Latvia is poised to impose a comprehensive ban on tourist and occasional passenger bus services to Russia and Belarus, starting on October 15, 2025 and lasting until October 1, 2026.

The prohibition would apply to operations across the border at Pāternieki, Grebņeva and Terehova, regardless of the buses’ country of registration.

Border authorities will be instructed not to permit such services to transit through these checkpoints.

The Transportation Minister, Atis Švinka, said the measure responds to a recent surge in informal cross-border bus traffic, which he linked to mounting risks including illegal migration, foreign intelligence operations, and recruitment of Latvian citizens by external actors.

Under the proposed regulation, all “irregular” group tours—such as excursions, sports trip shuttles or ad hoc sightseeing groups—will be targeted for denial of passage.

The ban will not extend to fully scheduled and authorized services arranged under formal bilateral or intergovernmental agreements.

Latvia’s Ministry of Transport, in coordination with the Road Transport Directorate and the Ministry of the Interior, has presented data suggesting that passenger flows to Russia and Belarus via organized group buses have increased in recent months.

The government’s draft regulation now awaits final approval before it becomes enforceable.

Supporters argue the step is necessary to tighten control over external EU borders, reduce vulnerabilities to covert operations, and protect Latvia’s territorial security.

Some industry observers caution that determined travellers may circumvent the measure by using operators from neighbouring jurisdictions.

The decision marks a sharper turn in Baltic states’ efforts to limit cross-border engagement with Russia and Belarus amid heightened geopolitical tensions.