The Rail Baltica high-speed rail project has moved to a new stage in the centralized procurement of construction materials for the railway superstructure, following the signing or completion of several framework agreements for essential infrastructure components.

The maximum estimated value of these consolidated purchases is EUR 1.13 billion, depending on the availability of funding and the project implementation schedule.

The centralized procurement model is being implemented jointly by the organizations responsible for the project in Estonia, Latvia, and Lithuania, under the coordination of RB Rail, and aims to develop the high-speed line as a unified and compatible rail system throughout the Baltic corridor.

The framework agreements set out preconditions regarding prices, quality standards, performance, and delivery times, without involving immediate financial commitments. This allows national entities to place orders according to the pace of construction work, maintaining the flexibility of the project and the stability of the supply chain.

Among the contracts already finalized are those for cabling systems, including conduits and cable ducts, with materials already available for order.

The contract for sleepers was signed last December and has entered the implementation phase, with materials available for order starting in September 2026.

In Latvia, contracts for rails have also been signed, and the first implementation activities are already underway.

The rails are expected to be available for order from July 2026, and crushed stone for railway infrastructure from September 2026.

Contracts have also been concluded for switches, high-speed switches, and rail expansion devices, with the first materials expected to be available for order by the end of 2026, which will allow certification processes for the first types of equipment to begin.

Project representatives argue that the joint procurement model allows for more advantageous commercial terms and ensures uniform technical standards.

“By jointly procuring materials for the entire Rail Baltica line, rather than separately in each country, we can ensure deliveries of the required quality at competitive prices. Large volume orders strengthen our negotiating position in a volatile construction market,” said Thierry Boussillon, Chief Programme Management Officer and member of the RB Rail Board of Directors.

The framework agreements have a duration of seven years and establish transparent conditions for long-term supply and planning, in accordance with European Union financing principles.