Nobody likes to take the bus. Uncomfortable, environmentally unfriendly and often crowded, buses are the last resort of the city’s proletariat – an unfortunate term that has lost its allure since the death of the workers’ paradise in 1991. Why then is it just so much better to travel by tram?
There’s something inherently romantic about train travel, and Riga’s trams are essentially old-fashioned trains gliding on hundreds of kilometres of tracks on both sides of the River Daugava. Even if the streets are paved with asphalt, the area around the tracks is usually paved with cobblestones – an ever-present reminder of antique times. When you see a tram it’s only natural that one’s mind is suddenly filled with images of street cars climbing and descending the steep hills of San Francisco.
But let’s not get ahead of ourselves. We’re not talking about the Orient Express here or a month’s journey on the Trans-Siberian Railway. Trams have been modernised over the years and the new time stamping system spares commuters an encounter with a conductor who can’t wait for her shift to end. But despite colourful advertisements on the outside peddling anything from trade union membership and phone books to laundry detergents and power tools, the interiors of trams can be a bit grubby and travelling at rush hour is like crowd surfing at a rock concert – sweat smells and groping included.
That said, trams are still an excellent way to see the city and at a cost of 0.50Ls (0.70Ls if you buy it from the driver), they’re a bargain to boot. You can also venture off to parts of Riga few tourists will ever see and even if the areas are a bit dodgy, you can take in their decaying Soviet ambience from the safety of your tram. However, let it be known that Latvians are terrified of drafts. They believe that an open window, even on the hottest day, is a blatant invitation for a bout of pneumonia or perhaps a visit from the devil himself. So if you value your life, don’t open a window unless someone asks you to or if you’re prepared to throw down with health conscious pensioners just waiting for a whipper-snapper like yourself to make a terrible mistake.
They, after all, have been travelling by tram for decades. Although they can’t remember the days of horse-drawn streetcars that left their mark, not to mention plenty of manure, on Riga’s streets at the end of the 19th century, they probably do recall the Soviet era when the ride cost a whopping three Russian kopeks. Today 252 trams cover 11 routes on both sides of the river transporting over 75 million customers every year.

Tram routes
The following tram routes have plenty to offer but bear in mind that every time you get off a tram and hop on the next one you’re old ticket is no longer valid. Although you can still  buy tickets from the driver, it’s probably easier just to buy an e-talons for a number of rides for a a specific time period beforehand.

The Left Bank - Take this route to see the southern end of Pārdaugava – the left bank of the River Daugava. Start at the Central Market. Take in the sights, sounds and smells, keeping a firm grip on your wallet all the while, and then hop on the No10 heading toward Old Riga. Take it across the river and get off at the Valguma iela stop if you feel like visiting the Latvian Railway Museum. If not keep going until the next stop from which you can visit the Soviet Victory Monument. Arkādijas parks, a park full of shady, tree-lined paths and relaxing streams, is the next stop. On the opposite side of the park is the Torņakalna stacija stop. Tens of thousands of Latvians were deported to Siberia from this train station and an old Soviet cattle car serves as a memorial to the victims. You can also visit the Torņakalna Church on the other side of the tram tracks.

Graveyard shift - From Barona hop on a No11 tram heading away from the old town. The farther you travel from the centre, the more decrepit the art nouveau buildings become, but many are simply too grand to be ignored. This route takes you to Mežaparks, Riga’s garden city, passing centuries-old cemeteries. Chocolate lovers can get off at the A/s “Laima” stop to buy anything from the entire range of sweets produced here at the Laima Chocolate factory. Dentists and diabetics can keep travelling until the Mēness iela stop for a visit to the 19th-century Pokrov Cemetery. The Great Cemetery dating back to the late-1700s is accessible from the next stop – Kazarmu iela. Take the tram across the bridge to the Brāļu kapi stop to see several different cemeteries including the Brothers’ Cemetery dedicated to Latvia’s fallen heroes. Continue your trip to the Mežaparks stop where you can visit the zoo, take a swim in Lake Ķīšezers or walk around the Song Festival grounds.

Beer run - What’s best about this run is that at one end is the Aldaris brewery and at the other, the LIDO Recreation Centre which brews its own beer. Unfortunately, for reasons passing understanding, Aldaris has yet to offer regular tours of its historic premises and there is little else of interest apart from other factories at this end of Riga. In the middle of tram route No9 is the cobblestone tree-lined Kronvalda bulvāris that runs parallel to the Riga canal and scenic parkland. You’ll also pass the National Theatre and the National Opera, each of which have their own stop. Get off at the Central Market stop or continue to the other side of the tracks to the historic, albeit shabby Moscow District. From the Jēzusbaznīcas iela stop you can visit the wooden, octagonal Church of Jesus built in 1820 or the Soviet-style Academy of Sciences building which offers great views from the 17th floor for about 1Ls. Finish your trip at the Atpūtas centrs LIDO stop where you can get a hearty, inexpensive Latvian meal and a tasty brew (walk in the direction of the windmill on Krasta iela).