eSIM for Latvia

Viasimo's Latvia eSIM starts at $1.59 for 1 GB over 7 days, running on LMT and Tele2 with 5G where available. Plans last 1 to 180 days, arrive by email in minutes and install from your phone's settings, with no app.

Works everywhere in Latvia

Ādaži
Aizkraukle Municipality
Alūksne Municipality
Augšdaugava Municipality
Balvi Municipality
Bauska Municipality
Cēsis Municipality

Select your planIn stock

Duration

Quantity

Unlimited data · 3 Days$6.99

Unlimited data · 3 Days ×1

$6.99

Going to more than one country? See regional plans

Does my phone take an eSIM? Check now

Dial *#06# on your phone. If you see an EID number, your phone takes an eSIM. Most phones sold since 2019 do.

Not sure it works on your phone? Check compatibility

Network

Which networks does the Latvia eSIM use?

Host networks: LMT / Tele2

Your eSIM picks one automatically; you do not choose or switch between them.

Data: 1 GB – 50 GB or unlimited
Validity: 1–180 days
Speed: 4G LTE / 5G
Hotspot / tethering: Supported on most devices
Activation: Starts when you first connect in your destination
Speed management: Roughly 2-3 GB per day at full speed, sometimes less depending on the local carrier, then reduced
Top-ups: Add more data from your account, before the plan expires
Text messages (SMS): Data only: use an app for verification codes
Unused validity: 180 days before it must be installed

Setting up Buy, scan the QR code we email you, and switch on the travel line when you land. How it works

Choosing a plan

How much data do you need?

The allowances below are our sizing recommendations, not measurements. The plan beside each one is the cheapest option on this page that covers it.

Recommended data allowances matched to the plans sold for this destination
You are	Plan for	Cheapest plan that covers it
LightMaps, messaging and the occasional lookup	About 1 GB a week	$1.591 GB, 7 days
TypicalMaps, social, photos and some browsing	About 3 to 7 GB a week	$4.595 GB, 30 days
HeavyVideo streaming, video calls and uploads	10 GB a week or more	$8.0010 GB, 30 days
Working or sharingTethering a laptop, calls and cloud sync	20 GB a week or more	$13.99Unlimited, 7 days

Work it out from your own habits

What a week abroad costs

eSIM, local SIM or roaming?

Charged per day

Your carrier roaming

Queue and plastic

A SIM at the airport

$1.59

Viasimo, one bundle

Only the Viasimo figure is a price: it comes from today’s live catalog. The other two rows are directional, not quoted rates.

About this eSIM

Latvia is a small, well-wired country where the network is not going to be your problem. The capital is dense and modern, and even the smaller towns get a decent connection. The interesting part for a traveller is the shape of the rest of the country: enormous stretches of pine forest and peat bog, a long empty Baltic coastline, and a rural east where towns sit a long way apart. An eSIM sorted before departure means you walk out of the terminal already online, which is all most trips here need.

Getting online when you land

Riga's airport sits a short ride from the centre and has good coverage, so the sequence is simple. Install the profile at home on wifi, leave it inactive, then enable it once you have landed. It should register while you are still walking to baggage reclaim.

Make it your data line and keep your home SIM active for voice only, so your usual number still takes calls without generating any data charges. If the phone sits without service for more than a few minutes, toggle airplane mode; a manual network selection in your carrier settings will sort out the rare case where it does not pick one on its own. Arriving by bus or train from Estonia or Lithuania works the same way, though expect a short gap around the crossing before the phone settles onto a Latvian network.

The networks you'll be on

Two operators carry traffic here: LMT and Tele2, both running 4G LTE and 5G where it has been rolled out. That is a healthy amount of infrastructure for a country this size, and in practice you spend your time on LTE or 5G almost everywhere you would want to be.

Speeds in Riga are high enough to work from a cafe without thinking about it, and tethering a laptop is a perfectly reasonable plan. Out in the countryside the phone will settle on LTE, which is entirely sufficient; you are unlikely to see 3G unless you are somewhere genuinely remote.

Where coverage holds, and where it thins

Riga is comprehensively covered, from the Old Town and the Art Nouveau streets to the market halls and the suburbs across the Daugava. Jurmala, Sigulda, Cesis, Liepaja, Ventspils, Daugavpils, Valmiera and Rezekne are all reliable, as are the main highways connecting them and the commuter rail lines out of the capital.

Where it genuinely weakens is in the wild parts, and Latvia has more of those than its size suggests. The Kemeri bog boardwalks, the deeper trails in Gauja National Park, the forest tracks around Slitere and the run out to Cape Kolka, and the long quiet coastal stretch north of Ventspils can all drop to a bar or none. The rural east toward the Russian and Belarusian border is thinner than the rest of the country, and near a frontier your phone may try to register on a network across the line, which is worth watching if you are driving out that way.

