The closest of the three historic Baltic capitals, Vilnius can be reached overland from London via Berlin and Warsaw.  Pictured right:  The cathedral and bell tower in Vilnius.

Train times, fares & how to buy tickets...

London to Vilnius by train

Warsaw to Vilnius by train

Train travel within Lithuania

Trains from Vilnius to Riga, Moscow & St Petersburg

Useful country information - currency, visas, time zone

Hotels & accommodation in Vilnius & Lithuania

Sponsored links...

Useful country information

London to Vilnius

London ► Vilnius

• Travel from London St Pancras to Warsaw Centralna by train, using any of the options shown on the London to Poland page.  It takes just a night and a morning, with comfortable sleepers and couchettes available.  If you take the option involving the Jan Kiepura Cologne to Warsaw sleeper train, you'll have a day free to explore Warsaw when you arrive.

• Spend the night in Warsaw.  The Polonia Palace Hotel is excellent, it's remarkably cheap for such a good hotel, and it's just across the road from the station.  Also see the Warsaw Centralna station & city information.

• Travel from Warsaw to Vilnius by train.  There is a daily train service, leaving Warsaw Centralna at 07:20 and arriving Kaunas 16:45 and Vilnius at 18:15 the same day, with a simple cross-platform change of trains at Sestokai and (since December 2011) another quick change at Kaunas, see the section below.  This service does not pass through any part of Belarus.  You can double-check train times for your date of travel at http://bahn.hafas.de (English button upper right).  Check the destination boards on the side of the coach you board, to make sure it's one of the through cars to Sestokai - other coaches in this train terminate at Suwalki, the stop before the frontier.  Map of Vilnius, showing railway station.

• The only other option is a very long all-day or overnight bus journey from Warsaw to Vilnius, see www.eurolines.pl or www.eurolines.lt.  Not something that was necessary in communist times, when a good train service operated!

Traveller Graham S reports (summer 2010):  "Never let it be said that a Polish train rushes along too fast to enjoy the landscape.  After Bialystok, it's along a single track and runs slower and slower as the border looms, past marshy fields where cows galumph in the reed beds, and storks stand sentry.  An anxious moment came at Suwalki, where they reversed the destination board on the coaches to suggest we were heading back to Warsaw, and the locomotive drew us off in that direction, then swung east towards Sestokai. Whew!"

Vilnius ► London

• There is a daily train service between Vilnius and Warsaw.  It leaves Vilnius at 11:15 and Kaunas at 13:00, arriving Warsaw Centralna at 20:50.  You must change trains at both Kaunas and Sestokai, see the section below.  This service does not pass through any part of Belarus.  You can double-check train times for your date of travel at http://bahn.hafas.de.

• The only other option is a very long all-day or overnight bus journey from Vilnius to Warsaw, see www.eurolines.pl or www.eurolines.lt.

• Spend the night in Warsaw.  The Polonia Palace Hotel is excellent, it's remarkably cheap for such a good hotel and it's just across the road from the station.  Also see the Warsaw Centralna station & city information.

• Travel from Warsaw to London by train, using either of the two options shown on the London to Poland page.

How much does it cost?

• Fares from London to Warsaw are shown on the London to Poland page.

• Warsaw to Vilnius, if bought at the station in Warsaw, costs about 140 zlotys (€35 or £32) 2nd class.

• Vilnius to Warsaw, bought at the station in Vilnius, is 84 Litas (£22 or €25).

How to buy tickets...

• Deutsche Bahn's UK office can book the journey from London to Warsaw.  Call Deutsche Bahn on 08718 80 80 66 (lines open 09:00-17:00 Monday-Friday).  For more details, see the London to Poland page.

• You can buy the Warsaw-Vilnius ticket at Warsaw Centralna station when you get there, it's easy.  The international booking windows at Warsaw Centralna are clearly marked and at least some of staff speak English (but language is unlikely to be a problem - just write down what you want and show it to the booking clerk).

• Alternatively, you can order a Warsaw to Vilnius ticket online through reliable and highly-recommended Polish ticket agency Polrail, via http://booking.polrail.com.  Tickets are collected in Warsaw, or (for an extra charge) can be sent to any address worldwide.

Warsaw-Vilnius by train...

Until 2005 there was a direct overnight sleeper train from Warsaw to Vilnius called the Balti 3 times a week, but Polish Railways sadly withdrew this train.  Polish Railways (PKP) now operate an overnight bus, but this is hardly civilised and the same goes for the overnight Eurolines bus.  Instead, there remains a comfortable daily daytime train linking Warsaw with Kaunas & Vilnius, with a simple change of trains at Sestokai on the Polish/Lithuanian frontier, plus another easy change at Kaunas as follows:

At Sestokai, the connecting train will wait if the first train runs late, as they are designed to connect with each other.  The Warsaw-Sestokai Polish train has 1st & 2nd class seats, but the Sestokai-Kaunas Lithuanian train is 2nd class only, there is no 1st class.  There is no buffet or restaurant car, so bring your own food, wine or beer and enjoy the ride! The connection at Sestokai is a simple same-platform interchange, as you can see from the photo on the right.  This shows the standard-gauge Polish train just arrived from Warsaw on the right, and the onward Russian-gauge Lithuanian train on the left. This service does not pass through any part of Belarus, it passes directly from Poland into Lithuania. Please check train times for your date of travel at http://bahn.hafas.de (the English language button is at upper right). Are you in the right coach?  Check the destination boards on the side of the coach you board in Warsaw, to make sure it's one of the through cars to Sestokai at the back of the train - coaches at the front of the train may terminate at Suwalki, the stop before the frontier.

