From Moscow’s Grip to NATO’s Backbone: How the Baltic States Are Reinventing Railways

The Baltic states are rewriting their railway future—one track at a time. Lithuania’s LTG Cargo just sent its first EU-standard freight train to Estonia, bypassing Russian systems entirely. Meanwhile, Rail Baltica is shaping up to be NATO’s high-speed backbone, slashing military transport times to just 24 hours. With new highways linking Poland to Ukraine, the region is building a transport network that’s faster, stronger, and strategically independent. But is it enough to keep Moscow at bay?

LTG Cargo’s Landmark Test Run to Estonia: A Step Toward European Rail Integration

As the Baltic states continue to decouple from Russian-controlled rail systems, Lithuania’s LTG Cargo has taken a decisive step toward full European integration. According to RAILMARKET.com, the company successfully completed its first freight train journey under EU railway standards between Lithuania and Estonia’s Port of Muuga, eliminating reliance on Russian data exchange systems for the first time. This breakthrough is part of an effort to align the region’s infrastructure with European Union regulations, ensuring operational independence and security. Egidijus Lazauskas, CEO of LTG Group, said: "In pursuit of the integration of our country's railways into the European railway system, today we celebrate the achievement of the LTG Group in implementing the FREE Rail program."

The test run, which departed from Palemonas, Lithuania, and arrived in Muuga, Estonia, carried 15 wagons—10 platforms for semi-trailers and 5 for containers. LTG Cargo operated the journey entirely without sharing data with Russian railway systems, an unprecedented move establishing a new precedent for regional freight transport. General Director of LTG Cargo, Eglė Šimė, spoke about the challenges overcome in preparing for this transition: "We prepared responsibly for this test step by step, bringing our operating model closer to European standards. In some cases, we even had to create precedents—such as registering platform wagons in the European Vehicle Register for the first time."

LTG Cargo, part of LTG Group, has completed its first test run in Estonia, increasing the amount of journeys made to West Europe.//t.co/ZME3W1APDL pic.twitter.com/VLFmqGvZCx

— Global Railway Review (@GlobalRailway) February 23, 2024

According to HuffPost, LTG Cargo has secured a broad-gauge technical supervisor certificate valid across Europe, enabling seamless operations within the EU framework. The company has also certified its locomotives for use in Estonia and collaborated with Latvian and Estonian railway infrastructure managers to facilitate cross-border freight transport without changing locomotives.

By removing Russian GTT system dependencies, LTG Cargo aims to streamline freight processes, eliminate redundant data sharing, and ensure that technical oversight is handled within European mechanisms. According to Gediminas Šečkus, Director of Business Resilience at LTG Group, these changes are not just technical but geopolitical in nature: "By rejecting Russian rules, standards, or technologies and replacing them with European ones, we strengthen the integration of broad-gauge railways into the European railway system. This increases the resilience of the entire Baltic region's rail network to external influence."

Rail Baltica: From Economic Corridor to NATO’s Strategic Lifeline

Alongside LTG Cargo’s transition, the Rail Baltica project has gained new geopolitical significance. Initially envisioned as a high-speed rail link between Estonia, Latvia, and Lithuania, the project has now become a critical military asset in NATO’s defense strategy against potential Russian aggression, as previously reported by RAILTARGET. Priit Pruul, Rail Baltica’s communications chief, commented, saying: "If a war were to break out between Russia and NATO, Rail Baltica would be the backbone of NATO’s transport network. It could reduce the transportation time of military equipment from a week to just 24 hours."

Rail Baltica, designed to reach speeds of 800 km/h, is being built with EU, British, and Spanish support, severing the last remnants of Soviet-era infrastructure in the region. The project is essential for both commercial connectivity and military logistics, enabling rapid deployment of NATO forces from Western Europe to the Russian border.

It's no wonder that Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine back in 2022 has accelerated Baltic efforts to phase out the 1,520 mm broad-gauge rail system inherited from the Soviet Union. The move to the 1,435 mm standard European gauge ensures that Baltic railways will no longer be compatible with Russian infrastructure, reducing Moscow’s ability to leverage the region’s networks for military transport. "The Russian empire gave us the railway and a trade corridor, but now it is the aggressor. We are realigning with Europe, both economically and defensively," says Anvar Salomets, CEO of Rail Baltica Estonia.

There is active discussion about expanding Rail Baltica beyond its current plans, potentially extending it to Helsinki via an underwater tunnel. Proposals for a direct night train service between Tallinn and Berlin are also being considered, further deepening integration into the European transport system.

The Poland-Ukraine Expressway: Strengthening Logistics and Trade

In addition to railway infrastructure, Poland is building a new express highway linking Lublin to Ukraine, providing another critical transportation corridor between the EU and its eastern neighbor. This project is vital for both economic recovery in Ukraine and NATO’s military logistics. According to Moto.pl, the EUR 194.7 investment will see the construction of a 16-kilometer expressway, which will eventually become part of the E372 route connecting Warsaw and Lviv, allowing for faster movement of goods, military equipment, and humanitarian aid. "We are finalizing the bidding process for the next section, which will connect to the border terminal at Hrebenne/Rawa Ruska," said Poland’s Directorate of National Roads and Highways (GDDKiA). HuffPost reports that the strategic importance of this road extends beyond Ukraine’s borders, providing a direct land link from the EU to NATO’s eastern front.

The first Lviv–Warsaw train in 18 years 🚂

🎥DPSUkr pic.twitter.com/tTwP1qSWZP

— Belsat in English (@Belsat_Eng) October 15, 2023

Source: HuffPost; Moto.pl; RAILMARKET; RAILTARGET; LTG Cargo