Thick forest attenuates signal more than people expect. If you are cycling or walking a forest route and lose service, keep going; it usually returns within a kilometre or two.

What you'll actually use data for here

Public transport, mostly. Riga runs on trams, trolleybuses and buses, with app-based scooters and ride-hailing filling the gaps, and all of it is easier with a live connection. Train times out to Jurmala or Sigulda are quick to check on a phone and awkward to guess.

Otherwise it is the usual travel pattern with a local flavour: navigating an Old Town where the street names are long and unfamiliar, translating a menu, checking whether a manor house or castle keeps reduced winter hours, booking a sauna or a cabin, and pulling up which of the wooden Art Nouveau buildings you are standing in front of. Card payments are near universal, so you rarely need your phone as a wallet, but you will want it for tickets.

Before you fly

Install and label the eSIM at home and check your handset is carrier unlocked. Download offline maps if you plan on forest walks or a coastal road trip, since those are the places where a live map will let you down.

Pack for the season. In winter the days are very short and the cold will knock a chunk off your battery life, so a power bank matters more here in January than it does in July. Screenshot your accommodation address and any booking references.

Last, check on arrival that your data really is running through the eSIM and not your home line. It takes seconds and it is the difference between a clean trip and a surprise on your next bill.

Unlimited runs at full speed up to a fair-use limit, then continues slower.

Before you buy

Important to know

This is a data-only eSIM. It carries no calls or SMS on its own number.
Your existing number stays on your primary SIM, so calls and verification texts keep working.
Your phone must support eSIM, and some carrier-locked phones cannot install one.
Signal varies with location, terrain, congestion and your handset. Dense urban areas are consistently better served than remote ones.
5G only works where the host network has deployed it and your phone supports it. Everywhere else it falls back to 4G LTE.
The eSIM selects a host network automatically. You cannot pick or switch between them.
Unlimited plans run at full speed up to a fair-use limit, then continue at a reduced speed. Read the fair usage policy

Looking for more information?

Frequently asked questions

Does an eSIM work in Latvia?

Yes. Your Latvia eSIM connects automatically the moment you arrive, with no roaming fees and nothing to set up at the airport. The host networks it can use are LMT, Tele2. Coverage runs on 4G LTE and 5G where the network has rolled it out, and falls back to 4G elsewhere.

Do I get 5G in Latvia?

Yes, where it has been deployed. 5G runs on LMT, Tele2 in Latvia, and your eSIM uses it automatically on a 5G-capable phone, dropping back to 4G LTE outside covered areas. No country is covered everywhere, so 5G availability varies by location.

Which mobile networks does a travel eSIM use in Latvia?

This eSIM connects to LMT or Tele2, whichever has the stronger signal. LMT is Latvia's oldest and largest operator. It's 51% owned by the state, which is buying out Telia's 49% stake. Bite is the third Latvian network, and the eSIM doesn't use it. Having two networks means your phone has a fallback in forested areas.

How do I get from Riga Airport to the city centre?

Take bus 22 from the stop by the P1 car park, between arrival exits E and C, about 300 m from the terminal. Validate your ticket when you board. For a taxi, the licensed airport operators are XTaxi, TaxiLV and Red Cab, which sell prepaid vouchers to the city centre that are valid for three months.

Are taxis in Riga safe from overcharging?

Mostly, if you use a recognised company. The UK Foreign Office warns that some taxi meters in Riga have been tampered with to overcharge. Use a major firm or a licensed car with yellow plates, or a ride-hailing app, and agree an approximate fare before you set off. Checking the route on your phone's map also helps.

Can I visit the Belarus border area in eastern Latvia?

Only with permission close to the frontier. You need a special licence from the Latvian State Border Guard to enter the zone within 2 km of the Belarus border. The Silene–Urbani road crossing is closed, and others may close at short notice. The UK advises against all travel to Belarus. Plan routes in Latgale with an offline map.

How much data do I need for 7 days in Latvia?

For 7 days in Latvia, Viasimo sells 1 GB for $1.59 and unlimited data for $13.99. Our sizing recommendation, not a measurement: maps, messaging and the occasional lookup, about 1 GB a week; maps, social, photos and some browsing, about 3 to 7 GB a week. The data calculator on this site works it out from how you actually use your phone.

Installing, keeping your number, topping up and hotspot work the same everywhere: see how it works →

Know before you go

Latvia: what to know before you land

In Latvia this eSIM uses LMT and Tele2, two of the country's three mobile networks. LMT, the oldest and largest, is majority state-owned. When you land at Riga Airport you'll find bus 22 and three licensed taxi firms. If you're heading east, check the latest rules for the Belarus border, where you now need a permit within 2 km of the frontier.

