Last updated: October 2026
Before you travel: documents and packing
Travelling to Lithuania as a student starts long before the flight, which is why this Lithuania travel guide begins with paperwork. Your visa or residence permit has to be sorted first, and the rules depend on your nationality and the length of your course. Our Lithuania student visa requirements guide explains the process step by step.
On the day you fly, keep these in your hand luggage, not in your checked suitcase:
- Your passport, with your national visa or residence permit decision
- Your university admission letter and any accommodation confirmation
- Proof of health insurance
- Paper copies of everything, plus scans saved in your email or cloud storage
- A bank card that works abroad and a small amount of euro cash
- A warm layer, even in late summer, because evenings cool down quickly
Lithuanian winters are properly cold, so packing matters. Our packing list for studying in Lithuania covers clothing, documents and what you can simply buy after you arrive.
Getting to Lithuania: Vilnius and Kaunas airports
For most readers of this Lithuania travel guide, the journey starts at Vilnius Airport, the country’s main airport. Kaunas Airport is the second option. Which one suits you depends on where your university is and which routes are available from your home country, so compare both when you book.
From Vilnius Airport to the city
Vilnius Airport is close to the city, and you have three simple choices:
- City bus. According to the airport’s public transport page, buses 1, 2, 3G and 88 run from the airport, and a night bus, 88N, runs every night. The airport says you can reach the centre by bus in around 20 minutes.
- Train. A short train runs between the airport and Vilnius Railway Station. The airport says the ride takes up to 8 minutes, but trains only run during the day, so check the timetable if you land late.
- Taxi or ride-hailing app. This is the easiest option with heavy luggage or a late arrival.
If you would rather be met at arrivals, read our guide to airport pickup services in Lithuania. Some universities also arrange pickup for new students, so ask your international office before you book anything.
From Kaunas Airport to the city
Kaunas Airport says city bus No. 29 runs from the terminal to the city’s bus station and railway station. You can buy a ticket in the Žiogas app, get a Kaunas transport card at the Narvesen shop in the terminal, tap a contactless bank card, or pay the driver. Taxis also wait outside the terminal.
Public transport in Lithuania: how to get around
Public transport in Lithuania is reliable, affordable and easy to use once you understand the ticket system. Cities run buses and trolleybuses (there is no metro), while trains and intercity buses connect the main towns. This part of our Lithuania travel guide focuses on Vilnius and Kaunas, where most students live.
Vilnius tickets and apps
Vilnius transport is managed by JUDU. You can buy tickets in the JUDU app or the m.Ticket app, load them onto a JUDU/Vilniečio card, or pay with a contactless bank card on board. JUDU notes that m.Ticket needs a Lithuanian phone number, which is one more reason to get a local SIM early.
These are the standard Vilnius fares listed on JUDU’s ticket prices page at the time of writing, next to the 80% student price:
| Vilnius ticket | Standard price | With 80% student discount |
|---|---|---|
| 30 minutes | €1.00 | €0.20 |
| 60 minutes | €1.25 | €0.25 |
| 1 day | €7.50 | €1.50 |
| 3 days | €13.50 | €2.70 |
| 30 days | €38.00 | €7.60 |
| 90 days | €110.00 | €22.00 |
Fares change from time to time (Vilnius raised them in July 2025), so check the JUDU page before you buy a long pass. No Lithuania travel guide can keep up with every price change.
Kaunas tickets
Kaunas uses its own Žiogas system: an app and a physical Žiogas card. Since 1 August 2025 you can also tap a contactless Visa or Mastercard, phone or watch on the validator, but the city says that option gives no discount. From January 2026, the city raised the price of tickets bought from the driver (a full fare went from €1 to €1.50), while prices in the Žiogas app and on the card stayed the same. Buying in advance is cheaper.
Lithuania student discounts on transport
This is the biggest money-saving tip in our Lithuania travel guide. Under Lithuania’s law on public transport concessions, as in force in 2026, full-time university students get 80% off city and suburban transport and 50% off intercity buses and trains within Lithuania. The law also covers foreign nationals who hold a Lithuanian temporary residence permit.
In practice, that means:
- You need proof. Carry your student card (the Lithuanian Student Identity Card, LSIC, or an ISIC) and your ID. ISIC Lithuania says students from outside the EU must also show their residence permit.
- Until your permit is issued, budget for full fares. Ticket inspectors check, and riding on a discounted ticket without valid proof can lead to a fine.
- Train discounts are domestic only. LTG Link’s student discount page says its 50% discount applies to travel within Lithuania in 2nd and 3rd class, not on international routes.
Vilnius University tells non-EU students that they are required to get the LSIC, and your university will explain how to order it. Once you have the card and your permit, Lithuania student discounts cut a 30-day Vilnius pass from €38 to €7.60.
Trains and buses across Lithuania and the Baltics
No Lithuania travel guide is complete without the trains, which are run by LTG Link. The Vilnius to Kaunas line is the busiest, and since 29 March 2026 a non-stop express covers it in about an hour, according to Lithuania’s Ministry of Transport.
For trips outside Lithuania, LTG Link currently lists:
- Vilnius to Riga: a daily direct train taking about four hours
- Vilnius to Tallinn: a daily service on one ticket, with one change at Valga in Estonia
- Vilnius to Warsaw and Kraków: trains with a same-platform change at Mockava, near the Polish border, with cheaper fares for early bookings
You may read about Rail Baltica, the new railway that will link Tallinn, Riga, Kaunas, Vilnius and Warsaw. It is still under construction: in September 2026 the Baltic states agreed to move the first-phase deadline to 2034, although Lithuania says it is sticking to 2030. For now, use the existing LTG Link services.
Intercity buses cover places the trains do not reach, and the 50% student discount applies to them too once you have your card and permit.
