Rules for crossing the Lithuanian border by car in 2021

Border crossing

The Lithuanian border can be crossed at specialized checkpoints from both Russia and Belarus. However, regardless of the selected item, the order of intersection does not change and must be followed strictly.

1. Having arrived at the checkpoint, you need to prepare the required documents.
2. After the entrance barrier, you should decide which corridor to travel next: Red or Green.
3. At the checkpoint, you need to turn off the car engine and provide the car for inspection by customs officials.
4. All travelers must exit their vehicle and present their documents to a passport control officer to receive a border crossing stamp.
5. Receive a note from the transport inspector about the presence of a Green Card for the car.

If the car is carrying goods that are subject to customs duties, you should use the Red Corridor. If travelers do not have such goods with them, they can follow the Green Corridor.

Traveling with children

If the child is accompanied by one of the parents and neither the child nor the parent are citizens of Lithuania, notarized consent from the other parent is not required. If a child is traveling accompanied by third parties, notarized consent from the parents is mandatory.

If the parent and child have different last names, the child's birth certificate is required.

Primary requirements

There are several main points and requirements, if you take into account and comply with them, you will be able to cross the Lithuanian state border in your own car without any problems. To ensure that crossing the border through a checkpoint does not cause any difficulties, think in advance about:

In some cases, Lithuania is used exclusively as a transit zone. There are also rules and recommendations in this regard.

Now you should go through each point separately, which will allow you to form the most correct and complete understanding of the procedure for crossing the border of Lithuania from Russia for road travelers.

You should start with the question of whether a visa is required. If you are a citizen of the Russian Federation and plan to travel by car to an EU country, which is Lithuania, you will also need to apply for an entry visa.

The building of the Lithuanian Embassy in Moscow

When applying for a visa, you should consider the specific purpose of your trip. Depending on this, a tourist or standard transit visa is issued. There is also a simplified version of the transit document, which also allows you to cross the border by car, bus and train.

Submission of documents for a mandatory visa is carried out through:

Here you should choose based on which option is closer to you geographically. A visa requires a standard package of documents, after submitting which you will be issued a permit for a certain period of tourist or transit type.

How the border is crossed

In reality, crossing the state border with Lithuania with your own car is not difficult. But since Lithuania is part of the European Union, and the Russian Federation is not, you can only pass through specialized checkpoints, that is, checkpoints.

Checkpoint Belarus - Lithuania

These checkpoints are located on the territory of the Russian Federation. But you can also drive through a checkpoint on the territory of the neighboring Republic of Belarus.

Regardless of which point and in which of the 2 countries you have chosen, for all Russian citizens the crossing procedure remains the same and is currently unchanged.

For objective reasons, travel through the Green Corridor takes less time. But you shouldn’t go there just to save time, since revealing the fact that there is cargo and goods in the car that are subject to mandatory declaration will be considered a violation. In the best case, you will be transferred to the desired corridor. At worst, a large fine may be imposed, arrest and a ban on crossing the border.

Rules for the import of goods

Every road traveler who plans to visit Lithuania by personal transport must know about the rules for importing goods and products.

Car inspection point at the border

If you take it per person in the car, you can take with you:

There is also a prohibited group of goods. When traveling by car, you should do without:

If you do not follow these rules, you will face a fine along with confiscation of all goods and products that do not comply with the established standards for import into Lithuania.

Documentation

Since the Lithuanian side takes into account not only internal rules, but also EU requirements, crossing the Russian border with Lithuania by car requires the presence of certain documents. The rules regarding them have not changed since 2021 and continue to apply now.

Mandatory passport control at the border

The current rules for crossing the border with Lithuania in a personal car tell travelers that they can cross it if they have:

In some cases, customs officers make additional document requirements. They may request information about the hotel they have booked, or about the documents required for transit through their country.

Questions about the green card

Green Card is a special policy that acts as an analogue of the domestic OSAGO. This is a mandatory type of insurance for those who travel by car to other countries.

