Vilnius-Riga train service should be launched on Dec 27

VILNIUS – The first train from Vilnius to Riga should depart on December 27, LTG Link, the passenger arm of Lithuania's state-owned railway company Lietuvos Gelezinkeliai (Lithuanian Railways, LTG), has said.

However, the date of the first trip may still be subject to adjustments.

"We hope that in the future it (the route - BNS) will be supplemented with a link to Tallinn, and that the construction of the Rail Baltica railway line will make traveling to our neighbors even faster and more comfortable," Loreta Maskalioviene, deputy minister of transport and communications, said in a press release.

The train service will run between Vilnius and Riga via Kaisiadorys, Siauliai, Joniskis and Jelgava, competing with cars.

According to Gediminas Seckus, LTG Link's interim CEO, people will be able to travel on this route without changing trains, and the train will be adapted to the individual needs of people.

The company is currently carrying out preparatory work for the new route and has already signed an agreement with the Latvian infrastructure manager for the use of the country's railways.

Also, LTG Link has applied to the Latvian and European authorities for the necessary permits for international routes to operate on Latvia’s territory, and is working on other issues related to the organization of the new route in order to comply with Latvia’s requirements as well as on the development of a service package.