'Vilnius is an integral part of Rail Baltica,' says Minister Sabutis

According to Lithuanian Minister of Transport and Communications Eugenijus Sabutis, Rail Baltica – the European railway connecting the Baltic States with Western Europe – will be extended to Vilnius as soon as the necessary funding is secured. Construction of the Kaunas–Vilnius section is expected to begin after 2030, following the completion of the Rail Baltica mainline in Lithuania. In the meantime, the Lithuanian capital could be connected to the European rail network via a variable gauge system.

“Rail Baltica is a strategic project and will be implemented in phases. The first phase is to connect Lithuania to Western Europe via Kaunas, and the second phase is to extend the European rail link to Vilnius. I want to emphasize that Vilnius is an integral part of Rail Baltica; however, the link to Vilnius will be completed after 2030, once the mainline is finished,” said Minister Sabutis.

According to Minister Sabutis, Rail Baltica is also a key military mobility project, and efforts are underway to secure additional funding from the European Union (EU) after 2027, when the current EU investment programme concludes.

Lithuania has already secured €1.6 billion for the implementation of the Rail Baltica project by 2030, with plans to seek an additional €4 billion. Minister Sabutis noted that dialogue with the European Commission is already in progress concerning funding for the second phase of the project.

Given the existing railway infrastructure between Vilnius and Kaunas, a temporary variable gauge mechanism is under consideration. In this scenario, the train would switch from European standard gauge to broad gauge in Kaunas, allowing it to continue to Vilnius without requiring a change in train formation.

“Considering the changed geopolitical situation and the need to use financial resources efficiently, we have agreed – together with the European Commission and our Baltic partners – to plan the project in a more cost-effective way: by prioritising the construction of a functional international mainline connecting the three Baltic States with Poland and the rest of Europe, and then completing the remaining sections based on available funding. This approach would not only allow us to deliver the project’s benefits to the public, businesses, and military mobility sooner, but also help reduce costs,” remarked Egidijus Lazauskas, CEO of LTG Group.

Construction is currently underway on a 46.3 km section between Kaunas and Panevėžys in Lithuania, with plans to extend the works to 114 km by the end of the year.

Due to the complexity of the project and the need to meet both the technical requirements of the European railway and the interests of the local community, the planning of the Kaunas–Vilnius section is undergoing further revision.

In Latvia and Estonia, the implementation of Rail Baltica is also planned in phases: the mainline is to be constructed by 2030, with the development of interconnecting links to follow thereafter.

Rail Baltica is the largest railway infrastructure project in the history of the Baltic States, delivering an electrified European high-speed rail line that will connect Lithuania, Latvia, and Estonia to Central and Western Europe. The project plays a key role in regional integration, strengthening both civil and military mobility, and enhancing the resilience of the transport system.