Air operations around the Lithuanian capital came to a standstill on 30 October 2025, for two and a half hours between 8:10 pm and 10:43 pm, when, “according to preliminary information, the decision to restrict the airspace was made due to a balloon (or balloons) flying in the direction of Vilnius Airport,” officials said in a statement on Thursday.

Eight of the balloons were spotted, according to local media, and two flights due to land at Vilnius were forced to return to their departure points.

Lithuania's Vilnius Airport announced that its airspace had reopened after a closure in the early hours of Sunday,

More than 20 balloons used to smuggle counterfeit cigarettes from Belarus to Lithuania disrupted operations at Vilnius airport overnight and affected around 30… pic.twitter.com/U7KgqrmiUf

— FL360aero (@fl360aero) October 5, 2025

The repeated balloon activity has been blamed both on cigarette smugglers attempting to bring contraband over the frontier with Belarus amid a ban on border crossings and on the failure of Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko to prevent such activity. But the balloons are not the only problem. Lithuania’s Ministry for Defence said on Monday that a Sukhoi SU-30 fighter and an IL-78 tanker from neighbouring Kaliningrad (Russia) had briefly entered Lithuanian airspace. A Russian diplomat was summoned as a result, even though Russian authorities denied the incursion had occurred.

Now, in an escalation, the border is set to remain closed until the end of November, and Lithuania has said it will begin shooting down any balloons intruding into its airspace. “Today we have decided to take the strictest measures; there is no other way,” Lithuanian Prime Minister Inga Ruginienė said on Monday. In addition, she said the government would also consider invoking NATO’s Article 4, which allows any member to call for consultations with allies if their territory, political independence, or security is threatened, triggering a North Atlantic Council meeting.

Lithuanian Prime Minister Inga Ruginienė stated that the border with Belarus will remain closed, and any balloons violating Lithuanian airspace will be shot down! pic.twitter.com/wC3xsFnItz

— MilitaryNewsUA (@front_ukrainian) October 29, 2025

While the European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen and European Council President António Costa have both heavily criticised Belarus for the provocations, which they have dubbed a “hybrid threat,” Lukashenko has dismissed the Lithuanian border closure as a “scam,” “absurd,” and “a crazy gamble.”

However, he is well-known to be an ally of Russian President Vladimir Putin, whose drones have made repeated incursions into European Polish airspace. The pair met in September 2025 for Shanghai Cooperation Organisation discussions in Beijing, where it was noted that Belarus is Russia’s fourth-largest trading partner, with a trading value in excess of $50 billion.

L’article Baltic tensions rise as Lithuania closes border and airspace due to balloon incursions est apparu en premier sur Travel Tomorrow.

The National Crisis Management Centre (NCMC) reported that 25 high-altitude balloons crossed into Lithuania from Belarus, entering via the south-eastern part of the country. The balloons were recorded flying between 8:45 pm on Saturday and 4:30 am on Sunday. Two of the balloons flew directly over Vilnius Airport, disrupting operations there for over 30 hours, with some speculating that it was a Russian probing operation.

Due to safety concerns, the airport temporarily suspended all activities for several hours. As a result, 30 flights were cancelled, affecting 6,000 passengers directly, while others were redirected to Kaunas and Riga.

The airport issued a statement saying that it had received information about a possible series of hot air balloons flying in the direction of Vilnius Airport. To ensure flight safety, it said it decided to apply temporary restrictions. The airspace reopened on Sunday morning at around 4:50 am.

According to Lithuanian authorities, fourteen of the balloons floated over Vilnius County, close to the Belarusian border. The State Border Guard Service has confirmed that eleven of the balloons have been recovered so far.

Lithuania's Vilnius Airport announced that its airspace had reopened after a closure in the early hours of Sunday,

More than 20 balloons used to smuggle counterfeit cigarettes from Belarus to Lithuania disrupted operations at Vilnius airport overnight and affected around 30… pic.twitter.com/U7KgqrmiUf

— FL360aero (@fl360aero) October 5, 2025

While this incident has made the headlines due to the disruption it has caused at the airport, it is not an isolated phenomenon. Since the beginning of 2025, 544 balloons have been recorded entering Lithuanian airspace from Belarus. In 2024, 966 balloons were logged.

