There are three funicular railways in Lithuania, two in Kaunas and one in Vilnius. As for the Kaunas funiculars, I cannot verify the information appearing on the Internet that only one of them is operational.
Žaliakalnis Funicular – the oldest funicular railway in Lithuania, built in 1931. The heritage wagon has been preserved and still carries tourists today. The railway was built to transport residents of the Žaliakalnis district to the city center. In the 1930s, it transported approximately two million tourists annually, and now is a tourist attraction.
The route is 142 meters long, the slope is 26%, and the ride takes one and a half minutes. The railway has an unusual rail gauge – 1200 mm. From the top there is a view of the river. The height difference between the starting and ending stations is 75 meters. The funicular to Zielona Góra is not part of the integrated public transport system and tickets must be purchased separately at the ticket office.
The Žaliakalnis Funicular Railway was included in the Registry of Immovable Cultural Heritage Sites of the Republic of Lithuania in 1993
Aleksotas Funicular – the second of the Kaunas funicular railways, built on the right bank of the Neman river. The funicular was put into operation on December 6, 1935. Also in this funicular railway you can take a ride in a pre-war vintage carriages to admire the panorama of the center of Kaunas from above.
Similarly to the railway to Žaliakalnis, the route is 142 meters long and the slope is 29.5%. The funicular is operated by UAB Kauno Autobusai, you can take a ride with public transport tickets.
Gediminas Hill Lift – a short funicular railway line in Vilnius was built recently. Put into operation in 2003. The wagons cover a steep 71-meter long route in 35 seconds. The carriages can accommodate 16 people. The railway suspended operations several times due to the risk of landslides.
Related articles:
Train travel in Lithuania
Narrow gauge railways in Lithuania
