I live in Moscow and regularly travel to Latvia for own car. Optimal weather conditions for the trip: early autumn or late spring. At the height of summer, there are many animals on the roads: in Russia - domestic, in Latvia - wild. In winter, it gets dark very early, and our part of the route is not lit and not cleared. In Latvia, they clean only if there is no prolonged snowfall, there is also no lighting between settlements.
I consider Novorizhskoye highway to be the best direction, although some people travel along Minskskoye through Belarus. If we talk about Novorizhka, then there are practically no cities. On the other hand, beyond Volokolamsk (where there is still a smell from Yadrovo, so be sure to close all the windows, and in no case stop for gas), a two-lane road begins, so here you have to overtake trucks. Or choose those days when their minimum number. In my experience, don't go on Friday or Monday, the best days are Tuesday, Thursday and the weekend, but not Sunday evening.
As for the quality of the road surface, here, unfortunately, it does not happen once in a while. From our side, there may be repairs at any time of the year, and without warning, the asphalt may end (!). In Latvia, repairs are carried out according to plan and only after the snow melts. However, repairs are being carried out overhaul, so you need to be prepared for traffic lights and serious traffic jams. Now there is a repair on the main highway through Latgale near Ludza (Burachki-Terekhova border), so you need to either leave very early in the morning, or book an overnight stay at the Sebezh boarding house or at the Golden Fox motel between Ludza and Rezekne in advance. I lived in a motel and I highly recommend it. A double room per night will cost 29 euros.
Crossing the border takes from half an hour to several hours. I assume that during the 2018 World Cup, many people will want to come to Russia by car, so I advise you to use the Estonian border near Pskov: there is an electronic queue, and you can book the desired time in advance. According to the documents: passport, driver's license, registration certificate, green card (can be issued at any insurance company) and a diagnostic card for cars older than three years. When crossing the border, a questionnaire is filled out, where you must indicate the number of imported cigarettes (no more than 40 pcs), alcohol (1 liter of strong per person) and gasoline (in a tank plus a maximum of 1 canister of 10 liters).
Car rental and tourist routes within the country
If you arrive in Latvia by plane and want to rent a car, then I advise you to use the major operators: SIXT and Europcar. You can choose and book a car on the website, there are representative offices at the Riga airport, payment is on the spot, you pick up the car at the parking lot five minutes walk from the airport building. The cost will depend on your age, type of car, gearbox and other conditions, but offhand mechanics SIXT now offers from 2465 rubles per day, and Europcar - from 2270 rubles per day.
Now about routes. If you are driving from Russia via Ludza, then you should start from Daugavpils, where the 19th century fortress is located.
If you are driving through Pskov, then head straight to Cēsis, where there is a beautiful castle, an international level conservatory with a concert hall, a national park and much more.
If your starting point is Riga, then start from Jurmala (entrance and parking costs 2 euros) or go to the Rundale Palace near Bauska.
Route along the sea: Saulkrasti - Tuya - Salacgriva - Pärnu (Estonia). In addition to excellent beaches (both public and wild), you can visit the Munchausen Museum and walk along the forest paths to the sea, as well as spend a couple of days in an Estonian resort.
Rules
Speed in cities - 50 km / h. On the roads - 90 km / h, on the highways - 110 km / h. Parking in Riga is paid. Speed cameras are installed on all major highways, which are not always warned about.
Gathered for a trip. Bought a car and decided to run-in over long distances. Romantic trip to Latvia.
If you have these thoughts, then this is perfect for you. car trip to Riga.
Riga is the capital of Latvia, which is the largest city in the Baltics. The population of Riga is approximately 700,000 people. In 1921, after the signing of the Soviet-Polish peace treaty, a "golden age" began for the development of the city. However, the Latvian society was never formed, and the population continued to be divided into Russian, German, Jewish and Latvian communities.
Then, in 1990, the Latvian parliament nevertheless declared its independence from Soviet Union. Riga again became the capital of the sovereign state of Latvia.
Riga welcomes tourists with some inexplicable warmth, cozy streets, kind smiles, Russian speech and the attractive architecture of the old city.
Old city- This is the historical center of Riga, which is located on the right bank of the Daugava. It retained the features of the fortress structure, the curves of structures and ramparts of defense. The city canal separates the old city from the new one, and the demolition of the city wall opens up views of the squares and parks.
In the center of the old city, evening life is seething. Music is flowing from many cozy cafes with gentle lighting, courteous waiters bring delicious dishes and drinks, cycle rickshaws are ready to travel through architectural monuments. Everywhere laughter, music, lights in the eyes and from the candles on the cafe tables.