Emergency: 112
Plugs: CF 230V
Currency: Euro (EUR)

Main airports

RIX Riga International Airport

Apps worth having BoltGoogle MapsWhatsAppGoogle Translate

LMT, Tele2 and Bite: Latvia's three networks

Latvia has three mobile operators. LMT (Latvijas Mobilais Telefons) was the first, founded in 1992, and is still the largest. The Latvian state owns 51% and Telia 49%. In July 2025 the government announced it would buy out Telia's share, with the deal expected to close in the first half of 2026. In the 2021 spectrum auction LMT bought frequencies in the 700 MHz band, which reaches further than higher bands and suits wide rural areas. The other two operators are Tele2 and Bite.

Your eSIM connects through LMT or Tele2, depending on which has the better signal. It doesn't use Bite. With two networks available, your phone can switch to the other one if the first has a gap in the forests of Gauja or Kurzeme.

Latvia was slow to roll out 5G. According to EU figures, only about 42% of populated areas had 5G coverage in mid-2022, compared with an EU average of 81%. Coverage has had time to grow since then, but outside the cities 4G is still what you'll use most, and it's fast enough for maps, ticket apps and video calls.

Riga Airport: bus 22, licensed taxis and fare traps

Bus 22 to central Riga leaves from a stop by the P1 car park, between arrival exits E and C and about 300 m from the terminal. Follow the signs. On Rīgas Satiksme buses, trams and trolleybuses, you must validate your ticket as soon as you board and again every time you change vehicles, so keep your ticket or payment method handy.

Only three taxi companies are licensed to operate at the airport: XTaxi, TaxiLV and Red Cab. All three sell prepaid vouchers for a single journey from the airport to the city centre. You show the voucher to the driver before setting off, and it's valid for three months.

The UK Foreign Office advises against using unofficial taxis in Riga. Use a major company or a licensed car with yellow number plates, and agree an approximate fare before you go, because some meters have been altered to overcharge. With your eSIM working, you can check the route and rough cost on a map before getting in. If you have problems at the airport, call RIX Info on 1817 from a Latvian number or +371 29311817 from abroad. Because the eSIM is data only, use your home SIM for the call.

Latgale and the Belarus border: permits and closed crossings

If you're travelling through eastern Latvia, around Daugavpils, Krāslava or the Latgale lakes, check the border rules first. The UK Foreign Office says you need a special licence from the Latvian State Border Guard to go within 2 km of the Belarus border, and the Silene–Urbani road crossing into Belarus is closed. Other checkpoints could close or bring in restrictions at short notice. The FCDO also advises against all travel to Belarus.

The FCDO also notes that some Ukrainian drones aimed at Russia have crossed into Latvian airspace. If this happens near you, follow official instructions and local news on your phone.

In practice, rural roads and lakeside trails in the far south-east can run close to the border without obvious signs. Before you set off, plan your route on an offline map so you can see where the 2 km zone begins, and don't rely on finding a signal near the frontier. Watch your network name too. If it changes to one that isn't LMT or Tele2, you're close enough to the border that it's time to turn back.

When you pay by card, keep it in sight, use ATMs inside banks, and be wary of being asked to enter your PIN a second time.

Researched October 2026 · 6 sources

gov.uk Latvia travel advice: safety and security (GOV.UK)
en.wikipedia.org Latvijas Mobilais Telefons (Wikipedia)
en.wikipedia.org Telecommunications in Latvia (Wikipedia)
riga-airport.com Public transport (Riga International Airport)
riga-airport.com Taxi service (Riga International Airport)
rigassatiksme.lv Rīgas Satiksme

7-day itinerary

Seven days in Latvia: Riga, Jūrmala, the Gauja valley, Rundāle and Kuldīga

A compact week from Riga for travellers with a hire car: the medieval and Art Nouveau capital, the beach at Jūrmala, castles in the Gauja National Park, the baroque Rundāle Palace and the old town of Kuldīga in Kurzeme.

Length: 7 days
Bases: 4

When to go Late May to early September is best, with long days, open castles and the midsummer Jāņi festival around 23 to 24 June; autumn colours in the Gauja valley peak in early October, and winter is dark and cold.

Day 1 Riga

Riga's Old Town

Bus 22 runs from Riga Airport to the centre in about 30 minutes; validate your ticket as you board. If you take a taxi, use the official rank outside arrivals or a ride app rather than touts.

Walk the UNESCO-listed Old Town from the Freedom Monument to the Powder Tower and the Swedish Gate. Visit Riga Cathedral, then take the lift up St Peter's Church tower for the view over the Daugava. See the rebuilt House of the Blackheads on Town Hall Square and the Three Brothers houses on Mazā Pils iela. Finish at the Central Market, set in former zeppelin hangars beside the station.

