Riga City Funeral Service
Information service 24/7
On the day of a funeral transport is what ties everything together: the morgue, the farewell hall, the cemetery or crematorium, and the place of the funeral meal. The Riga City Funeral Service provides both the hearse that carries the deceased and minibuses for the family, and schedules them so that nobody is left waiting. Transport can be booked at any hour: +371 2208 4540.
Transport is normally included in the funeral estimate along with the other services — there is no need to look for a separate carrier. If you need the transport alone, that is possible too: tell us the route and the time and we will quote the cost.
The service runs three hearses and four minibuses. The hearses carry the coffin on the day of the funeral; the minibuses carry the family and guests and have room for wreaths, flowers and funeral accessories. The vehicles are our own, so we plan the timings ourselves and do not depend on outside carriers.
For removing the deceased from a home or hospital we use separate specialised vehicles — not the hearse that goes to the ceremony. That call-out happens immediately after the death and is arranged separately, around the clock.
In Riga the day of a funeral almost always consists of the same legs. Each takes its own time and has to be agreed with an institution, so we draw up the schedule in advance and keep to it.
| Leg | Vehicle and what we take into account |
|---|---|
| From home or hospital to the morgue | Specialised vehicle — Immediately after the death, around the clock |
| From the morgue to the farewell hall | Hearse — Timed around the opening hours of the morgue and the hall |
| From the farewell hall to the cemetery or crematorium | Hearse and minibuses — The cemetery administration sets the exact burial time |
| From the cemetery to the funeral meal | Minibuses — The journey back after the meal by arrangement |
Addresses and opening hours of Riga morgues are collected in the morgues in Riga section, and the list of cemeteries in the cemeteries section. If cremation has been chosen, the route ends at the crematorium and the urn is issued later.
The hearse arrives at the agreed time and place — usually at the morgue or the farewell hall. The coffin is carried in and out by our bearers; the family does not have to do it. We plan the journey with time to spare, allowing for Riga traffic and the distance to the cemetery, so that the ceremony does not begin with waiting.
If the farewell takes place in our farewell hall, the transfer from the morgue is made the day before or on the morning of the funeral — whichever suits the family.
The minibuses are for the family and guests: from the farewell hall to the cemetery, from the cemetery to the funeral meal and then home. It is easier than several private cars — the group travels together, nobody gets lost and nobody hunts for parking at the cemetery. One minibus normally seats between five and fifteen people; if there are more guests, we provide several.
By arrangement we meet relatives at the airport or the railway station and take them to the ceremony — useful when family arrive from abroad on the day itself.
If cremation has been chosen the route is slightly different: after the farewell the hearse takes the coffin to the crematorium, and the family travels there only if they wish. The urn with the ashes is issued later, followed by a separate urn burial — usually a small gathering, for which one minibus is enough. We plan both journeys together so that the family does not have to arrange transport twice. More about the procedure is on the cremation in Riga page.
The cost depends on the route and the length of the journey. Indicative prices:
In most cases transport is already part of the funeral estimate, and part of the cost is covered by the state funeral benefit. The estimate is agreed before the work begins and does not change afterwards.
We provide transport to cemeteries outside the city and to other towns in Latvia — Jūrmala, Ogre, Sigulda, Jelgava and further afield. Such journeys are arranged in advance, as the distance and the cemetery's opening hours have to be taken into account. If the deceased has to be taken to another country, that is arranged as repatriation, with the documents and permits involved.
Call +371 2208 4540 and give the date, the time and the route — we take care of the rest. If we are arranging the funeral, the transport is already in the schedule and you do not have to think about it separately; our specialist coordinates the whole day. Our office is at Tēraudlietuves iela 3, Riga, and the duty specialist answers around the clock.
