Riga City Tour
Riga City Tour
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3.5
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idealisk
Orkelljunga, Sweden257 contributions
Jul 2014 • Couples
We took the city tour and it was ok, even if it wasn't what we expected. They advertise that there are three different tours included in the price, but it's the same tour. The bus goes through three parts of Riga. One good thing is that the ticket is valid for two days, so the first day we took the whole tour and decided where to get off. We bought the ticket from our hotel and the price is 15 Euros for an adult. You can listen to a guide in earphones in ten different languages. That is good.
Written July 26, 2014
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.
Andrew
York, UK3 contributions
We did this tour to get our bearings in the city. First point, be aware the 'hourly' tour only runs two hours out of three in winter. Check the times on the sign in the town hall Square before you base your plans around it (as we did ' grrr!)
Secondly, Riga isn't really big enough to justify this. You can walk to the furthest point of interest inside half an hour with no issues, so whilst the tour is a nice idea, it's a bit of a waste of money.
It's also worth saying that the English recording is pretty poor. The geordie actor they used has gone to no effort to try and correct the poor Latvian to English translation he was clearly presented with, and at a couple of points simply stopped talking when he had messed up his lines. I'm quite surprised he doesn't just say "oh sod it" at these points, as that's clearly what he's thinking.
Credit to the tour organisers for trying to put a 90 minute tour together, but I think it's fair to say there just isn't that much to say about Riga.
Secondly, Riga isn't really big enough to justify this. You can walk to the furthest point of interest inside half an hour with no issues, so whilst the tour is a nice idea, it's a bit of a waste of money.
It's also worth saying that the English recording is pretty poor. The geordie actor they used has gone to no effort to try and correct the poor Latvian to English translation he was clearly presented with, and at a couple of points simply stopped talking when he had messed up his lines. I'm quite surprised he doesn't just say "oh sod it" at these points, as that's clearly what he's thinking.
Credit to the tour organisers for trying to put a 90 minute tour together, but I think it's fair to say there just isn't that much to say about Riga.
Written February 15, 2014
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.
Denise S
Pleasanton, CA4 contributions
Oct 2013
I was hesitant to take this tour given the poor review. However, I have been on several other red bus tours in Europe so I figured I'd give it a chance. The cost is 10 Lats or $20 US for a 48 hour pass. The headset worked fine although the languages were on different channels from what is labeled. At one point the tour info was that it is hot in summer and cold in winter which amused me -- not a lot of info here. The sights are minimal. On a cold day it was a way to keep warm but still get out & do something. I did learn on the bus tour recorded info that there is a cafe on the 9th floor above the train station with a good view. This cafe is not well advertised & the elevator is hidden on the ground floor. It was a good piece of info I may not have otherwise heard. The bus times are not as regimented here as in other cities. It was advertised 3 different times in 3 web sites,10:15, 10:20, & 10:30 for the bus stop in front of the cathedral (katedrale) near the sky scraper Radisson Blu. It was there at 10:20 and did wait there a bit as I got on at 10:26. The bus stops close to the end of the street by the Radisson. I rode for an hour and made a plan to get off the bus at Stockmann (dept store) the next time around. Found a huge outdoor market behind the store. Note, the bus stops at the first/last point & you get off the bus & change to another. Also, not a big deal unless you have asthma, be prepared for a significant diesel/ exhaust smell on the bus for parts of the tour. The driver was friendly, the view from the second level is good. Overall, it was a fair value and a good day.
Written October 22, 2013
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.
Marion G
Andover, UK20 contributions
May 2016 • Couples
We were offered the red bus tour from our hotel. Did the whole circuit the first day which lasted one hour and did help us to become orientated. Waited for a bus at one of the stops at 2pm which never arrived. Went back to the starting point at 3pm to be told the service was ended for the day. The yellow bus was still operating!
Written May 14, 2016
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.
StijnBrussels
Brussels2 contributions
May 2013 • Couples
We tried the Red Bus city tour first thing in the morning. We were however quickly dissapointed.
The explanation we got through the headset always came too late, which makes you never be able to hop off, since the bus just passes all stops.
Then, the French and English soundtrack cut off in the middle of the tour.
Actually this is a waste of money. Since the city is not that big, it is better to do everything on foot.
The explanation we got through the headset always came too late, which makes you never be able to hop off, since the bus just passes all stops.
Then, the French and English soundtrack cut off in the middle of the tour.
Actually this is a waste of money. Since the city is not that big, it is better to do everything on foot.
Written May 20, 2013
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.
nick164
Sydney, Australia2,312 contributions
Jul 2018
I opted for Riga City Tour as the buses looked newer. Alas the company has clearly had them repainted but done little else. The ride was bumpy, and audio guide system past its best. They did not take card - only cash - onboard. Cost €20. They only run every 30-60 mins so I wouldn’t recommend hopping on & off too much.
