A Guide To Get To & From Vilnius Airport

Vilnius Airport is about 4km (2.5 miles) from the edge of the city center. This makes it one of the closest airports to the city that it serves- much closer than London Heathrow is to London, or Paris Charles de Gaulle is to Paris!

But for people planning to visit Vilnius one day, what’s the best way to get from the airport to the city center? Let’s take a look at all of the available options…

#1. Taxi

Pros: Convenient, fast | Cons: Expensive

You could take a taxi. At most times of the day there are taxi cabs waiting outside of the arrivals building ready to take passengers – see the yellow circle in the image above.

Like everywhere else in the world, catching a cab outside of the airport is the most expensive option- but certainly the most convenient and stress-free. The cost will depend on the time of day with signs posted at the curb showing a daytime rate and a more expensive night rate. This sign estimates that taking a taxi to the main Vilnius train station (Stotis), will cost about 10 euros during the day.

One downside of this last-minute option is the risk of having communication issues should your driver not speak English. In this case it’s best to have the exact address of where you’re going, so there’s no room for misunderstanding.

A cheaper option for getting a taxi is using Taxi.LT- a website allows people to schedule rides in advance. The rate varies, but if the estimates are to be trusted, then it’s about half the cost of getting a taxi outside the terminal.

#2: Ride-hailing (Uber, Bolt, etc)

Pros: Somewhat convenient, quite fast | Cons: Requires smartphone app, more expensive than bus.

One of the more popular ways to get around the city is using the ride-hailing service Bolt. I believe is Uber is also operating in various Lithuanian cities, but it’s not as common. As usual, the rate will go up and down depending on the day of the week and the time of day.

Of course, to use these services, you’ll need to have a smartphone along with the app. Luckily, in the case of Bolt, you can get setup without adding your credit card information and pay the driver with cash (sometimes credit card security checks cause problems).

This can often be a lot cheaper than getting a taxi that’s waiting at the airport. Note that there is a designated pick-up spot for Bolt rides, and this is located on the right-hand side of the airport (when standing at the airport arrivals building exit, and facing outwards). Exit the building, turn right, and you’ll see the bold green sign that says Bolt. Stand in this area and look for the license plate of the car that you ordered – see the green circle in the image above.

#3: Public city transportation (bus)

Pros: Most environmentally-friendly, extremely cheap | Cons: Less comfortable (especially with luggage). May require additional walking to get to your destination, travel is linked to scheduled times.

The cheapest option- and my personal favorite- is taking the bus. There are several buses serving Vilnius airport, including the 1, 2, 88, and 3G. These can be found immediately outside the arrivals building.

• Buses 1 and 2 run between the airport and Stotis, but have different ways of getting there.
• The number 88 bus passes close to Stotis but doesn’t stop there. Instead, it goes further into the city center, driving along the edge of the old town, down to Gedimino Avenue, and over the river to Europos square (the business district).
• The final bus service, and one of the most frequent, is the 3G. This particular bus will take passengers from the airport, along the edge of the city center, down to the river, and up to the northern neighborhoods of Vilnius.

At the time of writing, all of these buses cost just 65 cents for a 30 minute ticket and 90 cents for 60 minutes. For more information on how the Vilnius bus system works, check out our guide to Vilnius public transportation.

Depending on where you’re going, you might need to make a transfer somewhere- but it shouldn’t be more than one change of buses. Of course, the bus won’t be ideal if you have a lot of luggage to carry with you- or if the weather is bad. Other than that, however, the bus is definitely the cheapest way to get to most of the city.

#4: Train

Pros: Relatively cheap, direct to main bus/train station (good for onward rail connections) | Cons: Very infrequent, long walk required to get to airport station.

Another form of public transportation is the train. At the time of writing, a trip from the airport train station to Stotis costs just 80 cents. This is a good combination of cheap and fast, since the ride is just 8 minutes. The biggest downside of this, however, is the fact that the trains just aren’t all that frequent.

You’ll also have to walk 350 meters from the airport to get to the airport station. While taxis and buses are directly outside the exit doors.

#5: Coach/special shuttle buses

Pros: Cheap, direct, room for luggage, good for connecting to other long-distance bus services | Cons: May not fit your schedule

Coach buses are also an option. The company Toks operates service to Stotis while other companies can take you further away places like Kaunas, Klaipeda, and even Minsk!

A slightly closer walk than the airport train station, the Tok shuttle bus takes just 10 minutes and offers direct service to Stotis for 2 euros. These buses pick-up passengers off to the side of the terminal. The location of these buses has changed in 2023 with the construction of the new terminal. It’s very close to the old location and easy to spot, next to the Botl pickup zone. When you’re exiting the airport building and facing the parking lot, turn right and keep walking until you see the bus bays.

#6: Just walk!

Pros: Most environmentally friendly, good exercise, free | Cons: Time-consuming, weather-dependent, tiring, not ideal when carrying luggage

Perhaps the absolute cheapest option is just walking from the airport! If you’re traveling with nothing more than a backpack and the weather’s good (and you have the time), you could always try getting to the city on foot. Getting to Stotis will take you about an hour and you’ll get some exercise along the way.

For anyone who’s already made the journey, what’s your favorite way to travel between Vilnius and Vilnius airport? Share your experiences by leaving a comment below!