Finally, a plan for how Rail Baltica will be developed in the first phase has been submitted for agreement with other ministries.
The Ministry of Transport proposes the following:
- Build a single track from the Lithuanian border to Estonia, starting with the Lithuanian border-Misa section but its full extent subject to available funding.
- With the reallocation of EU funds available for the transport sector, complete the works at the two Riga international stations - Riga Airport and the southern part of Riga Central Railway Station - to make them operational.
- Build a new Russian-gauge railway track from Imanta station to Riga Airport. Škoda electric trains [used on the rest of the Latvian rail network] will then be able to run between the center and the airport. This would connect the two passenger stations to the broad gauge railway before the European broad gauge railway is built and integrate Riga Airport into the existing rail network.
- Build at least four regional stations - Salacgrīva, Skulte Manor, Salaspils/Daugavkrasti, and Bauska, with infrastructure maintenance points in Iecava and Skulte, a traffic control center and a siding for the future Salaspils freight terminal.
- Establish a European gauge rail connection to one of the two Riga international stations. So either from Upeslejas to the center (on the right bank of the Daugava) or from Misa to the airport (on the left bank respectively). Alternative financial solutions could be attracted to make this a reality, such as private-public partnerships
Since June, the Ministry of Transport has been looking for solutions to make Riga passable on European-gauge rails, but no solution has been found.
Although the first phase prioritizes a connection from the Estonian border to the Lithuanian border, there is currently no guarantee that the rails all the way to Estonia can be built, Transport Minister Kaspars Briškens (Progressives) admitted.
"This is something we need to push for and fight for. That is why the negotiations on the European Union's multiannual budget are critically important for us. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs has already started coordinating work on a national position. Here we will have to stand shoulder to shoulder with our Lithuanian and Estonian counterparts, fighting to ensure that the Rail Baltica project receives the highest possible funding in the next seven-year EU budget, which will then determine the speed at which we can move northwards, but at the same time this cross-border link is a priority for both Estonia and Lithuania," said Kaspars Briškens.
Asked how likely it is that it will not be realized, he pointed out that "we should probably ask our diplomatic service or the Ministry of Finance what our expectations are for these multiannual budget negotiations of the European Union".
Ministries and organizations can comment on this report on the legislative portal in the coming weeks. The information report is expected to be presented to the government in November.
In parallel, the Transport Ministry is working on an information report on the national funding required for the implementation of the Rail Baltica project in 2024-2025.
