If you arrive at Riga airport and consider taking the public bus Nr. 22, be very careful. It is cheap option to get into centre – 0,40/0,50 Ls only, while airBaltic city shuttle costs 3 Ls. Taxi could cost around 10 Ls or even more because you are foreigner. But the bus Nr. 22 is being watched by ticket controllers. The scenario is a but like pirates robbing a ship. Controllers stop the bus (it can be anywhere on the route and usually it’s not a stop of the bus) and get in and demand tickets. The bus will continue its route only when penalty fees are collected. They are usually at least 5, but can be even 10 controllers at the same time. The thing is that obviously most people have tickets, cos you can buy one from a bus driver, however, how the hell foreigners would know that they also need to purchase extra tickets for their luggage?! There is no indications in English in the bus about that. And controllers don’t take it for excuse that you didn’t know. So this is a honey for bees, a typical Soviet time attitude towards foreigners – to fuck them hard. And then the city council, who owns the public transport, will say that they are working with profit. And that profit will go towards promotional leaflets of Riga city. How stupid is that, cos such attitude from controllers at the bus is the best “advertising” for Riga. How dumb.
Tags: airport, bus, city, controllers, luggage, Riga, tickets, transport
April 29, 2009 at 11:39 am
Yes buses can be stoped by controllers anytime, but they are never more than 2. As I live in Riga and use public transport everyday, I can tell that this happens to me about once in two month and takes no more than 5-7 minutes. There are of course minuses in Riga’s public transport but it’s far from this “fucking” as it’s described upper. At least it will never stop in a middle of route to hear from buss driver horrible accent that bus is no longer going as it is in London. I don’t know who is this person writing this blog, but seems that he keeps coming back to this fucking country on regular basis.
May 6, 2009 at 7:29 am
Yeah Liga. ‘Horrible accent’ you are a racist. I’m sure you have no accent…
If you could READ English, perhaps you could understand that the Author is talking about the bus number 22. This is a special case, so if you travel on this bus on a regular basis you will know about the fucking latvians stealing money from the fucking tourists and calling it a ‘fine’
And YOU keep coming back to this fucking blog..indicating you’re interested in it!
Tourists are FUCKED up the ass by these controllers who have a special plan. The bus driver DOES NOT tell the passengers they must buy a ticket for their bag otherwise they would pay.
May 28, 2009 at 6:19 pm
Why don’t you just stay in your “Wonderful” country if it’s so FUCKING bad in Latvia? now shut the fuck up! foolish tourists like you make them do that, because you let yourself being ripped off!
Now fuck yourself!
May 3, 2009 at 4:15 pm
first: WHY you have to come to Latvia, if you don’t like it so much, and waste time and energy to write here…we dont need YOU!!! i know english man’s, who came in Latvia to have cheap sex (because they don’t know what is intelligence and culture of relationship) and if latvian women don’t give, he becomes so angry, like the person who made this homepage….
im LATVIAN and i also pay 10-15 lats from airport in taxi and i did not seen in any othaer countries in buses nothing in Latvian, why we have to write in english, we will write in italian, because we like more italian tourists…
May 6, 2009 at 7:35 am
People come to Latvia for the sex because Latvians SELL sex.. which you don’t tend to find in more civilised countries…If it wasn’t for the sex, how would you persuade anyone to come to such a hell hole?
By the way, if you know English men who behave in such a way, you should change your friends… such men are losers!
You probably take the taxi which is ripping off tourists, ha ha! I am glad they are finally ripping off Latvians too! Do some research and you will find the true price of a taxi and don’t be such a fool paying such a large amount of money for a journey which should cost MAX 8-10 LVL.
You LIKE Italian tourists? Wow. Latvians don’t even like Latvians so I find it very hard to believe there is a nationality you DO like… but then you’re quite a racist group of people judging by the two comments on here today.. so I guess that’s ‘nothing special’ in your culture… ha ha ha ha ha!
July 27, 2009 at 4:14 am
Ohh c’mon “You LIKE Italian tourists? Wow. Latvians don’t even like Latvians” and how do you know this,huh?
July 27, 2009 at 1:34 pm
I agree with Janny!
May 9, 2009 at 2:35 pm
@ lola:
I am italian and I have been living in Latvia for more than 3 years. I can assure you thet my latvian friends didn’t like me at all at the beginning. It took me a long time to be accepted into the group of people I know. Cause you latvians assume foreigners just come here for the girls, therefore you are a BIT racist. It’s really hard getting friends here because you are so damn cold and sometime you are so shy that you appear to be rude. And yes, I am talking about latvians not about russians. But I don’t blame you, because most of the italians are just like the english you hate so much: a bunch of assholes just looking for sex. What I want to say is that, even if I appreciate that you like italians, you can’t speak for *everybody*. PEACE.
