In October 2024, I visited Belarus. This was an unexpected addition to my travel plans, thanks to the extension of visa-free travel for 35 more countries – which fortunately included the United Kingdom.
Due to there being no direct flights operating to or from Belarus from Western Europe, going via Lithuania was the easiest and cheapest option. This is especially true if you are traveling from the UK, as I was.
There are also buses into Belarus from Warsaw and Poland, but – having conducted some fairly in-depth research via Facebook groups – I found out that the border between Belarus and Poland is notorious for long delays. I’d also read that they’re adding more lanes to the Lithuania-Belarus border. All in all, going via Vilnius, Lithuania was the better option.
Lithuania to Belarus border crossing tips
- Visa-free land border crossing: As of 08:00 on July 19, 2024, Belarus has expanded its visa-free entry for land border crossings to include 35 additional European countries, alongside Latvia, Poland, and Lithuania, which were already eligible. The 30-day visa-free entry remains available for air travel as well, though flight options are limited. This policy was currently set to run until December 31, 2024, but has now been extended by another year until December 31st, 2025. Here are some more details on the Belarus visa and entry process.
- Check your travel insurance: Most foreign governments advise against travel to Belarus, and mandatory travel insurance is required. You can purchase this online from two providers in Belarus. While I wasn’t asked to show proof, I highly recommend ensuring you have coverage. Here’s some more information on Belarusian insurance providers.
- You might need Google Translate: I found that English is widely spoken in Belarus, though it can be limited. With this in mind, it’s helpful to have Google Translate available. The ability to speak Russian is incredibly useful.
- Don’t be afraid to ask: Throughout my time in Belarus, I felt completely safe both day and night. Locals were friendly and always willing to help if I had any questions.
- Bring paper copies of your train tickets. While I was able to show digital versions, having paper copies on hand is a good backup in case they’re needed.
- Keep your passport handy: When you board the bus ensure you have your passport to hand as this will be required at the border checkpoints.
Vilnius to Belarus bus information
From Vilnius, Lithuania there are two cities in Belarus that you can travel to, and they are Minsk as well as Hrodno (Grodno). When I was in Belarus I traveled on both of these routes and can offer you valuable information on my experiences between both countries.
Three bus companies operate from Vilnius (Inc Airport) – Minsk:
- Eurolines (12 departures)
- Ecolines (Four departures)
- Minsktrans (Минсктранс) – (Eight departures) You can also travel from Kaunas, Riga, Warsaw & St Petersburg to Minsk with MinskTrans, but these journey times are considerably longer than Vilnius
Two bus companies operate between Vilnius – Hrodno (Grodno):
- Vajen Trans (Ваджен Транс) – (One departure from Vilnius Airport)
- Intax (ИНТАКС) – (Three departures from Vilnius Central Bus Station)
From Vilnius, there are departures from both the Central Bus Station & Vilnius Airport. I found this really convenient, as it saved me from having to travel into the centre of Vilnius itself to get a bus. There are a total of 24 departures to Minsk and four to Hrodno (Grodno),from Vilnius airport. You can use these same bus companies to book your return journey back to Vilnius while having the option of both the airport and city centre as arrival destinations.
I booked with Eurolines as they had the most frequent daily departures, and, as an added bonus, they also offered the ability to change your ticket to a different departure time. I initially booked a departure two hours after my arrival at Vilnius Airport just to guard against any delays, but as there were none, I changed my ticket using the Eurolines app. There was no charge.
How to buy coach tickets from Vilnius
For both ease and convenience, it’s best to book your coach tickets in advance. They can be fully booked on, or before, the date of travel. Buying in advance is the best way to avoid last minute problems.
You can buy tickets for Eurolines and Ecolines directly, but for Minsktrans and any bus to Hrodno (Grodno) you can use InfoBus. This has an English option, which makes ticket purchases a little easier. I would recommend buying in Belarusian Rouble (BYN) as this offered the price.
Tickets are surprisingly expensive, but given the popularity and route itself this is to be expected. I paid the following prices:
- Vilnius Airport – Minsk = €50
- Hrodna (Grodno) – Vilnius = €52 (185 BYN)
Lithuania to Belarus by Coach: Step by Step
Here’s everything you need to know about crossing the Belarusian border by bus, starting at Vilnius Airport bus station…
Vilnius Airport Bus Station
- To find the departure point for the buses to Belarus, you will need to exit the airport once you have cleared immigration, and enter the arrivals hall.
- As soon as you exit the airport you will see to your left a newly built bus stop with several bays within it. At the bus stop there will be information boards showing each company’s departure time, and an electronic board displaying the bay number for the next departures.You will be able to tell if you’ve got the correct bus and route, as this information is printed on the windscreen.
- My Euroline bus departed from Bay Three, it displayed the Eurolines logo as well as the company name “TOKS”.
- You will be able to tell if you’ve got the correct bus and route, as this information is printed on the windscreen.
- I showed the driver a digital copy of my ticket and sat in my designated seat. The bus arrived a few minutes late, but this is normal. We departed as soon as all the waiting passengers were on board.
