Kaunas gives you the Baltic old-town-and-museums trip people take Vilnius for, with fewer crowds and a story Vilnius cannot tell: it was Lithuania's interwar capital, and its 1919-1939 modernist buildings joined the UNESCO World Heritage List in 2023. The castle, Town Hall Square, Laisvės alėja and the Čiurlionis museum are all walkable, and the Ninth Fort memorial is a short ride out. Fly straight into Kaunas airport, or land in Vilnius and take the train for about €10. Pay for buses with the Žiogas app (€0.70 a ride) and plan two days, plus a half day for Pažaislis Monastery.
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When to go
May to August is the best window, with average highs of about 19-24°C. July is also the wettest month (about 88 mm). Winter is cold: January highs average around -1°C, so plan indoor museum days. The Čiurlionis National Museum of Art is closed on Mondays and on several public holidays, including 1-2 November and 24-26 December.
Kaunas right now and the next 7 days
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Kaunas on the map
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The area
Places to see
Day trips
Kaunas · Open in Google Maps ↗
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Step 3 of 11Next: Cost↓What your trip costs
Change anything and the numbers update. Every price is what the bus, room or ticket itself costs. We take no commission and sell no packages, so this is what you pay booking each piece yourself.
Ballpark ranges, not live quotes. Prices last updated 5 November 2026. Prices move with season and demand, so check live fares before you book. Spot a wrong price? Tell us and we fix it.
On the ground: stay, food, local travel and tickets. Pick a route above to add the journey.
Kaunas in 2 days: a day-by-day plan
Our suggested plan, in a sensible order with times. Move things between days, remove them or add more. It saves on this device, and you can share it.
- 11:00Ninth Fort Museum and memorial2-3 h · ₹855 each · A tsarist-era fort used as a Nazi mass-murder site, now a museum and memorial. €8 adult, €4 students and pensioners. Free for everyone on the last Sunday of each month. The underground defensive wall is guided-tour only.
- 13:30Lunch break
- 14:30Kaunas Castle1 h · ₹425 each · Restored brick castle where the Nemunas and Neris rivers meet. €4 adult, €2 reduced, children free. Tickets sold until 30 minutes before closing.
- 08:00M. K. Čiurlionis National Museum of Art2 h · ₹1,070 each · Paintings by Lithuania's best-known artist and composer. €10 adult, €5 reduced; a €14 combo adds the Kaunas Picture Gallery. Closed Mondays.
- 10:30Devils' Museum1 h · ₹855 each · Devil figures from Lithuania and around the world, part of the Čiurlionis museum group. €8 adult, €4 reduced.
- 13:00Lunch break
How to get to Kaunas
One-way prices per person. The cheapest sensible option is marked. Each button opens live times and fares for the date you picked above.
Flight + bus Cheapest
₹75€0.70 with the Žiogas app or €1.50 paid to the driver. The airport is about 14 km northeast of the centre. A taxi is roughly €20-25.
Flight + train
₹1,070Up to 15 trains a day over 104 km. About €10 in second class on express trains and roughly half that on stopping trains. Fares are dynamic, so booking early on ltglink.lt is usually cheaper.
Vilnius Airport → Vilnius station Last leg
₹95€0.90. Trains run roughly 07:10 to 19:20. Tickets on the LTG Link app, at ticket machines or on the train.
Getting around once you're there
On foot
FreeThe castle, Town Hall Square, Laisvės alėja and the modernist New Town are all walkable. Laisvės alėja alone is 1.6 km long.
Bus and trolleybus
₹75€0.70 with the Žiogas app or card, with one free transfer within 30 minutes. Cash or card to the driver is €1.50 since January 2026. Riding without a valid ticket costs an €8 control fee.
Funicular
₹130The Aleksotas funicular is €1.20 one way or €2.00 return on the city tourism site; one guide says about €1.50, so check at the station. It runs about 07:00-19:00 with a lunch break 12:00-13:00.
Taxi
₹225About €2.10 to start and €1.52 per km. Use a taxi app or a registered metered taxi, and check the meter is on.
Where to stay in Kaunas
Price per night for the room. The buttons open live availability for your dates.
Dorm
₹1,230/nightDorm beds from about €11.50 (The Monk's Bunk) to €17 (Central @ Kaunas) in current listings.
