A vehicle lighting unit comprising: an LED having an optical axis (Ax) in an illumination direction thereof as a forward direction; and a light guiding lens (30, 30A) having a plate shape and disposed in front of the LED, wherein: the light guiding lens (30, 30A) includes a light incident face formed at a rear end thereof, and a light exiting face formed at a front end thereof and having an elongated face extending along a plane substantially perpendicular to a front-rear direction, the light incident face has a cross section taken along a plane along a longitudinal direction of the light exiting face, the cross section including a center recessed portion configured to receive light rays emitted from the LED around the optical axis (Ax) thereof to diffuse the light rays toward the light exiting face in the elongated direction, and two convex portions disposed on both sides of the recessed portion, configured to receive light rays emitted from the LED sideward more than those directed to the recessed portion to condense the light rays forward substantially along the front-rear direction, and the light incident face further has a cross section taken along a plane perpendicular to the longitudinal direction of the light exiting face, the cross section including a convex face configured to receive the light rays from the LED to make the light rays parallel to one another substantially along the front-rear direction, characterized in that two connection points between the recessed portion and the two convex portions are configured such that the two connection points are separated away from each other in the longitudinal direction as the points move from a plane passing through the optical axis (Ax) and parallel to the longitudinal direction toward both sides in a thickness direction, and the two connection points are positioned on the plane at a center in the thickness direction passing through the optical axis (Ax) such that emission angles of the light rays as seen from the LED are 1/2 to 3/2 times a half-value angle. an LED having an optical axis (Ax) in an illumination direction thereof as a forward direction; and a light guiding lens (30, 30A) having a plate shape and disposed in front of the LED, wherein: the light guiding lens (30, 30A) includes a light incident face formed at a rear end thereof, and a light exiting face formed at a front end thereof and having an elongated face extending along a plane substantially perpendicular to a front-rear direction, the light incident face has a cross section taken along a plane along a longitudinal direction of the light exiting face, the cross section including a center recessed portion configured to receive light rays emitted from the LED around the optical axis (Ax) thereof to diffuse the light rays toward the light exiting face in the elongated direction, and two convex portions disposed on both sides of the recessed portion, configured to receive light rays emitted from the LED sideward more than those directed to the recessed portion to condense the light rays forward substantially along the front-rear direction, and the light incident face further has a cross section taken along a plane perpendicular to the longitudinal direction of the light exiting face, the cross section including a convex face configured to receive the light rays from the LED to make the light rays parallel to one another substantially along the front-rear direction, the light guiding lens (30, 30A) includes a light incident face formed at a rear end thereof, and a light exiting face formed at a front end thereof and having an elongated face extending along a plane substantially perpendicular to a front-rear direction, a light incident face formed at a rear end thereof, and a light exiting face formed at a front end thereof and having an elongated face extending along a plane substantially perpendicular to a front-rear direction, the light incident face has a cross section taken along a plane along a longitudinal direction of the light exiting face, the cross section including a center recessed portion configured to receive light rays emitted from the LED around the optical axis (Ax) thereof to diffuse the light rays toward the light exiting face in the elongated direction, and two convex portions disposed on both sides of the recessed portion, configured to receive light rays emitted from the LED sideward more than those directed to the recessed portion to condense the light rays forward substantially along the front-rear direction, and the light incident face further has a cross section taken along a plane perpendicular to the longitudinal direction of the light exiting face, the cross section including a convex face configured to receive the light rays from the LED to make the light rays parallel to one another substantially along the front-rear direction, characterized in that two connection points between the recessed portion and the two convex portions are configured such that the two connection points are separated away from each other in the longitudinal direction as the points move from a plane passing through the optical axis (Ax) and parallel to the longitudinal direction toward both sides in a thickness direction, and the two connection points are positioned on the plane at a center in the thickness direction passing through the optical axis (Ax) such that emission angles of the light rays as seen from the LED are 1/2 to 3/2 times a half-value angle.