Broadly safe for most visitors, with only routine travel precautions needed. Public health and infrastructure are well developed.
Regional breakdown
Vilnius, the capital, handles most arrivals and feels relaxed. The Old Town, Užupis and the airport corridor see steady tourist traffic with low reported crime against visitors. Pickpocketing happens in busy spots like the train station and Gedimino Avenue, so keep bags closed and phones out of back pockets. Kaunas and Klaipėda, the second and third cities, draw visitors for the interwar architecture and the Baltic coast. Both are quiet by European standards. The Curonian Spit, a UNESCO dune landscape reached from Klaipėda. Is a popular day trip and presents no unusual risks beyond standard ferry and weather planning. The eastern and southeastern borders deserve more thought. Lithuania shares frontiers with Belarus and the Russian exclave of Kaliningrad. The Belarus border has seen migrant pressure since 2021 and remains heavily patrolled. Border zones near Druskininkai, Šalčininkai and the Suwałki Gap are not closed to tourists, but stay on marked roads. Carry your passport and avoid wandering close to the line. Drone fragments from the war in Ukraine have crossed into Lithuanian airspace on several occasions and official advisory guidance flagged new information on this in March 2026.
Recent advisory changes
The official advisory guidance page for Lithuania was last updated on 27 March 2026 and is marked still current at 7 April 2026. The headline change is new information about drones entering Lithuanian airspace linked to Russia's invasion of Ukraine. The official advisory guidance holds Lithuania at Level 1, Exercise Normal Precautions. The advisory was last reissued on 9 August 2024 after periodic review without changes. No region-specific warnings are attached and none of the threat indicators (terrorism, civil unrest, crime, kidnapping) are activated. Both governments treat Lithuania as a low-risk NATO and EU member, with the eastern border situation monitored rather than escalated.
What travellers should know
Carry your passport or a clear copy at all times, especially near the Belarus and Kaliningrad borders, where ID checks are routine. Lithuania is in the Schengen and Eurozone, so entry from other Schengen states is straightforward and the currency is the euro. visitors can stay up to 90 days in any 180 without a visa. Petty theft is the most common issue tourists report. Watch your belongings on overnight trains, in Vilnius bus station and around late-night bars in the Old Town. Card fraud and ATM skimming have been reported, so use machines inside banks where possible. Drink-spiking incidents have been logged in nightlife districts; keep drinks in sight. Winters are cold and icy from December to March, and pavements can be slippery. Driving standards are reasonable, but rural roads have wildlife crossings and winter tyres are mandatory in the cold months. The emergency number is 112. Travel insurance with medical and repatriation cover is strongly advised. And a UK Global Health Insurance Card gives access to state healthcare on the same terms as locals. If tensions rise on the eastern border during your trip, follow updates from official advisory guidance and your airline.