Changing trains at Sestokai...  Taking the train from Warsaw to Vilnius is the civilised alternative to a very long bus journey or an avoidable flight.  Photo courtesy of Paul Markham.

Traveller's reports...

Traveller Russell Goddard reports (summer 2010):  "At Warsaw, buying the ticket to Vilnius was simple; the international desks in the main booking hall are clearly marked in English, and at least some of the clerks there speak English as well.  I was charged 105 zlotys (about €27 or £22), with no reservations or other complications needed.  At Suwalki, the whole train reversed and went on to Sestokai, not just a couple of coaches;  the train was virtually empty by this point and I had a carriage entirely to myself.  It is an extremely enjoyable journey, taken at a relaxed pace; though the trains are not especially modern, they are by no means uncomfortable either.  There are, of course, no catering facilities on either train, so taking your own food is essential.  Also, all the times shown in timetables are local; Lithuania is an hour ahead of Poland, so arrival at Sestokai, just inside Lithuania, is at 1450 local time (2hrs ahead of UK time) but 1350 Polish time, about an hour's journey from Suwalki."

Train travel within Lithuania...

Trains are a good way to travel between Vilnius, Kaunas & Klaipeda:

• Vilnius to Kaunas (104 km) takes 2 hours, up to 15 trains daily, fare 18 Litas (£4.50 or €5). 

• Vilnius to Klaipeda (376 km) takes less than 5 hours, departures from Vilnius at 06:45, 09:41 & 17:40, fare about 49 Litas (£12 or €15).  Departures from Klaipeda at 06:50, 11:50 & 17:05.

• Check times at www.litrail.lt, click EN at the top, then 'Passenger transportation'.

Moving on from Lithuania...

Vilnius ► Riga

Sadly, there are now no direct Vilnius-Riga trains at all.  At least the Communists knew how to run a railway!  The Riga to Vilnius journey is now much faster and more frequent by long-distance bus, see the section below.  However, if you prefer to travel by train, no problem:  You can use a daily local train from Vilnius to Daugavpils in the evening, stop overnight in a hotel at Daugavpils, then travel by local train Daugavpils-Vilnius next morning.  Being an evening train-hotel-morning train arrangement, it's quite time-effective even if slower than the bus.

• Day 1 evening, take the once-daily international local train from Vilnius (depart 19:32) to Daugavpils in Latvia (arriving 22:00).  The fare is about 20 Lats (£25 or €28).  Buy a ticket at the station on the day of travel as this train cannot be pre-booked.  You can check train times at www.litrail.lt (click 'EN' for English, then 'Passenger transportation').

• Spend the night in Daugavpils, hotels from around £25 per room.

• Day 2 morning, take a local train from Daugavpils (depart 06:14) to Riga (arriving 09:24, fare 4.95 Lats (£6 or €7).  There's also a 07:25 from Daugavpils arriving Riga 11:14, and an early evening train too.  You can check train times & fares at www.ldz.lv (Click 'English' top left then 'passenger traffic').

• See the Latvia page for details of the northbound service. 

Traveller Russell Goddard went from Vilnius to Riga by train as above, then used an onward Eurolines coach to Tallinn:  "While not unpleasant, the coach was a distinctly soulless experience, lacking the character of the trains. The coaches are a way of getting people from A to B with a minimum of bother, which I'm sure is a plus in many people's books, but as someone who travels as much for the sake of the journey itself, I was glad I'd gone by train from Vilnius to Riga via Daugavpils rather than taking the coach all the way from Vilnius to Tallinn! In Tallinn itself, the bus station is inconveniently located some distance from the city centre, while the rail station is right on the edge of the old town - if only it had a decent international service!"

By bus:  If you'd rather travel by bus, as in this case it is certainly more frequent and faster, there is a regular Eurolines bus service from Vilnius to Riga, with a number of departures daily, fare €17-€23, journey time 4½ hours, see www.luxexpress.eu.

Vilnius ► Moscow

There are several daily sleeper trains from Vilnius to Moscow with 2-berth sleepers & 4-berth sleepers.  These trains do pass through Belarus, so a Belarus transit visa is required.  The fare is around €50 in a 4-bed sleeper if you buy at the ticket office.  To check train times and book online in either direction, use the Real Russia booking system here.  Real Russia charge a 15-23% mark-up over ticket office prices, included in the prices they show.  For journeys starting in Vilnius you'll need to have tickets sent to you (at a small extra charge) as the e-ticket option doesn't work for departure from Vilnius, only for departure from Moscow.