The need for a Green Card on a car

48 countries became parties to the Green Card agreement, including Lithuania. Therefore, you will need to issue this document if you want to cross the state border by car.

Customs regulations

When going on a trip by car, you should remember that the laws of Lithuania allow you to transport into the country only a certain amount of products per person:

• Two bottles of beer, wine or liquor.
• A bottle of strong alcoholic drink.
• 40 cigarettes.
• No more than one kilogram of plant products.

It is prohibited to import:

• Meat and dairy products.
• Chicken eggs.
• Canned food, sausages.
• Milk chocolate.

Violators of the rules may be fined by border guards and goods found may be confiscated.

Necessary documents for traveling by car

To travel to Lithuania by car in 2021, you need to have a set of certain documents with you:

• A foreign passport, which is valid for another three months after returning from a trip.
• Permission to enter the territory of Lithuania of the appropriate type.
• Medical insurance policy with a coverage amount of 30 thousand euros.

• International driving license.
• Documents for the car.
• Green card is an international insurance certificate.
• Documents for animals if they travel with their owners.

In some cases, border guards may request information about hotel reservations or documents confirming transit travel through the territory of Lithuania.

When is the best time to go on the weekend?

There are two seasons for traveling to Lithuania.

The first season is the Christmas and New Year holidays, when Russians traditionally travel to nearby European countries for a long weekend.

But you need to know that in January in the Republic of Lithuania it is often snowy, cold and windy. The temperature sometimes drops to -20 degrees. Dress warmly to walk around Old Vilnius in comfort.

Also in winter people come to Lithuania to ski resorts. Ignalina and Birštonas open at the beginning of December.

The second season begins at the end of May and ends in September.
This is the time for the beach resorts of Neringa and Palanga.

But you need to take into account that even if the air sometimes warms up to 25-30 degrees, then cool winds often blow and it starts to rain.

You can come on an excursion to ancient Vilnius, Trakai, Kaunas and Druskininkai at any time of the year. All conditions have been created for tourists in Lithuania.

Where is the best place to go in Lithuania? Find out from the article TOP 30 attractions of Lithuania.

Checkpoints

Residents of countries outside the European Union can only cross the border into Latvia through checkpoints. There are four such points on the border with Russia:

1. Brunishevo-Pededze is suitable for travelers traveling from St. Petersburg.
2. Burachki-Terekhovo is the busiest point, located on the Moscow-Riga highway.
3. Ubylinka-Grebneva - Russians who travel from Pskov along the M9 highway pass through customs control.
4. Ludonka-Vientuli - for those coming from Nosovo.

Waiting time

The minimum waiting time at customs is 40 minutes. But sometimes travelers wait in line for 12 hours. The passage of the border also depends on the choice of checkpoint. For example, the longest queues are at the Burachki-Terekhovo point. All cars traveling from Russia to Europe pass through it. At other points, queues are observed less frequently.

It is quite difficult to predict exactly how much time you will spend going through customs. Therefore, it is recommended to keep track of what days and times the border is busiest.

For this purpose, there is a special service on the customs website, where the number of trucks and cars that are in line and have already crossed the border in the last 24 hours is displayed online. The approximate waiting time is also indicated in a separate column.

Green card, where to buy it

A green card in Russia is a policy of international compulsory insurance of civil liability of car owners when traveling through the territories of foreign countries. 48 countries are parties to the Green Card recognition agreement.

In Russia, you can apply for a Green Card through the Russian Union of Auto Insurers. The official website of this organization contains an up-to-date list of addresses of all points of sale of insurance policies. Today, seven leading Russian insurance companies are participants in the Green Card program.

The minimum policy period is 15 days. The cost of a Green Card for a trip to Lithuania is 30 euros.

Gas station, gasoline in Lithuania

In Lithuania, all types of fuel corresponding to Russian names are available (92, 95, 98 and diesel). In addition to traditional gas stations (with payment to the operator), there are also automatic gas stations, where payment is made directly at the pump - both in cash in litas and by bank card.