Private room
₹1,550/nightHostel private rooms listed from about €14.50 a night. Expect more at weekends.
Hotel
₹4,650/nightOn a search-engine average, November is the cheapest month at about $49 a night; 3-star rooms have been seen from about $43.
What to eat, and what it costs
Lunch at a simple restaurant
₹1,145Around €10.70.
Three-course dinner, mid-range
₹3,310About €62 for two without drinks, so about €31 each.
Cappuccino
₹335Around €3.15.
Half-litre of draught beer
₹495Around €4.62 in a bar. A bottle from a shop is about €1.52.
Places to visit and things to do in Kaunas
Tap “Add to my plan” and it goes into your day-by-day plan above.
Ninth Fort Museum and memorial
₹855A tsarist-era fort used as a Nazi mass-murder site, now a museum and memorial. €8 adult, €4 students and pensioners. Free for everyone on the last Sunday of each month. The underground defensive wall is guided-tour only.
Kaunas Castle
₹425Restored brick castle where the Nemunas and Neris rivers meet. €4 adult, €2 reduced, children free. Tickets sold until 30 minutes before closing.
M. K. Čiurlionis National Museum of Art
₹1,070Paintings by Lithuania's best-known artist and composer. €10 adult, €5 reduced; a €14 combo adds the Kaunas Picture Gallery. Closed Mondays.
Devils' Museum
₹855Devil figures from Lithuania and around the world, part of the Čiurlionis museum group. €8 adult, €4 reduced.
Aleksotas funicular and viewpoint
₹130A short funicular up to a lookout over the Old Town and the river confluence. €1.20 one way, €2.00 return on the city tourism site (one guide says about €1.50).
Modernist New Town walk
FreeWalk Laisvės alėja and the streets around it for the interwar buildings that made Kaunas a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 2023. Free.
Day trips and next stops
Pažaislis Monastery
Check fareTaxi or bike out along the Kaunas Reservoir; check city bus options in the Žiogas app
Rumšiškės open-air museum
Check fareEast of the city near the Kaunas-Vilnius highway; car or taxi is simplest
Birštonas spa town
Check fareSouth along the Nemunas; ask at Kaunas bus station for regional buses
Vilnius
₹1,070LTG Link train, up to 15 a day
Know before you go
Mistakes to avoid
- UK travel advice (updated 11 Aug 2026) reports drink spiking in Vilnius and at festivals elsewhere in Lithuania, and pickpockets on busy public transport. Do not leave drinks unattended.
- Some Ukrainian drones aimed at Russia have crossed into Lithuanian airspace. Follow official guidance if alerts are issued.
- Since January 2026 a bus ticket bought from the driver costs €1.50, and riding without a valid ticket costs an €8 control fee. Set up the Žiogas app before your first ride.
Ways to spend less
- The Ninth Fort is free for everyone on the last Sunday of each month, and Kaunas Castle is free on the last Sunday of the month in summer.
- The Žiogas app cuts a bus ride from €1.50 to €0.70 and includes a free 30-minute transfer.
- The UNESCO-listed modernist streets, Laisvės alėja and the river confluence cost nothing to walk.
Before-you-go checklist
Kaunas in pictures
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Step 11 of 11Next: FAQ↓Questions people ask
When is the best time to visit Kaunas?
On our month-by-month scores, the best months are May–Aug. May to August is the best window, with average highs of about 19-24°C. July is also the wettest month (about 88 mm). Winter is cold: January highs average around -1°C, so plan indoor museum days. The Čiurlionis National Museum of Art is closed on Mondays and on several public holidays, including 1-2 November and 24-26 December.
How do I reach Kaunas?
Flight + bus: → Kaunas (KUN), then city bus 29 to the centre, About 25 m, about ₹75 one way. Flight + train: → Vilnius (VNO), then LTG Link train Vilnius → Kaunas, 1 h 05 m - 1 h 42 m, about ₹1,070 one way.
How much does a 2-day trip to Kaunas cost?
On the ground (stay, food, local travel and tickets), one person spends about ₹10,100 on a shoestring, ₹17,000 mid-range or ₹31,400 in comfort over 2 days. Add the journey: the cheapest sensible option is flight + bus (→ Kaunas (KUN), then city bus 29 to the centre) at about ₹75 each way.
How many days do you need in Kaunas?
