In the print dialog pick “Save as PDF” to keep it on your phone. A5 makes a pocket booklet; A4 suits a desk printer.
Voykit pocket guide · Lithuania
Panevėžys
One night, or skip: Panevėžys is a functional stop between Vilnius and Riga, not a destination. Two nights only if you want the narrow-gauge railway and parks.
Panevėžys is Lithuania's fifth-largest city, an industrial town midway on the Vilnius–Riga highway. Its centre was rebuilt in the 1960s and 70s, so the draw is not architecture but a handful of museums, four churches, riverside parks and a preserved narrow-gauge railway. Most travellers pass through; a single night breaks the Vilnius–Riga run without a detour.
- Country
- Lithuania
- Best months
- May–Sep
- Avoid
- Nov–Mar (cold, wet, dark by 16:00)Nov–Mar (cold, wet, dark by 4:00 PM)
- Stay
- 1 night
Checked 2026-09. Prices, hours and rules change; anything marked (check) is not confirmed.
Essentials
- Currency
- EUR
- Money
- Currency is the euro (EUR). Cards and contactless work almost everywhere.
- Daily spend
- Budget €35–55 excl. bed · Mid €55–90 excl. bed · High €90+ excl. bed (estimate; check)
- SIM and data
- Telia, Bitė and Tele2 prepaid SIMs from Narvesen kiosks and Maxima supermarkets.
- Emergency
- All services 112
- Plugs
- Types C, F · 230 V · 50 Hz · EU two-pin.
- Tipping
- Restaurant: About 10% for good service.; Taxi / Bolt: Round up or tip in app.; Guide: €5–10.
- Water
- Tap water is safe.
- Toilets
- Paid public toilets €0.30–1; free in malls and cafés for customers.
What things cost
| Item | Price |
|---|---|
| Coffee | €2–3.50 |
| Lunch of the day (daily special) | €6–10 |
| Beer: draught in a bar / can in a shop | €3–5 / €1.50–2.50 |
| 5 km (3.1 mi) taxi3.1 mi (5 km) taxi | €6–10 |
| City bus single ticket | €1 (check) |
| Museum entry | €2.50–4 |
| eSIM or data SIM, about a week | €8–15 |
Desk estimates, checked 2026-09; check locally.
Get in
By air
- VNO · Vilnius Airport
- 145 km (90 mi) southeast on the A7 dual carriageway; usually the easiest arrival with the widest budget-flight choice.90 mi (145 km) southeast on the A7 dual carriageway; usually the easiest arrival with the widest budget-flight choice.
- KUN · Kaunas Airport
- 106 km (66 mi) south; budget flights, then bus or car north.66 mi (106 km) south; budget flights, then bus or car north.
- RIX · Riga Airport
- 160 km (99 mi) north in Latvia; one daily bus runs from the airport via Riga city to Panevėžys, about 2 h 15 min.99 mi (160 km) north in Latvia; one daily bus runs from the airport via Riga city to Panevėžys, about 2 h 15 min.
Typical fares
- Bus Vilnius → Panevėžys
- about €10–14, 2 h (check)
- Train Šiauliai → Panevėžys
- about 90 min, four daily (check)
- Taxi across the centre
- €4–7
Show 7 more sections and the pocket cardHideGet around, See and do, Sleep, Phrase card, Etiquette, safety and scams, One and two days, Sources, Pocket card
Get around
Most sights sit within walking distance of the centre. City buses are mapped on Stops-Lt; bus 6A runs hourly from Janonio g and the railway station through downtown and east to Dembava. Taxis book through the eTAKSI app. A car helps for the Flax Museum and the bunker park.
See and do
Known for
- Regional History Museum
- Holy Trinity Church and Cathedral
- Senvagė and Skaistakalnis parks
- Aukštaitija narrow-gauge railway
- Basketball at Kalnapilio Arena
Day trips
| Where | How | Time |
|---|---|---|
| Šiauliai and the Hill of Crosses | Four trains daily, about 90 min; buses also run | About 1 h 30 min by train |
| Anykščiai | Bus or car southeast, about 1 h | About 1 h |
| Ukmergė | Bus on the A7 corridor, about 1 h | About 1 h |
| Vilnius | Hourly buses, about 2 h; train requires a change | About 2 h |
Sleep
- Centre around Laisvės Square
- Walking distance to the museums, cathedral and bus station; best for one night without a car.
- Senvagė riverside
- Quieter, next to the central park and the old mill hotel; 10–15 min walk to the square.
- Near the railway station
- Cheap rooms and easy train access, but a 20-min walk from the sights and little around it.
Phrase card
| English | Say or show |
|---|---|
| Hello | Laba dienalaba DYEH-na |
| Thank you | AčiūAH-choo |
| Please | Prašaupra-SHAU |
| How much is it? | Kiek kainuoja?kyek kai-NOO-oya |
| Can I pay by card? | Ar galima mokėti kortele?ar ga-LEE-ma mo-KEH-ti kor-teh-LEH |
| Where is the bus station? | Kur yra autobusų stotis?koor EE-ra au-to-BOO-soo STO-tis |
Etiquette, safety and scams
Etiquette
- Greeting: Handshake; avoid: Shaking hands across a threshold (bad luck)
- Flowers: Odd numbers; avoid: Even numbers
- Churches: Quiet, covered shoulders; avoid: Photography during mass
- Language: Lithuanian or English; avoid: Assuming Russian
- Basketball: Talk about it; avoid: Being dismissive
Scams and watch-outs
- The Museum of the Soviet Occupation annexe has been closed; check before you plan around it.
- The Flax Museum interior is closed for restoration — the windmill outside is still a picnic stop.
- The bus station is an open square with no shelter; in rain or cold wait in the nearby mall or café.
- Shop alcohol sales stop at 20:00, and 15:00 on Sundays.
A calm, low-crime city; the practical risks are winter ice on pavements, unlit riverside paths after dark and unposted bar tabs — ask the total before you order.
One and two days
No timed day plan for Panevėžys yet. Suggested stay: 1 night. Build a day from the list below, mornings for the big sight.
- Regional History Museum
- Holy Trinity Church and Cathedral
- Senvagė and Skaistakalnis parks
- Aukštaitija narrow-gauge railway
- Basketball at Kalnapilio Arena
Sources
Written by Voykit; facts cross-checked against these sources, last desk check 2026-09. Prices, hours and rules change: check on the day.
- LTG Link (Lithuanian railways): ltglink.lt/
- Autobusubilietai (bus timetables and fares): www.autobusubilietai.lt/en/
- Stops-Lt Panevėžys city bus routes: www.stops.lt/panevezys/#panevezys/en
- Aukštaitija narrow-gauge railway: siaurukas.eu/
- Wikivoyage: Panevėžys, revision 5118634 (CC BY-SA 4.0): en.wikivoyage.org/w/index.php?oldid=5118634
Pocket card
Cut along the border and keep it in your wallet. Show the local-script lines to a driver.
Panevėžys
Į šį adresą, prašau
To this address, please
My hotel (write the name and address in the local script)
- All services112
No embassies in Panevėžys; most countries keep embassies in Vilnius and some consulates in Kaunas. US citizens: US Embassy Vilnius.
112 works in English. Keep the museum and hotel numbers saved offline.
Voykit · checked 2026-09
Printed from Voykit (/panevezys). Written by Voykit; checked 2026-09. Estimates only: confirm prices, hours and entry rules on the day.