Rail Baltica has published the first version of the Network Statement, a document that provides future freight and passenger rail operators with an initial overview of the technical, operational, and access conditions on the new European rail corridor that will connect Estonia, Latvia, and Lithuania.
The document was developed by the future infrastructure managers—Rail Baltic Estonia, Eiropas Dzelzceļa līnijas (EDzL) in Latvia, and LTG Infra in Lithuania—in collaboration with RB Rail AS, the Rail Baltica project coordinator.
The publication of this document marks a new stage in the project’s development. While the focus has so far been primarily on design and construction, the launch of the Network Reference Document indicates that Rail Baltica is beginning to prepare the necessary framework for future commercial operations.
The first edition brings together in a single document information on infrastructure characteristics, access conditions, and the main operational elements of the future rail network. At the same time, it opens a dialogue with rail transport operators, freight forwarders, and other stakeholders interested in using the new infrastructure once it becomes operational.
Operators receive initial information on access to the new line
The current version serves as the basis for a document that will be supplemented and updated periodically as the project progresses toward the operational phase. Prepared in accordance with the common structure used by RailNetEurope, the document covers the entire Rail Baltica project and provides, for the first time, a unified reference framework for all three Baltic states.
The new railway will have a European gauge of 1,435 mm and will connect Tallinn, Pärnu, Riga, Panevėžys, Kaunas, Vilnius, and the border between Lithuania and Poland. Rail Baltica is part of the European TEN-T North Sea–Baltic and Baltic Sea–Black Sea–Aegean Sea corridors.
The line is designed for speeds of up to 249 km/h and will be equipped with the ERTMS Level 2 system and the future FRMCS communications system. These technologies will enable the interoperable movement of passenger and freight trains between the Baltic states and the rest of the European rail network.
“The first version of the Network Statement provides future operators and freight customers with a transparent and consistent basis for planning their activities on Rail Baltica. Future editions will continue to build on this foundation as we approach the start of operations,” said Julien Pellerin, Operations and Capacity Manager at LTG Infra and coordinator of this first edition.
Project representatives note that the current version is for informational purposes only and does not yet constitute the official basis for requesting infrastructure capacity. Future editions will include detailed information on capacity allocation, pricing principles, available services, and operational procedures.
The Rail Baltica Network Statement for the first phase of operation will be published at a later date, in accordance with the provisions of European Directive 2012/34/EU. In parallel, the Polish operator PKP Polskie Linie Kolejowe will publish a separate document for the Rail Baltica section within Poland.
Rail Baltica is one of the most important European railway projects currently under development. The new, fully electrified line will contribute to increased regional connectivity, enhanced security in the Baltic region, and the integration of the Baltic states into the European railway network. At the same time, the project will reduce travel times between the Baltic states and major European urban centers by more than 50%, providing modern infrastructure for passenger and freight transport as well as military mobility.
Share on:
