How to get from Vilnius Airport to Old Town
Vilnius Airport is one of the easiest airports I’ve used for getting into the city. It is close to Vilnius, the public transport stops are right outside the terminal and you do not need to plan a complicated airport transfer just to reach Old Town.
Still, the best way to get from Vilnius Airport to Old Town depends on where exactly you are staying, how much luggage you have and how much effort you want to spend after your flight.
I know the airport and the city well, but I also think about this like a traveller: the best option is not always the cheapest or fastest one, but the one that gets you to your actual door with the least hassle.
If you want the cheapest option, take a city bus. If you want the least stressful option, book a private transfer or use a taxi app. If you are staying near the train or bus station, the train or Airport Express can also work well.
Here is how each option works.
Where is Vilnius Airport?
Vilnius Airport is south of the city centre, in the Naujininkai area. It is close enough to central Vilnius that getting into town is usually quick and simple, especially compared with larger European airports.
The airport is not inside Old Town, but it is not far from it either. That is why you have several realistic options: city buses, train, Airport Express, taxi apps and pre-booked transfers.
If you are staying near the airport, for example in Naujininkai, walking may even be possible. For Old Town, though, I would usually choose public transport or a door-to-door ride, especially with luggage.
How to get from Vilnius Airport to Old Town
The right choice depends less on the airport and more on your exact address in Vilnius.
Old Town, the station area, Gediminas Avenue and Naujamiestis are all central-ish, but they are not the same place. Before choosing, check where your hotel or apartment actually is. If you are not staying in Old Town, use stops.lt, Trafi, m.Ticket or your preferred public transport app to check which route fits best.
This is especially important for the train and Airport Express, because both take you to the station area. That can be perfect if you are staying nearby, but less useful if your accommodation is farther from Old Town or the centre.
Bus from Vilnius Airport to Old Town
The city bus is one of the cheapest ways to get from Vilnius Airport to Old Town. It is also convenient because the bus stop is right by the airport building.
After leaving Arrivals, turn immediately to the right. The bus stop is near Departures, so you do not need to walk far or search for a separate transport terminal.
These are the main airport bus routes to know:
- Bus 1 – goes to Stotis, the train and bus station area.
- Bus 2 – also goes to Stotis, but by a different route.
- Bus 3G – goes through Naujamiestis, near Lukiškės Square on Gediminas Avenue, Žaliasis tiltas, Europa shopping centre and onward to Pašilaičiai. It is an express bus, so it does not stop at every stop.
- Bus 88 – goes towards Europa shopping centre via Aušros vartai, Vinco Kudirkos Square and Žaliasis tiltas.
- Night bus N8 – goes towards Europa shopping centre via MO Museum, Vinco Kudirkos Square and Žaliasis tiltas.
For Old Town, the best stop depends on where exactly you are staying.
If you take bus 1 or 2, get off at Stotis. This is the train and bus station area, which is handy for the southern side of Old Town.
If you take bus 88, you have more Old Town-friendly options. Depending on your hotel, you may get off at Aušros vartai, MO muziejus, Reformatų, Islandijos or Vinco Kudirkos aikštė. Aušros vartai is convenient for the Gate of Dawn area, Town Hall and Vokiečių Street.
If you take 3G, Juozo Tumo-Vaižganto stop is useful for Lukiškės Square and Gediminas Avenue, but remember that 3G is an express route and skips some stops.
A 30-minute public transport ticket costs €1. If you need longer, or if you buy by tapping your bank card in the bus, the 60-minute ticket is €1.25. When you tap a bank card or smart device on the validator, the ticket is activated automatically.
You can buy Vilnius public transport tickets through Trafi, m.Ticket or by tapping your bank card on the validator in the bus. You cannot buy a ticket from the driver.
You may not need public transport much if you stay in or near the Old Town, but it is useful to understand the basics if your accommodation is farther away or you want to visit places outside the centre.
Read more: How to use public transport in Vilnius
Train from Vilnius Airport to the station
The train is technically the cheapest and fastest option, but it is not always the most practical one.
The ticket costs around €0.90, and the train ride to Vilnius railway station takes about 7 minutes. Check the current fare and schedule on LTG Link before choosing this option, because the train does not run as often as the buses.
The downside is that the train stop is not directly outside the arrivals door. You need to walk about 5 minutes from the airport building to the airport train stop. That is not a big deal with a backpack, but it is less fun if you have heavy suitcases, small kids or bad weather.
The train also runs quite rarely compared with buses, roughly once an hour, so timing matters. If one is leaving soon, great. If you have just missed it, the bus may be easier.
