No. Uber does not currently offer rides in Latvia. It is not available in Riga, Jūrmala, Liepāja, Daugavpils, or elsewhere in the country.
This is unusually easy to verify. Latvia's Road Transport Administration publishes the booking platforms registered for commercial passenger transport. Bolt and Forus appear on that live register; Uber does not.
| Question | Current answer |
|---|---|
| Is Uber available? | No |
| Main replacement | Bolt |
| Licensed taxi-app backup | Forus |
| Best app pickup at Riga Airport | Bolt from short-stay car park P1 |
Status checked on 24 August 2026.
Is Uber available in Riga or any other Latvian city?
No. Uber has no current Latvian service area. A foreign Uber account and an active payment card will not produce cars in Riga.
Bolt is the closest functional replacement. Bolt's current Latvia directory lists Riga and Jūrmala as well as Cēsis, Daugavpils, Jelgava, Jēkabpils, Liepāja, Ogre, Rēzekne, Sigulda, Valmiera, Ventspils, and several smaller markets. That list establishes where the service is offered, not how many drivers will be near a particular pickup. Check the live wait before relying on it outside Riga or for an early departure.
Is Uber banned or restricted in Latvia?
It is more accurate to say that Uber is not a registered operator than to call it banned. Latvia requires websites and mobile apps used for commercial taxi or passenger-car bookings to be registered. The regulator's current list records Bolt from 20 January 2022 and Forus from 27 July 2022, alongside several smaller services.
That legal distinction matters for visitors. Use an app from the regulator's current list or a properly licensed taxi. An unfamiliar download that is not registered should not be treated as a legitimate Uber substitute.
Does Uber work at Riga Airport?
No. There is no Uber pickup at Riga Airport, RIX.
The airport itself recommends registered mobile applications and gives Bolt a clearly marked pickup arrangement. According to Riga Airport's taxi guidance, a Bolt driver meets passengers in short-term parking P1 near the terminal exit. The app shows the ride price before booking.
There is also a genuinely useful option for travelers who cannot install or verify an app. Bolt self-service screens at Arrivals E and C let you enter a destination, select a category, provide a phone number, and pay by bank card. The receipt gives the plate number and estimated arrival time, then you walk to P1. Riga Airport introduced those TapBox screens in December 2025.
The licensed curbside taxi rank remains a valid fallback. Check the tariff on the door or buy the airport's prepaid central-Riga voucher before getting in; ordinary taxi rates do not have one universal maximum.
What should I use instead of Uber?
- Bolt: The first app to install. It has the broadest documented Latvian city coverage and the clearest airport process.
- Forus: A registered taxi-booking alternative. Use it as a second quote where the app shows live cars; its public site does not publish Bolt-style city coverage.
- The official airport rank: Best when your phone, roaming, or card setup fails. Use one of the brands authorized at the rank and confirm the applicable price.
For a time-critical trip, do not rely on a scheduled request alone. Check the booking status before departure and leave enough time to switch to the rank or another registered dispatcher.
Bottom line
Uber is not available in Latvia. Bolt is the practical replacement, Forus is a regulated backup, and Riga Airport has both a designated Bolt pickup and an app-free card-payment screen. For the broader city comparison, see Bento's Latvia ride-hailing guide.