Latvia to Halt Regular Bus Services to Russia, Citing Border Risks

Latvia plans to discontinue regular bus services to Russia, Transport Minister Atis Švinka announced, according to the Moscow Times citing Sputnik Latvia on September 19.

Licenses for carriers operating these routes will not be renewed once they expire.

The state-owned company “Autotransport Directorate” has been tasked with preparing the necessary legal framework. However, Švinka emphasized that no decision has been made regarding a full closure of the land border with Russia or Belarus.

Currently, four bus routes operate from Latvia to Russia and three to Belarus, served by companies including SIA VISSA, SIA Norma-A (Ecolines), and SIA Latlines. In addition, two transit licenses from Moldova (Rîșcani and Chișinău–Moscow) are operated by Galiz-SV S.R.L in cooperation with partners.

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Starting October 15, 2025, through October 14, 2026, international non-regular bus services to Russia and Belarus will be prohibited. The restriction applies to all organized group travel, regardless of the carrier’s country of registration or type of vehicle.

The ban will affect crossings at Pāternieki (Belarus side: Hryhorovshchyna), Grebneva (Ubylinka), and Terehovo (Burachki). It covers both tourist and private group travel, including minibuses.

Švinka explained that the decision is aimed at managing border risks within the EU amid rising passenger flows to Russia and Belarus.

Earlier, it was reported that a fragment of the tail section of a Russian Gerbera decoy drone was found on a beach in the Ventspils region of Latvia, likely washed ashore by the sea.

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