Rail Baltica Track Laying Underway in Lithuania

Track laying has started on the Rail Baltica line in Lithuania’s Jonava district, covering 8.8 kilometres between Šveicarija and Žeimiai.

This work signals progress in the development of the European standard gauge (1,435 mm) railway in the country. The current phase is scheduled for completion by the end of the year.

The national project implementer, LTG Infra, has procured 86,200 tonnes of ballast, 29,500 reinforced concrete sleepers, and 42 kilometres of rails for the section.

Juras Taminskas, Minister of Transport and Communications of Lithuania said:

Railway construction is moving from planning to actual work – from vision to laying tracks. Rail Baltica is not only a modern transport project, but also a guarantee of security for the entire Baltic region. Every European railway track will strengthen the security of our country and the eastern border of the European Union, ensuring that the people of Lithuania have fast and convenient connections to Western Europe.

The contract for installing the upper track structure on the Šveicarija–Žeimiai section was awarded to a joint venture between Leonhard Weiss GmbH & Co. KG (Germany) and Leonhard Weiss OÜ (Estonia), valued at 13.9 million EUR. After track construction, the line will be electrified.

In September, the Baltic States and joint venture RB Rail AS signed a EUR 1.77 billion electrification contract with COBELEC Rail Baltica.

Egidijus Lazauskas, CEO of LTG Group said:

Territorial planning, design, and preparation take up a significant portion of the project timeline. However, construction – especially track laying – is a fast-moving phase. Our priority now is to maintain the momentum we achieved last year and continue progressing at pace.

Construction on Rail Baltica is ongoing in Estonia, Latvia, and Lithuania, including mainline works, international stations, bridges, and crossings.

In Estonia, 105 kilometres of substructure and related infrastructure are under construction, and contracts have been signed for a total of 200 kilometres of substructure and superstructure works.

In Latvia, mainline construction is advancing, with priority on the southern section near Iecava, connecting Riga to the Lithuanian border. Earthworks, road crossings, and engineering structures are progressing along 202 kilometres of Rail Baltica infrastructure.

In Lithuania, work continues on the Kaunas–Panevėžys section, with 77 kilometres of embankments and engineering structures under development. By the end of 2025, construction is expected to cover 114 kilometres, including track laying and a new bridge over the Neris River, which will be the country’s longest.

Vytis Žalimas, CEO of LTG Infra said:

Every euro invested generates at least two euros in return for the state. It’s a sustainable investment in the economy, delivering long-term benefits not only to society, but also to employment, tourism, and various business sectors. We are pleased with the progress made by contractors and subcontractors across the entire 77 km construction section—these developments are becoming increasingly visible.

By the end of next year, 43% of the Rail Baltica mainline is expected to be ready for construction, marking a significant step in completing the cross-border rail connection between the Baltic States and Western Europe.