Page 392 - (DK Eyewitness) Travel Guide - Estonia Latvia & Lithuania

390 SUR VIV AL GUIDE

Getting Around Lithuania Travelling by Train
The national rail network is run
Lithuania’s excellent road network makes it very easy to get by Lietuvos Geležinkeliai
around. Buses are the fastest and most conve nient mode of (Lithuanian Railways). The main
public transport in the country. Express buses link virtually routes are from Vilnius to Šiauliai
every town in Lithuania and are also a great way to see the and Klaipėda, Vilnius to Visaginas,
which passes by Ignalina and
countryside. Trains are cheaper, but also less frequent and Aukštaitija National Park, Šiauliai
with far fewer routes. The roads in Lithuania are some of the to Panevėžys and Rokiškis, and
best-maintained in Central and Eastern Europe, which often the compara tively speedy and
makes hiring a car the most comfortable way to travel. The regular Vilnius to Kaunas route.
country’s relatively flat landscape, punctuated by low hills, The Vilnius to Varėna line conti-
nues to Dzūkija National Park
makes it ideal for cycling as well.
before heading into Belarus.
One of the most enjoyable and
scenic train journeys in
Lithuania is on the Narrow-
Gauge Railway, which runs from
Panevėžys to Lake Rubikiai.
All train tickets must be
purchased at the ticket desks
at railway stations. Reductions
are available for young child-
ren, pensioners and also
disabled passengers.
Lithuania’s autobusų stotis (bus
stations) and traukinių stotis
International luxury coach at the bus station in Panevėžys (railway stations) are generally
located close to one another
Travelling by Bus
buy them from the driver on and are within easy walking
Buses form the main mode boarding, especially on minor distance of the town centre.
of Lithuania’s public transport routes. In summer, or during Theft is rare, although it is best
network. The privately owned weekends when services are to keep an eye on your
bus company Toks operates more regularly used, it is worth belongings. Risk to personal
comfortable buses on more buying tickets in advance. Tickets safety is seldom an issue when
than 50 routes countrywide as have to be paid for in cash and travelling in Lithuania, but
well as 11 international routes there are no facilities for reserving security guards are often
for Eurolines. Although them by telephone or on the deployed at Vilnius Bus Station.
travelling by bus is usually a Internet. Disabled passengers, However, bus and train
little more expensive than by senior citizens over the age of 70 stations place little emphasis on
train, buses are quicker and and children below the age of cleanliness and hygiene,
connect more places. ten, are entitled to a 50 per cent although the stations at Vilnius
Schedules are written on signs discount. Pre-school children and Kaunas have now been
at the head of each stand, as well travel free. Groups of ten passen- modernized. At the larger
as inside the bus station building. gers or more get price reductions railway stations it is also possible
Express buses, marked by an “E” if travel is arranged in advance. to leave your baggage at the
in the schedules, sometimes
operate on intercity routes,
bypassing smaller towns and
villages along the way. Many of
the bus services to the coast, for
instance to Palanga or Nida, are
seasonal and operate in summer
only. For more information on
frequency of services check the
official website for Toks.
Vilnius Bus Station is the
country’s biggest bus trans port
hub, although Kaunas Bus
Station also has links with
various European cities.
Tickets can be bought at ticket
desks in bus stations in larger
towns, although you can also The Narrow-Gauge Railway, one of the most scenic and enjoyable train journeys