Lithuania : Safety by CitySituated in Northern Europe, Lithuania is a gorgeous country, known for its nature and beautiful forests that cover about 33% of its territory.
People refer to it as a small country squeezed in between giants, as it shares borders with Poland, Russia, Belarus, and Latvia.
Apart from its forests, Lithuania has a sandy coastline with big dunes, some of which face the Baltic Sea, so one could say that it is rich in nature, and since it’s popular for its nightlife and museums, many tourists come to visit from the neighboring countries, as well as Germany and the UK.
Warnings & Dangers in Lithuania
OVERALL RISK: LOW
Generally, Lithuania is a safe country to travel to. What is interesting about crime rates in Lithuania is the fact that, even though it has a moderate crime rate, there are no dangerous areas, districts, or ghettos that you should avoid, and crime is spread pretty much evenly across the country. What you should keep in mind is to try and avoid areas with many bars and clubs, due to possible encounters with drunk or intoxicated people.
TRANSPORT & TAXIS RISK: HIGH
The group of people most known for scamming tourists is taxi drivers. So much so that it is even recommended not to use a taxi as transportation in Lithuania. They are known for charging up to 10 times the real price of the ride. Apart from that, many drivers won't even negotiate - they just refuse to drive out-of-towners for any less money than what they offer.
PICKPOCKETS RISK: MEDIUM
Pickpocketing is a common risk for tourists in Lithuania, as well as other forms of petty theft, so be sure to keep your valuables in a safe place, do not leave them in plain sight and try to not keep all your money in one place.
NATURAL DISASTERS RISK: LOW
Lithuania is completely sheltered from any natural disasters. There are no precaution measures that you should take against occurrences such as earthquakes, floods, hurricanes or tsunamis since no such disasters happen in Lithuania. The only thing notable when it comes to nature and weather are very cold winters and extremely hot summers.
MUGGING RISK: LOW
Bag snatching could happen, as well as mugging, even though it is not common, so the only places you should be particularly careful at are crowded public facilities such as railway and bus stations, airports, etc. Apart from that, you should exercise normal security precautions, and in case of mugging, do not resist and give up all belongings immediately.
TERRORISM RISK: LOW
In the entire Lithuanian history, nobody has been killed or injured in terrorist bombings. It has, however, had deadly incidents originating from its aggressive neighbors (namely, it has suffered occupations and genocides primarily by Russia) but the last act of aggression occurred in 1991, so the chances of foreign invasion are slim.
SCAMS RISK: MEDIUM
The most likely annoyance for tourists in Lithuania are people trying to scam you or trick you into paying something or overcharging for their services. These are normal tourist traps, but do watch out for the change when you buy something from local traders selling touristy souvenirs. They are likely to "miscalculate" the change and give you less money than they should.
WOMEN TRAVELERS RISK: LOW
Lithuania is safe for women who plan on traveling alone. Of course, you should take care of your luggage, personal belongings, and follow basic rules of safety, such as not walking alone at night or mingling along streets that are filled with bars and drunk people, but apart from that, it is generally safe.
So... How Safe Is Lithuania Really?
When it comes to safety, many claims that countries in the eastern part of Europe are much safer than popular European destinations such as Paris or London.
It is known as a relatively safe place to visit, with a low crime rate.
However, there are places that you should avoid because the risk is slightly higher.
Actually, in Vilnius, the capital city, the authorities publish lists containing the names of clubs and other locations that have been reported for the highest crime rate.
Many have even reported Lithuania as highly civilized compared to other countries nearby such as Russia, Bulgaria, or Romania since not many unpleasant situations can happen apart from an occasional scam or pickpocketing.
While Lithuania is overall safe, it is important that you are well informed about the crime that does happen on the streets there (mainly petty thefts, pickpocketing, or other types of rip-offs and scams) so that you are always prepared for any unwelcome situations that you may encounter.
Using your common sense and taking basic precaution measures should be enough to make your trip pleasant.
How Does Lithuania Compare?
| Country | Safety Index |
|---|---|
| Lithuania | 79 |
| Morocco | 54 |
| Finland | 86 |
| Spain | 83 |
| United Kingdom | 77 |
| New Zealand | 90 |
| Hungary | 83 |
| Uruguay | 77 |
| Singapore | 90 |
Useful Information
Visas
Residents of Australia, Canada, and the US are welcome to stay in Lithuania for up to 90 days without a visa. Residents of the EU do not need a visa, and citizens of other countries should contact the embassy of Lithuania, or, if you are not sure about your visa status, visit www.doyouneedvisa.com which will let you know whether or not you need visa based on your nationality.
