🇱🇹 Lithuania Healthcare Guide
Vilnius and Kaunas both have competent university hospitals, and EHIC works as expected for EU visitors needing emergency treatment. What visitors sometimes don't realise is that Lithuania's health system uses a mandatory GP registration model — for non-emergency care you'll need to visit a poliklinika first, and many of these have limited English, so a written list of your current medications and conditions is worth preparing.
Quick facts
- Emergency number: 112
- Healthcare system: universal-public
- Average GP visit: $25 USD
- EHIC/GHIC accepted: Yes
- Language barrier: medium
Healthcare overview
Lithuania’s public healthcare covers EHIC holders at very low co-payments (€3–5 per visit). Vilnius University Hospital (Santaros Klinikos) is the country’s flagship facility, with a reputation for laser medicine and eye surgery that draws patients from across the Baltics. Kaunas and Klaipeda have supporting hospitals. Private clinics in Vilnius (InMedica, Northway) offer English-speaking staff and online booking.
Laser and eye surgery reputation
Santaros Klinikos is particularly known for laser procedures and eye surgery, drawing patients from Latvia and Estonia as well.
Vilnius private clinics
InMedica and Northway Medical Centre in Vilnius offer walk-in and scheduled appointments with English-speaking staff and online booking.
Vaccinations
Recommended
- Hepatitis A
- Hepatitis B
- Typhoid
Prescriptions and pharmacies
Lithuanian pharmacies (vaistinė) stock standard European medications at prices 50–70% below Western European equivalents. Pharmacists in Vilnius typically speak English. Having your medication list accessible helps pharmacists match the local equivalent quickly, as Lithuanian brand names often differ from Western ones.
Major price differences
Lithuanian medication prices are 50–70% below Western Europe. If you need a refill, local purchase is substantially cheaper.
Tips for travellers
Santaros Klinikos covers most chronic care specialties, with Kaunas University Hospital serving as the secondary hub for cardiac and surgical specialties. Lithuania’s compact size means Vilnius is reachable within 3–4 hours from anywhere in the country. Having your treatment history accessible in English helps specialists at either centre pick up your care, since both hospitals maintain international patient coordination.
Kaunas cardiac and surgery hub
Kaunas University Hospital is Lithuania’s second specialist centre, particularly strong in cardiac surgery and general surgical specialties.