A weekend in Anykščiai
A town in north-eastern Lithuania on the Šventoji: 2 h by direct bus from Vilnius, 2 h 25 min from Kaunas.
Contents
Anykščiai in brief
Anykščiai is a town in north-eastern Lithuania at the confluence of the Šventoji and the Anykšta (VLE, in Lithuanian). It suits a weekend without a car: from Vilnius the direct bus takes 2 h, and from Kaunas 2 h 25 min.
People come for Anykščiai Pinewood, the Treetop Walking Path, the Narrow-Gauge Railway Museum and Kalita Hill.
How to get there
The times come from the national timetable data (checked 2026-11-01) for Friday (6 November) and Sunday (8 November); check again for your own date. Most services have no fare in the data, so we give no prices.
| From | Friday | Sunday back | Journey time (out / back) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Vilnius | e.g. 14:00 → 16:00 | e.g. 17:25 → 19:15 | 2 h / 1 h 50 min |
| Kaunas | e.g. 08:00 → 10:25 | e.g. 14:10 → 16:30 | 2 h 25 min / 2 h 20 min |
| Klaipėda | no direct service | no direct service | – |
From Vilnius on Friday, 6 November, there is the 14:00 service (2 h, M-961) and a 15:30 service via Molėtai (2 h 30 min, M-141). On Sunday, 8 November, buses from Anykščiai to Vilnius leave at 07:00 via Molėtai (2 h 30 min) and at 17:25 (1 h 50 min) (national timetable data, checked 2026-11-01). Other services involve a change. A base fare is given for the 14:00 and 17:25 services (€11); the ticketing platform may show a different price. For more ideas, see the list of trips from Vilnius (in Lithuanian).
From Kaunas direct services leave on Friday at 08:00, 09:15, 12:00, 15:00 and 18:00, and back on Sunday at 09:10, 11:10, 14:10, 17:00 and 18:25. See trips from Kaunas (in Lithuanian).
From Klaipėda there is no direct service in the national data. See trips from Klaipėda (in Lithuanian).
You will find the whole weekend plan with prices in the weekend in Anykščiai guide (in Lithuanian).
Getting around
The centre is compact. According to OpenStreetMap the bus station is at A. Vienuolio g. 1. It is a 9-minute walk to St Matthew’s Church, 18 minutes to the Narrow-Gauge Railway Museum and 29 minutes to Kalita Hill. To the Treetop Walking Path it is about 6 km (76 min, checked 2026-10-07).
The Šventoji nature trail (4.9 km) starts next to “SPA Vilnius Anykščiai”. It ends at the Puntukas Stone, and the Treetop Walking Path is next to it (Anykščiai Regional Park, in Lithuanian, checked 2026-10-07).
Where to stay
- Centre. Hotel “Puntukas” (A. Baranausko a. 15) stands in the town centre.
- By the pinewood. “SPA Vilnius Anykščiai” (Vilniaus g. 80); the Šventoji trail starts next to it.
- Around the town. Farmsteads and campsites, for example by Lake Rubikiai; harder to reach by bus.
We did not check dated prices: the “Puntukas” website would not open, and “SPA Vilnius” showed only offers without a specific night.
What to see
Puntukas Stone
A large boulder in Anykščiai Pinewood where the Šventoji nature trail ends.
Treetop Walking Path
A path among the pines of Anykščiai Pinewood in the village of Dvaronys, not in the town; on a windy day (from 15 m/s) visitors are not admitted.
The Treetop Walking Path. In October it is open daily 09:30–18:00, and from November to February until 17:00. Pets are not allowed, and on a windy day (from 15 m/s) visitors are not admitted to the path (park page, in Lithuanian, checked 2026-10-07).
Narrow-Gauge Railway Museum
A museum preserving the technical heritage of the narrow-gauge railway in the buildings of Anykščiai railway station.
The Narrow-Gauge Railway Museum. The museum operates in several buildings of Anykščiai railway station and preserves the technical heritage of the narrow-gauge railway. A tour costs €5 (€4 for schoolchildren, students, pensioners and holders of the Anykštėnas card) (museum page, in Lithuanian, checked 2026-10-08).
You will find more places in the sections What to see and What to do.
What to do by season
In spring and summer the Treetop Walking Path is open daily 09:30–20:00 (April–September).
In autumn and winter the Narrow-Gauge Railway Museum is open from June to October Monday–Friday 10:00–18:00 and at weekends 9:00–19:00, and in November daily 10:00–16:30; some times for December–April are published separately (siaurukas.eu, in Lithuanian, checked 2026-10-08).
Practical information
- Accommodation tax. The district municipality’s regulations give €1 per person per night, not applied up to the age of 18 (regulations, approved 25 March 2021, in Lithuanian, checked 2026-10-07). Check the current amount at your accommodation.
Weekend plan
Friday. Take the 14:00 bus from Vilnius and you will be in Anykščiai at 16:00. Walk to St Matthew’s Church (9 min from the station).
Saturday. In the morning the Narrow-Gauge Railway Museum (in November daily 10:00–16:30), in the afternoon a walk to Kalita Hill (29 min from the station).
Sunday. Walk the Šventoji trail to the Puntukas Stone and the Treetop Walking Path (in November until 17:00). It is about 6 km (76 min) back to the station, so leave the path by 16:05 at the latest. Take the 17:25 bus back to Vilnius, and you will be at the station at 19:15. For where to eat from Friday to Sunday and restaurant opening hours, see the 6–8 November trip plan (in Lithuanian). For other places see the article on weekend trips by car (in Lithuanian) and the Utena page.
FAQ
How many services are there from Vilnius to Anykščiai? On Friday 6 November there is one direct 14:00 service (2 h) and one via Molėtai at 15:30 (2 h 30 min); the others involve a change (checked 2026-11-01).
Do I have to pay the accommodation tax in Anykščiai? The municipality’s regulations give €1 per person per night; it does not apply to people under 18.
Things to see and do in Anykščiai
By car: distance, time, fuel
By car
- From Vilnius: 112 km, 1 h 17 min one way. Fuel there and back: €28.41 per car, €14.21 each for two people.Calculation: 2 × 112 km = 224 km; 224 km ÷ 100 × 6.5 l/100 km = 14.56 l; 14.56 l × 1.951 €/l = €28.41.
- From Kaunas: 112 km, 1 h 39 min one way. Fuel there and back: €28.41 per car, €14.21 each for two people.Calculation: 2 × 112 km = 224 km; 224 km ÷ 100 × 6.5 l/100 km = 14.56 l; 14.56 l × 1.951 €/l = €28.41.
- From Klaipėda: 310 km, 3 h 21 min one way. Fuel there and back: €78.63 per car, €39.32 each for two people.Calculation: 2 × 310 km = 620 km; 620 km ÷ 100 × 6.5 l/100 km = 40.3 l; 40.3 l × 1.951 €/l = €78.63.
From Šiauliai, Panevėžys is not calculated yet: we do not have map data for this route.
This is an approximate calculation, not a price. Travel time without traffic or border queues. Fuel price: Lithuanian average, Euro-super 95 with taxes, 2026-10-19, the European Commission's Weekly Oil Bulletin (CC BY 4.0); consumption 6.5 l/100 km. Routes: MOTIS, car profile, no traffic conditions, © OpenStreetMap contributors (ODbL), Geofabrik extracts, calculated 2026-10-29. There are no road tolls for passenger cars in Lithuania, Latvia and Estonia; for Poland, see here (in Lithuanian).