Safety in Lithuania: what overland travellers should know
Our summary of the country advice published by the Italian Ministry of Foreign Affairs (Viaggiare Sicuri) on 23 June 2026.
Safety
- Russian and Belarusian borders — Some prudence is advised in the areas immediately next to the borders with the Russian Federation, meaning the Kaliningrad district, and with Belarus, where checks are heavier. Cross only at authorised crossing points and with valid travel documents, entry visa included.
- Do not photograph — Avoid intrusive photography in those border areas and in the military areas of Rukla, Pabradė and Šiauliai, where a specific ban applies.
- Crime and car theft — Lithuania can be considered generally safe, with crime rates below the European average and limited violent and property crime, most of it linked to drug dealing and to alcoholism, whose rate is among the highest in Europe. Petty crime happens in the big cities, though the police keep good control of the territory. Take the usual precautions against bag-snatching and theft, above all theft of cars, and carry copies of your documents with the originals left somewhere secure.
- Nightlife and the police — Avoid isolated and outlying parts of towns at night, and rough or disreputable nightspots where petty crime, alcohol and drug dealing concentrate. Lithuanian police come down hard on violence in public venues such as clubs and bars, brawls included, so behave accordingly to avoid penalties.
- Hard winters — The winter climate is severe and alerts are issued for wind, heavy snowfall, ice and low temperatures. The government's LT72 app carries real-time updates on emergencies.
Before you rely on this
This is our summary of advice written by the Italian Ministry of Foreign Affairs for Italian travellers, published on 23 June 2026. We summarise in good faith, but we cannot guarantee it is accurate, current or complete, and we take no responsibility for decisions made on the basis of it. Rules change without notice and are applied by officials at the border, not by websites. Always read the original source and the travel advice your own government publishes for Lithuania before you travel. GuideMeet has no way of checking whether an individual guide meets any standard mentioned here — ask them directly.
Source: Viaggiare Sicuri — Italian Ministry of Foreign Affairs, updated 23 June 2026. Last checked by GuideMeet on 2026-09-20.