Next year a direct train route will be established between Estonian student town of Tartu and Latvia’s capital city. Latvia’s northern neighbour’s Climate Ministry has allocated a total of EUR 300 000 for this purpose, as reported by Estonian public media Rus.ERR.
Minister Kristen Michal explains that right now the idea is in the stage of a pilot project developed with assistance from Tartu municipality. However, this new route may become a permanent one in a “long-term perspective”. What he said was mentioned on ERR Radio News on Tuesday, the 31st of October, with reference to Tartu Postimees newspaper.
Estonia’s second biggest city has been trying to establish this railway connection for years.
Next year Tartu will be the next European Capital of Culture.
Passenger train operator – Estonian state owned Elron company – has started researching if it is possible to create this route and how best to do it. However, Elron refrained from making any accurate predictions in this topic, as noted by Rus.ERR, reminding that Tartu-Riga railway line, according to experts, would require annual financing of 500-700 thousand euros.
LETA, with reference to Tartu newspaper, reports that before this idea can be implemented, there are certain problems that need to be resolved. For example, there is the need to certify Stadler FLIRT diesel train used in Estonia, as well as check Elron trains’ compatibility with Latvian railway infrastructure.
“To commence this process, contacts have been established with Latvian institutions. Consultations continue,” said the chief of Elron, adding that it is too soon to say how often trains will be coursing on this route.
Mayor of Tartu Urmas Klaas told Elron representatives that summer would be the best season to open the route, as this is when tourist numbers usually go up. He believes that an optimal time for a train ride from Tartu to Riga should take three and a half hours. This would make it faster than travelling by car, and trains will need to be both comfortable and convenient.
Minister of Climate Kristen Michal added that talks with Latvian and Lithuanian representatives continue on the perspectives of establishing a passenger train route connecting Tallinn and Vilnius. Lithuania plans for the route to go from Vilnius to Tallinn through Šiauliai, Riga, Valga and Tartu, which is a distance that can be covered in slightly more than nine hours.
Next year it is planned to open up passenger train route between Vilnius and Riga through Šiauliai.
Latvian Pasažieru vilciens (PV) Communications and Marketing Office lead Sigita Zviedre, when asked about this route’s possibility, told BNN the following:
“Last year PV presented to representatives of Estonia with an offer on resources and terms within which it may be possible to establish a passenger route connecting Riga and Tartu. We affirmed our readiness to provide all the necessary support multiple times, so that Estonia can make a balanced decision on how to move forward.
PV proposed using modernised diesel three-cart trains and extending existing Riga-Valga routes. Estonia’s side needed financing to restore passenger transport offer on Riga-Tartu route and cover related costs, as well as find a way to organise this in a legally correct way.
Estonia entrusted the project’s technical side to Estonian state passenger train operator Eesti Liinirongid, which operates with Elron brand. Next week we plan to meet with representatives of Eesti Liinirongid to discuss if there is any need for support from PV.”
Also read: LDz chief: Kazakhstan is Latvia’s important rail transport partner
Follow us on Facebook and X!