Vilnius - Post Report Question and Answers
What kind of car do you recommend bringing to post, given the terrain, availability of parts, burglary/carjacking risks, etc.? What kind of car do you advise not to bring?
I don't have a car, because I live close to Embassy; everything is walkable and taxis are cheap. - Dec 2022
We have a big SUV and are fine! I suggest 4x4 as Vilnius can get a lot of snow! - Feb 2021
We have a Chrysler Pacifica and have no problems with parking, although spaces are occasionally tight. - Sep 2020
Smaller cars are good, but large SUVs and minivans are ok too. VW, BMW, and Audi are very popular. No issues with burglary. Lot's of potholes and uneven streets. - Oct 2019
We have a mid-size SUV, and I would trade it for a small SUV if I could, though I suspect a smaller regular car would also be fine. It's a hilly city but winter hasn't been bad, but parking spaces are small and roads in town are narrow/old. - Mar 2017
A small SUV is good. The roads are good but if you want to get out and explore villages and national parks it's handy to have four-wheel drive. Old town roads are narrow. Large personal vehicles (trucks or big SUVs) are very uncommon here. - Mar 2017
We have a Honda Civic and have been fine. Lots of people brought 4WD vehicles, but it's not necessary. We like having a small car - we get good gas mileage, and it is easy to squeeze through tiny streets and into mini parking spaces. You don't really even need a car in Vilnius - everything is within walking distance. - Aug 2015
Anything is suitable. However, DO NOT imagine that you can get by with "all season" tires for the winter. You will get stuck or lose control. Do what the locals do and buy "snow tires" for the winter season. You'll save a few bucks by not buying them, but you'll regret it...do not look at this as a way to save a few bucks. Auto repairs are quite a bit cheaper than in the USA, with the exception of oil changes... those are at least $100. - Jun 2013
Bring a vehicle that you feel comfortable driving in the ice and snow, but remember that roads can be small (especially in the old town) and parking tight. Popular brands include BMW, VW, and Volvo. - Feb 2011
A sedan will do just fine, although some people also have small SUVs. - May 2009
Front or all-wheel drive because of the ice in the winter. Anything larger than a minivan will have trouble navigating the narrow streets in and around old-town. The residential streets are also narrow, and people usually park on both sides, making it wide enough for only one car to pass through. This can create traffic jams at all hours of the day. - Nov 2008
