Vilnius city public transport and Lithuanian railways unified ticket
About this good practice
The Lithuanian population distribution shows a clear concentration in urban areas. 71.1% of Lithuanians live in urban areas (in Vilnius, Kaunas, and Klaipėda) and 28.9% reside in rural areas.
In Lithuania, Vilnius city Municipal Enterprise “Susisiekimo paslaugos” (JUDU) and “Lithuanian Railways” has combined ticket offers travelers a convenient way to explore the country by train and public transport. With this ticket, one can travel between cities and towns that are served by both JUDU and Lithuanian Railways. This means that one can use the ticket to travel e.g., from Vilnius to Kaunas, from Kaunas to Klaipėda, and other cities or towns. The ticket is also valid for travelling on all routes operated by JUDU (Vilnius city boundaries) public transport and Lithuanian Railways. This includes local, regional, and express trains.
The JUDU and Lithuanian Railways combined ticket was launched in March 2023. A ticket is valid for one year from the date of purchase. The ticket can be purchased online via www.ltglink.lt website or an app, at any JUDU or Lithuanian Railways ticket office, or at some retail outlets. The cost of the ticket varies depending on the distance traveled. Discounts are available for children, students, and senior citizens.
The combined ticket is a wonderful way to promote regional travel and tourism in Lithuania. It makes it easy and affordable for people to travel between different cities and towns in the country.
Resources needed
It requires a system update for ticket validation and to consider an integrated ticket - since 2 companies were involved in this action, it costs around 5 thous. eur each, because both companies already had e-ticket systems. This cost would be higher if no e-ticketing system is already implemented.
Evidence of success
During the project's first two months, over 20 thousand joint tickets were purchased. The initiative today covers the following cities: Vilnius, Kaunas, Klaipėda, Šiauliai, Panevėžys, Alytus, Marijampolė, and Tauragė. Tickets are available in three formats: electronic, PKPass, and printed.
Potential for learning or transfer
Expanding integrated ticketing systems to other regions presents challenges, detailed planning, stakeholder engagement, and consideration of local context. A clear stakeholder commitment is fundamental to overcome barriers and facilitate successful implementation. By addressing infrastructure, regulation, financial, and user adoption issues, regions can benefit of integrated ticketing to improve public transport services and enhance the overall mobility experience for passengers. As a clear example, this action can be implemented in the region of the Baltic States, since the cities of Eastern Europe do not yet have similar inter-regional initiatives and may encourage uptake among passengers.
Further information
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Good practice owner
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