Handy Hacks and Useful Info for Your New Life in Vilnius

Orientating yourself and getting your life up and running in a new city is all about the little things. How to get a mobile number, get a bank account, get online, get or convert your driving license. The list goes on. Here you’ll find hints and hacks on how to get yourself settled into life in Vilnius.

With some of the fastest broadband speeds globally, Lithuania can provide you with the kind of internet you need to stay connected and get things done. To get set-up you’ll need to choose a provider and then go to their shop and provide ID and proof of address. Prices for broadband start at a reasonable €10/month, with installation time taking up to 2 days. You can find the fastest broadband service provider in your district by clicking here.

It is also worth mentioning that Lithuania has one of the fastest public wi-fi connection in the world, so if you need to connect quickly just search for one of the many public places that have free wi-fi, like libraries, shopping malls or even public transport!

Want to use your phone? Prepaid SIM cards with plans for data, calls and SMS cost €5-10/month. SIM cards are available at Narvesen kiosks as well as supermarkets and gas stations. Signing a contract for monthly service is easy but requires a residence permit and a deposit.

Mobile service providers in Lithuania:

You’ll need to register your vehicles at Regitra, the national vehicle registry. The locations of its centers can be found online here.

Vehicles must pass a technical inspection once every two years (or upon import into the EU). You will need to:

Insure your vehicle;
Have Regitra carry out a technical inspection on the vehicle;
Register your ownership of the vehicle.

Regitra is also responsible for overseeing all driving license examinations. For more information on how to obtain a license, or how to convert your license so that it’s valid in the EU, click here.

Regitra’s website makes life easy for you. You can register for examinations, apply for a driving license or request its delivery, report a lost driving license, or access vehicle inspection options, all online at Regitra's website.

If you are from a non-EU country and want to drive in the city, you’ll only be able to do so with your country of origin license for the first 90 days. After that, if you plan to be in Lithuania for 185 days or more in calendar year and want to drive, you’ll need to obtain a Lithuanian driving license.

There are no highway tolls in Lithuania, but you will need to make sure that you change your tires once a year, with winter tires obligatory between 10th November and 1st April, and summer tires needed for the period in-between. It is also forbidden in Lithuania to use a mobile while driving unless you are using a hands-free system.

If you need to obtain a Lithuanian license, there are a number of multi-lingual driving schools that’ll help you get through the test.

Driving schools in Vilnius offering lessons in English:

Driving schools in Vilnius offering lessons in Russian:

You can find more information on how to obtain a license and convert your license so that it’s valid in the EU here.

All vehicles in Lithuania must be insured through a national insurance company. Prices are relatively affordable and are calculated using formulas specific to each insurance company.

Insurance companies that provide vehicle insurance services:

The Lithuanian banking sector is mostly composed of well-established Scandinavian banks. You can open a bank account once you become a resident of Vilnius. You will be required to provide your identity card or passport and, with some banks, you might also need to provide proof of income and your relation to Lithuania (work contract, documents proving ownership of real estate in the Republic of Lithuania, study certificate, etc.).

Fees to open a bank account can vary from EUR 0 to 200 (for non-residents).

This process may change depending on the specific rules of each bank.

Each link will lead you to instructions on how to open an account:

Vilnius is a multilingual city. You’ll find that almost 100% of young professionals speak English. Most services are available in English and often in Russian and Polish, too. In the bars and cafes of the Old Town you’ll hear a cosmopolitan mix of French, German, Italian and Spanish – with Scandinavian languages becoming increasingly popular among the young.

Vilnius Municipality provides services in Lithuanian, English, Polish, Russian and sign language.

If you want to feel more like a local and speak Lithuanian, there are several online schools that can help you out with the basics. And if you want to delve deeper, there a number of language schools that offer courses at various levels. You can find more information here

Great for building professional networks

Tapping into professional communities is easy in Vilnius. There are regular inspirational events with international speakers, plus numerous professional associations and business communities. For creative working spaces, look no further than the many co-working facilities the city has to offer.

Great for hosting events for your business

Vilnius is increasingly becoming a go-to destination for conferences and business meetings, and that should come as no surprise. The city has a real up and coming feel, with an expanding community of major global businesses that contains such companies as Mckesson, Nasdaq, Western Union, Moody’s and Uber. It’s also a hub for Fintech and has attracted some of the most exciting industry upstarts globally. Not only is it dynamic, the city is also compact, and with its stunning UNESCO world heritage site old town, it has that added “wow” that great conferences require. There are also ample conference spots to choose from, with the city’s selection of A class office buildings increasing month by month.

For more about why Vilnius is a great place for your industry event or conference, you can go to our conference pages here.

With unparalleled public internet and broadband coverage, you’ll find that you are not tied to your desk. From cozy spaces in work-friendly cafes to public libraries, wherever most inspires you, you’ll be able to work.