Since gasoline in Russia is much cheaper, it makes sense to fill up a full tank on Russian territory before crossing the Lithuanian border. Additionally, you are allowed to carry no more than 10 liters. in a separate canister.

Basic traffic rules

Lithuanian traffic rules are not much different from Russian ones, with the exception of several features:

• Drivers with less than two years of driving experience are not allowed to drive at speeds exceeding 70 km/h.
• During the period from November 1 to April 1, only cars equipped with winter tires can be driven.
• The driver is required to have a reflective vest in the car and wear it when leaving the car outside the city at night.
• Road users have the opportunity to turn right at a red traffic light if it is equipped with a sign with an indicating arrow.
• Tinting of the windshield and front side windows of a vehicle is not allowed.
• The use of radar detectors is prohibited.

Lithuanian police are especially strict in enforcing speed limits and personal safety rules:

• All car passengers must wear seat belts
• Even in the daytime, the low beams in the car should be on.
• Children under 135 cm tall must sit in a special chair.

Popular routes

The most popular routes among Russian tourists are trips to Jurmala and Riga. Jurmala is a popular resort with a mild climate and good infrastructure for a beach holiday.

From April until mid-autumn, tourists using personal transport are allowed into the city only if they pay for a pass. One day in Jurmala by car will cost about 2 euros. The whole month will cost less - 31 euros, and the whole season - 107 euros. When traveling to Riga, payment of the fee is not required.

How to get from Moscow

The most convenient way from the Russian capital to the border with Latvia is through Volokalamsk and Velikiye Luki to Rzhev. Further, the M9 highway will lead travelers to the border. True, you need to be prepared for the fact that the road will not be ideal everywhere.

To avoid areas in need of major repairs, you can choose to travel along the Minsk Highway. Before reaching Smolensk, you need to turn towards Velizh-Nevel.

How to get from St. Petersburg

A convenient option would be to travel through Estonia. To do this, you need to travel along the Kyiv highway towards Pskov and turn towards Izborsk. Next - to the customs point "Shumilkino" on the border with Estonia (approximate time to clear customs - 30-40 minutes).

30 km after entering Estonia you will see a sign “Welcome to Latvia”. There is no need to go through customs checkpoints here.

Refueling procedure, cost of gasoline

Gas stations in Lithuania sell the same brands of gasoline, as well as diesel fuel, as in Russia. The only exception is 92 gasoline, which recently disappeared from sale in Lithuania.

The cost of fuel can fluctuate at gas stations, even within a single network. Current gasoline prices can be found on the website.

However, given the difference in fuel costs in the European Union and Russia, experts advise filling the car’s tank before crossing the Lithuanian border. In addition, customs regulations allow the transportation of a canister with 10 liters of gasoline.

Payment for purchased fuel is made after completion of the operation, for the actual amount of gasoline poured into the tank. You can pay in cash and by credit card. At night, most gas stations operate on a prepaid basis.

Parking rules

The biggest problem for Russians is the paid parking rules. The vast majority of parking in Lithuania is paid. They can be divided into:

• Municipal.
• Private.

All parking lots are marked with appropriate signs and parking meters informing the driver about the zone, time and procedure for paying for parking. Payment can be made in cash or via SMS message. When paying for parking time using SMS, you should know that money will be debited from the phone until the operator receives a second message with the word “STOP”.

It is prohibited to park a car in spaces reserved for organizational cars. In parking lots they are marked with a sign “Rezervuota”.

Private parking lots are usually equipped with a barrier. To enter its territory, you must press a button on a special machine and receive a receipt indicating the time. To check out you need to make payment through a special terminal

Road from Moscow to Minsk

The first point on our route was Minsk (there was an option to go through Vitebsk, but in the end we chose the capital of Belarus). The M1 Belarus highway is now in good condition. The distance from Moscow to Minsk is 700 km (about 10 hours on the road).

We drove with stops for breakfast and lunch, plus we stopped before entering Belarus to purchase a Green Card, so it took us more time. There is no border control on the Belarusian side. We, as before, freely crossed the border without really noticing it.

