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Vilnius, Riga and Tallinn by bus: the Baltic capitals on a budget

How to reach the Baltics with low-cost airlines, how long the buses take between Vilnius, Riga and Tallinn, how to get from the airports to the centre, what to see for free and when to go. With the open-jaw idea and sources.

Updated on 18 September 2026

City wall towers and the spire of St Olaf's Church above the rooftops of Tallinn Old Town
Photo: Maria Bobrova · Unsplash

At a glance

  • Three capitals, three countries, one currency: Lithuania, Latvia and Estonia all use the euro.
  • Buses between the capitals are frequent: about 4 hours from Vilnius to Riga and about the same from Riga to Tallinn, while Tallinn to Vilnius takes 8-9.
  • The low-cost airlines that matter here are mainly Ryanair and Wizz Air, but their networks vary a lot from one airport and one season to the next.
  • An idea that saves hours on the bus: fly into Vilnius and out of Tallinn, or the other way round.
  • Prices are still reasonable compared with many European capitals, but no longer "cheap Eastern Europe": it's still worth doing the maths.

Getting there: which low-cost airlines fly to the Baltics

There are four airports to consider: Vilnius (VNO), Kaunas (KUN), Riga (RIX) and Tallinn (TLL). Which cities you can fly from depends a lot on your home airport: what follows is the general picture as of September 2026.

  • Vilnius: Wizz Air has a base here, with a third aircraft since winter 2025/26, and Ryanair flies here too. For summer 2026 Ryanair announced zero growth in Lithuania, citing rising airport charges.
  • Kaunas: about an hour by train from Vilnius, it's an important airport for Ryanair, which also has its maintenance hangars here. It's worth including in your searches.
  • Riga: Ryanair has announced two based aircraft and 16 routes for winter 2026. Wizz Air, on the other hand, hasn't flown from Riga since 2025.
  • Tallinn: Wizz Air and Ryanair fly here, along with airlines such as Eurowings and, from the UK, Jet2.

Riga is also home to airBaltic, which isn't a pure low-cost airline: its fares include more or less depending on the ticket. On 14 September 2026 airBaltic started a restructuring process (Chapter 11 in the United States) and said flights are operating as normal and tickets remain valid. If you're considering it, check the news again before booking.

For winter 2026 Ryanair announced a 25% capacity cut in Lithuania and Estonia and growth in Riga: from late October, expect less choice to Vilnius, Kaunas and Tallinn. To see current routes, check low-cost flights from Vilnius, Kaunas, Riga and Tallinn.

The open-jaw idea: into Vilnius, out of Tallinn

The classic loop starts and ends in the same city. In the Baltics, though, the way back is heavy going: Tallinn to Vilnius is 8-9 hours by bus, almost a whole day lost. With an open-jaw trip you land in Vilnius, take the bus to Riga and Tallinn, and fly home from Tallinn (or do the route in reverse).

  • Pros: just two legs of about 4 hours, and more time to see the cities.
  • Cons: you have to buy two one-way flights on different routes, and there's no guarantee both exist from your airport or are cheap on the same dates.
  • Alternative: fly into Riga, which sits in the middle, and make two return bus trips to Vilnius and Tallinn.

If you prefer a loop with a single flight, the Vilnius, Riga and Tallinn in 7 nights itinerary has the nights and journey times already worked out. For the general method and the risks of separate tickets, see the More cities in one trip guide.

By bus between the three capitals

Three companies run most services between the capitals: FlixBus, Lux Express and Ecolines. Indicative journey times, based on schedules published by operators and comparison sites, are:

RouteIndicative timeGood to know
Vilnius – Rigaabout 4 hoursSeveral departures a day. There's also a direct LTG Link train taking about 4 hours
Riga – Tallinnabout 3 hours 45 minutes – 4 hours 20 minutesMany departures a day, from early morning to evening
Tallinn – Vilniusabout 8 hours 30 minutes – 9 hoursGoes via Riga: if you can, break it up with a night there

Bus fares change with the date and how far ahead you book, so compare operators on their own websites. The train is an increasingly popular alternative: between Riga and Tallinn you change at Valga, and seats on the new services can sell out days ahead.