Darius Buta, an NCMC spokesperson, told the Associated Press that “balloons carrying contraband cigarettes from Belarus are nothing new in Latvia, Poland and Lithuania”.

In Poland, the authorities have recorded 100 cases of balloon fraud smuggling in the past month. They also arrested a Belarusian citizen believed to be involved in one such smuggling operation after discovering a geolocation tag on his phone that linked him directly to the illicit goods smuggled via the balloon.

Buta explained that the objective of NCMC’s services was “to seize the largest possible quantities of contraband and detain organisers and perpetrators, rendering this activity unprofitable and eliminating the risk to civil aviation”.

Although they are not steerable, smugglers have favoured meteorological balloons for several years because they are cheaper than drones.

Balon z transportem 2 tysięcy paczek papierosów wylądował w centrum Białegostoku. Do tego momentu pozostawał niezauważony. Miał aktywny lokalizator. Papierosy marki Mińsk na BY w detalu kosztują 6 zł. To 90 tego rodzaju próba przemytu z BY wykryta przez Policję i SG. Skoro to… pic.twitter.com/ozD9bDMuf8

— SluzbyiObywatel.pl (@SluzbyiObywatel) September 27, 2025

In recent months, multiple airspace violations involving drones have caused significant disruption to international flights. Russia has denied any involvement in the latest balloon smuggling case.

However, Moscow’s ongoing incursions into NATO airspace have put the European Union (EU) on high alert, with some officials suggesting that Russia may be ‘testing the waters’ by probing the effectiveness and responsiveness of regional air defence and detection systems.

On 10 July, a Russian-made Geran-2 drone, which has been widely used by Russia in Ukraine, was flown into Lithuania from neighbouring Belarus and ended up crashing in Vilnius County.

Less than three weeks later, another drone crashed on military training grounds. In response, the Lithuanian authorities authorised the armed forces to shoot down any unmanned aerial vehicle that violates its airspace.

Belarus’ president, Alexander Lukashenko, is a close ally of Vladimir Putin and has supported Moscow since its invasion of Ukraine in 2022. The country hosts Russian troops and equipment, shares air defence systems, and allows Russian troops to operate from its territory.

L’article Cigarette-smuggling balloons from Belarus disrupt air traffic in Lithuania est apparu en premier sur Travel Tomorrow.

Drawing heavily on Lithuania’s cultural heritage, the design incorporates the symbolic rhombus shape and the traditional ‘Sodai’ straw gardens, recognised by UNESCO as intangible cultural heritage. In line with ZHA’s signature style, the building features clean, flowing lines and a dynamic roof structure that appears to float above the ground, evoking the view of clouds from an aeroplane.

“Evoking the experience of being immersed within traditional sodai, the terminal’s pleated roof finished in timber from local forests defines the interiors and reflects the art form’s delicate, interconnected geometries,” said Zaha Hadid Architects.

The modular roof, which is made from locally sourced timber, features rhomboidal and triangular-shaped windows that let natural light flow in and helps create the terminal’s distinctive silhouette. The flexible design is set to enable the building to adapt to future aviation technologies and changing passenger requirements.

Inside, the spacious, bright atrium with its wooden ceilings creates a warm, welcoming atmosphere, and the large glass façades offer panoramic views of the airfield. The extensive use of natural materials, such as local wood and stone, throughout the interior reinforces the building’s connection to Lithuanian traditions and landscapes.

The new arrivals terminal will also serve as a vital part of Vilnius’ sustainable urban mobility plan. Located at Airport Plaza, it will function as a vital multimodal transport hub, connecting with city and intercity buses, taxis, pedestrian zones, cycle paths and future high-speed rail services, including Rail Baltica.

The terminal is designed to set new standards in sustainable airport architecture. Targeting a BREEAM ‘Excellent’ rating, it incorporates advanced passive energy-saving measures and a hybrid natural ventilation system. Additional green features will include solar panels, rainwater harvesting and an advanced wastewater recycling system.

