Riga cruise ships dock at Riga Passenger Port on the right bank of the Daugava, about 20 minutes on foot from the Old Town. Ships longer than 300 metres use Krievu Sala instead, where you take the ship’s shuttle bus into town. With a day ashore, walk into Vecrīga first, then head on to the Central Market or the Art Nouveau streets on Alberta iela.
Where Riga cruise ships dock
Nearly every cruise ship calling at Riga ties up at Riga Passenger Port on Eksporta iela, on the right bank of the Daugava and close enough to Vecrīga that the port calls it a short walk into town. The cruise berths are MK-3 and MK-4, the pair nearest the Old Town.
Nobody tells you your berth in advance. Check the daily programme or the sign at the gangway in the morning, because which one you get decides whether the day starts with a walk or with a bus.
Riga cruise port map
Ships dock at Krievu Sala cruise berth. Tap a pin for directions.
- Krievu Sala cruise berthWhere ships dock
- St Peter’s ChurchChurch · About 9 km from Krievu Sala cruise berth
- Riga Cathedral (Dome Cathedral)Cathedral · About 9 km from Krievu Sala cruise berth
- Three Brothers housesHistoric houses · About 9 km from Krievu Sala cruise berth
- Swedish GateOld gate · About 9 km from Krievu Sala cruise berth
- Riga CastleCastle · About 9 km from Krievu Sala cruise berth
- Art Nouveau Museum, Alberta ielaMuseum · About 8 km from Krievu Sala cruise berth
- Riga Central MarketMarket · About 10 km from Krievu Sala cruise berth
- Alberta ielaStreet · About 8 km from Krievu Sala cruise berth
Krievu Sala: the berth for ships too big for the centre
Ships longer than 300 m can’t berth in the city centre with the quays as they are, so they use the port’s Krievu Sala piers instead, roughly 13 to 15 km from the Old Town. Mein Schiff Relax is 333 m, which is why she went out there rather than into the centre.
You can’t walk out of Krievu Sala. A fleet of shuttle buses runs between the berth and the centre through the city traffic, so plan on the ship’s shuttle in both directions and add that journey to the time you have ashore.
The port is also building new berths and a passenger terminal at Eksportosta, reached by bus at first with a tram planned later, so berth allocations can shift from one season to the next.
Getting into Riga from the cruise port: on foot, tram or taxi
From MK-3 or MK-4 you walk in: head south with the river on your right and Riga Castle and the northern edge of the Old Town are about a kilometre away, with Town Hall Square and the House of the Blackheads roughly 20 minutes from the gangway. The riverside route is flat and paved the whole way, and the cobbles only begin once you’re inside Vecrīga.
No shuttle runs from the central berth and none is needed. Leave 45 minutes for the walk back from the Old Town before all-aboard.
Tram 5 picks up at stops a short walk inland from the terminal, Ausekļa iela among them, and runs along the edge of the Old Town. It earns its fare on the return leg; on the way in it’s barely faster than walking.
Taxis and Bolt cars serve the pier for the short hop into town, though the port asks for taxi service at the terminal to be booked in advance rather than picked up on the day.
Riga Old Town: two to three hours from the gangway
Vecrīga is why most passengers get off, and two to three hours covers Town Hall Square and the House of the Blackheads, St Peter’s Church, the Dome Cathedral, the Three Brothers, the Swedish Gate and Riga Castle. Nothing needs booking: there’s no timed ticket for the Old Town and you see it by walking the streets.
Climbing St Peter’s Church tower gives you the view back over the roofs, and it’s the standard stop when the call is short.
Alberta iela and Riga’s Art Nouveau district
The Art Nouveau streets sit about 2 km from the terminal, inland and north of the Old Town, and an hour is about right to look properly rather than march past. The Art Nouveau Museum at Alberta iela 12 is the anchor for the walk.
Riga Central Market in the zeppelin hangars
Five former zeppelin hangars on the far side of the Old Town hold the Central Market, roughly half an hour on foot from the terminal. It sits beyond Vecrīga rather than beside the ship, so it works best as the second half of a walk that starts in the Old Town.
What fits in a six or eight hour call in Riga
A six-to-eight-hour call comfortably holds the Old Town, the Central Market and the Art Nouveau streets, all on foot. With only six hours, drop the market or Alberta iela rather than rushing all three.
Most Baltic itineraries that call at Riga also call at Helsinki, Stockholm and Visby, so this is usually one old town among several on the same run. The Helsinki cruise ship port guide and the Stockholm cruise ship port guide cover the two biggest neighbours. Visby, the smallest of the group, is covered in the Visby Gotland island cruise port guide.
