photo: LTG Infra / Public domain/The NATO Force Integration Unit visits the Rail Baltica construction site
The NATO Force Integration Unit recently visited the Rail Baltica construction site in Lithuania’s Jonava district, where NATO officials, including Colonel Peter Nielsen of the Danish Army, inspected the ongoing work on the European railway track.
He noted the dual-purpose nature of Rail Baltica, saying that, while civilian, the project has significant military value by enhancing NATO’s ability to deploy forces quickly in the Baltic region. "In the event of a military threat, Lithuania’s security would directly depend on the speed of NATO deployment," Nielsen stated, mentioning the need for military mobility as a key national security priority.
During the visit, Justas Vyžintas, Rail Baltica’s project manager for LTG Infra, updated NATO representatives on the project’s current progress and upcoming phases. He also outlined other military mobility projects in Lithuania, with discussions covering LTG Cargo’s increased capacity for military transport and the FREE Rail program. This initiative, introduced by LTG Group’s Director of Business Resilience Gediminas Šečkus, aims to integrate Lithuania’s broad-gauge railways with European standards to improve security and operational readiness against potential threats.
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Growing Demand for Enhanced Rail Infrastructure
The demand for improved rail infrastructure has grown, as LTG Group CEO Egidijus Lazauskas noted a significant rise in NATO military trains arriving in Lithuania, with an increase of 40% over the past year alone. "The need for this infrastructure is great and mutual," Lazauskas said, pointing to the growing cooperation between NATO and the LTG Group. The Rail Baltica line, scheduled for near completion in December, is expected to enable quicker movement of military equipment across borders, enhancing the connectivity of Lithuania’s infrastructure to the broader European network.
The FREE Rail program, crucial to this integration, seeks to modernize rail infrastructure, IT systems, and operational standards, further aligning Lithuania’s railways with European standards. Šečkus explained, "We are changing historically inherited elements: both standards, operating rules, and IT systems and technologies." These updates will bolster the Baltic region’s defense capabilities and ensure secure data and operational practices across European transport networks.
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A Strategic Project for Regional Security and Connectivity
Rail Baltica, the largest rail project in the Baltic region’s history, will stretch 870 km across Lithuania, Latvia, and Estonia, connecting major cities like Warsaw, Kaunas, Riga, and Tallinn. As a European Union and LTG Group strategic project, Rail Baltica promises improved mobility, economic resilience, and enhanced readiness for NATO deployments, linking Baltic infrastructure to the European rail market and reinforcing regional security.
Source: LTG Infra; RAILTARGET