Getting Around Kaunas
Kaunas is compact enough that most visitors can mix walking with public transport, and fill in the gaps with taxis or shared cars when they need to reach outlying sights. The city's buses and trolleybuses form the backbone of local travel, while a few handy apps cover tickets, taxis and short-term car or scooter rental.
Public Transport: Buses and Trolleybuses
Kaunas has no metro, tram or suburban rail network for getting around the city itself. Instead, an extensive web of bus and trolleybus routes criss-crosses Kaunas, running from around 05:00 to 23:00. For a visitor this means almost any part of the city is reachable by surface transport, with frequent service during the day.
- Buying tickets: You can use an e-ticket or buy a ticket on board. On-board tickets can be paid for with coins or a debit/credit card.
- E-tickets: A single e-ticket is cheaper than an on-board ticket, but you must always validate it when boarding.
- Žiogas card and app: E-tickets work with a Žiogas card (available at newsstands and certain supermarkets in Kaunas) or the Žiogas app, available for Android and iOS. Both work by pre-loading money onto the card or app.
- Passes: You can also load monthly or longer-duration passes onto your Žiogas card or app.
For fares, maps and a travel planner, the Kaunas Public Transport website is the place to check before you travel.
Taxis and Ride-Hailing
International ride-hailing apps such as Bolt and Uber are popular in Kaunas and give a taxi-like experience. Lithuanian services include eTAKSI and Etransport, both of which let you order either a ridesharing vehicle or a licensed taxi through an app or by phone. Taxis are also available at certain parking spots around the city. Note that hailing a taxi in the street is not usual in Lithuania, so it is best to book through an app or by phone.
Driving and Car-Sharing
You really only need a car for outlying sites. All the major rental firms are represented at the airport, and there are several downtown rental offices. App-based short-term rental, or car-sharing, is also available from providers such as CityBee, Spark and Bolt Drive.
Parking in Kaunas is divided into zones, and there are various ways to pay. Ticket machines have contactless card readers, and a dwindling few still accept coins. A popular option is to pay using the ParkMan or UNIPARK apps, though both charge a small extra fee. Holders of a Lithuanian phone number can also pay by SMS.
The old-town zone near the Kaunas city hall is classified as a low-emissions zone. Entry costs a small fee, but you also receive the same amount as credit towards parking, which discourages driving through the zone without penalising traffic that is actually destined for the old town. To use the parking credit, pay the entry fee as soon as you park, using a ticket machine, the ParkMan or UNIPARK apps, or the SMS method.
Walking and Micromobility
Walking is a practical way to cover the centre, and the city has an extensive network of cycleways for those who prefer two wheels. Bikes can be hired from Dviratinis or Velomania. In warmer months, app-based micromobility rental is available from apps such as Bolt, letting you rent an e-scooter or an e-bike.
Getting from the Airport into the City
Kaunas International Airport (KUN) sits northeast of the city on the A6/E262 road. The terminal has a restaurant, bars, duty-free shops, car rentals, a travel agency, currency exchange and ATMs, and there are parking lots with short- and long-term spaces.
- Bus 29: Runs from outside Arrivals via Savanorių Avenue to the main railway and bus station. It operates daily, once or twice an hour, between roughly 04:30 and 23:30, with a last bus into town around 01:00 that will wait for delayed flights. Pay the driver with card or cash.
- Taxi: A taxi to the town centre is an option if you prefer a direct ride.
- Ollex direct buses: Ollex runs direct buses from Kaunas airport to Vilnius and to Klaipėda. The Klaipėda service stops midway at the Kryžkalnis highway interchange, where you can connect to other local buses.
- Vilnius Airport (VNO): About 100 km east, Vilnius Airport has far more flights, from all the European capitals and many other cities. It has a direct Ollex bus to Kaunas city centre (Akropolis shopping centre), and is close to Vilnius rail and bus stations for other onward transport.
Arriving by Train or Bus
Kaunas railway station is in the southeast corner of the city. It has lockers next to the ticket office, a tourist office, an ATM and a small café. It is a short distance to the Old Town, and you can follow a pleasant footpath along the river bank. About 500 m northeast of the station, a splendid old steam locomotive stands at the entrance to a railway tunnel, but the road along there is busy with traffic and takes you away from the other city sights.
Kaunas bus station is in New Town, a short walk north of the railway station, so the two are easy to combine if you are changing between bus and train.