Weekend trips: the Lithuania travel guide shortlist
Lithuania is small, which makes weekend trips easy and cheap. Most visitors start with these three:
Trakai
Trakai is about 27 km from Vilnius. Its 14th-century island castle on Lake Galvė was once a residence of the Grand Dukes of Lithuania and is now part of the Trakai History Museum. LTG Link says the train from Vilnius takes about 33 minutes, and suburban buses leave the Vilnius bus station many times a day.
Kaunas
If you study in Vilnius, Kaunas is an easy day out by train, and the other way round. Its interwar architecture, “Modernist Kaunas”, was added to the UNESCO World Heritage List in 2023. If you are still choosing where to study, our overview of the top universities in Lithuania covers schools in both cities.
The Curonian Spit
The Curonian Spit is a long, narrow strip of sand dunes between the Baltic Sea and the Curonian Lagoon, shared between Lithuania and Russia. It has been a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 2000. You reach it by ferry from the port city of Klaipėda, and the resort town of Nida is the main base for visitors. Go in summer, when it is warm enough for the beach. The southern part of the spit belongs to Russia, so plan your trip around the Lithuanian side only.
Weather by season
Lithuania has four clear seasons, and in our experience the weather is the part of any Lithuania travel guide that new arrivals underestimate most. The national weather service gives a 1991–2020 average of −2.9°C in January and 18.3°C in July.
| Season | What to expect | What helps |
|---|---|---|
| Autumn (Sept–Nov) | Cooling down, more rain, shorter days | Waterproof jacket, good shoes |
| Winter (Dec–Feb) | Snow and frost; Lithuania’s tourism board says it can occasionally drop to −20°C or lower | Insulated coat, hat, gloves, boots with grip |
| Spring (Mar–May) | Slow thaw, then quickly greener and brighter | Layers you can remove |
| Summer (Jun–Aug) | Many warm, sunny days, sometimes up to 30°C | Light clothes, plus a jumper for cool evenings |
Most students arrive in late August or early September, so the cold comes a few months after you land. Use that time to buy a proper winter coat locally rather than carrying a heavy one from home.
Staying connected: SIM cards and Wi-Fi
A local SIM card is the first purchase we recommend in this Lithuania travel guide. Lithuania has three mobile networks: Telia, Bitė and Tele2. Each offers monthly contracts and cheaper prepaid brands, and prices change often. Our guide to SIM card options in Lithuania compares them.
A Lithuanian SIM also helps with travel around Europe. Under the EU’s “roam like at home” rules, which the European Commission extended until 2032, you can use your plan in other EU countries without extra roaming fees, within your operator’s fair use limits.
On campus, Lithuanian universities offer eduroam, the education Wi-Fi network. You sign in with your university login, and the same login works at other institutions that offer eduroam.
Money, cards and costs
A practical Lithuania travel guide has to cover money, and the basics are simple. Lithuania uses the euro, which replaced the litas in 2015. Most shops, cafés and restaurants accept cards, including contactless, but Lithuania’s tourism board suggests carrying a little cash for markets and rural areas.
Your biggest costs will be rent, food and transport. Prices depend heavily on the city and on whether you live in a university dormitory or a private flat, so we keep the up-to-date numbers in one place: our guide to living expenses in Lithuania for students.
Safety and emergencies
If you remember one safety fact from this Lithuania travel guide, make it this: the emergency number is 112, for police, fire and ambulance. The official 112 service says you can call it even without a SIM card or with no credit. Save it in your phone on day one.
Our own experience of Lithuania has been calm. In the cities, we sometimes take walks around midnight without feeling afraid. That is our personal experience, not a promise, and normal care still applies: watch your belongings in busy places, use licensed taxis or apps late at night, and be wary of anyone offering jobs or housing that sound too good to be true.
One last reassurance from this Lithuania travel guide: language is rarely a barrier in the cities. Lithuania’s tourism board says English speakers will not have problems getting around, though learning a few Lithuanian words, such as labas (hello) and ačiū (thank you), is always appreciated.
Your first-week checklist
To finish this Lithuania travel guide, here is what we suggest doing in your first week:
- Get a local SIM card and save 112 in your phone
- Download the transport apps for your city (JUDU or m.Ticket in Vilnius, Žiogas in Kaunas)
- Order your student card through your university
- Connect to eduroam on campus
- Learn your route between home, campus and the nearest supermarket
- Plan your first weekend trip, while the weather is still kind
Frequently asked questions
Is this Lithuania travel guide useful if I am not a student?
Yes. The sections on airports, public transport, trains, weather, money and safety apply to everyone. Only the student discounts are limited to full-time students, so they matter most if you are travelling to Lithuania as a student.
How do I get from Vilnius Airport to the city centre?
Take city bus 1, 2, 3G or 88 (88N at night), the short train to Vilnius Railway Station during the day, or a taxi. The airport says the bus takes around 20 minutes to the centre.
Do international students get transport discounts in Lithuania?
Full-time students get 80% off city transport and 50% off domestic trains and intercity buses. Students from outside the EU usually need a student card and a Lithuanian residence permit to qualify.
Can I use contactless bank cards on public transport?
Yes. JUDU says you can pay with a contactless bank card in Vilnius, and Kaunas introduced contactless payment on its buses and trolleybuses in August 2025. In Kaunas, a contactless tap gives no discount, so students save more with discounted tickets in the app or on a card.
Is there a direct train from Vilnius to Riga?
Yes. LTG Link runs a daily direct train from Vilnius to Riga that takes about four hours. Student discounts do not apply on international routes.
We hope this Lithuania travel guide helps you feel ready. Moving is much easier with someone who has done it before. If you would like help planning your studies, visa or arrival, book a free consultation with us and we will talk you through your options.
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