Vilnius River Boats: Riding the Neris Electric Ferries
How to ride Vilnius's electric river boats on the Neris: the seven stops from the Business Triangle to Žirmūnai Beach, 2026 fares, tickets, when they run and what you'll see from the water.
- ✓Vilnius has had public-transport boats on the Neris since July 2025. They're four small electric catamarans, run by JUDU like the buses.
- ✓There's one line with seven stops, from the Business Triangle towers to Žirmūnai Beach, and a boat every 30 to 35 minutes.
- ✓A 90-minute boat ticket is €3 in the JUDU app or €4 if you tap a bank card on board, and you can use it on buses and trolleybuses too.
- ✓Your normal bus ticket won't work on the boat.
- ✓They run from late April to late October, and not after heavy rain.
Public transport, on the river
Since 25 July 2025 you can get around Vilnius by boat. The city launched them the year it was European Green Capital and made them part of JUDU, the same network as the buses and trolleybuses. They run to a timetable, stop at bridges and cost about the same as a bus ride, so they're also the cheapest way to see Vilnius from the water.
There are four boats, small electric catamarans with names picked in a public vote: Rytas (Morning), Lašiša (Salmon), Geležinis vilkas (Iron Wolf) and Smilga (Bentgrass). Each takes 32 passengers, 28 inside and only 4 out on deck. The roof is mostly solar panels and they're almost silent. About 12,000 people rode them in the first season, and for 2026 the line was extended to Šilo Bridge and Žirmūnai Beach.
- Boarding is step-free, so wheelchairs, buggies and bikes are all fine.
- The cabin is climate-controlled and there's free Wi-Fi.
- There are only 4 seats outside. If you want one, get on at the first stop.
The seven stops
The line runs 7.9 km along the Neris, from the glass towers of the Business Triangle in the west to the city beach at Žirmūnai in the north-east. Every stop is a floating pontoon by a bridge, with a sign showing the nearest bus and trolleybus stops and how long they take to walk to.
For sightseeing, the useful stretch is between the Green Bridge (for Gediminas Avenue and the Old Town) and King Mindaugas Bridge (for Cathedral Square and the castle). Stay on to Žirmūnai Beach for a swim in summer, or head west to the Business Triangle for the skyline.
- Verslo trikampis (Business Triangle): the western end, next to the Šnipiškės high-rises.
- Žvėryno tiltas (Žvėrynas Bridge): for Žvėrynas and its old wooden houses. Independence Square is a short walk away.
- Baltasis tiltas (White Bridge): the big riverside lawn by the footbridge. Lukiškės Prison 2.0 is about 10 minutes' walk.
- Žaliasis tiltas (Green Bridge): the closest stop to Gediminas Avenue. The Opera and Ballet Theatre is about 5 minutes away.
- Karaliaus Mindaugo tiltas (King Mindaugas Bridge): for Cathedral Square, Gediminas Castle and the National Museum.
- Šilo tiltas (Šilo Bridge): new in 2026, with buses into Žirmūnai and Antakalnis.
- Žirmūnų paplūdimys (Žirmūnai Beach): the eastern end, at one of the city's free river beaches.
On this mapTap a place to find it
Map data © OpenStreetMap contributors · Tiles © OpenFreeMap
Tickets and prices (2026)
The boats have their own tickets. A normal bus or trolleybus ticket won't get you on, but it works the other way round: a boat ticket lasts 90 minutes, and you can use whatever time is left on a bus or trolleybus.
Buy one in the JUDU app, put it on a JUDU or Vilniečio card, or tap a contactless bank card on the reader on board, which costs more. These are the prices on the fare board at the stops for the 2026 season.
- Single, 90 minutes: €3 in the app or on a card, €4 with a bank card on board.
- Return (two 90-minute trips): €5, app or card only.
- Family, 90 minutes, up to 5 people (1–2 adults and at least one child): €7 in the app or on a card, €9 on board.
- Discounted fares (50% or 80% off, for pupils, students, over-80s and others who qualify): €1.50 or €0.60 single, €2.50 or €1 return.
Summer only (and not after a storm)
The boats are a warm-weather thing, and a ride on the Neris is a sunny-day plan anyway. They go back in the water every spring (in 2026 the test runs started in mid-April, with passengers not long after) and they stop in late October. There's nothing in winter.
While they're running you won't wait long. There's one every 30 to 35 minutes, so you can just turn up without checking times.
A good first ride
Get on at the Green Bridge, grab a deck seat if one's free, and ride east. You pass King Mindaugas Bridge with Gediminas Hill above the trees and end up at Žirmūnai Beach, where you can swim or walk back along the river. Going west from the Green Bridge gets you the Business Triangle skyline instead. Either way, a €3 app ticket covers the boat and a bus back, as long as you're within the 90 minutes.
- Go on a summer evening if you can. The low sun on the river is the best light of the day.
- Bring your bike. There's room on board, and cycle paths follow the river for most of the route.
Related guides
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