Three Baltic passenger train operators – Latvia’s “Vivi”, Estonia’s “Elron” and Lithuania’s “LTG Link” – announced today in Tallinn the launch of a joint procurement for the purchase of new European-standard regional rolling stock.
Kristaps Zaļais, Parliamentary Secretary of the Ministry of Transport: “By building a modern and unified Baltic railway network in close cooperation with Estonia and Lithuania, we are not only improving mobility and economic growth in the region – we are simultaneously strengthening security, resilience, and connectivity with Europe.”
The event, attended by representatives of the transport ministries of all three Baltic States and the chairpersons of the operators’ boards, emphasized that joint procurement will not only optimize costs but also ensure the technical interoperability of rolling stock across the region. Although the trains will be technically identical, each operator will manage its own fleet, while the exterior design of the rolling stock will reflect the respective national operator’s brand.
Raitis Nešpors, Chairman of the Board of Vivi: “This joint procurement by the Baltic States marks a significant milestone in the development of Rail Baltica. The new trains will bring substantial benefits to passengers and operators, improving service quality while enabling more efficient use of available resources. We are focused on the customer experience across the region, while promoting sustainable railway development in the Baltics.”
Latvia plans to purchase up to five regional trains, while retaining the right to decide on the purchase of these trains within three years after the first train is put into service by the Estonian operator “Elron.” In total, operators from all three Baltic countries plan to purchase up to 20 regional trains. The exact procurement costs will be known after the manufacturer is selected and the contract is signed.
The new regional trains will be adapted to the Rail Baltica track of European standard gauge (1,435 mm). Each train will provide approximately 200 seats, including both first- and second-class cars, areas for transporting bicycles, as well as accessibility for passengers with limited mobility. The maximum speed of the regional trains will reach up to 200 km/h.