From Monday January 12, a new direct passenger train will link Tallinn and Riga. The service represents a significant milestone for regional and international rail travel in the Baltic states.
The new timetable offers one daily train in each direction. Southbound services will depart Tallinn at 14:50, call at Tartu at 17:05, and arrive in Riga at 20:46. Northbound trains will leave Riga at 07:38, reaching Tartu at 11:45 and Tallinn at 13:57. The Tartu–Riga journey time is set at a competitive 3 hours and 41 minutes, while the full Tallinn–Riga trip will take just under six hours.
Tickets are priced at €19–22 between Tartu and Riga, and €29–32 from Tallinn to Riga, making the train an affordable alternative to road travel. Services will be operated by a two-car Stadler FLIRT diesel multiple unit, jointly delivered through cooperation between Estonian operator Elron and Latvia’s passenger train company Vivi.
The launch builds on recent progress in Baltic cross-border rail. During 2025, connecting services linking Tallinn, Tartu, Riga, and Vilnius were introduced, initially on limited schedules. The new direct Tartu–Riga train simplifies these journeys and strengthens everyday links for travellers, students, and businesses alike.
More broadly, the service underlines a renewed commitment by Estonia and Latvia to rail as a tool for regional cohesion, sustainable mobility, and tourism development — a modest route on the map, perhaps, but an important step towards a more connected Baltic railway network.
