Topic: Latvia

On Latvian territory Financial strain may limit Rail Baltica to a single track only

Rail Baltica has been Europe’s flagship cross-border rail project, but exploding construction costs have led to a re-evaluation of its ambitions. It is especially Latvia…
Volume statistics Latvian rail freight continues trend of 25% volume drop

Rail freight in Latvia is continuing on its downward path. During the first nine months of 2024, the country recorded a drop of 25,5 per…
Connecting Europe Facility Surprise reduction in EU funding for Rail Baltica forces Latvia to reach deeper into its own pockets

As part of the tenth Connecting Europe Facility (CEF) round, the EU allocated 345 million to the Latvian Rail Baltica section. It now seems that…
Parliamentary inquiry Latvian parliament questions Rail Baltica plans: “It has not been approved”

A Latvian parliamentary inquiry has cast doubt on the legality of the country’s Rail Baltica plans. The head of the inquiry committee, Andris Kulbergs, says…
sanctions LTG Cargo deals with a rising number of attempts to evade sanctions

Attempts to circumvent Western sanctions on Russia and Belarus via rail through Lithuania grew exponentially between March and May. The Lithuanian national rail freight operator…
Freight to contribute little to billions of Rail Baltica-induced growth

Rail Baltica is an economically viable undertaking. While its projected cost has grown immensely in recent years, the high-speed rail line is expected to contribute…
Rail Baltica mainline construction takes off in Latvia

Latvia is commencing construction works on the Rail Baltica mainline. The Rail Baltica team and its international partners gathered in Riga to mark the occasion,…
Costly Rail Baltica to cut ambitions and seek funding elsewhere

As Rail Baltica’s projected costs are mounting and continue to grow, the project’s feasibility is in question. Uncertainty surrounding EU funding is forcing Rail Baltica…
Latvian rail freight numbers drop for second consecutive year

For the second year in a row, Latvia’s rail freight numbers have worsened significantly. In the first four months of 2024, the overall transported volume…
Latvia appoints special Rail Baltica secretary amid strategy change

In the midst of a troubled implementation of Rail Baltica in Latvia, the country is undergoing a strategy change. Latvia is centralising the project’s management…
Russia to invest 156 billion rubles for Belarusian rail access to Baltic Sea

Russian Railways (RZD) intends to invest 156 billion rubles (1,5 billion euros) to enable Belarusian exports via the Baltic Sea. EU countries blocked the transit…
Latvian petition against manganese ore export to Russia gaining momentum

A petition to ban the export of manganese ore to Russia is picking up the pace in Latvia. The public initiative gathered a third of…