The new terminal is set to become a benchmark for Vilnius and the wider Baltic region by combining cutting-edge architecture with sustainability and cultural sensitivity. Construction is expected to begin in early 2027, with the terminal scheduled to be fully operational by the end of 2028.

This will be the third terminal at Vilnius International Airport. The original terminal, completed in 1954, remains a notable architectural feature and will now be flanked by the new arrival and departure halls.

ZHA, named after its pioneering founder Zaha Hadid, has designed several other major airports, including Beijing Daxing International Airport in China, Navi Mumbai International Airport in India and Western Sydney International Airport in Australia. While each project reflects ZHA’s iconic, fluid, futuristic style, the designs are also carefully adapted to local cultural and environmental contexts.

L’article Zaha Hadid Architects reveals eco-friendly terminal design for Vilnius Airport est apparu en premier sur Travel Tomorrow.

This upcoming change will also require new infrastructure and space at border crossing points, and all Lithuanian airports are among the first in Europe to have already made these necessary changes to prepare for the start of the system.

The new Entry-Exit System is based on an EU regulation which stipulates that all Schengen area countries that have an external border with third countries must make it possible for foreigners to register in the EES, which requires the introduction of a new system of registration and border checks, as well as the setting up of a new space for registration and border controls. Lithuania has opted for a comprehensive universal system.

At the moment, many EU countries and airports are still in the process of implementing automated screening systems and preparing their premises for the EES procedure, but Lithuanian airports are among the first in the region and the EU to have already completed the preparation of the new system infrastructure. The hardware of the system has already been finalised, while software installation as well as configuration are underway.

Once the screening starts, third-country citizens will not only receive detailed information on the procedures to be followed but will also have the opportunity to perform most of the services completely independently in the self-service terminals.

Vidas Kšanas, Director of Safety and Security Department of Lithuanian Airports

“We have already carried out contractual works on the adaptation of the spaces in all Lithuanian airports, which will be much more convenient for passengers to pass border checks and will also include self-service terminals and information screens. We have also carefully planned not only the new areas where additional checks will be carried out, but also modelled the processes for passenger flow management and passenger convenience. Once the screening starts, third-country citizens will not only receive detailed information on the procedures to be followed but will also have the opportunity to perform most of the services completely independently in the self-service terminals”, said Vidas Kšanas, Director of Safety and Security Department of Lithuanian Airports.

The Entry-Exit System registration and inspection procedure will collect and verify biometric and personal data on third-country citizens entering the EU for the first time. In addition to passport data, biometric data will be collected, including fingerprints and facial images. Third-country citizens entering the Schengen area will not have their individual fingerprints in their passport, but the system will work automatically and will capture the data in special databases.

There is no doubt that the new system will, in the near future, make a significant contribution not only to the convenience of travel but also to the security of the Schengen area.

Lithuanian Airports

Lithuanian Airports closely coordinated the implementation of the new EES inspection procedure with the specialists of the State Border Guard Service (SBGS), who will manage the system and carry out the inspections later.

The SBGS assures that the system will reduce the inconvenience for travellers to register and save them a lot of time on procedures. Once the system is operational, travellers will be recommended to familiarise themselves with the Lithuanian registration system ROBARS (Robotic Optoelectronic Biometric / Alphanumeric Registration System) before arrival, on the system’s website.

The total investment for the launch of the space adaptation at Vilnius, Kaunas and Palanga airports amounts to around €3 million. Such self-service systems for third-country travellers should be introduced at all major Lithuanian international border inspection posts.

L’article Lithuanian airports among first in Europe to deploy biometric scanners for new Entry-Exit System est apparu en premier sur Travel Tomorrow.

A cell in the prison where scenes of the fourth season of Stranger Things were filmed has been turned into a proper, cosy room. The cell has been decorated with an 80s theme matching the famous series. The furniture recreates the set’s characteristic atmosphere while the writing on the wall and dangling colourful fairy lights will instantly take any serious fan back to the first season.

However, there is more to booking a night at the prison than just getting to sleep there. Special activities relates to the TV series are included in the package. To make the experience even more authentic, visitors are offered to try some waffles, the recipe for which is inspired by Eleven’s favourite meal in the show: the Eggo frozen waffles.

