At the meeting with Estonian Minister of Infrastructure Vladimir Svet on Tuesday in Tallinn, Lithuanian Minister of Transport and Communications Eugenijus Sabutis noted that cooperation with Estonia in the implementation of joint transport and military mobility projects is very important for Lithuania, reports Lithuanian Ministry of Transport and Communications.
Lithuanian and Estonian Transport Ministers underlined that Rail Baltica is an important project for strengthening regional defence and military mobility, and that it is therefore essential to ensure its smooth implementation and secure the necessary European Union (EU) funding.
“Europe is facing new challenges that can only be overcome through unity. In this context, we are paying particular attention to the European-gauge railway project Rail Baltica, which is now entering an active construction phase in both countries. We are looking for ways to secure European funding for this and other strategic transport projects, and to ensure that they are implemented as quickly as possible. For us, the Baltic States, maintaining close cooperation and working together is essential,” said Minister of Transport and Communications Sabutis.
According to the Minister, additional EU investment in priority dual-purpose – civil and military – transport infrastructure projects is essential to increase the capacity of European transport corridors and to ensure that our allies have access to an efficient logistics system that is tailored to their needs and meets NATO standards.
Sabutis expressed his hope that the forthcoming Lithuanian Presidency of the Council of the EU in 2027 could be a significant boost to strengthening the Baltic voice in the next EU budget negotiations.
It was also noted that the Lithuanian and Estonian railways open up new opportunities for cooperation in the development of passenger and freight transport. The Ministers also discussed a possibility of launching a passenger train on the Vilnius-Riga-Tartu route from 2027, thus providing a more convenient connection towards Tallinn.
Construction of the 46.3 km section of the Rail Baltica main line embankment and civil engineering works from Kaunas to Panevėžys is currently underway in Lithuania. Construction works are expected to extend to 114 km by the end of this year.
The Rail Baltica project is scheduled for completion in 2030. The journey between Vilnius and Tallinn should then take less than four hours.