Baltic states plan to complete Rail Baltica by 2034 — LSM English
Latvia, Lithuania and Estonia said in a joint declaration that the main line of the Rail Baltica railway project should become operational during the next multiannual financial period of the European Union, from 2028 to 2034. Thus, completing the project’s first phase by 2030 is no longer considered realistic, LSM English reports.
The declaration refers to completing the main line, which will consist of a single track and several stations, by 2034. At the same time, the leaders of the Baltic states said they intend to continue construction under the currently agreed schedule as far as possible. The implementation timeline is being coordinated with the European Commission and Poland.
Funding and cost
The Rail Baltica project is estimated at more than €14 billion. During discussions on the next EU multiannual budget, the governments of Latvia, Lithuania and Estonia intend to seek at least €10 billion in funding. The countries also pledged to significantly reduce costs, while each state will continue to be responsible for the implementation and financial management of its part of the project.
The RB Rail joint venture welcomed the agreement reached by the prime ministers. The company’s chair of the board, Matīss Paegle, stressed that the 2030 deadline has not formally been cancelled and that 2034 has not been approved as a new final date. According to him, the work should be planned to complete it as close to 2030 as possible.
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Paegle also expressed doubt that the countries would be able to secure the full €10 billion and pointed to the need for greater funding from national budgets. In his assessment, extending the timeline could increase the cost of the Latvian part of the project by several hundred million euros. The cost of Rail Baltica’s first phase in Latvia could exceed €6 billion.
Construction pace
RB Rail notes that the main task is to carry out construction work for which EU funds have already been allocated. The company calls Latvia’s lag the biggest risk: construction is underway on more than 100 km in Estonia, on 114 km in Lithuania, and tracks are already being laid on another 9 km. In Latvia, preparatory work is ongoing on a 30-km section of the main line.
Even extending the deadline to 2034 does not guarantee the full completion of the project’s first phase, the outlet notes. Contractor E.R.B. Rail, which is building the main line in Latvia, said it continues work on sections where construction has already begun, in accordance with contractual obligations.
