Travel Information From Canada to Latvia

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Routine Vaccines

Make sure you are up-to-date on all routine vaccines before every trip. Some of these vaccines include

• Chickenpox (Varicella)
• Diphtheria-Tetanus-Pertussis
• Flu (Influenza)
• Measles-Mumps-Rubella (MMR)
• Polio
• Shingles

COVID-19

All eligible travelers should be up to date with their COVID-19 vaccines.

Hepatitis A

Recommended for unvaccinated travelers one year old or older going to Latvia.
Infants 6 to 11 months old should also be vaccinated against Hepatitis A. The dose does not count toward the routine 2-dose series.
Travelers allergic to a vaccine component or who are younger than 6 months should receive a single dose of immune globulin, which provides effective protection for up to 2 months depending on dosage given.
Unvaccinated travelers who are over 40 years old, immunocompromised, or have chronic medical conditions planning to depart to a risk area in less than 2 weeks should get the initial dose of vaccine and at the same appointment receive immune globulin.

Hepatitis B

Recommended for unvaccinated travelers of all ages to Latvia.

Measles

Infants 6 to 11 months old traveling internationally should get 1 dose of measles-mumps-rubella (MMR) vaccine before travel. This dose does not count as part of the routine childhood vaccination series.

Rabies

Latvia is free of dog rabies. However, rabies may still be present in wildlife species, particularly bats. CDC recommends rabies vaccination before travel only for people working directly with wildlife. These people may include veterinarians, animal handlers, field biologists, or laboratory workers working with specimens from mammalian species.

For travelers moving or traveling to TBE-endemic areas
TBE vaccine is recommended for persons who will have extensive exposure to ticks based on their planned outdoor activities and itinerary.
TBE vaccine may be considered for persons who might engage in outdoor activities in areas ticks are likely to be found.

You will need 3 months validity remaining on your passport from the date you intend to leave.

Local Phrases Language : Latvian

Local Phrases :

Greetings

Hello = Sveiki
Good morning = Labrīt
Good afternoon = Labdien
Goodbye = Uz redzēšanos
Nice to meet you = Prieks iepazīties

Conversational

How are you? = Kā tev iet?
I am good thank you = man iet labi, paldies
What’s your name? = Kā tevi sauc?
My name is … = Mani sauc …
Do you speak English? = Vai tu runā angliski?
I don’t speak … = es nerunāju…
How do you say… in … = Kā tu saki… iekš…
I don’t understand = es nesaprotu

Basics

Yes = Jā
No = Nē
Please = Lūdzu
Thank you = Paldies
You’re welcome = Nav par ko
Excuse me = Atvainojiet
Wait = Pagaidiet
Hurry up = Pasteidzies
Go away = Ej prom
Let’s go to = Dosimies uz
I want to go to … = ES gribu iet uz …
A little bit = Nedaudz
A lot = Daudz

Shopping & Eating Out

Restaurant = Restorāns
Do you have? … = Vai tev ir? …
Not too spicy = Ne pārāk pikanti
It was delicious = Tas bija ļoti garšīgi
The bill, please = Rēķinu, lūdzu
How much? = Cik daudz?
Very expensive = Ļoti dārgs
Can you reduce the price? = Vai varat samazināt cenu?
Please can I have a beer? = Lūdzu, vai varu iedzert alu?

Transportation & Directions

Taxi = Taksometrs
Car = Automašīna
Bus = Autobuss
Right = labā
Left = kreisā
Straight = Taisni
Stop here = Apstāties šeit

Places

Downtown = Centrs
Street = Iela
Hotel = Viesnīca
Museum = Muzejs
Mall = Mall
Market = Tirgus
Hospital = Slimnīca
Doctor = Ārsts
Police = Policija
Post office = Pasts
Bank = Banka

Time & Dates

What time is it? = Cik ir pulkstenis?
Today = Šodien
Tomorrow = rīt
The day after tomorrow = Diena pēc rītdienas
Yesterday = vakar
When? = Kad?

Emergencies

Where is the toilet? = Kur ir tualete?
Help me, please = Lūdzu palīdzi man
Call an ambulance = Izsauciet ātro palīdzību
I don’t feel goo = Es nejūtos traki

• Riga: +37167813945

Type C / Type F View Plug-Type

1,912,789

Riga

Riga, Latvia’s capital, is set on the Baltic Sea at the mouth of the River Daugava. It's considered a cultural center and is home to many museums and concert halls. The city is also known for its wooden buildings, art nouveau architecture and medieval Old Town. The pedestrian-only Old Town has many shops and restaurants and is home to busy Livu Square, with bars and nightclubs.