Choose the train if:
- you are staying near Stotis
- you are comfortable walking a little from the airport terminal
- the train schedule lines up well with your arrival
- you want the cheapest possible route
Skip it if your accommodation is deep in Old Town, far from the station or outside the centre. In that case, you may still need another bus, a walk or a taxi after the train.
Taxi, Bolt, Uber or Etransport
A taxi app is the easiest flexible option if you do not want to think too much after landing.
You can use Bolt, Uber or Etransport in Vilnius. This is much more expensive than the bus or train, but it takes you directly to your hotel or apartment. That is the main advantage.
This option makes sense if:
- you have heavy luggage
- you are travelling with kids
- you arrive late
- your accommodation is not close to a convenient bus stop
- you simply want a door-to-door trip
The price to Old Town may be around €10, but it depends on the time, demand and exact destination. I would treat this as an estimate, not a fixed price.
One thing to keep in mind: with taxi apps, you may still need to wait. Sometimes the car arrives quickly. Sometimes, especially at busy times, it takes longer than you expect.
Private airport transfer
Welcome Pickups is the most comfortable option if you want everything arranged before you land.
You book the transfer in advance, and a driver comes to pick you up. The big advantage is that it feels more personal than a standard taxi app. It is especially useful if you are arriving after a long flight, travelling with children or do not want to deal with apps, routes or waiting around at the airport.
This is not the cheapest way to get from Vilnius Airport to Old Town, but it is probably the least stressful.
Book your Vilnius Airport transfer here.
Airport Express
Airport Express is another option between Vilnius Airport and the station area. It costs €3 and goes to the bus station.
This can work well if you are staying near the bus station or railway station. It is less useful if your accommodation is farther from Old Town or in another district, because you may still need to walk or transfer after arriving at the station.
For most first-time visitors staying in the prettier parts of Old Town, bus 88 or a taxi-style option will usually feel more direct.
I would not choose Airport Express only because it exists. I would choose it if the station area is actually convenient for where I am staying.
Read more: Where to stay in Vilnius
Best option by situation
If you want the cheapest option, take the bus or train. The bus is usually more convenient because the stop is right next to the airport terminal. The train is faster once you are on it, but you need to walk to the stop and check the schedule.
If you are staying in Old Town, bus 88 is often a practical choice because it stops near several useful Old Town access points, including Aušros vartai and central stops like Vinco Kudirkos Square.
If you are staying near the train or bus station, take bus 1, bus 2, the train or Airport Express.
If you are staying away from the centre, check public transport routes first. The train and Airport Express may not help much because they only take you to the station area.
If you have luggage, children or a late arrival, choose Bolt, Uber, Etransport or Welcome Pickups. It costs more, but it saves energy when you probably need it most.
Common mistakes to avoid
The biggest mistake is choosing transport before checking where your accommodation actually is.
Old Town, the city centre and the station area are not the same thing. They are close, but not always close enough to make every option equally good.
A few other things to avoid:
- Do not try to buy a public transport ticket from the driver.
- Do not assume the train is best just because it is fast.
- Do not take Airport Express if the station is not useful for your hotel.
- Do not forget that 3G is an express bus and does not stop everywhere.
- Do not arrive at the train stop without checking the schedule first.
- Do not choose the cheapest route if you are exhausted, carrying too much luggage or arriving very late.
Vilnius Airport is easy, but the “best” option still depends on your exact address.
How to get from Old Town to Vilnius Airport
Getting from Old Town back to Vilnius Airport works the same way in reverse.
You can take a bus, train, taxi app, Welcome Pickups or Airport Express, depending on where you are starting.
If you are using public transport, check the route in stops.lt, Trafi, m.Ticket or your preferred public transport app. Give yourself extra time if you need to walk to the stop, validate a ticket or travel during a busy period.
If you are leaving from the station area, the train or Airport Express can be convenient. If you are leaving from deeper in Old Town or from a hotel farther away, a bus or taxi-style option may be easier.
For early flights, heavy luggage or low-stress travel, I would book a pickup or use a taxi app.
Final thoughts
Getting from Vilnius Airport to Old Town is refreshingly simple, especially if you compare it with bigger airports where the transfer becomes a whole separate project.
For most visitors, I would choose the bus if travelling light and looking for a cheap option. I would choose Bolt, Uber, Etransport or Welcome Pickups if arriving late, travelling with kids or carrying luggage I do not want to drag through town.
The only real trick is checking where you are staying before choosing. If your accommodation is near the station, the train or Airport Express can work well. If it is elsewhere, public transport apps or a door-to-door ride will make the decision much easier.
Once your airport transfer is sorted, the next step is planning your time in the city, so read my 2 days in Vilnius itinerary next.
The free mini guide below is made for first-time visitors who want the main Vilnius planning tips in one simple place.
