Major transit company suspends nearly all bus journeys linking Minsk and Vilnius
In a recent development, the Lithuanian branch of Eurolines has announced the suspension of most bus routes between Vilnius and Minsk. This decision comes in response to issues related to the number of buses crossing the border, specifically violations of existing limits.
The suspension, however, is not directly linked to the upcoming Belarusian-Russian military drill, Zapad 2025, scheduled for September 12–16. Eurolines plans to continue operating on a reduced schedule, with only three trips per day, until further notice.
Similarly, the Belarusian operator, Minsktrans, has also temporarily canceled some routes between the two cities, citing the need to obtain necessary authorizations. Their suspension is expected to last until they receive the required permits.
As of now, there is no specific date announced for the full resumption of these bus routes. However, both Eurolines and Minsktrans are working diligently to resolve these issues, and services are expected to return to normal once the necessary requirements are met.
Eurolines users who purchased tickets for some affected routes between the Lithuanian and Belarusian capitals are receiving notifications about cancellations. These cancellations include routes departing from Vilnius at 5:30, 6:00, 7:20, 10:30, 11:30, 12:30, 13:30, 14:30, 15:00, 21:30, and from Minsk at 5:30, 6:00, 6:30, 12:40, 13:00, 13:50, 17:00, 18:00, 19:00, 20:40.
However, it's worth noting that Eurolines routes departing from Minsk at 14:20, 16:00, and 20:00 have not been canceled, and neither have the routes departing from Vilnius at 06:40, 09:00, and 13:00.
The online service Infobus reports that Eurolines has suspended the performance of most routes between Minsk and Vilnius from August 11. The current cancellations are at least until the end of the current week.
Eurolines clients can get a full refund for their tickets. The article was written by journalist Mikhail Svetlov. This article is related to transport in Belarus and the Eurozone. Eurolines is actively working on resuming the canceled routes.
Stay tuned for updates as both Eurolines and Minsktrans work towards resolving these issues and returning services to normal.
