Latvia's Ministry of Transport has drafted amendments to the road transport law that would prohibit regular, irregular and transit passenger bus services to Russia and Belarus starting in 2027, the Latvian news outlet Delfi reported, citing a document submitted to the government.
Currently, only one regular route operates — Riga to Moscow — with daily services run by the company Norma-A under the Ecolines brand. The permit for this route is valid until January 9, 2027, and the ministry said it does not plan to extend it. There are no direct bus services to Belarus.
Latvia banned irregular passenger bus services to Russia and Belarus on November 1, 2025. That ban is in effect until October 31, 2026, and authorities plan to extend it for another year.
The ministry acknowledged that current restrictions are not fully effective: passengers can travel via connecting routes through Estonia and Lithuania or use minibuses that are not covered by the bus transport regulations. The ministry said it will continue assessing security and economic aspects to coordinate the decision at the Baltic and European Union level.
According to the National Alliance party, 9,079 passengers used buses from Latvia to Russia in the first half of 2026, with demand in June more than a quarter higher than in January.
Latvia's State Security Service has previously urged citizens not to travel to Russia and Belarus due to risks of recruitment and provocations. Security officials recommended not carrying devices with work-related or confidential information to avoid data copying at border checkpoints.
Regular bus services are one of the cheapest ways to travel from Europe to Russia and Belarus. In May 2026, carrier Ecolines estimated direct losses from the ban on services from Latvia to Russia at 4 million euros per year, with additional losses of about 2 million euros per year from idle buses.