Workshop on Rail Baltica's role in strengthening strategic mobility to be held in Helsinki on Tuesday

RIGA - A seminar "Rail Baltica and Strategic Mobility for a Stronger Nordic-Baltic Region" will be held in Helsinki on Tuesday, 14 September, the Baltic joint venture RB Rail informed LETA.

The event is expected to highlight the role of Rail Baltica not only in promoting sustainable transport and connectivity, but also in strengthening regional defense preparedness, military mobility and economic resilience.

The seminar is organized by Rail Baltica in cooperation with the Embassies of Estonia, Latvia, and Lithuania in Finland, with the support of the Confederation of Finnish Industries (EK). Senior management from the Rail Baltica joint venture RB Rail AS and the national implementing bodies - Rail Baltic Estonia, Eiropas Dzelzcela Linijas and LTG Infra - will join policymakers, industry and diplomatic corps representatives to provide the latest updates on the project’s progress and strategic outlook.

The agenda will feature keynote addresses by Lulu Ranne, Minister of Transport and Communications of Finland, and Kuldar Leis, Minister of Infrastructure of of Estonia. These will be followed by sessions exploring Finland’s future growth and resilience, Rail Baltica’s role in strengthening military mobility and regional security, and the project’s contribution to both economic development and the wider security architecture of Northern Europe. Opportunities for networking and exchange among participants will round out the program.

This seminar will provide a valuable platform for dialogue on how Rail Baltica, as a truly European project, contributes to sustainable development and strengthens the region’s strategic position.

The seminar will also include a panel discussion on "Rail Baltica and Military Mobility - Dual-Use Infrastructure for Security and Growth". The panel discussion will examine the role of Rail Baltica as the backbone of regional military mobility, its dual-use potential and the role of sustainable infrastructure in both defense preparedness and economic growth.

It will also focus on the role of European Union (EU) and NATO cooperation, defense against hybrid threats and opportunities to deepen Nordic-Baltic regional cooperation.

According to RB Rail, a joint venture of the Baltic countries, the cost of the first phase of Rail Baltica in the Baltics could reach EUR 14.3 billion, of which EUR 5.5 billion in Latvia, but potential savings of up to EUR 500 million from optimizing technical solutions are possible, as are other savings.

The total cost of the project could reach EUR 23.8 billion in the Baltics according to the cost-benefit analysis. A previous cost-benefit analysis in 2017 estimated the total cost of the project at EUR 5.8 billion.

Rail Baltica is a double track, European standard 1,435 mm gauge electrified railway for passenger and freight transport to be built from Tallinn to the Lithuanian-Polish border. The overall length of the railway will be 870 kilometers.