Currency
Lithuania is a member of the EU, so their currency is euro. Always exchange money in banks and exchange bureaus since they offer far better rates.
Weather
When it comes to weather, Lithuania is known for its extremely cold and long winters (they last from November to March) when temperatures rarely rise above 0°C. January is the coldest with maximum daily temperatures of about -3 to -4°C. The summers, however, are extremely hot, with temperatures rising above 30°C, July being the hottest month of the year.
Airports
Vilnius International Airport (Vilniaus oro uostas) is the busiest of the four most known airports in the state, the other three being Kaunas International Airport, Palanga International Airport, and Šiauliai International Airport.
Travel Insurance
Just like anywhere else, we recommend getting travel insurance when traveling to Lithuania, since it covers not only the costs of medical problems but also theft and loss of valuables.
Lithuania Weather Averages (Temperatures)
Average High/Low Temperature
| Temperature / Month | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| High °C | -2 | -1 | 4 | 12 | 18 | 21 | 23 | 22 | 17 | 10 | 4 | -1 |
| Low °C | -8 | -7 | -4 | 2 | 7 | 10 | 13 | 12 | 8 | 3 | -1 | -5 |
| High °F | 28 | 30 | 39 | 54 | 64 | 70 | 73 | 72 | 63 | 50 | 39 | 30 |
| Low °F | 18 | 19 | 25 | 36 | 45 | 50 | 55 | 54 | 46 | 37 | 30 | 23 |
Lithuania - Safety by City
| City | Safety Index |
|---|---|
| Kaunas | 82 |
| Vilnius | 70 |
The overview about taxis is way over exaggerated. It happened before for just a few, who took taxis from airport, but it has been fixed and now only certain taxi companies may stand at the arrival. The easiest option is to use an app – Uber or Taxify and they will charge you very little. Normally you can travel anywhere for 3-10 EUR within Vilnius or other city, so that is cheap compared to other European countries. There is nothing to fear while going to Lithuania – it’s really safe and nice.
I do not agree with the transport and taxi risks. I have been to Vilnius two times so far and I have never experienced any problems and never heard other people talk about how unsafe the taxi’s are in Vilnius or Lithuania overall. It is an amazing country and Vilnius is a true gem.
Airport update
You have missed a Palanga international airport, and the Šiauliai airport to the best of my knowledge is a cargo and maybe military airport, not for travelers
Wish to come
I really wish to come, please how will I visit Lithuania.?
What about human trafficking ,I’m planning to go and work in Lithuania, but I’ve got fear
never heard about it
i got the same fear, rn im 16 and im planning to go there to meet a friend that is 18 so im trying to find out how dangerous that would be, myself im an athletic guy and i look like an adult
Not dangerous, there are little to no cases of human trafficking, mainly because its too small of a country and there are plenty of better options in locality, like ukraine, russia. With big populations and much harder time to get caught. So no need to fear. back in 90s-2000s it was quite dangerous in here. now its super tame, there are nearly 0 guns; the worst you can get is being beaten up for a dispute or worst case scenario a knife as weapon(very rare also, cause its considered cowardly), but its extremely rare and with common sense and less “ego” you would avoid such confrontations like a sane person, dont get unconscious drunk, i mean with common sense its one of the safer places in europe. Most people are friendly; but if you challenge or disrespect them, they will fight. not many lithuanians back down or get scared. but if you are respectful and “normal” nothing will happen, muggings are exceptionally rare, same with break ins and so on. i never got anything stolen or pickpocketed anywhere. Id say train station js the most dangerous place of getting pickpocketed (like everywhere) Overall there is little crime in lithuania, most crimes happen over drunken disputes or fights, cause as i mentioned, most lithuanians are stubborn and do not back down, so lots of fights, but random assaults are super rare, racism isnt big as well, just avoid politics, cause of ukrainian, russian war. Lots of russophobia in here for now. So its best to avoid these topics.
Overall its a safe place, people are generally sane, just have common sense and you will be fine.
Local taxi is very trustworthy
The taxi “scamming” evaluation is not true. This may have been the case years ago. Now, we have Uber or Bolt taxi – in the app you can see exactly the price to your destination, which will be the same for locals and visitors, and is actually super affordable.
I loved Vilnius. The capital is so beautiful.
The people are warm and welcoming. The younger generation speak perfect English.
I have never had such delicious food and desserts. All of the food is so fresh and healthy. The Lithuanians take such pride in their environment and the food reflects that.
I hope to return again. I do miss it. I have traveled the World and Lithuania is my favorite country.