Before entering Belarus, I advise you to refuel (the cost of gasoline here is slightly higher than in the Russian Federation). We did just that, and also decided to change some money so that we would have something to pay the owner of the apartment. The exchange rate near the border is unfavorable; if possible, it is better to change money in Minsk itself.

Then we became very confused by the signs indicating toll roads. We tried to find out from the locals where and how to pay, but in response we received something incomprehensible - payment at the nearest Lukoil gas station, which was not in sight at all. Later we figured out that Russians, like citizens of Belarus, do not have to pay for roads.

We booked two nights in Minsk (we wanted to spend one full day there in order to have a good rest). The accommodation was booked a week before the trip; there are plenty of accommodation options at quite reasonable prices on Booking (most of them with good reviews). We chose an apartment with 1 bedroom and a kitchen on Independence Avenue. The option turned out to be excellent - a comfortable and modern apartment, newly renovated, high-quality plumbing, a comfortable bed and good linens. When checking out, we simply threw the keys in the mailbox, as the hostess said. Cost for 2 nights - 4320 rubles. In general, Minsk became the cheapest city along our entire route.

Transit through Lithuania by car

Travelers traveling by car through the territory of Lithuania to Kaliningrad or other European countries do not need to obtain a Schengen or national Lithuanian visa. For such cases, the country's immigration legislation provides for the issuance of a simplified transit document - FTD.

FTD gives its owner the right to stay on the territory of Lithuania for no more than 24 hours. To obtain a document at the Lithuanian Embassy or visa center, you must provide:

• International passport.
• Original and copies of completed pages of the internal passport.
• A completed application form indicating the intention to cross Lithuania by car.
• Photograph.
• Receipt of payment of the consular fee.
• Documents confirming the transit purpose of the trip.

A trip around Lithuania by car can be an unforgettable experience for a traveler. However, experts recommend that in order to avoid misunderstandings and financial losses, study in advance all the information a traveler needs about the rules of crossing the border and staying in this beautiful country.

What visa is needed to travel to Lithuania by car?

Address of the Embassy in Moscow
When planning a trip to Lithuania, a Russian citizen must obtain an entry visa in a timely manner. Depending on the purpose of the trip, you can request a tourist or transit visa, as well as receive a simplified transit document that allows you to travel through the territory of Lithuania by car, bus or train . Visa documents can be submitted:

• To the Lithuanian Embassy in Moscow.
• To the regional Consulate.
• To a specialized visa service center.

It is important to know!

Before traveling abroad, do not forget:
1. Check the validity of your passport;

• absence or impossibility of identification:
• a color image of the owner corresponding to his age;
• surname, first name, patronymic (if any) of the owner;
• date, month, year of birth of the owner;
• place of birth of the owner;
• owner's gender;
• identification number;
• series and numbers;
• document type;
• state code;
• date of issue;
• name of the government agency that issued the passport;
• validity period;
• machine readable zone;
• signature of the owner (except for cases of issuing a passport to a citizen under fourteen years of age);
• signature of the official of the government body that issued the passport, sealed with the image of the State Emblem of the Republic of Belarus;
• means of protecting the document form (unsuitability for use);
• his forgeries;
• expiration of its validity period;
• the owner of this document submits a statement about its loss (theft) to the internal affairs body, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, to a diplomatic mission or consular office of the Republic of Belarus.

If a citizen presents an invalid passport during border control, it is subject to confiscation by a border service official.
2. If you have changed your last name, you must definitely change your passport (the passport is valid for a month from the date of changing your last name);

3. Check your passport for damage, stains and extraneous writing. They should not be in the passport. Keep your passport with you and do not leave it as collateral;

4. Contact the diplomatic mission or consular office of the foreign state that you plan to visit to obtain information about the procedure for entering this state (the need to obtain a visa, have medical insurance).

The Visa Code of the European Union stipulates that when a foreigner, including citizens of the Republic of Belarus, applies for a Schengen visa, the passport must be:

• not older than 10 years;
• valid for at least 3 months after your return;
• it must have at least 2 blank pages for marking.