Their information leaflet highlights a red, orange and blue line however in reality it’s one bus that does a 75 min loop that takes in all three lines and many of the main sights (but notably excludes the Motor Museum and TV Tower, which as they are isolated it would be good to have include).
Commentary was a bit weird (some of the grammar and pronunciations were off yet he spoke in a North of England accent, there was some repetition, the background music was monotonous). However they had tried to inject a bit of humour and also some interesting facts & history. Impressively the sync between commentary and your location was spot on. I enjoyed the Orange sector stops the most, given it was the part of town I hadn’t already explored on foot.
Note - There are three main hop-on/hop-off operators in Riga. There’s this one (listed as Riga City Tour), as well as Riga Sightseeing and Red Bus Hop on - Hop off (the later two indicate on their flyer you can use on either’s bus lines). Whilst this one is separate I was bizarrely given “Red Bus” headphones by the driver of Riga City Tour, which seemed to be the unrelated one.
Their information leaflet highlights a red, orange and blue line however in reality it’s one bus that does a 75 min loop that takes in all three lines and many of the main sights (but notably excludes the Motor Museum and TV Tower, which as they are isolated it would be good to have include).
Commentary was a bit weird (some of the grammar and pronunciations were off yet he spoke in a North of England accent, there was some repetition, the background music was monotonous). However they had tried to inject a bit of humour and also some interesting facts & history. Impressively the sync between commentary and your location was spot on. I enjoyed the Orange sector stops the most, given it was the part of town I hadn’t already explored on foot.
Note - There are three main hop-on/hop-off operators in Riga. There’s this one (listed as Riga City Tour), as well as Riga Sightseeing and Red Bus Hop on - Hop off (the later two indicate on their flyer you can use on either’s bus lines). Whilst this one is separate I was bizarrely given “Red Bus” headphones by the driver of Riga City Tour, which seemed to be the unrelated one.
Written July 29, 2018
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.
SJerni
Denver, CO26 contributions
Nov 2016 • Friends
I've generally been a big fan of City Tours, but this one is a complete scam. First, the bus never showed up at any of the given times (even after waiting 30 minutes and calling the company who told us the bus was on its way). Then, trying to find the bus locations was nearly impossible, as the signage does not exist at multiple stops. Finally, the times on the hotel brochures do not match the times on the limited signs. Since we never were able to get on a bus, we called the company regarding a refund, which was not given. Long story short, don't waste your time or money on this company.
Written November 24, 2016
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.
Eduardo S
Rio de Janeiro, Brazil64 contributions
Aug 2014 • Couples
Had to wait for more than 1 hour for the bus (red hopon hopoff buses). If you take one, my advice is "do not leave the bus", otherwise you will be waiting for a long time. Riga is a nice city, but very small; you can (and should) visit (at least the main attractions) on foot.
Written September 16, 2014
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.
roy45Golborne
Golborne205 contributions
Dec 2018
I have used this type of touring, in several cities, and found them most helpful in planning your visit. However, what fails in this instant is the poor route map. It did not show the stops very clearly and you had to rely on the excellent commentary (on headphones) for any information.
Written December 17, 2018
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.
conrad57
Ieper (Ypres), Belgium1,009 contributions
May 2018 • Couples
Must do: two days ticketing and half price for the canal tour. This bus is making a long tour in the broather city area: Jugendstil, art nouveau, Zeppelin and station area, parks, etc. Value for money because you learn about other sites than only the center. One ticket for two days touring ( bus is not driving on Sunday ! ). It is the way to learn more about the city and to hop off in the areas that you want to visit by walking. Good price, friendly drivers and correct staff. Because these hop on buses have always competition, be aware that you take the ticket for the RED BUS SIGHTSEEING and be aware this is not a line bus, could be that you have to wait some minutes before it arrives at the meeting points.
Written May 28, 2018
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.
Leigh B
Sheffield1 contribution
Why doesn't it run to the timetable issued?
J9G_NC
Raleigh, NC13 contributions
Based on our experience during the Riga City Tour we decided not to get off the bus at any of the stops. There were upset ticket holders standing at more than one of the stops who voiced they had been waiting too long.
nadysha58
St. Petersburg, Russia301 contributions
Здравствуйте! Меня интересует экскурсия по Даугаве на закате. Я нашла информацию, что она начинается в 20-00 и длится 2,5 часа. Можно узнать об этой экскурсии поподробнее. Есть ли на ней экскурсионное обслуживание?
Время начала экскурсии в сентябре не меняется? Ведь солнце садится раньше, чем летом.