Rail Baltica

Rail Baltica is a greenfield rail transport infrastructure project with the goal of integrating the Baltic states into the European rail network. The project involves five European Union countries – Poland, Lithuania, Latvia, Estonia, and indirectly also Finland. It will connect the cities of Helsinki, Tallinn, Pärnu, Riga, Panevėžys, Kaunas, Vilnius, and Warsaw. Across the Baltic States, the Rail Baltica railway line covers 870 km – 392 km in Lithuania, 265 km in Latvia, and 213 km in Estonia. Rail Baltica is 85 percent funded by the EU. 

The Rail Baltica route has been identified as Priority Project No. 27 within the framework of the Trans-European Transport Network (TEN-T). The project is expected to make a substantial contribution to enhancing regional connectivity by significantly improving the speed and efficiency of passenger travel, as well as facilitating the transportation of freight and military mobility from the Baltic States and Finland to Central Europe.

On 7 April 2010, by Resolution No. 371, the Government of the Republic of Lithuania acknowledged Rail Baltica as an economic project of state importance. Subsequently, on 11 October 2011, by Resolution No. XI-161, the Parliament of the Republic of Lithuania designated Rail Baltica as a project of exceptional national importance.

The implementation of Rail Baltica is being carried out in accordance with Resolution No. 1802 of the Government of the Republic of Lithuania of 23 December 2009, “On the Approval of the Urgent Action Plan Necessary for the Implementation of the Rail Baltica Project,” as well as the preparatory work plan for the construction of the European standard-gauge railway line from Kaunas to the Lithuanian–Latvian border, approved by Resolution No. 1195 of the Government of the Republic of Lithuania of 26 September 2012.

More detailed and up-to-date information on the Rail Baltica project is available at:

• https://www.railbaltica.org/
• https://rail-baltica.lt/