Whether you can walk off the ship into town varies sharply around the Baltic, and the northern Europe and Baltic cruise ports guide sets out which ports are walk-in and which need a shuttle.
On a Baltic itinerary, you often call at Gdynia (Gdańsk) after Riga, west along the Baltic coast on the run towards Denmark.
Where to eat near Riga cruise port
The place to eat near Riga cruise port is the Central Market, five former zeppelin hangars on the far side of the Old Town and about half an hour on foot from the terminal.
It’s a market rather than a row of restaurants, so build the middle of the day around it: walk through Vecrīga first, eat at the market, then come back along the river to the ship.
What to wear in Riga: outfit ideas for a port day
The walk in is flat pavement, but the Old Town streets are cobbles uneven enough to matter for weak ankles, wheelchairs and scooter users, and the smoothest route is often not the shortest one. Flat shoes with a bit of grip beat heels or smooth soles, for men and women alike.
For more inspiration, see these casual cruise outfit ideas for women and cruise outfit ideas for men.
Best photo spots in Riga
The best photo spots in Riga are the top of St Peter’s Church tower, for the view back over the Old Town roofs, and the Art Nouveau facades around Alberta iela, where the carved doorways and figures are the shot rather than the street itself.
How to spend a port day in Riga
A port day in Riga works best as a walking loop from the quay through the Old Town, out to the Art Nouveau streets or the Central Market, all on foot.
Before you sail
- Check whether your ship berths centrally or at Krievu Sala for the daily programme.
- Book terminal taxi service in advance if you plan to use one.
- Bring euros in cash; there's no ATM in the terminal.
Short port day: under 6 hours
- On dockingWalk to the Old TownNo shuttle neededAbout 20 minutes south along the flat riverside path from the central berth.
- +25 minTown Hall SquareSee the House of the Blackheads and the square itself, the heart of Vecriga.
- +55 minSt Peter's Church towerClimb for the viewClimb the tower for the view back over the Old Town roofs.
- +1 hr 30 minRiga Castle and the Swedish GateA short walk further into the Old Town to see both.
- +2 hrsLunch at the Central MarketA 20 to 30 minute walk to the old zeppelin hangars; browse the stalls over lunch.
- All-aboard minus 45 minWalk back along the riverAbout 20 minutes back to the terminal; keep the full 45 minutes stated for the return.
The time on the map is the whole walk, every stop added together.
Open this walking route in Google Maps
If plans change: If St Peter's tower has a queue, skip it and spend the extra time in Town Hall Square or along the river instead.
Long port day: 8 hours or more
- On dockingWalk to Alberta ielaFurthest point firstAbout 45 minutes inland and north of the Old Town to the Art Nouveau district.
- +45 minArt Nouveau Museum and facadesAllow about an hour at Alberta iela 12 and the carved doorways nearby.
- +1 hr 50 minWalk to the Old TownAbout 25 minutes south to Town Hall Square and the House of the Blackheads.
- +2 hr 50 minSt Peter's Church tower and Dome CathedralClimb for the viewClimb the tower for the rooftop view, then see the Dome Cathedral close by.
- +3 hr 50 minLunch at the Central MarketA 20 to 30 minute walk to the zeppelin hangars; browse stalls over a market lunch.
- +5 hr 30 minRiga Castle, Swedish Gate, walk backTake these in on the way back through the Old Town, then follow the river to the port.
- All-aboard minus 45 minBack at the terminalNo shuttle queue at the central berth, but keep the full 45 minutes stated for the walk.
The time on the map is the whole walk, every stop added together.
Open this walking route in Google Maps
If plans change: If the Art Nouveau Museum is closed, enjoy the facades along Alberta iela instead and spend longer in the Old Town.
Riga cruise port FAQs
Is Riga a tender port?
No. Cruise ships berth alongside at Riga Passenger Port, and the largest ones at the Krievu Sala piers. Nobody tenders into Riga.
How far is Riga Airport from the cruise port?
Riga International Airport is about 10 km from the city centre, close to the cruise port. Bus 22 runs to Autoosta and Centraltirgus every 10 to 20 minutes, and a taxi from the airport to the port takes about 15 to 20 minutes.
Does Uber operate in Riga?
Uber does not operate in Latvia; Bolt does. The licensed airport taxi brands are XTaxi, TaxiLV and Red Cab.
Is there a train from Riga Airport?
There is no working rail link at Riga Airport; the Rail Baltica station there is still under construction.
Do any cruises start and end in Riga?
Not currently. Riga is a port of call, though the port authority says a Rail Baltica link between Riga Central Station and the airport could bring passengers from the airport to the port in 20 minutes and might one day make it a turnaround port.
Last Updated: 10 November 2026