The center of the Old Town is the Town Hall Square, which is famous for its Town Hall and the House of the Blackheads. There is a statue of Roland on the square.
So, to see and feel all this romance and beauty, you need to drive 950 km along highway M9 - Moscow (Russia) - Riga (Latvia). The road to the Republic of Latvia is quite good. There are several sites closer to the Tver region, which are constantly being renovated. There, about an hour is lost on dismantled sections, passage with the participation of traffic lights, ceilings and pits. The road to these sections can be called "without major flaws."
Our journey has begun Friday at 5 am Moscow time. Such an early departure is explained by the desire not to get into traffic jams when leaving Moscow. And we succeeded. We quickly jumped out on the Moscow Ring Road, in about 40 minutes, and rushed off!
Approximately at 13 o'clock we got to the border. The first thing that caught my eye was an endless string of trucks and fur. Fortunately Cars drive in a separate lane. There was a queue of about 5-6 cars in front of us. However, she moved very slowly. The officers at the border were doing anything but cars patiently waiting for their turn.
We finally, after about 30 minutes, approached the long-awaited window for checking documents. We were given an import declaration form that we had to fill out. What for? We don't import anything, we have a romantic trip. Well, we only had to fill in our data and the data of the car, and in all the other columns relating to imported goods, they put a dash. Is this document required? From the romantic mood, only notes of calmness remained.
Hooray, after 1 hour there was one car left in front of us. The ignition is on, the foot reaches for the gas pedal, our turn for inspection comes up. But it was not there!
We don’t know what was wrong with the car and the driver in front of us, but for another 30 minutes the border officers walked back and forth, chatted with each other, approached the car, left, returned again and so for 40 minutes. Finally, our predecessor moved from its place, and we took the honorary pedestal of verification.
We were lucky, they let us through pretty quickly, after checking the documents for the car, passports. The car itself was examined inside, in the trunk, the hood was lifted.
Not even 2 hours have passed since we "creeped" the border!!! The long-awaited romantic Riga is only 300 km away.
Riga really met us with kindness, warmth and comfort. Two romantic days flew by with live music in a cafe; with walks through the narrow streets of the Old Town; with delicious homemade food at the Lido mill; with an acquaintance with architecture and simply with a pleasant fresh Latvian air.
There was a road home. We immediately remembered the procedure for crossing the border, we winced, but what other options!?
We went to Moscow at 5 am local time. By 9 o'clock we were already at the border. We thought that in the morning we would pass it quickly, without delays and overlays.
When we arrived at our border, all the corridors were lined with 5-7 cars with Latvian numbers. One corridor "for Russian citizens" was blocked. We did not begin to find out why, and parked to all the waiting lists. We were approached by a border guard who sent our car to the same blocked lane. He proudly pushed back something like a barrier, and left us to wait.
The document checkpoint in our lane was empty. Moreover, right in front of our noses, a border guard came out and left. I had to go to the general queue at the point of the other lane. An oversight, but a fact.
They checked passports, documents for the car, and the car itself everywhere, and gave the green light for the passage, which until the next overlap was literally a couple of meters. We stopped again. They suggested that if we had just undergone a thorough inspection, then the barrier would now be raised and the road to the house was free. But it was not there!
We are standing, the barrier does not move, the person at the checkpoint sits and does not blink an eye. Weird!?
We got out of the car and went to the house, where the customs officer was now sitting imposingly.
“Check again? We had just been thoroughly checked with a meter,” our nerves began to fail.
The customs officer brazenly asked: "Who checked you?"
“That checkpoint over there,” we answered in chorus and pointed to the border guard, who was in too accessible visibility.
"And who is he?" the inspector said. From his look, we realized that he did not expect an answer from us. They gave him documents for the car and passports. Checked and went to the car. We just couldn't believe our ears when he said: “Open all the doors of the car, the hood, the trunk, the glove compartment. What are we bringing? Where are we going from? ... ". A meter ago there were the same questions and the same screening!!! Now it is clear where all these strings of cars come from!
We were checked again, the barrier opened and we, tired, a little angry, “humiliated tourists”, rushed forward.
Oh my God, after 100 meters a barrier grew in front of us again, a “booth with a big aunt”, a traffic light with a red light. I wanted to "howl". They got out of the car again, went to the window, checked our documents again, asked questions, and only then, after a total of 2 hours, they let him go on the road “home”.