2 days is right for most people. That covers Ninth Fort Museum and memorial, Kaunas Castle, M. K. Čiurlionis National Museum of Art, Devils' Museum without rushing.
Is Kaunas good for families or solo travellers?
Out of 5 on our scores: solo 5, couples 5, families 3, groups 4. It is easy to do on your own.
Is vegetarian food easy to find in Kaunas?
Vegetarian is manageable: šaltibarščiai (cold pink beetroot and kefir soup), potato pancakes, curd-cheese dishes and the cafés along Laisvės alėja are easy wins. Cepelinai (potato dumplings) usually come with meat, but curd-filled versions exist, so ask. Vegan is harder outside modern cafés because dairy is everywhere.
Will my phone and cards work in Kaunas?
Phone signal: Lithuania is in the EU, so EU SIMs roam at home rates. Others can buy a local prepaid SIM in Kaunas. Cards and UPI: Cards are widely taken. Link a bank card to the Žiogas app for cheaper bus fares. Cash: Lithuania uses the euro. Keep a few coins in case you have to pay a bus driver (€1.50).
Guides for Kaunas
Longer reads from our blog that cover this trip.
Sources and last check
Checked 5 November 2026. Fees, hours and rules change, so confirm on the official site before you pay.
- en.kaunas.lt OfficialCity of Kaunas (January 2026): ticket bought from driver (cash or card) raised from €1 to €1.50; Žiogas app and card prices unchanged; €8 control fee for riding without a valid ticket
- visit.kaunas.lt OfficialKaunas tourism office: Aleksotas funicular €1.20 one way, €2.00 return, family €3.00 / €4.00; hours 07:00-19:00, lunch 12:00-13:00
- 9fortomuziejus.lt OfficialNinth Fort Museum official prices (page modified 5 Aug 2026): adult €8, reduced €4, family €8 per adult + €2 per child; free for all on last Sunday of each month; underground wall only with museum guide
- kaunomuziejus.lt OfficialKaunas Castle official: adult €4, reduced €2, children free; free on last Sunday of month in summer; tickets until 30 min before closing
- ciurlionis.lt OfficialČiurlionis museum official: National Museum of Art €10 / €5; Kaunas Picture Gallery €8; Devils' Museum €8 / €4; combo €14; open Tue-Sun; holiday closures incl. 1-2 Nov and 24-26 Dec
- vilnius-airport.lt OfficialVilnius Airport official: train to Vilnius railway station €0.90, up to 8 min, about 07:10-19:20; tickets via LTG Link app, machines, on board
- gov.uk OfficialUK FCDO (updated 11 Aug 2026): petty crime and pickpockets on public transport; drink spiking in Vilnius and at festivals; use app or registered metered taxis; Ukrainian drones crossing Lithuanian airspace
- inyourpocket.comŽiogas e-ticket €0.70 with one free transfer within 30 minutes; airport bus 29 €1.50 to driver or €0.70 in app; airport taxi about €20-25; funiculars "roughly €1.50" (undated guide)
- seat61.comVilnius-Kaunas 104 km, 1h05-1h42, up to 15 trains daily; €10 2nd class on express trains, half on stopping trains
- ltg.ltLTG Link: dynamic pricing on Vilnius-Kaunas-Vilnius
- en.wikipedia.orgKUN 14 km northeast of central Kaunas; about 25 minutes by bus to the centre; Ryanair main carrier
- numbeo.comInexpensive meal €10.70; mid-range three courses for two €62; fast-food combo €9.00; cappuccino €3.15; draught beer 0.5 l €4.62; bottled beer €1.52; taxi start €2.10, €1.52/km (updated 2 Nov 2026)
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Set your dates and group at the top, shape the days, then book each piece directly.
Back to the planner ↑Costs are indicative ballparks for doing it yourself and change with season and demand. Always check live fares, rates and opening rules before you book. Trip Under is not a travel agency: we sell nothing, take no commission, and we link to maps and official sites, never to booking sites. Photographs come from Wikimedia Commons under free licences; see credits.
By Gokul · Updated 5 November 2026 · Photo: Tim Adams · CC BY 3.0 · source · Photo: Radosław Botev · CC BY 3.0 pl · source · Photo: Quintin Soloviev · CC BY 4.0 · source · Photo: Seymark · CC BY-SA 4.0 · source · Photo: Ymblanter · CC BY-SA 4.0 · source
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