Visa Advice

I am a senior citizen who traveled alone to visit my mother’s birthplace in Lithuania. My railway pass was purchased in the United States and it was mentioned that no visa was required to pass through the countries on my itinerary.

When I boarded the train in Warsaw, the boarding sign read “Warsaw to Vilnius” only and did not name any intermediate stops. They neglected to inform me that the train would be going through Grodno, Russia (now Belarus), thereby requiring a visa.

I was ordered off the train at 2 a.m. on a freezing morning to be interrogated at length regarding the reasons for my trip. After providing my identification and adequate explanations, I was allowed to continue on.

On my return trip, I took a taxi for 120 miles from Vilnius to Grodno and again I was subjected to the same ordeal. After approval, I was escorted to a Russian train bound directly for Warsaw. Both times I was treated well.

AL ADELMAN

Los Angeles

Editor’s note: Visas are required when traveling to Lithuania , Russia and Belarus, according to Trans-World Visa Service of San Francisco . A spokeswoman said travelers may also need visas if they are simply passing through. The Times lists visa requirements for travel in Africa on L3. Other countries will be covered in coming weeks.