May 10, 2009 at 7:46 pm
What accent has to do with racism? What I meant was brittish working class accent, god knows, even britts doesn’t understand it well. Besides all buses here are treated same. 22. has no exclusion. You seem a bit paranoic, ms Viva Latvia.
And it’s also not true that we don’t like any other nations. Should I start to name ones the Britts hates? French, Germans, Italians…
By the way – I like Britts, really. Hope you are not one of them.
And let me answer your question why I came back to this site – I wanted to see answer on my question, why the author (is that you?) keeps coming back to this land. Seems that I didn’t get it.
May 11, 2009 at 11:02 am
Liga, please read “About”, it clearly says that this site is maintained by Latvians. It is not always that you need to be a foreigner to be able to point at problems, errors, stupidity in Latvian society. And re: buses – all civilized countries have descriptions in English at central railway stations, airports etc, incl. public transport that serve these places, perhaps you should travel more to understand that Latvia is not a wonderland. And re:racism – Latvians are super tolerant and multi-culti oriented only before they meet black people or just any foreigner. Once they face other nationalities, they suddenly appear to be racist. Every year many tourists have to listen to racist comments in the streets.
May 23, 2009 at 10:10 pm
За такие посты надо награды давать, на полном серьезе!
May 24, 2009 at 9:29 am
Why do you russian monkeys have always to type and speak in russian?! Leran english idiots!
May 27, 2009 at 5:15 pm
You stupid fuckface! the guy that wrote in russian said that this blog needs a medal and that its good! but you are too fucking idiotic to even try to translate! and now you fucks won’t even get a pittyfuck here in Latvia! you fucking idiotas! your stupid blog is an international scandal now and it’s all over national tv! so now you guys are FUCKED!!! becouse next time i see a tourist – I’LL BRAKE HIS FUCKING FACE! don’t you ever fucking dear to come to our country! you shit eaters! if you disagree – gime a call! my number is +371 20073572!
Come to my country to speak shit about it and have your face broken!
May 30, 2009 at 10:08 am
I live in Latvia, I’ll give you a call so you can take a deep breath and SUCK my balls like the little faggot bitch you are.
I just said that sicne this blog is in english, everybody should speak english.
Plus it is GOOD that some latvians -like the author of this blog- try to point out the things that do NOT work in Latvia, instead of just ignoring them and PRETEND that everything is ok like everybody else does. Not every latvian is a cocksucker motherfucker queer like you dj_foxxof_diclover.
May 29, 2009 at 8:44 am
Why don’t you STFU, you idiot?
May 25, 2009 at 12:51 pm
i’ve been in Riga! love it!
May 27, 2009 at 6:04 pm
i’m latvian and i know that Latvia is ot a perfect country…none of the countries are perfect but anyways – about the bus 22 or the taxi – latvians are treated just the same as tourists – the fact that i would have to pay for the luggage i found out here so i would also have to pay the fine – and taxis are getting deerer and deerer every day – prices that are published on the internet or tourist guides are very misleading – taxi drivers ask much more now than they did before (and with much more i mean…A LOT more)
I find this site very interesting just to find out some different opinions, however it’s sad that such agressive articles are being written here.
May 27, 2009 at 6:38 pm
The creator of this site isn’t anything but a completely racist. Is any other reason for such a hatred? Actually You are sick person and I’m extremely sorry for You.
May 27, 2009 at 7:06 pm
About those controllers…they are only 3 of them not 5 or 10
Maybe sometimes just try to ask somebody in airport…we latvians are really helpful by the way! :p
Good luck!
May 28, 2009 at 7:17 am
Why do you write thease things??
Well I’m a Latvian and I agree to this, but it’s not always like that.
Do you actualy think were the only country that rips off people??? No. There are many countries doing that, well we do it in public transport, so what? In other countres they do it in a bar or a restoraunt, or a hotel, only because foreigners don’t know the real prices for things or they just get fucked.
And do you realy are that dumb that you think that Latvia is the only country were you can find girls for money. There loads of thoase countries!
And, yea, why do we have to write things in english…if you come to this countrie before leaving yours know it a bit so you don’t get in trobles like thease. If you come to Latvia you have to know that we dont’t rip off people in publick places like bars and restoraunts and so on. And that almoast everything will be writen in Latvian, exept hotels, gides, bars and so on!
May 28, 2009 at 12:43 pm
Latvia rulzzzzzzzzzzzzz !!!!!!!!
