On 1 January 2015 Lithuania joined the euro area and started using the euro in place of the Lithuanian litas at the exchange rate of 1 euro = 3.45280 litas. Eesti Pank, like the other central banks of the euro area, will exchange litas banknotes for euros until the end of February at no charge.

Litas can be exchanged at the central exchange rate and with no service fee in the museum of Eesti Pank during its opening hours. The daily limit per person and per transaction is 1000 euros. Lithuanian coins can not be exchanged in Eesti Pank.

When a country joins the euro area, all the central banks of the euro area exchange the old national currency of the new member during the first two months after joining. From March it will only be possible to exchange any remaining litas at the central rate in Lithuania.

“People in Estonia have made use of the exchange facility in the central bank, and some 37,000 euros worth of litas were exchanged in Eesti Pank between 2 January and 9 February. Eesti Pank is offering this service for three more weeks and people are welcome to bring their litas banknotes to the museum for exchange until 28 February”, said Rait Roosve, Head of the Cash and Infrastructure Department at Eesti Pank.

Litas banknotes and coins can be exchanged at the central rate in bank offices in Lithuania until the end of June this year and in 330 Lithuanian post offices until the end of March. Some banks will exchange litas banknotes until the end of the year. The Lithuanian central bank will exchange litas for euros at the central rate with no limits on amounts or on time.

The litas continued to serve as legal tender for two weeks following the changeover to the euro but from 16 January the euro is the only legal tender in Lithuania.

Estonian kroon notes and coins can still be exchanged in the Eesti Pank museum at the rate of 1 euro = 15.6466 kroons. This service is free.

The Eesti Pank Museum is open from Tuesdays to Fridays 12-17 and on Saturdays at 11-16.

For further information:
Shop of the museum of Eesti Pank: +372 668 0650
Eesti Pank information line: +372 668 0719

Ingrid Mitt
Public Relations Office
Tel: +372 668 0965
Email: [email protected]