If you happen to be in Lithuania, don’t miss the chance to visit the Hill of Crosses. It’s more than a pilgrimage site. Many non-religious people come to Northern Lithuania to see this impressive monument, too. Being on of must-see things in Lithuania list, this place is relatively difficult to reach by public transport. So if you decided to get there, here are the options how you can do that.
1. Vilnius - Riga sightseeing bus:
One of the smartest things to do, if you are traveling through the Baltic captials, is to stop at the Hill of Crosses on your way to Riga. The tour takes 10-12 hours and has several stops on the way. Interested? Check the offer by our friends: Vilnius Riga Sightseeing Bus
Price: From 69 EUR/person
2. By public transport:
If you decided to go to the Hill of Crosses by public transport, be ready to wake up early! It’s quite a long trip. If you want to come back to Vilnius the same day, you have to leave early in the morning! First you need to go from Vilnius to Šiauliai. Šiauliai is a town in Northern Lithuania. You can get there by train (faster and cheaper) or bus.
Vilnius - Šiauliai:
By train - The train ride takes 2:10 - 2:30 hours. There are 2 (3 on Saturdays) morning trains from Vilnius to Šiauliai. The earliest one leaves at 6:50 AM. The ticket costs ~ 9 EUR. You can purchase your ticket at the Train station (Geležinkelio street 16) or on the train. If you buy the ticket on the train you have to pay 1,45 EUR extra. You can check the train schedules at https://www.traukiniobilietas.lt/portal/en
By bus - The bus ride takes ~ 3 - 3:30 hours. Check the bus schedules at https://www.autobusubilietai.lt/index.php?cl=start&lang=0. You can buy tickets for some buses online, but usually most people just buy them at the bus station (Sodų street 22). A bus ticket to Šiauliai costs ~ 13 - 14 EUR.
Once in Šiauliai:
Congratulations! You made it to Šiauliai. Now you are just 12 km away from your destination. If you came to Šiauliai by train, you need to go to the bus station (it’s less than 10 min walk). Once you leave the train station turn left and walk along the Dubijos street. After ~ 5 - 7 min walk you will see Tilžės street, turn right here and you will easily notice the bus station.
At the bus station find platform number 12. Wait there for a bus that goes to Joniškis (Šiauliai - Joniškis). The bus leaves at 7.25 (except Sundays) 8.25, 10.25, 11.00, 12.15, 13.10, 14.15, 15.40, 17.05, 20.30 (on Mondays, Fridays and Sundays). You need to get off at the Domantai stop (the third one from Šiauliai). The easiest is just to tell the driver that you are going to the Hill of Crosses, and he will tell you when you should get off. It takes about 20 min to get to Domantai from Šiauliai.
Now that you are in Domantai, you still need to walk ~ 2 kilometers to the Hill of Crosses. Look for a brown sign “Kryžių kalnas” and just follow the road! You will soon see your destination in distance!
If you want a tour around the hill, you can also book local guides that will meet you at the hill or in the train station. You can book them through Tourist information center.
Still have questions? Chech out our other tips for things to do in Vilnius and Lithuania or contact us at hello@vilniuswithlocals.com and we will be happy to help you!