Please note that when traveling abroad, representatives of regulatory authorities of a foreign state have the right to control confirmation of the availability of sufficient funds for the trip.

5. You have the right to obtain information about the availability of information about yourself in the data bank about citizens whose right to leave the Republic of Belarus is temporarily limited by contacting the territorial internal affairs body;

Citizens of the Republic of Belarus can enter countries without visas.

Preface

The idea of ​​traveling by car from Moscow to the Kaliningrad region was a little crazy, especially considering the presence of a rather small child (7 years old) on this trip and passing through two borders on one section of the route.
But there was a strong desire to save money on renting a car (we are traveling for quite a long time) and especially wanted to see Lithuania and Belarus. We haven’t been there for 3 years, so it was interesting to see how and what people live now. We decided to take a chance and go by car. Subsequently, we did not regret the decision at all. Lithuania and Belarus left a pleasant impression and became an equally important part of our road trip.

Remember!

Citizens at checkpoints are prohibited from:

1. Leave funds in the documents presented for verification;

2. Offer and (or) transfer to officials any material assets, offer and (or) provide benefits of a property nature;

3. Take photos, videos, talk on mobile phones;

4. Perform other actions that impede the implementation of border and other types of control.

On the territory between the state border and the corresponding checkpoint it is prohibited:

• parking of vehicles;
• boarding and disembarking passengers;
• performing loading and unloading operations;
• location of individuals not related to crossing the state border.

In 2021, for violations by citizens of these requirements, administrative liability is provided (warning or imposition of a fine in the amount of up to fifty basic units (from January 1, 2019, the basic unit is 24.5 BYN rubles) in accordance with Article 23.32 of the Code of the Republic of Belarus on Administrative Offenses dated 21 April 2003 No. 194-З).

Transport visa to Lithuania for motorists

It is drawn up on the basis of a standard package of documents for a tourist with the attachment of forms confirming the purpose of the visit abroad. It is mandatory to provide a full range of certificates and statements for personal vehicles.

• PTS. The vehicle passport indicates the make and model of the vehicle and the main technical characteristics. It is used to check the VIN code for theft or other illegal actions with the car.
• Green Card insurance. To visit Schengen, every tourist is required to insure his or her health; the “Green Card” is the same policy, but for a car. The card is an international analogue of compulsory motor liability insurance; it is requested from the same companies where you get a regular medical insurance policy.
• International driving license. It is important to demonstrate that you have driving skills that comply with the rules of the foreign territory.
• The last technical inspection coupon is not always required, but it is important to do it both “just in case” for customs and for yourself - discovering a breakdown along the way will be much more difficult financially.

All documents are copied and translated into English or Lithuanian. An application submitted in Russian will be rejected or face a long processing time if submitted through a visa center.

Reference

24-hour hotline for issues related to crossing the state border +375 17 216-26-12

If unlawful actions have been committed against you by border guards, use the 24-hour helpline of your own security service +375 17 265-90-08

If unlawful actions have been committed against you by customs officers, use the 24-hour helpline of your own security service +375 17 218-92-92

24-hour telephone numbers of the operational and situational services of military units of the border service of the Republic of Belarus:

• Polotsk-75;
• Smorgon-01;
• Lida-20;
• Grodno-08;
• Brest ;+375;
• Pinsk-13;
• Gomel-64;
• Mozyr-60

You can also contact the leadership of the State Border Committee and territorial bodies of the border service of the Republic of Belarus.

Checks at the airport

When inspecting the belongings of passengers on flights departing from Lithuanian airports, the following requirement is imposed: each passenger is allowed to carry only one package of liquids up to 100 ml in hand luggage. In other words, all containers containing shampoo, toothpaste, perfumes, etc. must be packaged in one transparent bag.

If there are several packages, airport employees have the right to demand that the passenger throw away the “excess” or check them in as luggage - the latter can seriously affect the budget of passengers on flights of low-cost airlines, according to the rules of which an additional fee is charged for luggage.