Nu ble jūs dauņi ko jūs te diršat Latviju,Ja gribat sexx ejiet uz Amsterdamu,nevis Latviju
,un kā jūs varat izveidot tādu saitu ,kauns par jums!!!!!!!!!
fuckinglatvia this site is fucking **** , **** ,***** ,******
May 28, 2009 at 1:05 pm
About luggage – Just because you don’t know the rules doesn’t mean that you don’t have to follow them!
And if Latvia is so bad, then WHY THE F*CK ARE YOU GOING THERE ???
I think world alredy have enough retards like you!!!!
May 28, 2009 at 1:38 pm
A lot in this post is bs. I live in Latvia/Riga all my life and never seen 5-10 controlers come in. In Latvia, we use e-card system and you should get some info about Latvia before traviling in Riga/Latvia. Don’t blame socity because your so ignorant and stupid to not even find out stuff about place you visit. It is your responsibility not controlers to buy a ticket or e-card.
For the less intelectual persons.
You eaither buy e-card or a ticket. If you do it your fine if you don’t you pay 5 LS to controlers.
I do not understand what the hell is this post about because Latvia is by far not the only country using the SAME system.
Keep on hating Lativa. ^-^
Andrew~
May 28, 2009 at 3:29 pm
Gringo: +1
Tu dumjais latvieti, kurš šo saitu taisa, kā tev pašam nav kauna? Ja nepatīk – brauc prom.
May 30, 2009 at 10:13 am
eji dirst pimpis
May 30, 2009 at 12:06 pm
Piedod! Sorry I did NOT mean to say it to you but to Dj_FoxxoF_dicklover
May 28, 2009 at 4:33 pm
Jezus, agin with you russian people complaining… I mean – you live here!!! Please – if latvias so ”fucking” leave! That would be a dream come true. But no, you just live here and swing you faggot flags. go back to Chernobil you morron!!!
May 30, 2009 at 10:15 am
Chernobyl is in Ukraine not in Russia you dipshit!
May 28, 2009 at 4:58 pm
I go to work by bus number 22 and I can assure that there is not 5 to 10 controllers. Usually there are maximum 3 of them. And latvians aren’t that bad. There really was a time when a controller asked to pay penalty fee for baggage to a tourist not speaking latvian. But other passengers demanded to controller to let the tourist just buy the ticket for his baggage.
May 28, 2009 at 5:28 pm
You always talk about that in Latvia is very cheap girls and that everything is so expensive and horrible….But you are making a big mistake if you think that is Latvia….
I’ve heard that in Riga are those girls and stupid taxi drivers and others,but that’s NOT all LATVIA!!!
there is also other citys
I don’t live in riga,but I live in Latvia where Riga is just the capital city…..
so please,don’t say that you have been in latvia…
Latvia is beautiful contry with friendly people…
I live in Cesis and we have also people from Ireland,Slovakia,England
It’s not our problem,that other men from other contrys wants our cheap girls
May 28, 2009 at 5:37 pm
Fuck you all !Why you all shit Latvian flag?
motherfuckers come to me and I show you how yor mothers suck my dick stupid Americans..!
May 28, 2009 at 9:08 pm
I think you visit Latvia only to have sex because you are so ugly and stupid that girls in your country can’t stand you.
It’s pity.
But true.
Only not really intelligent people do staff like you do. Make fun of other countries, you think you are so cool, living in high-developed counties, but look at yourself you have done nothing in your life.
It is just miserable.
We know that we are not perfect.
Tell from which country you are and I could talk shit about your country all day.
May 29, 2009 at 6:19 am
what a funny website..! I read somewhere in this site that latvians have no sense of humor.. Come on tourists! Latvians are JUST joking about getting more money from tourists.. NOTHING SPECIAL
! ok ok im just kidding.. situation might be a bit messed up, especially if you wanna go somewhere out of Riga, even i cant find places cause road signs are useless (if there actually ARE road signs).
But anyways.. Latvia is a nice just like other places.. its simple – if you dont like here, dont come… or make good friends, who’ll help you to visit places that are worth to see
May 29, 2009 at 9:21 am
Seriously. The guy who wrote this is retarded. Cmon, I do know english, and i can read, write and speak english. But if you really come to Latvia for sex, and you say it’s cheap here, then cmon, pay some extra – taxis, luggage, everything else
Good luck in your life if you did not understand what I meant, i’m really shocked how retarded people are nowadays.
May 29, 2009 at 9:22 am
BY THE WAY – abusing foreigners(while they’re same skin color as you) is NOT racism. Please go to school, retard.
