Lithuania's Major Railway Electrification Enters Final Phase: Impacts and Expectations

Lithuania's ambitious project to electrify its key railway artery, the Vilnius-Klaipėda line, has entered its final stage with the commencement of the third phase on the Radviliškis-Klaipėda section. This crucial phase involves the electrification of 199 km of the railway and is valued at an estimated EUR 191 million.

The comprehensive nature of this project, scheduled for completion in Q2 2025, aims to enhance the efficiency and sustainability of both passenger and freight transport across the country. LTG Infra CEO, Vytis Žalimas, highlights the project's significance, noting its potential to "boost Lithuania's transport sector's competitiveness and significantly reduce annual emissions by approximately 150,000 tonnes." Once finished, the electrified line will stretch 731 km, increasing the share of electrified rails in Lithuania's infrastructure from 8% to 27%.

The ongoing work, expected to last until the end of May this year, necessitates adjustments to the timetables of passenger trains on the Vilnius-Klaipėda and Radviliskis-Siauliai-Klaipėda routes. LTG Link, the passenger transport company, is making concerted efforts to minimize inconvenience to travelers, especially during major holidays. Full restoration of train services is planned for public holidays, long weekends, and Easter week. While weekdays will see a reduced schedule with early morning and evening trips between Vilnius and Klaipėda and vice versa, Sundays will witness a full resumption of services according to the annual timetable.

The project's third phase also impacts the Radviliskis-Siauliai-Klaipėda route, with complete service cancellations on Mondays and Saturdays and partial service resumption on Sundays. To maintain commuter connectivity, early morning shorter services between Radviliskis and Šiauliai will operate. The electrification efforts, although causing minor delays on the Vilnius-Siauliai and Kaunas-Siauliai sections, are expected to fortify Lithuania's rail infrastructure significantly.