Customs Allowances : Click Here

pickpocketing

Tourists often make the easiest targets for would-be pick-pockets, especially during the busy summer months (June to September). Most thefts happen in Vecriga (Riga's Old Town), Dzelzcela Stacija (central train station), the Autoosta (central bus station) and Centraltirgus (central market). Those carrying backpacks make themselves more appealing to thieves and travelers who are not alert are easy targets.

Thieves may act alone, or work in groups to divert the attention.

Overpriced drinks and credit card scams

Overpriced drinks and credit card scams
While travelers have reported a scam in which they are charged exorbitant prices for drinks or had their credit cards skimmed, these reports have declined. Ask your accommodation to recommend trustworthy bars and clubs, and when using a card to pay, make sure the transaction happens in front of you and be wary of requests for you to re-enter your PIN number.

Further suggestions for avoiding scams while out include asking drink prices in advance, paying for each round individually (so you're not smacked with a huge bill in the end) and avoiding using the ATMs in bars whenever possible.

Check if cover charges are normal
Another scam is for bars and clubs to charge a cover to foreigners only upon entry. Check with your hotel or hostel in advance, and always watch locals as they enter to know if your money is required.

Some establishments that are considered shady for the above scams are Kapsula, Babylon and Sonali Pub to name a few. Clubs on Kalku iela and near the Freedom Monument have been pointed out as potential problem areas as well.

Avoid becoming a stag-party statistic
When doing an initial search for accommodation in Riga, you might find notes saying "no stag parties allowed". Riga is a popular place for groups of European men, especially British, for pre-wedding Buck's weekends out on the town, and as you can imagine, they get drunk and loud.

Besides being annoying to other travelers in the area, being in party mode puts you at risk of becoming a target for crime, and there have been reports of drunken tourists getting beaten up by locals.

Don't accept drinks from strangers
Although not widely discussed as a major problem in Latvia for travelers, there have been reports of travelers getting drugged at bars and then robbed. It doesn't matter where you are: You should always watch your drinks being made and never leave a drink unattended.

Car theft

Not only does Latvia have a high traffic accident rate, it also has a high car theft rate. If you're on a driving holiday, keep your doors locked and valuables out of sight when it is parked or unattended.

International Driving Permit 1949 is required

• The most common religion in Latvia is Lutheran
• Don't refer Latvians as Russians.
• Don't forget to greet elders and women first.
• Don't be surprised people are more reserved at the beginning - they warm up after time.
• Don't be surprised to hear Latvians singing after a meal.
• Don't show emotions or overly loud voices in public.
• Don't interrupt someone while speaking.
• Don't point with a single finger - use the whole hand instead.

Do I need travel insurance to travel to Latvia?

Travel insurance is very important when traveling overseas. We strongly recommend that you take out cover to travel to Latvia. You can usually take out single trip or annual multi-trip cover to give you peace of mind should anything happen.

It can be a better and cheaper option to take annual multi-trip cover as it usually covers any number of trips taken in one year with a maximum of up to around 60 days away per trip.

We work with the top names in the industry and have already pre-selected the easiest, cheapest and best quality travel insurance on the market to save you time and money trying to find the best cover.

Travel insurance typically covers the following; however, you can tailor a policy to suit your needs depending on where you are traveling to, your activities and how long you are away.

• Medical Expenses
  Medical treatment can be extremely costly and add up very quickly, and include Overnight stays in hospital, minor or major surgery, accident and emergency treatment, drugs, COVID-19 treatment, journey home if you cannot use the original ticket, dental treatment, and many more unexpected expenses.
• Baggage and personal belongings
  If your baggage is lost, stolen, damaged or delayed it is extremely frustrating. If you must buy new clothes, toiletry products or personal belongings it can be very expensive and time consuming.
• Cancellation
  Sometimes due to unforeseen circumstances you may need to cancel your trip. This could be due to several reasons such as illness, injury, a bereavement or many other scenarios. Usually airlines, tour operators and hotels have large cancellation fees, so buying travel insurance that covers this is recommended.

Health Care

Healthcare of Latvia is ranked 32th in the world. The Latvian health care system is characterised by tax-financed statutory health care provision, a purchaser–provider split and a mix of public and private providers.

Health Risk

Caused by bacteria of the genus Leptospira.

Less commonly, being around someone sick with hantavirus.

Caused from an infected and contagious person coughing, speaking, or singing.