VILNIUS - In Your Pocket

Crime & Safety
Crime is rampant in Lithuania, a great deal of it taking place
inside the clandestine world of business and politics and
consequently having little if no effect on the average visitor.
Crimes closer to home include such petty annoyances as
having bits of your car stolen to the inevitable disappearing
purses and mobile phones. Don’t leave valuables in unattended
pockets or lying around on tables. The chances of getting
robbed in the street remain tiny. However, caution never did
anybody any harm, and you’re advised not to flaunt your wallet in
stupid places or announce to the entire world your huge wealth
by wearing loud jewellery in quiet back streets. Walk tall, look
like you know what you’re doing, and you won’t be troubled.
Green-uniformed police (policija) are supposed to be keeping
the peace in Old Town, although finding one when you need is
like looking for the proverbial needle in the haystack.
Customs
Those arriving from other EU countries have no import
restrictions placed upon them, although they will need to make
it known if they’re arriving with more than €10,000 worth of
cash. When arriving from non-EU countries you’re entitled
to bring in one litre of spirits or four litres of wine or sixteen
litres of beer. If arriving by air you can bring 200 cigarettes,
100 cigarillos, 50 cigars or 250g of tobacco, a figure that’s
drastically reduced to 40 cigarettes, 20 cigarillos, 10 cigars
or 50g of tobacco if arriving by any other means. You can’t
bring meat, milk or dairy products from outside the EU except
under certain circumstances. You can’t arrive with live birds
other than pets for non-commercial purposes. Dogs require
vaccinations and passports (or other proof of vaccination).
You can take home as much art as you wish tax free unless
it’s over 50 years old, in which case expect to pay 10-20 per
cent duty. Take two photographs of the art piece and your
passport to the Committee of Cultural Heritage, Šnipiškių 3,
tel. (+370) 5 273 42 56. Many of the better antique shops in
Vilnius can take care of all the paperwork for you. For more
detailed information check www.cust.lt, and for information
on animal related arrivals, check www.vet.lt.
Disabled travellers
While things have greatly improved for the disabled over
the past few years, Lithuania is still a tough place to
get around on anything other than two well functioning
legs. Even places that claim to be wheelchair friendly are
often flanked by deep kerbs or stairs, or are located on
cobbled streets. Outside the capital, you’ll be lucky to find
Climate
The climate information below only gives an average
indication of what to expect. Winter temperatures often
plummet to below -20°C.
Temperature, °C
30
20
10
0
-10
-20
J
vilnius.inyourpocket.com
Rainfall, mm
100
F M A M J J A S O
N
D
75
50
25
0
Tourist information
BasiCs
Vilnius Tourist Information
(Vilniaus Turizmo
Informacijos Centras ir
Konferencijų Biuras) B-2,
Vilniaus 22, tel. (+370) 5
262 96 60, fax (+370) 5 262
81 69, tic@vilnius.lt, www.
vilnius-tourism.lt. Tour bookings
for groups and individuals,
audio guides, Vilnius City Card, maps, tourist-related
publications, cultural events (www.vilnius-events.lt), taxi
and accommodation booking. English-, German-, Polish-
and Russian-speaking staff. See their extensive website
for more information. Also at Didžioji 31 (Town Hall), tel.
(+370) 5 262 64 70. Geležinkelio 16 (Train Station),
tel./fax (+370) 5 269 20 91. Šventaragio 2 (Cathedral
Square), Rodūnios Kelias 2 (Vilnius International Airport),
tel. (+370) 5 230 68 41. QOpen 09:00 - 18:00. J
any thought given to wheelchair accessibility at all. The
newer trolleybuses in Vilnius have low entries, spaces for
wheelchairs, and hearing loops.
Driving
The common or garden Lithuanian driver is notable for possessing
certain eccentric habits almost unheard of in the
West. A typical, edge-of-the-seat adventure sat beside a
local Lewis Hamilton comes with lashings of tailgating, cutting
lanes and dangerous overtaking manoeuvres. It comes as no
great surprise to non-Italian Westerners who’ve been in the
country for more than a couple of days to learn that Lithuania
has the highest rate of road fatalities in the European Union.
If you’re unfortunate enough to be involved in an accident in
which any material or personal damage occurs, you must
leave your vehicle exactly where it is, call the police (tel. 112)
and wait for them to arrive. Even if your car is obstructing the
flow of traffic, don’t move it until the police get there and have
danced about the wreckage with a tape measure and some
lollipops, drawn some little pictures, and given you the all-clear.
Not only is leaving the scene of an accident an offence, but the
lack of an official police report will give insurance companies
the excuse they’re looking for not to pay. Seat belts must be
worn and headlights must be on at all times while driving. All
vehicles must be fitted with a small fire extinguisher and carry
a first-aid kit, a reflective road-side warning triangle and a
reflective safety vest. You must have your vehicle registration
papers and licence with you at all times. During the winter, you’ll
also want to make sure you have an ice scraper and maybe
a brush for getting all the weather off your car before you set
off. Winter tyres are mandatory between November 10 and
April 10. In and around town the speed limit is 50km/h unless
indicated otherwise. Elsewhere you can drive at 90km/h on
asphalt roads and 70km/h on dirt roads, and on highways
you can drive at 130km/h until November 1, when you’ll have
to stick to 110km/h.
Electricity
Lovely Lithuanian domestic electricity flows out the walls
at 220V, AC 50Hz, and nearly all sockets are of the round
two-pin European variety. Some thinner Russian sockets still
exist, although if you push hard enough you should get the
plug in. Travellers from non-socket-friendly societies should
bring an appropriate adaptor, as they’re almost impossible
to find in Lithuania.
August - November 2012
7