Moreover, people who book a stay at the Lukiškės prison can also tour the grounds and have a glimpse at what real prison life once looked like. A tour to the exact show’s shooting spots, the corridors, the fenced courtyard, as well as other hidden corners, is also offered.

Prison turned culture hub

For 115 years, Lukiškės Prison was guarded by high walls and barbed wire, but today the site is open to the public. The former confinement facility is now called Lukiškės Prison 2.0 which signifies a new era, this time a cultural one. Already 250 artists, musicians, and creators have set up their studios in various areas of the building. The building complex now serves as an alternative venue for musical, cultural, and artistic events.

The interior and the exterior of the prison have been carefully preserved to respect the century of history and the many notable political, social and literary figures once confined in the building complex. The unique space has also become a star on the silver screen with Stranger Things’ season four filming on site.

L’article You can now book a night at the prison where the latest season of Stranger Things was filmed est apparu en premier sur Travel Tomorrow.

Kaunas and Kaunas District have been getting ready for the most crucial cultural title of the continent for five years now – it can be said the international project has already proven to be a success. The change has taken place; the city, together with smaller towns surrounding it and the communities that make up the body and soul of Kaunas, have all activated themselves. The celebration of the uprising and creating the new history of Contemporary Capital are the key topics for 2022.

Europe was for centuries an extraordinary network of cities. Cities whose cultural exchanges were as rich and vibrant as their commercial exchanges. Cities like Kaunas.

Charles Michel, President of the European Council

#kaunas2022 Grand Opening Show: The Confusion

Today, at 7:30 PM near Žalgiris Arena & https://t.co/8mpZaWYmmS

Whole January 22 programme: https://t.co/OP9X2CVFFs pic.twitter.com/aDDhHaq4zU

— Kaunas2022 (@kaunas2022) January 22, 2022

Since 1985, when the European Capital of Culture program was launched, nobody has yet proposed a vision like this. The theme of “Kaunas 2022” gives meaning to the road to the awakening of the city and its people. It’s the biggest co-creation festival of all since day one – the majority of the time, ideas and finances is dedicated to bringing as many people closer to culture as possible.

It’s also an educational project, as hundreds of culture professionals and enthusiasts and representatives of the young generation have already gained new skills, which guarantees the continuity of the project and quality future for Kaunas and Kaunas District.

What also makes “Kaunas 2022” unique is creating a new myth for the city to help it change its path. The Mythical Beast of Kaunas – a project designed to create a unifying narrative for the city – will unfold in next year’s great mythical trilogy comprised of the Confusion (January 19–23), the Confluence (May 20–22), and the Contract (November 25–27).

In the European Union, there is no center and periphery. Today, Kaunas is more than ever the beating heart of Europe.

Charles Michel, President of the European Council

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Kaunas 2022 (@kaunas2022)

The three main events are co-created by artists from Lithuania and abroad; they incorporate the ideas of historical personalities from Kaunas into the new work – names like George Maciunas and Emmanuel Levinas. Among the programme participants are Marina Abramovic, Philip Miller, William Kentridge, Yoko Ono, Jenny Kagan, Robert Wilson and many others.

Each branch of “Kaunas 2022” has its own superstars, some of whom are still on their way to international fame – Kaunas and Kaunas District, as one big European stage, will become their trampoline.

Annual festivals already launched by Kaunas 2022 will reach their culmination, such as the International Day of Happiness (March), the European Capital of Culture Forum (May), Contemporary Neighbourhoods (all summer long in Kaunas elderships), the European Youth Festival (July), the international performing arts festival ConTempo (August), Fluxus Festival (September), the Kaunas Design Event in celebration of its title as a UNESCO Creative City of Design (October), and the CityTelling Festival, which reconsiders the multiethnic memory of Kaunas and the people who built it every October.

L’article Kaunas. European Capital of Culture 2022 est apparu en premier sur Travel Tomorrow.

As of 16th December, the current lockdown in the entire territory of Lithuania has been extended until 31st January 24:00. Movement within the country is also restricted during the festive period from 16 December 2020, 00:00, until 3 January 2021, 24:00. See here for more information.