Signal Strong 4G across central Riga on LMT and Tele2, with 5G in parts of the city. Coverage is good on trams and buses.
Day 2 Riga

Art Nouveau Riga and Jūrmala

Riga to Majori by train takes about 30 to 35 minutes.

Spend the morning in the Quiet Centre, where Alberta iela and Elizabetes iela hold some of Europe's finest Art Nouveau facades, and visit the Riga Art Nouveau Museum in a restored apartment. In the afternoon, take the train to Majori in Jūrmala, walk the pedestrian Jomas iela and the wide sandy beach, and look at the wooden summer villas among the pines before returning to Riga.

Signal Good 4G all the way to Jūrmala and along the beach. Older villa interiors can be weaker.
Day 3 Cēsis

Sigulda and Turaida in the Gauja National Park

Riga to Sigulda is about 1 hour by car or 1 hour 15 minutes by train; Sigulda to Cēsis is around 40 minutes by road.

Drive or take the train to Sigulda on the edge of Gauja National Park. Visit Turaida Museum Reserve, with its red-brick castle tower and wooden church, and Gūtmanis Cave, the largest cave in the Baltic states, on the walk down to the river. Ride the cable car across the Gauja valley to Krimulda, then continue to Cēsis for the night.

Signal 4G in Sigulda and at Turaida. In the river valley and on the forest trails, LMT and Tele2 each have small gaps, so switch network if one drops.
Day 4 Cēsis

Cēsis Castle and Āraiši

Āraiši is about 15 minutes by car from Cēsis.

Explore Cēsis Medieval Castle, a Livonian Order fortress where you can climb the towers with a candle lantern, and the New Castle beside it. Walk the old town streets and the castle park. In the afternoon, drive 10 km south to the Āraiši Archaeological Park, a reconstructed 9th-century lake fortress of the Latgallian people, and the ruined Āraiši castle and windmill nearby.

Signal Good 4G in Cēsis. Rural roads around Āraiši have coverage, but it thins among the lakes and woods.
Day 5 Bauska

Rundāle Palace and Bauska

Cēsis to Rundāle is about 2 hours 30 minutes by road, passing Riga; Rundāle to Bauska is 15 minutes.

Drive south to Rundāle Palace, a baroque and rococo residence designed by Rastrelli for the Duke of Courland, with its restored state rooms and formal French garden and rose garden. In the late afternoon, visit Bauska Castle, a ruined Livonian Order fortress beside a later ducal palace on a spit of land where two rivers meet.

Signal 4G on the main roads and at both sites. The open farmland of Zemgale has reliable coverage.
Day 6 Kuldīga

Kuldīga and the Venta Rapid

Bauska to Kuldīga is about 2 hours 30 minutes by road.

Drive west across Zemgale to Kuldīga, whose old town of wooden and brick houses is a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Walk to the Venta Rapid, among the widest waterfalls in Europe though under 2 metres high, and cross the old brick bridge. Explore the streets along the Alekšupīte stream, which runs between the houses, and see the Riežupe sand caves if they are open.

Signal 4G in Kuldīga and on the main road. The rural roads of Kurzeme have wide coverage but occasional gaps in the forests.
Day 7 Riga

Ķemeri bog boardwalk and back to Riga

Kuldīga to Ķemeri is about 2 hours by road; Ķemeri to Riga Airport is about 30 minutes.

Drive back east to Ķemeri National Park and walk the Great Ķemeri Bog boardwalk, a loop of about 3.4 km with a viewing tower over pools and dwarf pines. Stop at the old spa resort of Ķemeri on the way, then return to Riga in the afternoon to visit the Latvian National Museum of Art or the Museum of the Occupation of Latvia before your flight.

Signal Coverage on the bog boardwalk is generally usable on at least one network. Riga and the airport have strong 4G and 5G.

Staying connected on this route

Your eSIM uses LMT and Tele2, not Bite; in the Gauja valley and Kurzeme forests, select the other network manually if data stalls.
Download offline maps for the Gauja valley and Kurzeme before you set off, as rural roads have small gaps.
Validate tickets on every Rīgas Satiksme bus, tram or trolleybus you board, including bus 22 from the airport.
This route stays in the west and centre; if you add Latgale, note you need a permit within 2 km of the Belarus border.

Itinerary sources · 5

latvia.travel Latvia official travel site
whc.unesco.org UNESCO World Heritage: Historic Centre of Riga
whc.unesco.org UNESCO World Heritage: Old town of Kuldīga
riga-airport.com Riga International Airport: public transport
gov.uk GOV.UK: Latvia safety and security

Where this comes from

Information and verification

Each block below says what was checked and when. Anything we cannot date, we do not claim.

Prices and plans: Every price and allowance on this page is read from the live catalog, not typed in.; Verified October 30, 2026
Host networks: The operator list comes from the network partner that carries this eSIM.; Verified October 30, 2026