Trakai
Lithuania · Europe
About Trakai
Trakai is a city in the Dzūkija region of Lithuania, 28 km west of the capital Vilnius. It's on the shores of Lake Galvė and its star attraction is the Island Castle - this and the Peninsula Castle are from the 14th century, when the capital moved here and was fortified against attack. In 2020 Trakai had a population of 4141.
Trakai travel guide
Getting there
Buses from Vilnius run at least hourly: buy tickets from the driver, for €2.60 each way in 2023. Most are direct buses terminating here (run by Trakų Autobusai), though an occasional bus takes 40-50 min via the back lanes. A few (run by Busotas) continue west to Alytus or to Birštonas, Prienai and Marijampolė. For timetables and fares see Autobusubilieta. 1 Autobusų stotis is the new bus station opened in Nov 2022, replacing the previous tatty rain-shelter not a day too soon. For the castle head 3 km north, a pleasant walk through the old town to the footbridge. Trains from Vilnius take 35 min, running hourly morning and evening but with a long midday gap, for a single fare in 2025 from €1.80 - the earlier you book, the cheaper the ticket is likely to be. They stop in Senieji Trakai, for Old Castle, 7 minutes before reaching Trakai. (Trains for Varėna and Marcinkonys also stop at this junction.) The last train back to Vilnius departs from Trakai around 20:40. For timetables and fares see LTG Link. 2 Trakai railway station is a simple platform terminus with no facilities. It's south edge of town so you've an extra 500 m to walk each way compared to the bus. By road from Vilnius follow A16 west, but don't come into town, where parking is limited. At Ostruvka turn north onto the 4751 to Varnikai and follow it till it dead-ends at a free parking lot. From here footbridges take you to the north tip of Old Town then to the castle, 1 km in all.
Getting around
The town is small enough for everything to be reached on foot. Footbridges link town, Island Castle and nearby peninsulas.
See
1 Trakai Island Castle (Trakų salos pilis), ☏ +370 528 53946. Mar Apr Oct Nov Tu-Su 10:00-18:00, May-Sep daily 10:00-19:00, Dec-Feb W-Su 09:00-18:00. This is the one in all the tourist brochures, a redbrick Gothic mirage suspended between blue sky and lake, a seat of the medieval Duchy of Lithuania and nowadays a national symbol. It was built from the 14th century on the largest of the lake islands - all of them smaller than today as the water level was higher. The external enemy were the Teutonic Knights, but almost as damaging was the fratricidal conflict for the dukedom. After the Knights were crushed in 1410 the castle had less defensive value and was converted to a plush residence. It was later used as a prison for wicked nobles, fell derelict in the 17th century, and was part-restored in the 20th - much of what you see is more recent than the castle at Disneyland! The main attraction is the view from outside. If you pay to go in, there is a small museum in the outer works containing things like porcelain or glass that have no connection to the castle and very few labels. Another room has furniture from the 18th century, when the castle was uninhabitable. The inner tower has a little on the reconstruction that began at the start of the 20th century, paused for both world wars, and was finished in the 1960s, plus something on the nobles and ethnic groups that lived in and around the castle. There is no access to the highest parts and very few views to the outside. Approach by footbridge from the north end of town, you can visit by guided tour or just look around yourself. There is an audioguide app, but on Android phones at least, it only installs on older (32-bit?) versions of the OS. Check ahead as it's often used a venue for plays and concerts: the blast of sound from a rock band within these echoing walls would send even the Teutonic Knights scuttling back to Malbork. Adult €12, student or senior €6 (Oct-Apr €10/5). (updated Oct 2025) Bernardine Monastery ru
Do
Boat trips and hire: several operators are based along the shore facing Island Castle. Vilnius Yacht Club are based on the promontory west of Varnikai Mound. Their annual regatta is May / June. Olympic Sports Centre is on the lakeside 200 m northwest of town. It's for serious rowing and other open-water training, the only facility for casual visitors is to be screamed at for entering their waters. Golf: Aluona Golf and Country Club is 10 km south of Trakai near Anglininkai village.
Buy
Rimi is the supermarket within the new bus station complex, open daily 08:00-22:00. Locals find it overpriced. Others are Norfa on the main road 500 m east of the railway station, and Iki has three branches near the bus station, similar hours. A slew of souvenir shops and kiosks line the lane towards the castle.
Eat
Turkiškas kebabas is next to the bus station, open M-Sa 10:00-20:00, eat in or takeaway. Argo is a Georgian restaurant within UAB Business Centre at Vytauto g 89, open daily 11:00-22:00. Kibinene is a cafe for Karaite food at Vytauto g 69, open daily 11:00-22:00. Cash only. Mojo is Asian food at Vytauto g 17, open Sa Su 13:00-20:00, cash only. Kiubėtė does Karaite food at Trakų g 2d, open daily 10:30-22:00. Kybynlar, Karaimų g 29 (opposite Kenesa), ☏ +370 698 06320. Su-Th 11:00-20:00, F Sa 11:00-21:00. Karaite restaurant, lukewarm reviews. (updated Mar 2023) Senoji kibininė, Karaimų g 65 (by Viva Trakai north end of town), ☏ +370 659 72132, [email protected]. Daily 10:00-22:00. Restaurant serving the kybyn, classical Karaite fare. Their van also supplies takeaways on the lakeshore by Peninsula Castle. (updated Mar 2023)
Drink & nightlife
The restaurants serve local and international beers, there isn't a free-standing pub.
Sleep
Most visitors come on day-trips, but staying over lets you enjoy Trakai once the tourists have departed. Prie Žiedo, Aukštadvario g 10 (opposite bus station), ☏ +370 682 41937. Pleasant clean place south end of town. B&B double €60. (updated Mar 2023) 1 Apvalaus Stalo Klubas, Karaimų g 53A, ☏ +370 655 68012. Upscale hotel with restaurant on lakeside near the castle footbridge. B&B double €70. (updated Mar 2023) 2 Viva Trakai Resort, Galvės g 1, ☏ +370 640 88885. Mixed reviews, most visitors are here for the Georgian restaurant. B&B double €90. (updated Mar 2023) 3 Panorama Hostel, Žalioji g 7B, ☏ +370 699 61330. Smart clean small hotel, not really a hostel and it doesn't have a dorm. B&B double €60. (updated Mar 2023) 4 Kempingas Slėnyje, Slėnio g 1, ☏ +370 686 11136. Campsite on north lakeshore, idyllic setting but it's 5 km from the bus station, and in summer the mozzies are pesky. Camping €10 ppn. (updated Mar 2023)
Go next
Most public transport routes bring you to Vilnius, where you probably started. However buses every hour or two continue west to Alytus or to Birštonas, Prienai and Marijampolė. With your own vehicle cut north on Hwy 107 to join the A1 to Kaunas.
Overview adapted from Wikipedia, travel guide fromWikivoyage (CC BY-SA)。Photography via Wikimedia Commons.