1. Can I travel to Lithuania?

Lithuania is operating with the EU traffic light system and maps in support of the Council Recommendation on a coordinated approach to the restriction of free movement in response to the COVID-19 pandemic, available here.

Depending on the rate of notifications and other criteria, all the countries are mapped in green, orange, and red areas. The grey group includes countries that fail to provide the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control with data available on the criteria or those with the 7-day testing rate lower than 300 cases per 100 000.

Lithuania currently lists countries in the grey area as affected. Travellers returning from or transiting these countries will be deemed to have been in contact and thus subject to 10-day isolation or required to evidence the test for COVID-19 (coronavirus infection) taken at maximum 48 hours before the entry to Lithuania with a negative result thereof.

Third countries (non-European Economic Area countries) that are not included in the ECDC maps are classified as grey area countries.

2. Eligibility to enter Lithuania

People who can enter Lithuania include (with quarantine):

• All Lithuanian citizens from any country;
• Foreigners  – only according to the exceptions provided in the Sub-paragraph 2.1.2 of the Resolution of the Government of the Republic (original document):
• nationals of the EU / EEA, the Swiss Confederation, the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland (EEA), The Principality of Andorra, the Principality of Monaco, the Republic of San Marino and the Holy See (Vatican City State) and persons lawfully living in these countries
• foreigners who are family members (spouses or persons with whom the registered partnership agreement has been concluded, parents (adoptive parents) and caregivers, children (adopted children), including underaged children of spouses or of persons with whom the registered partnership agreement has been concluded) of the citizens of the Republic of Lithuania or have the right to permanently reside in the Republic of Lithuania
• foreigners who hold a national visa of the Republic of Lithuania
• persons enjoying immunities and privileges under the Vienna Convention on Diplomatic Relations (1961), the Vienna Convention on Consular Relations (1963) and under other international agreements and legislation of the Republic of Lithuania, their family members and their service personnel, also members of official delegations;
• persons serving in the military units of NATO and of NATO countries and their service personnel and family members
• crew members, who are employed in Lithuanian companies engaged in international commercial transportation
• health professionals arriving into the Republic of Lithuania for the provision of health care services
• high-performance athletes, specialists of high-performance sports and physical activity, instructors of high-performance sports and physical activity, and their family members
• artists coming to the Republic of Lithuania at the permission of the Minister for Culture of the Republic of Lithuania for the participation in professional artistic events, and their service personnel
• journalists coming to the Republic of Lithuania at the permission of the Minister for Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Lithuania
• persons in transit through the territory of the Republic of Lithuania:
• persons returning to their country of residence
• who use facilitated transit of persons from the territory of the Russian Federation to the Kaliningrad region of the Russian Federation and back.
• foreigners coming to the Republic of Lithuania for study purposes
• foreign investors coming to the Republic of Lithuania with the permission of the Minister of Economy and Innovation
• foreigners arriving to the Republic of Lithuania for special humanitarian reasons, with the permission of the Minister of the Interior of the Republic of Lithuania
• foreigners coming to the Republic of Lithuania to participate in the funerals of relatives
• foreigners arriving at the intelligence institutions of the Republic of Lithuania for purposes related to ensuring national security, with the permission of the Minister of National Defense of the Republic of Lithuania or the Director of the State Security Department of the Republic of Lithuania

For more informations see here.

Third countries whose residents should not be affected by temporary external borders restriction on non-essential travel into the EU :

• Australia
• China (subject to confirmation of reciprocity)
• Japan
• New Zealand
• Rwanda
• Singapore
• South Korea
• Thailand
• Uruguay

These are still subject to quarantine.

3. Registration form

Every traveller returning to or arriving in Lithuania by air, sea or land using regular, special and charter services will have to register electronically with the National Public Health Centre (NPHC) by completing a questionnaire. The confirmation received – the so-called QR code – will have to be shown before boarding a plane, ferry, bus or train. The form can be found here.

L’article Travel restrictions in brief: Lithuania 🇱🇹 est apparu en premier sur Travel Tomorrow.