22-12-2023

Lithuanian PM, Transport Minister to take inaugural journey on new train route to Riga

On Wednesday, 27 December, Lithuanian Prime Minister Ingrida Šimonytė and Minister of Transport and Communications Marius Skuodis will go on a visit to Riga, the capital of Latvia. They will travel on the new international train route Vilnius-Riga.

In Latvia, Ms Šimonytė and Mr Skuodis are to meet their counterparts, Latvian Prime Minister Evika Silina and Minister of Transport and Communications Kaspars Briskens.

The international train route from Vilnius to Riga, which launches on 27 December, is opening after more than a year of preparation, following the agreement of the prime ministers and transport ministers of the three Baltic states. It is a new international rail link, in addition to the route to Warsaw, which started operating at the end of 2022.

The direct train from Vilnius to Riga will run daily, stopping in Kaišiadorys, Šiauliai, Joniškis and Jelgava in Latvia.

The train journey between the two capitals is expected to take just over four hours, similar to a car journey. In the future, this route is also expected to be extended to Tallinn.

Since December 2022, an international passenger rail route has been running from Vilnius to Warsaw and Krakow.

 

Media alert!

Media representatives are invited to the train's departure ceremony at Vilnius Railway Station on 27 December at 6:00 am, and also to a media briefing at Riga Railway Station, when the train arrives in Riga at 10:43 am.

Event date: Wednesday, 27 December, 6:00 am.

Venue: Vilnius Railway Station (Geležinkelio street 16, Vilnius), Platform 1.

Programme:

06:00 Opening.

06:05-06:15 Presentation of the new route: welcoming addresses from Prime Minister Ingrida Šimonytė, Minister Marius Skuodis and representatives of the Lietuvos Geležinkeliai Group (LTG).

06:15-06:25 Media Q&A session.

06:30 The train will depart for Riga.

10:43 The train arrives in Riga.

In order to attend the event in Vilnius, you are kindly requested to register by emailing to [email protected]