How to Call Latvia From the United States

Latvia may not be on most people's itinerary, but those in search of an adventure might want to visit the capital city, Riga, or the scenic Gauja National Park. Book your trip and daily excursion plans by phone heeding the following tips.

Things You'll Need

• Foreign Language Phrase Books
• Travel Guides
• Telephones
• Clocks
• Telephone Calling Cards

Instructions

1. Determine what time it is in Latvia. Latvia is 2 hours ahead of Greenwich Mean Time, which means it is 7 hours later in Latvia than it is on the East Coast of the United States, and 10 hours later than it is on the West Coast.

2. Dial 011, the international access code.

3. Dial 371, the Latvian country code.

4. If the number has seven digits, the first one either a 7 or a 9, it's a digital phone line; dial all seven digits, without any city code.

5. If the number has six digits, not including the city code, it's an older, analog line. Dial the city code plus the six-digit number. The city code for Riga, Latvia's capital, is 2.

Tips & Warnings

• Latvia mobile codes include +371 2, +371 6 and +371 9.

• Calling between 7 p.m. and 7 a.m. or on weekends will often cost up to 50 percent less than calling during business hours. Call your long-distance carrier to find out which hours are cheapest to call internationally with your long-distance plan.

• If you're having problems getting through, which is not uncommon when placing a call to Latvia, dial 00 for the international operator and ask him or her to place the call.

• If you're calling from a pay phone, you'll need to have a calling card or charge the call to a credit card - you won't be able to feed the phone with coins fast enough to keep yourself connected. Follow the instructions printed on the phone for placing the call.

Resources

• Latvia Tourism