LTG Link: Train to Riga planned from 27th December

LTG Link, the passenger transport company of the Lietuvos Geležinkeliai Group, plans to offer passengers a new international sustainable rail connection with Latvia this winter. After the agreement of the transport ministers and prime ministers of all three Baltic countries regarding the opening of this passenger train route, it is expected that the first train from Vilnius to Riga will be able to leave on 27th December. The trains, creating the international connection, will run on the direct route Vilnius–Kaišiadorys–Šiauliai–Joniškis–Jelgava–Riga.

The company is currently carrying out preparatory work for the new route and has already signed an agreement with the Latvian infrastructure manager on the use of this country’s infrastructure. The trip to Riga via Šiauliai and Jelgava will be faster than other alternatives. The trains of this route will be conveniently accessible both to residents of the capitals and to passengers going to or from other cities in Lithuania and Latvia.

“The passenger train that will connect the capitals of Lithuania and Latvia is the result of an agreement reached by the ministers of transport and prime ministers of the Baltic countries this year. We can be happy that trains will start running on this route soon,” said Deputy Minister of Transport and Communications of the Republic of Lithuania Loreta Maskaliovienė. “We hope that in the future it will be filled with a connection to Tallinn, and after the construction of the Rail Baltica railway line, we will be able to travel to our neighbours even faster and more comfortably”.

“Our vision is clear – we want to develop solutions promoting sustainable mobility, including a railway connection between the capitals of Lithuania and Latvia. We hope that this new route will attract the public’s attention – as LTG Link offers a connection between Vilnius and Warsaw, train enthusiasts will be able to reach European cities connected by railways from the very first station in Riga, passengers looking for weekend entertainment in neighbouring capitals will have a new convenient connection with Riga, and the business community of the Baltic countries will be given the opportunity to comfortably and safely go on business trips, using the travel time meaningfully”, said Gediminas Šečkus, acting head of LTG Link.

According to Šečkus, on this route, LTG Link will be able to provide all customers with a comfortable and sustainable journey without transfers, and the train will be adapted to people with individual needs. It is planned that the duration of the train journey will be competitive compared to the car journey. Those travelling on the train will be able to enjoy comfort, focus on themselves or work, will not waste time in traffic jams, and will be able to save the environment on every trip.

Currently, the company continues the work necessary for the start of the new route. LTG Link has applied to the responsible Latvian and European institutions for the necessary permits for international routes to run on the territory of Latvia, the remaining issues of the organisation of the new route are being resolved, related to the compliance with the requirements applied by Latvian railways and the development of the service package for customers. After obtaining the necessary permits and solving organisational issues, the exact date of the first international flight to Riga will be confirmed.

The company has already recruited new drivers to its team who will speak Latvian fluently and will have the right to operate trains in the neighbouring country. A selection of Latvian-speaking travel attendants who take care of customers in the territory of Latvia continues.