Why do border workers allow themselves to treat tourists so humiliatingly? It feels like they have arranged a competition among themselves: "Who will let the next car through more slowly."
Documents at checkpoints are slowly checked by a border guard or customs officer, both from the Russian side and from the Latvian side, imposingly sitting on an armchair, at the same time discussing his personal life with another employee, barely turning the page of the inspector's passport. The queue of cars is created artificially. It seemed that this was a deliberate accumulation of cars, for the kind of laborious work of border control.
It's a shame! Annoying! Where is the order? Why is it allowed to mock people like that?
Always with you, Catherine La Grande!
The chimes struck midnight. Dried flasks. Empty plates of Olivier and red caviar. Fireworks went off. New Year's Eve is celebrated ... But what about the other eight days of mass celebrations? As an option - go to Latvia by car. Walk around old Riga, taste delicious mulled wine at Christmas markets, wander through medieval castles covered with snow and empty of tourists. So we did.
For a trip to Latvia, we allocated 40,000 rubles from the budget and four days, two of which were devoted to the road, two to the sights. True, I had to prepare for the trip in advance: book a hotel room in Riga, but most importantly, get a Schengen visa. Doing it yourself is not difficult at all. Collect a package of documents and forward to the visa center of the Republic of Latvia, where you can visit on any working day without an appointment and apply for a visa in a first-come, first-served manner.
Click the map for a detailed route
WHAT'S ON THE DOCUMENTS?
With you to the visa application center, you must bring a completed and signed visa application form, a foreign passport, an ordinary passport with copies of the main pages, a visa photo, a bank statement or sponsorship letter, a medical insurance policy, a hotel reservation confirmation and, as we are talking about traveling by car, documents for the car. These are copies of the driver's license, registration certificate vehicle and the Green Card. As well as a power of attorney if the car does not belong to you. Without these documents, an application for a visa will not even be accepted. The consular fee for a visa is 35 euros, plus you will also have to pay for the services of the visa center at the rate of 20 euros for one passport.
DOCUMENTS AT THE BORDER
At the border, of course, you will need a passport with an open Schengen visa, a vehicle registration certificate, a Green Card, a power of attorney, and if your car is older than three years, then you must have a diagnostic card with you. Without it, the car will not be allowed into the territory of Latvia.
ROAD
At 5:30 in the morning we threw our things in Volkswagen Golf and, while Moscow was sleeping in a strong festive sleep, we left in the direction of Riga. Alas, they slept that early morning on January 2 and road services, so the Moscow Ring Road and Novorizhskoe highway were thoroughly covered with snow.
Almost all highways good condition, only the last 50 kilometers to the border absorbed all the traditional jokes about roads in Russia. Thoroughly annoyed by the brown mass of snow, reagents and sand, which stuck to the body and glass of the Golf in a thick layer, and, of course, stones and dirt flying from under the wheels of cars. In Latvia, although there are roads of medium quality, they are usually clean.
Throughout almost the entire Moscow region, the speed limit is 110 km / h, then 90 km / h, but there are short stretches with a limit of 70 km / h. In Latvia, the speed limit in cities is 50 km/h, on country roads 70 and 90 km/h. Signs are common.
The shortest way to Riga runs through the customs post MAPP "Burachki" - 600 km along the Novorizhskoye highway through the Moscow, Tver and Pskov regions, and then a little more than 300 km from the border to Riga itself. However, it is not a fact that this route will be the fastest. Even on a snowy road with stops for coffee and a gas station, we arrived at the border by 13:00, and there were only fifteen cars in front of us. But we entered the territory of Latvia only four hours later. And this is not a record. It happens that at the border they lose even 7-8 hours. This can be partly explained by the slowness of the employees, partly by poorly organized checkpoints. I can definitely say: the sooner you reach the border, the less time you will spend on its passage. For example, on the way back we passed it in 40 minutes: at 10 am Moscow time there were no cars in either direction.
There is another way - through the Shumilkino checkpoint on the Russian-Estonian border. According to reviews, it is almost always free there, and only about 60 km will be added to the total length of the route from Moscow to Riga. But no one will give any guarantees that you will not lose a lot of time there either. Most importantly, remember that if you are going to Riga through Estonia in someone else's car, Estonia must also be indicated in the power of attorney.
