The second largest city in Lithuania has so much to offer and car hire in Kaunas will ensure you can have easy access to it all. If you are yearning for a bit of water, you can go for a drive along the Neman River, or head to the Kaunas Lagoon where you can visit the Pažaislis baroque monastery and church. If you’re visiting with the kids, they will love the Lithuanian Zoo, which is a short 5min drive from the city centre.
If you’re arriving in Kaunas via Kauno Oro Uostas International Airport (KUN), it will be easy for you to get your Kaunas car hire sorted. The airport has a single terminal with one Departures and Arrivals hall and three different parking areas. All the car hire desks are located in the P1 parking area, which is a 5min walk from the terminal building, and you will find international car hire companies available such as Enterprise, Europcar, Hertz and Sixt.
Driving around Kaunas in the warmer months is a pleasant experience due to the easy road conditions. In addition, many locals go on holiday in the middle of summer or prefer to walk rather than drive, meaning there is less traffic on the roads. However, if you are visiting in winter, you will encounter snow and icy roads which require extra caution. Please also note that in Kaunas you will be driving on the right-hand side of the road.
You can avoid traffic in Kaunas and save time if you make sure to drive outside rush hour. The main roads inside the city get busy on weekdays in the early morning between 7:00 and 9:00, then in the late afternoon between 17:00 and 18:00. In the warmer months, many locals drive to the coast for the weekend, and as a result the A1 highway can be busy on Friday evenings in the direction of Klaipeda, then on Sunday evenings in the direction of Kaunas.
Book your rental car in Kaunas at least 4 weeks before your trip in order to get a below-average price
Economy rental cars in Kaunas are around -6% cheaper than other car types, on average
FAQs about renting a car in Kaunas
Based on our information, car rental agencies in Kaunas only have manual transmission cars.
The average gas price in Kaunas is C$ 8.69 per litre over the past 30 days. Filling up a gas tank costs between C$ 104 and C$ 139, depending on the car size.
Economy (Volkswagen Polo or similar) is the most frequently booked rental car type in Kaunas.
A Economy car rental in Kaunas costs C$ 29 per day, on average.
A Compact car rental in Kaunas costs C$ 30 per day, on average.
A Mini car rental in Kaunas costs C$ 13 per day, on average.
The type of Kaunas car hire you should choose depends highly on the time of the year that you plan on visiting. If you are there in the summer months, then a compact car is perfect for a few days spent in the city and short drives to the sights around it. However, in the winter months, you will need a car that is suitable for driving in the snow, such as a 4x4, especially if you plan on heading to the slopes and need to carry some ski gear with you.
The speed limit within Kaunas city is 50km/h (about 30mph) on the smaller streets. On main roads the speed limit is generally 70km/h (about 43mph) or 90km/h (about 55mph), while on the highways the speed limit changes according to the season. In summer it is 120km/h (about 75mph), but in winter it is 110km/h (about 68mph).
If you’ve opted for car hire in Kaunas city centre and are looking for somewhere to park, keep in mind that the Old Town and the central area in general are all paid parking zones. Around the town hall square, parking is payable every day between 8:00 and 12:00, while in the rest of the centre you will be paying to park on weekdays between 8:00 and 18:00. The hourly rate changes according to the zone and varies between €0.30 (£0.25) and €2 (£1.75) per hour.