Vilnius ► St Petersburg

There is a daily overnight sleeper train from Vilnius to St Petersburg with 2-berth & 4-berth sleepers.  This train does not go through Belarus.  The fare is around 216 Litas (£56 or €65) in a 4-bed 'kupé' sleeper if you buy tickets at the station.  To check train times and book online in either direction, use the Real Russia booking system here.  Real Russia charge a 15-23% mark-up over ticket office prices, included in the prices they show.

The Thomas Cook European Timetable

The Thomas Cook European timetable has train & ferry times for every country in Europe plus currency & climate information.  Published since 1873, it costs £14.99.  It's essential for any serious traveller and an inspiration for armchair travellers.  Still not convinced you need one?  More information on what the Thomas Cook Timetable contains.  You can buy the latest monthly edition online at www.thomascookpublishing.com with worldwide delivery or buy it in person from selected UK branches of Thomas Cook (ask at the bureau de change), or from W H Smiths in Victoria station in London.  Or buy the twice-yearly independent traveller's edition with laminated cover from Amazon.co.uk:  Winter/Spring 2012/13 edition (Dec 2012 to June 2013) or (when available) Summer/Autumn 2013 edition (June to Dec 2013)

The Thomas Cook Rail Map of Europe is the best and most comprehensive map of train routes right across Europe, from Portugal in the west to Istanbul, Moscow & Ukraine in the east, from Finland in the north to Sicily & Crete in the south.  High speed & scenic routes are highlighted.  Highly recommended!  Buy online at www.amazon.co.uk (worldwide delivery).  See an extract from the map.

Make sure you take a good guidebook.  For the independent traveller, this means either the Lonely Planet or the Rough Guide.  Both books provide a similarly excellent level of cultural and historical background and practical information.  You won't regret buying one of these guides..!

Click the images to buy online at Amazon.co.uk...

Find hotels in Vilnius & Lithuania...

Other hotel sites worth trying...

• www.tripadvisor.com is the place to find independent travellers' reviews of all the main hotels.

• www.booking.com is my own preferred hotel booking system (Hotels Combined being a search/comparison system).  It has a simple interface, a good selection in most countries worldwide, useful online customer reviews of each hotel, and decent prices, usually shown inclusive of unavoidable extras such as taxes (a pet hate of mine is systems that show one price, then charge you another!).

Backpacker hostels...

• www.hostelbookers.com:  If you're on a tight budget, don't forget about backpacker hostels.  Hostelbookers offers online booking of cheap private rooms or dorm beds in backpacker hostels in most cities at rock-bottom prices.

Travel insurance & health card...

Get travel insurance, it's essential...

Never travel without insurance from a reliable travel insurer with at least £1m or preferably £5m medical cover.  It should also cover loss of cash (up to a limit) & belongings, and cancellation. An annual multi-trip policy is usually cheapest even for just 2 or 3 trips a year (I have an annual policy myself).  Don't expect travel insurance to bail you out of every missed connection, though, see the advice on missed connections here.  Here are some suggested insurers, Seat61 gets a little commission if you buy through these links, and feedback from using insurance for rail & ferry travel is always welcome.

In the UK, use www.confused.com to compare prices & policy features across major insurance companies.

If you have a pre-existing medical condition or are over 65 (no age limit), see www.JustTravelCover.com.

        If you live in Australia, New Zealand, Ireland or the EU, try Columbus Direct's other websites.

   If you live in the USA or Canada, try Travel Guard USA.

Get an EU health card, it's free...

If you're a UK citizen travelling in Europe, you should apply for a free European Health Insurance Card, which entitles you to free or reduced rate health care if you become ill or get injured in many European countries, under a reciprocal arrangement with the NHS.  This replaced the old E111 forms as from January 2006.  The EHIC card is available from www.ehic.org.uk.  It doesn't remove the need for travel insurance, though.

Get a spare credit card, designed for foreign travel with no currency exchange loading & low/no ATM fees

Taking out an extra credit card costs nothing, but if you keep it in a different part of your luggage you won't be left stranded if your wallet gets stolen.  In addition, some credit cards are better for overseas travel than others.  Martin Lewis's www.moneysavingexpert.com/travel/cheap-travel-money explains which UK credit cards have the lowest currency exchange commission loadings when you buy something overseas, and the lowest cash withdrawal fees when you use an ATM abroad.

You can avoid ATM charges and expensive exchange rates with a Caxton FX euro currency Visa Card, or their multi-currency 'Global Traveller' Visa Card, see www.caxtonfx.com for info.

Get an international SIM card to save on mobile data and phone calls...

Mobile phones can cost a fortune to use abroad, and if you're not careful you can return home to find a huge bill.  Consider buying a global pre-paid SIM card for your mobile phone from www.Go-Sim.com, which can slash costs by up to 85%.  Go-Sim cuts call costs in 175 countries worldwide, and you can receive incoming calls and texts for free in 75 countries.  It's pay-as-you-go, so no nasty bills when you get home.  It also allows cheap data access for laptops & PDAs.  A Go-Sim account and any credit on it doesn't expire if it's not used between trips, unlike some others, so a Go-Sim phone number becomes your 'global phone number' for life.