PARKING, GASOLINE AND GOLF
When choosing a hotel in Riga, do not forget to pay attention to the availability of parking. The closer to the center, the less chance of free hotel parking, and prices for municipal parking range from 1.5 to 4.5 euros per hour. We stayed in Riga at the Kolonna Hotel Brigita in the Zemgale suburb: hearty breakfasts, free municipal parking, an excellent restaurant "Ilkrorogs" in two minutes walk and 10 minutes to Old Riga by bus or trolleybus. By the way, a ticket for two trips can be bought at a supermarket or kiosk for 2.4 euros.
Gasoline prices in Latvia are about twice as high as in Russia - 1.2 euros per liter of the 95th. Diesel is a couple of tens of cents cheaper. So it would be appropriate to fill full tank still in Russia. In addition, you can bring up to 10 liters of fuel in a canister with you to the territory of Latvia. So we did, stopping at the last on the territory Russian gas station in front of the border - TNK, on the left hand, a few kilometers from the checkpoint.
And here I want to pay tribute to our Volkswagen Golf with a 125-horsepower 1.4 TFSI turbo engine and a 7-speed DSG, which, surprisingly, not only coped with overtaking on the highway without any problems, confidently walked at a speed of 110 km / h along a dirty highway, but also consuming fuel like sipping a cocktail in a straw bar bought with the last of his money. Having entered Latvia with 60 liters of 95 in the tank of the car and the canister, the next time we refueled in Russia at the same gas station three days later or a little over 800 km. In terms of average consumption, 7.5 liters are obtained. The total average fuel consumption for the entire trip was 6.5 liters per 100 km.
He also has comfortable for a long journey, moderately tight heated seats, heated washer nozzles windshield, many niches and compartments for small items, roomy trunk, complete spare wheel in the underground, powerful LED optics and good review. The rear view camera is not afraid of dirt, as it hides behind the emblem on the tailgate. Among the shortcomings that appeared during the trip, I can only single out the presence in the cabin of only one USB port and one 12 V socket, as well as poor sound insulation of the wheel arches.
And, importantly, the Golf is back on Russian market after some absence with an acceptable price tag. With all the equipment, including a large touchscreen multimedia system or an R-Line sports body kit, the price of the test car is 1,569,900 rubles.
WHAT TO SEE?
We spent one full day in Old Riga. It is like an open-air museum, where castles, churches, cathedrals of different centuries and houses of merchants are collected. Each has its own rich and interesting story. German crusaders, Swedes, and Russian monarchs left their significant mark here at different times. If you want not only to contemplate, but also to learn history, and the guide for various reasons is not suitable for you, there is good app for Izi travel smartphones, where you can both listen and read about sights.
Cable-stayed (formerly Gorky) bridge across the Daugava river.
There are a lot of authentic trams in Riga that you can't find in Moscow anymore.
The Anglican Church of the Holy Redeemer in Riga was built in the 19th century for a community of British sailors.
Be sure to walk along the narrow medieval streets, go to an organ concert in the Dome Cathedral, find out the secret of the house with black cats, walk through the fairs and stop by for lunch at a local restaurant. Prices in the restaurants of Old Riga are about one and a half times higher than in other areas of the Latvian capital. But the portions are big. On average, we got 35 euros for two for a couple of large portions of meat with a side dish, a couple of glasses of Riga balsam and a couple of glasses of local beer. By the way, I advise beer connoisseurs to visit the Miezis & Kompānija pub in Old Riga, where many varieties of craft beer from various Latvian brewers are presented.
At Christmas markets, meat is roasted or stewed right in front of you on an open fire. And what does not go into cooking is used as decoration.
But Latvia is not limited to Riga alone. Therefore, on the second day we again jumped into the Golf and went to the city of Sigulda, where two medieval castles are located at once - Sigulda and Turaida. In winter, in the absence of tourists, when snow flakes slowly fall on the dilapidated fortress walls and on the courtyard with the gallows, it is easier than ever to feel the atmosphere of those centuries. In addition, there is a large automobile museum in Riga with interesting expositions. And, of course, having arrived in Latvia, it is impossible not to visit the beaches of Jurmala, even if they are snowy.
Turaida Castle completely burned down in the 18th century. Restored since 1953
A fireplace and an old lamp upgraded to LED candles in Turaida Castle.
Sigulda Castle, built in the 13th century at an early stage of the conquest of the Baltic lands by the crusaders.
Our journey has come to an end, but there are still many places in Latvia worth returning for: Rundale Palace, Mezotne Palace, Daugavpils Fortress, national parks and much, much more.
Beach in Jurmala in winter.
