Spaudos centras
Spaudos centras
On Thursday, Lithuanian Minister of Transport and Communications Eugenijus Sabutis met with members of the Management Board of RB Rail AS – the joint venture of the Baltic States – to discuss the importance of ensuring the efficient delivery of the Rail Baltica project, so that by 2030 Lithuania, Latvia, Estonia, and Poland are connected via European standard-gauge rail.
Focusing on the tasks ahead, Minister Sabutis highlighted the need to speed up construction of the Rail Baltica main line towards Panevėžys, swiftly begin design works on the section from the Polish border to Jiesia (Kaunas) and prepare for the start of railway construction from Panevėžys to the Latvian border.
The European Commission’s Implementing Decision, adopted on 9 July 2025, reaffirms the commitment to fully integrate the Baltic States into the European railway network by 2030. The decision mandates that Lithuania, Latvia, Estonia, and Poland prioritise the development of the main line by reallocating efforts and resources accordingly.
“Rail Baltica is the foundation for the Baltic States’ transport and military mobility links with Europe. Completing the project by 2030 remains our shared objective, and we must continue working together to secure funding under the next Multiannual Financial Framework. In today’s discussions with the RB Rail AS Board, we reviewed the readiness of both the participating states and the company itself to deliver the necessary solutions,” said Minister of Transport and Communications Eugenijus Sabutis.
Construction of the Rail Baltica main line embankment and civil engineering structures is underway along a stretch of more than 46 km between Kaunas and Panevėžys. By the end of the year, the scope of works in Lithuania is expected to expand to 114 km.
Territorial planning has already been completed, and land acquisition is in progress for the section from the Polish border to Jiesia (Kaunas). Signing of the design contract for this section is anticipated in the coming weeks.
Vilnius is expected to be connected to the European standard-gauge railway after 2030, once Lithuania’s main line construction is complete. Until then, a variable-gauge mechanism is being considered, which would allow uninterrupted travel from Kaunas to the capital on broad gauge.
Rail Baltica is the largest railway infrastructure project in the history of the Baltic countries, connecting Tallinn, Pärnu, Riga, Panevėžys, Kaunas, Vilnius, and Warsaw. The total length of the Rail Baltica railway line across the Baltic countries will be 870 km, including 392 km in Lithuania.