In the future, there will be train connections in the Baltics. But as of 2024, there are only three ways to get between the capitals of Latvia and Lithuania: car, bus, or plane. Well, I suppose you could walk, but that's insane, really. 

When I visited the Baltics in December 2023, I opted to take the bus. 

I purchased my tickets online on the FlixBus website and they cost about $13. If you buy them far in advance, they can be as low as $9. Let's be real, either price isn't bad at all for a 4+ hour bus ride! 

Heading to the Riga Bus Station 

If you're coming from Riga city center, the Riga Bus Station is right behind the Central Market--a four arched-roof complex that was originally used as German Zeppelin hangars and is now filled with vendors selling all kinds of locale foods and wares. 

I stopped in at this market to pick up some snacks before my 4+ hour bus ride, and I highly recommend that. There are great options from the vendors (especially if you want some raw fish, jk!), but I personally just hopped into the supermarket that's right there in the buildings and picked up some bagel crackers and a yogurt protein drink. 

Inside the Bus Terminal 

The bus terminal, you'll find a small cafe serving primarily take-away sandwiches. There's also, obviously, ticket windows (which are helpful to ask for information if you're unsure), restrooms, and a large board detailing the specific locations of the busses and their directions. 

My ticket had told me which spot my bus would be located in, but I checked the board just in case. Everything checked out. I was a little early and my bus was set to arrive late, so I found a spot inside the terminal to sit and relax while I waited. 

One thing to keep in mind, just because your bus is supposed to be late, doesn't mean it will for sure be late. Keep an eye on the actual stop where your bus is supposed to arrive to make sure it doesn't show up while you're just hanging out inside the station. I'm speaking from personal experience here. My bus actually came as scheduled and was set to leave on time instead of late. If I had just stayed inside the station, I would have missed the bus completely. 

Assigned Seats are the Real Deal 

I suppose your bus could be fairly empty, but I'm also guessing that's probably not going to be the case. Your seat assignment is for real. Believe me. When I first got on the bus, I looked for my spot: 1A. The guy in 1B had is stuff all over my seat and there was hardly any room in this spot anyway. So, I just said I would sit somewhere else unless someone had that seat. Let me tell you, I moved like 7 times before I finally had enough and just told the guy to move his stuff so I could sit in my assigned seat. The bus was completely full so this was the only option there was. Just save yourself the hassle and sit in your assigned seat. 

 A Pleasant Journey 

The journey to Vilnius was pleasant, really. Even though I didn't have much room in the seat I was in, it still wasn't too bad. I enjoyed watching the scenery and seeing what this part of the world looked like. I'm sure in summer its a sea of green, but on this winter day, everything was blanketed in a heavy layer of snow. 

We stopped once for a bathroom/food break. At least that's what I supposed it was. I got out of the bus and just walked around a little. I certainly didn't go very far because I didn't know when it was scheduled to leave again and didn't want to get stranded (with all my belongings on the bus!). That's when I took the picture below since I realized I did not take one at the Riga bus terminal.  

Vilnius Bus Terminal 

Keep in mind, that this bus does not just go from Riga to Vilnius and that's it. In fact, it starts out in Tallinn and goes all the way to Budapest, I believe! What a crazy journey. So, you must pay attention and get off at the Vilnius bus terminal. Note: There will be several bus stops in Vilnius before the terminal, so don't get off on those! They will be very minor bus stops. The Vilnius terminal is a major stop. 

Once I got off at the Vilnius Bus Terminal (as did the majority of the people on the bus), I collected my bag from underneath the bus and then headed on my way. I was going to the Christmas market and I googled ahead of time where that was at, and it didn't look like too bad of a walk, so I just took off on foot. 

The walk in the summer or in the daytime in the winter would have not been too bad. But at night in the winter, it was a little dicey, to be honest. I found that in many places in the former Soviet Union, they don't necessarily shovel their walks as you'll find more frequently in Western Europe (and the USA). So, I was having to walk along on tromped down snow that had started to freeze over in some places. See what I mean, dicey. I was also not wearing the best quality winter shoes, either. In other words, I did not have boots.

I seriously felt like I was going to slip and fall so many times that I consider it a miracle that I made it to my final destination without any major catastrophes. If the conditions are such that I'm describing and you have a ways to walk, I would seriously recommend looking into an Uber (cheap!) or figuring out the public transportation within the city. I ended up taking an Uber to the airport and it was a great experience: fast and only $7.00! The ride from the bus terminal to the center of Vilnius would have been hardly anything at that rate! 

Overall Experience? 

My overall experience on the Riga to Vilnius bus was straightforward and easy. I would totally do it again without any hesitation. The price was right. It was a comfortable ride. And it felt safe and chill. I imagine the experience is just the same going between Riga and Tallinn, Estonia, too. 

If you need to get between these two Baltic capital cities, I highly recommend going by bus!