Lithuania, Latvia and Estonia have approved a 1.77-billion-euro electrification plan for the European-gauge Rail Baltica railway, following the signing of a joint agreement in Vilnius on Monday, reported Xinhua, quoting the Baltic News Service (BNS).
"For the first time, we have a fully pan-Baltic construction and design contract that aims to implement electrification in all three states," said Marko Kivila, CEO and chair of the board at RB Rail, the joint venture overseeing the project.
The contract covers the installation of around 2,400 km of contact network, 50,000 utility poles, and 10 substations. The first phase of electrification is scheduled for completion by 2030. In Lithuania alone, the value of the electrification work will reach 818 million euros.
Calling the project "the largest in the railway sector in all the Baltic countries," Egidijus Lazauskas, CEO of Lithuanian Railways (LTG), said the agreement ensures coordinated implementation across the three countries and helps avoid potential disputes.
Electrification will be carried out after the main construction works, though some sections are expected to be powered by 2030. The overall cost of Rail Baltica's first stage is estimated at 15.5 billion euros: 6.6 billion euros in Lithuania, 5.5 billion euros in Latvia, and 3.2 billion euros in Estonia.
Kivila emphasized that additional European Union (EU) funding will be essential, particularly after 2027, when Brussels prepares its new budget framework, underscoring the project's importance for both transport and military mobility.
The Rail Baltica lines in Lithuania and Poland are expected to be connected by 2028, and the entire cross-Baltic connection with Europe is scheduled to be completed by 2030. By July, Lithuania had already secured 1.6 billion euros in support for the project and is now seeking an additional 4 billion euros in funding.
Source: www.dailyfinland.fi
