Representatives from European institutions, member states, the European Parliament, industry organizations, and the Rail Baltica community gathered in Brussels to review the progress of Rail Baltica.

According to the data presented, work is advancing simultaneously in Estonia, Latvia, and Lithuania. Currently, 267 km of track are ready for construction, representing approximately 43% of the main route for the first phase of the project.

In Estonia, construction of 107 km of the main line and the Ülemiste terminal is scheduled to be underway in 2026. In Latvia, work continues on the priority southern section, as well as at Riga Central Station and the Riga Airport rail terminal. In Lithuania, track laying has already begun on the first section, and 114 km of main line are under construction.

Rail Baltica progress by country:

Estonia: Over 107 km of main line are under construction, with major work underway at the Ülemiste terminal in Tallinn and along key sections toward Pärnu.

Latvia: More than 200 km of main line outside Riga (Phase I) have been contracted, with approximately 30 km under active construction. Riga Central Station and the connection to the airport are progressing in parallel.

Lithuania: 114 km of main line are under construction, with the first rails already laid. Bridges, signaling systems, and other essential infrastructure elements are taking shape along the corridor.

A central topic of discussion was military mobility. Designed from the outset to meet the defense requirements of the European Union and NATO, Rail Baltica will provide the Baltic states with an interoperable connection to the European standard gauge, facilitating the rapid transport of passengers, freight, and military equipment.

Funding remains one of the decisive factors for meeting the implementation schedule.

To date, the project has primarily received funding through the Connecting Europe Facility (CEF), which has covered up to 85% of eligible costs, supplemented by national contributions and funding dedicated to military mobility. To date, the project has received over 4 billion EUR in CEF funding.

“Rail Baltica is no longer a question of whether it will be built, but of how quickly Europe is willing to move forward. The infrastructure is already taking shape on the ground, and the project’s pace depends largely on the continuity and predictability of funding,” said Marko Kivila, CEO of RB Rail AS.

Recently, the procurement plan for 2026 was also announced, which includes the tender for the construction of the southern section of the Ülemiste terminal, services and expertise for the line’s power system in Latvia and Lithuania, as well as for other railway infrastructure works in all three Baltic states.

Rail Baltica will be 900 km long, crossing 40 structures (bridges, viaducts, tunnels), and will be served by seven international stations, as well as 40 local passenger stations and freight terminals.