# Duty-free & shopping at Riga International Airport

> What’s worth buying at Riga International Airport (RIX), duty-free rules and local Latvia souvenirs.

What’s worth buying at Riga International Airport (RIX), duty-free rules and local Latvia souvenirs.

## Get online at the airport

Install a MerrSIM eSIM for Latvia (from €1.99, 10 GB €9.99) before departure and you’re online the moment you land at Riga International Airport — no WiFi hunt, no roaming.

[MerrSIM — eSIM Latvia](https://merrsim.com/destinations/esim-plans-for-latvia)

## How an eSIM works

An eSIM is a digital SIM built into your phone: there is no physical card to insert. You buy it online, get a QR code by email and scan it in your settings. Once installed, the profile lives on your phone and activates when you reach Latvia, connecting automatically to a local partner network. You can keep your main SIM at the same time, so your number still gets calls and texts while the eSIM handles data.

## How much data you really need

For normal use — maps, messaging, social media and the odd video — budget about 300–700 MB a day. A light traveller is fine with 3–5 GB for a week, while anyone doing video calls, streaming or laptop hotspot will want 10–20 GB. In Latvia, download offline maps and use hotel WiFi for big downloads; that way a 10 GB plan comfortably lasts two weeks. If you run out, you buy a new plan in the app with no waiting.

## Coverage and 5G speed in Latvia

The eSIM connects to the main local operators, so you get the same coverage as a local, including 4G/LTE and 5G where available. In the cities and tourist areas of Latvia the signal is strong and stable; in very remote villages or mountains it can weaken, as with any operator. Hotspot is included, so you can share the connection with your laptop or a travel companion at no extra cost.

## Activation in a few minutes

Do the install before departure, while on WiFi. Open your phone settings, choose to add an eSIM and scan the QR code you received by email. Label the profile “Latvia” so it is easy to spot. When you land, set the eSIM as your data line and switch on data roaming for it — that is normal for travel eSIMs and adds no fees, because the plan is prepaid. Within seconds you are online, with no need to hunt for public WiFi.

## eSIM versus roaming

Roaming with your home carrier can be expensive outside bundles — sometimes several euros per gigabyte, with bills that land after the trip. A local eSIM turns that into a fixed price you know up front: you pay in advance, you know exactly how many GB you have, and there are no hidden fees. For a trip to Latvia, that means peace of mind and often a real saving compared with leaving roaming switched on unchecked.

## FAQ

### How do I get online as soon as I arrive in Latvia?
Activate a MerrSIM eSIM for Latvia (from €1.99, 10 GB €9.99) by QR before departure; you connect automatically at the airport.


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Author: Etnik Beqiri  
Published: 2026-05-28  
Source: https://merrsim.com/en/blog/duty-free-rix-en