The routes between the capitals are longer than 250 km (FlixBus lists 318 km between Tallinn and Riga), so the main rights under EU Regulation 181/2011 apply in case of cancellation or long delays.

From the airport to the centre

Good news if you travel light: all four airports are close to their cities and linked by cheap public transport.

AirportTransportIndicative time
VilniusBuses 1, 2, 3G and 88 (88N at night); train to the railway stationabout 20 minutes by bus, 7 minutes by train
KaunasBus 29 to the centre, then the train to Vilniusabout 30 minutes by bus; express train from 59 minutes
RigaBus 22 (N22 at night), with stops near the Old Town and the bus stationabout 30-40 minutes, depending on traffic
TallinnTrams T2 and T4 outside the terminalabout 15-20 minutes to the centre

The Vilnius airport train only runs a few times a day (16 according to Go Vilnius), so check the timetable before relying on it. In Tallinn you can buy the one-hour ticket as a QR code or tap a contactless bank card on the validators.

Free (or nearly free) things to do in each city

Riga Old Town from above, with the cathedral, red roofs and the Daugava river
Photo: Martti Salmi · Unsplash
  • Vilnius: the Old Town, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, is easy to explore on foot. The views from the Hill of Three Crosses and Bekešas Hill are free, as are the Užupis district and the Bernardine Garden. On the last Sunday of the month many museums are free.
  • Riga: wander around the Old Town, then walk about ten minutes to the Art Nouveau façades of Alberta iela and Elizabetes iela. The Central Market, Bastejkalns park and the Daugava riverfront cost nothing.
  • Tallinn: from the Toompea viewing platforms (Kohtuotsa, Patkuli and Piiskopi) you can see the whole Old Town. Kadriorg Park is open to all, the Bank of Estonia Museum is free and on the first Sunday of the month several museums waive their entry fee.

All three cities also have "free" walking tours, where you leave a tip of your choice at the end.

How much a weekend costs

Two useful benchmarks to give you an idea, without promising exact figures:

  • Eurostat: in 2025 consumer price levels were less than 20% below the EU average in Lithuania and Latvia, and less than 10% below in Estonia. Affordable, yes, but not as cheap as some other Eastern European destinations.
  • Post Office Travel Money: the 2026 City Costs Barometer compares 50 cities using a basket of 12 items for two people over two nights (three-star hotel, dinners, transport, museums). Riga is sixth and Vilnius seventh among the cheapest, both under £300, with prices up more than 10% in a year. Tallinn isn't in the ranking.

As almost everywhere, accommodation makes the biggest difference: in summer and at weekends, book ahead.

When to go and what to know about winter

  • May to September: the easiest season. In Tallinn, around the summer solstice, there are more than 18 hours of daylight.
  • December: there are Christmas markets, but the days are very short: in Tallinn on 1 December the sun is above the horizon for less than 7 hours. Pack warm clothes and plan sightseeing around the daylight.
  • Winter 2026/27: with the cuts Ryanair has announced in Lithuania and Estonia, there may be fewer direct routes. Riga is the airport where Ryanair is growing.

Practical tips

  • Euro everywhere: Estonia since 2011, Latvia since 2014, Lithuania since 2015. No currency exchange between countries.
  • Bus stations: in Riga the international bus station is next to the Old Town and the railway station; in Tallinn the bus station is on the tram line to the airport.
  • Separate tickets: flights and buses are different contracts. Don't rely on a long bus ride on the day of your flight home: reach your departure city at least the day before.
  • City transport: buy your ticket before boarding, via an app or a ticket machine: in Riga, for example, a ticket bought from the driver costs more.

How FlyDown helps

FlyDown keeps an eye on low-cost flights from Ryanair, Wizz Air, easyJet, Vueling, Volotea and Transavia: you set departure airports, a destination (including whole countries, such as Lithuania, Latvia and Estonia), dates, nights and a maximum price, and you get a notification when a flight fits your budget. The Basic plan is free.

With More cities in one trip, FlyDown also builds a FlixBus trip to nearby cities for the flights it finds, with nights split, bus times and prices, and a return in time for your flight. You buy the tickets yourself on the operators' websites. The suggested trip is a loop: it starts and ends in the city you fly to.

Sources

Sources consulted in September 2026. FlyDown is not affiliated with the companies mentioned: trademarks belong to their respective owners.