New Vilnius-Riga train to be launched in December: What you need to know

The first passenger train on the new Vilnius-Riga route is due to depart at the end of this year.

According to LTG Link, a member of the Lithuanian Railways group, preparatory work for the new route is currently underway, Lrt.lt reports.

The first train is expected to depart from Vilnius to Riga on December 27 this year. The train will run on the direct route Vilnius-Kaišiadorys-Šiauliai-Joniškis-Jelgava-Riga.

According to Lithuanian Minister of Transport and Communications Marius Skuodis, the Vilnius-Riga journey will take just over four hours. The completion of the Rail Baltica project should halve the length of the route.

"We expect that the Vilnius-Riga trip, which starts in late December, will last about 4 hours and 15 minutes. Rail Baltica should reduce the same trip to 1 hour and 54 minutes," he explained.

Skuodis noted that the Vilnius-Klaipeda train route should also be shortened.

"We need to make the Vilnius-Klaipeda route no longer than the Vilnius-Riga route. We have already laid the groundwork for this as the new European high-speed rail connection to Klaipeda has been recognized as an important project for the whole of Europe," he said. "Moving forward, Lithuania will have to choose where to build this new rail line in the coming years."