Hrodno (Grodno) Bus Station
Hrodno Bus Station is a short walk from the city centre. It’s laid out and sign-posted well, making it easy to find the place your bus is due to depart from. It’s just across the street from a McDonalds, plus, there are several coffee outlets and shops within the vicinity, should you wish to buy any refreshments for the journey.
At the front of the bus station you will see a large map (see image below), which is in English, and explains that all international buses depart from ‘7’ – this is the bus bay to the rear of the main building.
When you’re at the international bus bay, Vilnius departures are at bay three. I had the Belarusian cyrillic on my ticket (Віленшчына), so I matched this to the sign and also checked with other passengers to make sure I was in the right place.
Similarly to the bus from Vilnius Airport, it arrived a few minutes late. It also had the route written in English on the windscreen.
On the bus
I didn’t know what to expect from either of the two bus journeys I’d booked to and from Belarus. I take all journeys with a pinch of salt, and try not to have any expectations until I am on the bus itself. I’m an avid bus traveller in well over 50 countries, including the UK. So, I’ve had my fair share of both good and bad experiences.
I will admit that I’m easily pleased when it comes to bus journeys, as I always arrive prepared with battery packs, snacks and entertainment; if it’s relatively comfortable, I’m happy.
Eurolines (Vilnius Airport – Minsk)
The bus arrived and it was exactly what I expected. It was something similar to a National Express or a FlixBus. When I booked my tickets, the website said I would have access to free WiFi and a media centre for watching movies or listening to music.
Boarding the bus was simple. I showed the bus driver my ticket on the Eurolines App, though I did have my paper ticket, just in case. The bus was clean and well ,and all of the seats were numbered. I was automatically assigned a seat when I made my booking.
In the middle of the bus there was a toilet, which was clean and open to use throughout the journey. The seats were comfortable, had local power sockets, a reclining feature, their own tray tables, and assigned storage. The driver was helpful.
Overall, in terms of a comfortable, safe and seamless journey, Eurolines was an excellent choice.
INTAKS (ИНТАКС) – (Grodno – Vilnius)
To be totally honest, I didn’t expect this bus to be of the same standard as the Eurolines bus I took into Belarus – and it wasn’t. That being said, it was still a more than acceptable journey.
When the bus arrived my initial impressions were that it did look slightly more ‘dated’. I showed the driver my ticket, (paper ticket this time as there was no app for this company) and sat in my allocated seat. As far as amenities go, there was a toilet in the middle, a reclining seat, tray table and storage. The seats were slightly less comfortable than the Eurolines bus, but again, this wasn’t a major issue. The bus was clean – and for what was to be a similar journey of at least five hours – it ticked all the boxes. This driver was also very helpful, especially at the border. Even though he spoke little English he still made every effort to make sure I understood the process and where I needed to go.
Crossing the border
Crossing land borders is far from new to me – it’s a process I’ve navigated many times. Even for the less-experienced traveller, the border crossing to and from Belarus via Lithuania was essentially a walk in the park. It was well organised, but as expected, it included a fair bit of waiting around.
Whether you are entering or exiting Belarus, the process is the same, and the usual checks took place.
Here’s what you can expect:
- Upon arriving at the border, the bus crosses various manned gates. You’ll be required to provide documents, but you can simply remain seated until you are asked to get off the bus.
- The bus will stop at the border entry point. Then, the driver will advise you to take your passports and enter the main building. You will be shown the correct door. If not, just follow the driver/other passengers.
- When I was leaving each country and getting my exit stamp, I did not need to take my bag. I left this on the bus.
- At the border-control exit point you’ll need to queue with your passport until it’s your turn to speak to the immigration officer.
- When I entered both Belarus and Lithuania I was asked the standard questions. They basically wanted to know the reason I was travelling, and the duration of my trip. As a UK passport holder, I didn’t need a visa to enter either country. All I needed was my passport.
- When entering either country you’ll need to take all luggage with you when leaving the bus. After gaining your entry stamp, your bags will be scanned and searched – this is normal.
- For entering Lithuania, after gaining an entry stamp everyone gathers by a table where guards may ask you to open your bag so they can take a brief glance inside. This again, is totally normal.
There are Duty Free Shops at the Lithuania-Belarus border, which also served coffee and snacks, however there weren’t any when we re-entered Lithuania. There are also readily accessible toilets in the immigration buildings on both sides.
It’s easier than you might think!
In total, the entire border crossing process each way took around one and a half hours. The information I had read about potentially long delays turned out not to be the case for me – though this may differ depending on the date and time of crossing..
On the whole, my two bus journeys were similar to that of any other European bus trip and border crossing I’ve experienced.
I couldn’t have asked for an easier, more comfortable, or more straightforward journey between Lithuania and Belarus. If you’re reading this and thinking of taking a similar journey, I hope I’ve put any worries you might have had aside.
I don’t know if the visa-free entry will continue beyond 31st December 2024, so my advice is, take advantage of it while you can..