How to buy and activate a ticket, plan a journey and find the current route in Vilnius.
This comprehensive guide is your key to effortlessly navigating the city's transport network. We'll show you how to find the right bus ticket for Vilnius, which mobile apps will revolutionize your travel planning, and how to use the most important routes to get from the airport to the center or to major attractions. Get ready to explore Vilnius in all its diversity!
Tickets and Fares, Your Options for Public Transport in Vilnius
Gone are the days of studying complicated fare structures. Vilnius offers several simple ways to purchase tickets. Whether you're planning a single journey or want to explore the city intensively for several days, there's a suitable solution for you.
1. The Vilniečio kortelė (Vilnius Citizen Card)
The JUDU / Vilniečio kortelė is a reusable card costing €1.50, before adding tickets. Buy it at JUDU customer service centres or participating ticket retailers, including Narvesen and Lietuvos spauda; do not assume every kiosk sells it. Check the official sales-point information. Load e-tickets, not a new cash balance into the old electronic wallet. A 30-minute ticket costs €1.00 and a 60-minute ticket €1.25; transfers are allowed during validity. Touch the validator, select a ticket if prompted and touch the card again to confirm. Check the successful activation on screen.
2. Single journey: contactless bank card
Tickets are no longer sold by the driver: that option was discontinued on 1 September 2024. For a single journey, the simplest way is to tap a contactless bank card on the validator inside the vehicle, which buys a full-fare 60-minute ticket for 1.25 EUR. Paper tickets bought earlier remain valid until 1 September 2027.
3. Purchase Tickets via App
JUDU provides mobile ticket purchase and journey planning; Trafi is another option for mobile tickets and route planning. The new JUDU app is gradually replacing m.Ticket and m.Parking, which JUDU says will operate until November. Check the official app update before relying on an older app guide. Buying a ticket does not activate it.
4. Day passes and contactless payment
Single tickets are not always the cheapest option. A 1-day pass costs €7.50 and a 3-day pass €13.50. Compare these with the timed tickets your itinerary needs: transfers within a ticket's validity do not necessarily require another purchase. You can also skip the card completely: tapping a contactless bank card on the reader inside the vehicle buys a 60-minute ticket for €1.25. For late journeys, check the timetable for your date rather than assuming all services finish at 23:00. JUDU lists airport night connections on its airport transport page; other night routes have their own operating days.
The €1.00 / €1.25 timed tickets and €7.50 / €13.50 day passes were checked against JUDU's published fares on 3 October 2026. Check the current price list before travelling: judu.lt.
Apps for Getting Around Vilnius
Smartphones have become indispensable travel companions, and in Vilnius, they greatly simplify the use of public transport. It's best to download one of these apps before your arrival.
Trafi, Your All-in-One Mobility Assistant
Trafi can help plan a public-transport journey and buy mobile tickets, but it is not required: JUDU's app and the operator's online journey planner are alternatives. Enter your starting point, destination and travel time, then check the direction, stop and transfers. Displayed arrival times are estimates, not guarantees; traffic and diversions can change the journey. Follow the activation instructions for the app you use and keep the active ticket available for inspection.
Mobile ticket activation and inspection
Buying a mobile ticket is not the same as activating it. Check the instructions for the app you actually use and keep the ticket available on your phone during the journey. In the JUDU app, activate the purchased ticket and allow the stated 15-second activation period. For inspection, open the active ticket and show its QR code. See JUDU's app instructions; do not wait for an inspection to activate it.
Important Routes and Practical Tips for Tourists
With the right ticket in your pocket (or on your phone), your adventure can begin. Here are some important connections and tips to help you get started.
From Vilnius Airport (VNO) to the City
The airport's connection to the city center is excellent.
- Bus 88: Connects the airport with the city centre. Check your date, direction and actual stop in the JUDU journey planner; do not assume it stops at every Old Town landmark. Attractions to explore separately: Gate of Dawn · Town Hall Square.
- Bus 3G (Greitasis/Express): This fast line connects the airport with the center and continues to the northern districts. An ideal option if your accommodation is near the city center but not directly in the Old Town.
Useful Lines for Sightseeing
- Trolleybus 2: The operator lists the route as Saulėtekis–Žygimantų g.–Stotis. It is not a sightseeing ride along the entire Gedimino Avenue. Use the journey planner to choose the stop and walking section for your destination. Related attraction: Palace of the Grand Dukes.
- Bus 10: The listed route is Fabijoniškės–Baltupiai–Markučiai, not a direct service to Antakalnis. For St Peter and St Paul's Church, enter the church's address in the journey planner and check the connection from your starting point.
- Exploring Užupis: Many buses stop near the Užupis Artists' Republic, for example, at the "Bernardinų sodas" stop. Use a route planner like Trafi to find the best connection from your location.
Important Tips:
- Always Validate: Whether it's a paper or e-ticket, activation upon boarding is mandatory! Inspectors are frequently on duty.
- Boarding and Alighting: Follow the boarding and exit symbols displayed by the doors, rather than assuming every vehicle is front-door boarding only. Let passengers off first. See the carrier's door guidance for the rules and exceptions.
- Schedules: Check the timetable for your date, direction and stop. Live arrival information can help, but traffic, roadworks and diversions can cause delays. Leave a margin for airport connections and other time-sensitive journeys; a published timetable is not a punctuality guarantee.
Conclusion: Discover Vilnius Easily and Affordably
Choose tickets for the journeys you actually plan, activate them and check the current route before setting off. JUDU and Trafi can help with planning, but a card or contactless bank payment may suit you better than an app. Recheck late-night connections and allow extra time when an arrival deadline matters.
