Lithuania selects northern route for Rail Baltica section to capital
The section between Kaunas and Vilnius of the Rail Baltica line in Lithuania will be planned along the northern route, stakeholders recently agreed. The northern route, also called the northern S5 alternative, was deemed the most optimal of four possible routes from a cost-benefit perspective.
The added benefit of the northern S5 alternative is that cities of Lentvaris, Vievis and Kaišiadorys can now be connected to the Rail Baltica railway line. Lithuania’s Ministry of Transport and Communications signed off on the alternative route late last week, after consultations with local stakeholders in both the cities and surrounding regions.
The responsible partner UAB Sweco Lietuva and DB Engineering & Consulting GmbH developed four alternative routes for the Rail Baltica railway between Vilnius and Kaunas.
Selecting land plots
The Lithuanian ministry hopes the project makes a soft landing once development progresses to the stage where territories and land plots will have to be selected. Owners will be informed on an individual basis before public notices are made available in the second quarter.
“Reconciling all interests is a challenge, therefore not only inter-institutional cooperation is very important, but also dialogue with the residents of Vilnius and Kaunas districts”, says Loreta Maskaliovienė, vice-minister of Transport and Communications.
Connecting to the European network
The Rail Baltica railway line is one of the most ambitious rail infrastructure projects in this part of the world. It will connect to the European standard gauge network, making it possible to eventually travel from Amsterdam to Tallinn in Estonia via Berlin and Warsaw.
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