Checkpoint on the Latvian border
But choosing other checkpoints that are considered the most "quiet", you should not expect that there will be no queue.
Once upon a time it doesn't have to
"Baltija", the M9 highway, through which the Latvian border passes, is a link between the Russian Federation and. This explains the reason for the high workload of the Burachki-Terekhovo checkpoint.
You can make sure that there are giant queues here by “admiring” the temporarily installed dry closets. Experienced travelers say that it is difficult to plan anything when approaching the Latvian border.
Sometimes the most "terrible" checkpoint can be passed in 40-60 minutes, and sometimes you can get stuck in Ubylinka or Ludonka for twelve hours.
But the latest checkpoints have an advantage over the rest. Cars with Russian license plates can be passed on a separate basis. Thus, the driver can save some time.
Why queues form
Russian and Latvian customs officials believe that the queues that appear at the border are provoked by the so-called shuttles that go to a neighboring state for inexpensive important goods.
Despite the introduction of new rules for crossing the Latvian border by car, which contribute to unloading the routes, the queues are not decreasing. The queue time depends both on whether you are going in the morning or in the evening, as well as on the day of the week. The queue grows significantly on Friday and holidays.
How to do
Having approached the border from Russia, you need to put a civil passport in a conspicuous place and. After crossing the barrier, the driver must decide which of the two corridors - Green or Red - he should choose. If there are no items that are subject to declaration, you can choose the first option with a clear conscience.
Map of the Russian-Latvian border
If you are not sure whether a particular product is subject to declaration, you need to follow only the Red Corridor. At those checkpoints where there are no customs corridors, it is advisable to ask officials for advice.
Upon arrival at the checkpoint, it is recommended to turn off the engine and allow customs officers to inspect the car. In order for this stage to end successfully, it is important to receive a diagnostic card in a timely manner. If the driver does not have this card in his hands, his car may not be allowed to pass. If the car is not registered for the one who is driving, he needs to have it on hand.
To a greater extent, this is necessary for presentation to Russian border guards. In the EU, a power of attorney is not required. final stage is going through passport control. The driver will be able to breathe freely after the mark on crossing the Latvian border will appear in the passport.
This is what a stamp about crossing the Latvian border looks like
The algorithm of actions on the reverse side has practically no differences. Additionally, the driver undertakes to declare goods that are subject to excise tax. This applies to alcoholic beverages, gasoline and cigarettes.
Travel itinerary from St. Petersburg to Latvia
In this case, the driver has the right to a small "vent". So, if you have a visa in your hands, in which Estonia is indicated as a "transit" country, then you can enter Latvia from this neighboring state. A place in line at the Estonian border can be reserved online.
This is very easy to do - just be a confident Google user. Thus, you can save a lot of time. Another good option is to travel through the Pechory. When approaching the final section of the route, you need to be prepared to pay. The price of the issue varies from 200 to 300 rubles. It is important to understand that this is illegal, but it allows the driver to significantly save his time.
Hello, friends!
I decided to write a separate article about crossing the Belarus-Latvia border by car, because there are certain nuances that you should know BEFORE traveling. As a bonus, I will tell you how we crossed the border at the Riga airport. There were no surprises either.
So, we traveled to Riga separately. My daughters and I flew on a plane, and my husband drove a car from Nizhny Novgorod. My husband was supposed to meet us and take us to the booked apartment. The situation with the border crossing was complicated by what we did, not the Latvian one. We were not going to France, we simply cherished the hope that the French would become generous and give a visa for at least a year. Fig you. Only for 6 months.
I was worried that at the Latvian border we would be asked uncomfortable questions and demand confirmation of all further movements. I needed to make sure.
In total, I prepared three sets of documents:
- Real. All our real hotel reservations, plane tickets and insurances;
- fake for husband. Free cancellation hotel reservations on the Riga - Paris route. The route was cut in such a way that we spent the maximum number of days in France. I also attached a real green card and documents for a car here.
- Fake for yourself. All the same hotel reservations with cancellation (Riga-Paris), copies of the car certificate, a copy of the green card.
Now I understand that this "headache" could have been avoided if we had applied for the Latvian Schengen. In reality, the probability of failure tends to zero, and there would definitely be less unnecessary gestures.
Documents for crossing the border Belarus - Latvia by car
For the sake of order, I will write a general list of documents:
- Green card (OSAGO for a trip to another country). I did not find an opportunity to purchase a green card online, so I bought insurance for 14 days at the office of the insurance company. The standard cost is 2450 rubles.
- Vehicle license (PTS is not required).
- Driver's license. We have ordinary Russian, not international standard.
- Diagnostic card (DK) on a car. This is the point that killed me. Why do Latvians need this document? Several times I read reports when auto travelers met hard at the border precisely because of the diagnostic card. We had to solve the problem on the spot. You can break through the DC using the unified EAISTO system on the website - https://www.eaisto.info.
- Medical insurance. She is asked at the border in 90% of cases. Easily bought online. I purchased medical insurance for the whole family through the site.
- Power of attorney for the car (if the owner does not cross the border with you). We needed a power of attorney for the first time. Immediately made a notary general.
- Hotel reservations (optional, but may be interested)
- Travel route (optional), but I made sure and made a route in the tablet in the format: date, city. I also had two routes. For myself and for the border guard.
- passport - of course
I must say right away that no powers of attorney for children if they cross the border with one of the parents are required.
Belarus-Latvia border crossing plan step by step
Everything is simple here. You drive up to the border, go nuts from the number of cars, join the tail and nervously smoke on the sidelines. Well, then just repeat the steps for other drivers.
Just kidding, of course, but the line is real. It was we who drove up to the border from Latvia and I was not too lazy to photograph a line of cars.
The husband crossed the border at the Grigorovshchina checkpoint. I think that other checkpoints work similarly. At the entry barrier, it turned out that he had not passed the electronic registration and the car was turned around. I had to return (about 300 meters). There was a pointer, but the husband did not pay attention to it.
After passing the ER, you need to wait for the opening of the barrier. Thus, the number of cars at the checkpoint is regulated. As a rule, at this stage they always look into the car, estimate how many people will cross the border and write down the number of the car.
The next stage is customs and passport control. The customs officer inspects the car, asks to open the doors and trunk. Then you need to go with a passport to a special booth. Belarusians are practically not interested in anything, except for a green card and a certificate for a car. The spouse was not even asked for a power of attorney.
After the completion of the border red tape, the Belarusians warned all drivers that the Latvians would have to wait until the cars were allowed in. Baltic friends promuryzhili line for about an hour and then still decided to give the green light. Launched only 5 cars. Latvian border guards work slowly, they are not in a hurry at all. We even decided to check the VIN number of the car, but with our KIA, this is not so easy to do. The number is located under the engine support, on the right side member. To see it, you need special mirrors and a flashlight. The customs officer stubbornly searched for him on the middle left pillar and under the mat on the passenger side. The husband, looking at all this, was modestly silent, feeling a sense of slight revenge for waiting. After puffing for a while, the officer decided to give up, and next to him his partner joked cheerfully on the topic: “Where are so many of you gathered for us? Vova built such a bridge to the Crimea for you!” On the Latvian border documents look already more attentively. They demanded to present a certificate, a green card, a diagnostic card and medical insurance.
Another point, you will need to fill out a customs declaration. It indicates the number of the car, the amount of gasoline, alcohol in liters and cigarettes by the piece, if any.
The total time for crossing the border is 3 hours.
In the opposite direction, we passed the border with the whole family, only this time near the town of Urbany, as we were on our way to the Braslav Lakes. Time spent about the same - 2.5 -3 hours. All passengers had to be presented to the border guard booth, even our one and a half year old Masha. Adults put their fingers to the apparatus, and they simply looked at Masha intently.
At the border control at the Riga airport
Separately, I will tell you how I crossed the border with my daughters at the Riga airport. The whole process took an awfully long time. I don’t know why the border guards were so picky, but almost every passenger was asked at least three questions:
- Purpose of visit
- Place of residence in Riga. It was necessary to indicate a specific address of residence.
- Date of departure from Latvia.
Many were not ready to give the exact address, rummaged through their pockets and bags in search of armor, called their relatives. At this time, the officers showed a reinforced concrete equanimity and were ready to wait forever.
Unfortunately, small children were not allowed to go without a queue. At the end of all this action, the kids whined, whined or simply roared. I knew about such a feature on the Latvian border and was ready to give the address, but the problem was that our AirBnb reservation did not have an apartment number, and the officer was hooked on this moment. I had to get out and lie that the apartment occupies the entire floor and does not have a number)).
What I want to say:
Having a Schengen visa does not guarantee entry into the country. The final decision is made by the border guard officer, after he is convinced of your intentions. Carefully prepare a package of documents, be ready to answer strange questions, keep calm and goodwill. I strongly do not recommend engaging in verbal battles with border guards.
Have a great trip!
