riga-Valga at vivi.lv, click EN for English top left. 3. Check Valga-Tallinn at elron.ee, click EN for English top right. In Estonian, Riga = Riia. Times may vary, always check.
Vilnius to Riga is 348 km (216 miles). Riga to Tallinn is 441 km (274 miles).
How much does it cost?
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Vilnius to Riga (or vice versa) costs €24 in 2nd class, €34 in 1st class, fixed price, includes seat reservation.
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Riga to Valga (or vice versa) costs €7, fixed price.
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Valga to Tallinn (or vice versa) costs €20.05 in 2nd class or €25.46 in 1st class, fixed price.
How to buy tickets
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Buy Vilnius-Riga tickets at ltglink.lt.
Book this in advance as reservation is required and the train can sell out.
Booking opens 30 days ahead. You print your own ticket or can show it on your phone.
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If travelling between Riga & Tallinn, you can buy at the station:
For journeys starting from Tallinn, buy a ticket to Valga at the station, then buy the Valga-Riga ticket on board the Latvian train.
For journeys starting from Riga, buy a ticket to Valga at the station, then buy the Valga-Tallinn ticket on board the Estonian train.
Pets, bikes, Interrail & Eurail
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Vilnius to Riga: Bicycles carried for €10. Small pets in containers free, larger pets €5.
Eurail & Interrail holders need a reservation, this can be made online as shown on the passholder reservations page.
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Riga to Valga: Bikes & pets carried for a fee, add a baggage ticket when booking.
Eurail & Interrail holders don't need any reservation.
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Valga to Tallinn: Bikes carried for a fee (free November to March), add a bike ticket when booking.
Pets carried free, in the train's C-area marked with a pet symbol. Pets not allowed in 1st class.
Eurail & Interrail holders don't need any reservation.
Route map
What are the trains like?
1) Vilnius to Riga by Lithuanian train
The train is operated by a Pesa 730 diesel unit, see en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pesa_730M. It's air-conditioned with comfortable seating in 1st & 2nd class, drop-down tables, toilets, large luggage racks, free WiFi, wheelchair space and accessible toilet, see virtual tour at traukinyje.lt/pesa730ml
Hot & cold drinks (including latte or cappuccino bean to cup coffee), snacks and sandwiches can ordered from a menu and brought to your seat by the train staff working out of a small catering compartment. In 1st class, a small bottle of still or sparkling water and a coffee are included.
The train from Riga to Vilnius, at Riga station. Courtesy of Scott Gasson.
2) Riga to Valga by Latvian train. This is a classic Soviet-era local train, 2nd class only, with a modernised interior. There's no catering on either train, so bring a picnic. Photos below courtesy of Jan Špaček & Martin Kop
At Valga it's a simple cross-platform interchange. Below, the Latvian train from Riga to Valga. Photo courtesy of Martin Kop.Route map.
3) Valga to Tallinn by Estonian train. These smart new air-conditioned local trains have on-board information screens, free WiFi & power sockets for laptops & mobiles. First class seats are also available. Photo below left courtesy of Chris Rushton, below right courtesy of Daniel King.
Above, the Estonian train for Tallinn, at Valga. Photo courtesy of Martin Kop.
Stopover in Valga?
There are other trains between Tallinn & Valga, so you can stop off for a few hours if you like, check times at elron.ee.
Valga in Estonia and Valka in Latvia were one town until 1920. Now twin towns, the station is in Valga on the Estonian side. It's reportedly not a bad place to spend a few hours. Estonia and Latvia are in the Schengen area so there are no border controls, you can walk back and forth across the border. Indeed, there's an International Swing on a pedestrian bridge over the border in Valga town, you can swing back and forth between countries!
There are free luggage lockers in the station hall, they just require a €1 or €0.50 coin as deposit.
The main departure board at Valga only shows Estonian trains, not the Latvian train to Riga, so don't worry when you don't see it listed! You'll recognise the Latvian train from the photo below, it typically leaves from platform 2.
Restaurant Lilli (www.lilli.ee) a 14 minute walk away and is a good place to go between trains, see walking map. A menu is available in English.