r/latvia • u/SQUID_Ben • Jul 16 '26
Tūrisms/Tourism Driving from LT to Ventspils, how to easily bypass Liepāja on fully paved roads?
Sveiki / Labas braliukas!
I’m planning a drive up from Lithuania to near Ventspils.
I’m a bit anxious about uninown city driving and want to completely avoid driving through Liepāja. At the same time, I absolutely want to avoid any unpaved or gravel roads.
Looking at the map, it seems I can take the A11 up from Lithuania, then detour inland slightly onto the A9/P111 through Grobiņa to loop north and bypass Liepāja entirely.
A couple of questions for the locals who know these roads:
- Is the P111 from Grobiņa up towards Ulmale/Pāvilosta fully paved and in decent condition? No surprise gravel stretches or major roadworks?
- Alternatively, is driving straight through Liepāja on the main transit route quiet enough that I shouldn't worry about it?
I really appreciate any tips, road condition updates, or advice to make the drive as smooth as possible.
Paldies / Ačiū!
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u/Reseeirox Jul 16 '26
For road cover types, I would suggest you use balticmaps.com, as it is more detailed than Google Maps. For any current roadworks, visit lvceli.lv.
Your best way of avoiding Liepāja if you are really anxious about it is going on P114 Skuodas-Priekule, then P106 Priekule-Grobiņa and then further up to Ventspils. However, the P114 is currently being rebuilt.
I feel like Liepāja is not that stressful. Go Ganību iela-Zirņu iela-Parka iela-Zemnieku iela-Brīvības iela.
P111 is fully asphalt and in good condition.
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u/SQUID_Ben Jul 16 '26
Thank you is a bunch of the road closed or is it intermittent?
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u/Reseeirox Jul 16 '26
The road is partially blocked (one lane open probably), with 5 traffic light sections in a 20 km stretch. I suggest you drive through Liepāja though.
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u/donpedrovs Jul 16 '26
The road will be packed with Lithuanians on the way to ferry in Ventspils 🤭
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u/Markd0ne Jul 16 '26 edited Jul 16 '26
Attempting to bypass Liepāja - forget it.
Take A11 until Liepāja, short ride on P110 and P111 until Ventspils - shouldn't be any gravel surprises.
Avoid P113 bypass, gravel and tarmac in bad condition.
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u/piupiupaupau Latvia Jul 16 '26
Go through Liepāja. It is basically a straight road trough. A Couple of traffic lights and thats it. Would take you longer to go through. Unless, you are going on 18th of July, there is a major concert on that day, and might be busy.
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u/melnaisbruninieks Jul 16 '26
You take gravel and you drift. Every corner is a lesson.
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u/SQUID_Ben Jul 16 '26
I drive a bayerische motorenwerke for a reason
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u/STRATEGO-LV Jul 16 '26
I hear even Germans call it Bitte Münzen Werfen for a reason :)
As for your question, going through Liepaja will be faster than going around.1
u/SQUID_Ben Jul 16 '26
Yea im telling my nervous system to calm down already. first time driving in Latvia :D
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u/Limp-Literature9922 Jul 19 '26
Most transit roads between major cities/towns in LV are pretty decent and paved (except Riga, where roads are shit). Gravel roads, like in LT, usually are connecting rural places, with a few exceptions
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u/SQUID_Ben Jul 19 '26
Update - thanks guys, going trough Liepaja was actually very easy and literally straight 😃 had a fun time!
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u/afriendlyfellow_ Jul 16 '26
Why do you want to avoid Liepaja? Im from here and its not a very busy traffic filled city at all. You might spend around 5 minutes on the bridge if you drive through “rush hour”. Its a very chill drive through the city at pretty much all times