May 29, 2009 at 5:39 pm
Welll…what can I say….either the person who wrote this is russian or nwe here in Latvija have another nutty asshole on our hands…oh, joy….
…by the way, my advice – read some more literature about Latvia’s history and go see a psychiatrist….really soon!
May 29, 2009 at 7:36 pm
By the way…on the bus stop there is big sign and there is all information…about luggage too
Open Your eyes and you will see it 
lol
May 30, 2009 at 6:21 am
Kāpēc vajag nomelnot Latviju ?! . Tautieti – Tu šajā valstī esi dzimis – šādi pazemojot savu valsti Tu pazemo pats sevi !!! . Kretinē tādi cilvēki kā Tu !! . Izdzimtenis ! .
May 31, 2009 at 6:23 pm
THIS SITE FTW!!!
Im Latvian, and i like this web, cuz this site describers latvia in true words.
sorry haters, you all can stay in this shitty ass country, im leavin it!
TITS OR GTFO!!!
June 3, 2009 at 9:06 pm
author of this website is fucked in the head!
More than once.
June 4, 2009 at 9:12 am
So will I! Respect!
June 27, 2009 at 1:10 pm
It’s actually funny that the most popular word in this blog is “fucking”. In my opinion Tallinn is more of a fucking asshole than Riga
want it or not, I think many of them will stay there, even when all Latvians will leave for Ireland 
I’m Russian-speaker who was born in Latvia, but since last year I’m living in Finland. My observations are:
1) I have never seen controllers on 22 bus, and it’s been ages ago when controllers actually stopped buses for check-up. Nowadays they check without stopping the bus. Actually in Helsinki you can often see 10 controllers checking tram, and penalty is not 5 LVL, but 80 EUR
2) on my last visit to Riga in June 2009 taxi from Sarkandaugava to airport costed me 7 LVL. So don’t be fucking dumbasses
3) they rip tourists off in all Baltic states, in Tallinn port I exchanged 10 EUR and got 100 EEK, while exchange rate is 15 EEK per 1 EUR… haha, fuck the Estonians
4)actually “e-talons” fucking sucks. When I visit Riga for weekend, I buy 3 days ticket, but I couldn’t even imagine that u have to validate it EVERY time u get onto bus or tram. So when controllers came, my ticket wasn’t valid, they didn’t allow me to validate it in their presence, so I had to pay penalty, even though I paid for a ticket and it was valid on that day. And what if bus is crowded? And of course payment only cash on sight, what if I don’t have cash with me? I think this is fucking stupid system, and I totally agree that in Latvia they screw up even good things, that why the whole place is pretty much of an asshole.
5) last and not the least, dear Latvians, reason of problem in Latvia are not Russians
June 29, 2009 at 10:32 am
Thanks for the post Suomi, it is cool to know these things
#5 made me laugh out loud!
July 15, 2009 at 5:41 pm
I’ve seen a tourist, who purchases 2 tickets at driver (obviously – one for using later). I was too late to stop him, all i could do – to explain that 2nd one now is useless, cause it won’t work in another bus. Driver was an old russian pal with no knowledge of english (and if we believe in stereotypes – might be without latvian too). But public transportation is just a small part of things that suck here in Latvia. ^^
P.s. ‘E-talons’ for the win! xD
July 18, 2009 at 9:27 pm
blah, blah. it’s the same in London, btw. you have to validate your 5-day Oyster Card every time you hop on the bus.
July 18, 2009 at 11:05 pm
Darling… In London you only need to validate Pay-as-you Oyster card on the bus if you use the bendy bus. Of course, if you use the double decker then you just can’t get in without passing the driver and then you obviously need to validate whatever card you have. But in Latvia there is another system which is more close to bendy bus – you can get in using any doors and noone is checking anything at that time. The thing is that this system sometimes fails, however the conductors are often dickheads and treat every passenger as a shit. The system needs improvement so it is easier for passenger. The second thing is that you cannot return the e-talon if you don’t have the receipt of purchase of that e-talon. It means that Rigas Satiksme earns a bit more money in a very unethical way. Imagine, in London that you go to return your Oyster card to get those 3 pounds back and they ask you for a receipt (you probably bought it ages ago)… no way!
July 15, 2009 at 5:30 pm
Ripping of tourists in Latvia is like pissing in pants if we compare us with Egypt – those guys are professionals.
July 17, 2009 at 9:48 pm
Yeah, every country rips off tourists, that’s pretty normal.
But just a few countries are so fucked up that actually rip off their own people… vai nee?
July 19, 2009 at 1:04 pm
Actually, as you board the bus at the airport, there is a huge placard in both English and Latvian at the timetable