Lithuania has unveiled its first Stadler electric train, marking what Transport Minister Juras Taminskas described as the most significant development in the country’s rail history.
Speaking at the launch event on Tuesday, Taminskas said the new train represented “the culmination of a long, uninterrupted process, hard work, and overcoming numerous challenges. This is not just a step forward, but several steps forward in terms of comfort, size, technological design, and accessibility for passengers with disabilities, including braille signage and step-free access.”
The train, built by Swiss-owned Stadler at its Polish factory for state-owned Lietuvos Geležinkeliai (LTG), is due to begin passenger service next year.
Under a €226.5 million contract signed in June 2023, Stadler Polska will deliver nine electric and six battery-electric trains, provide technical support, maintenance, and spare parts until 2037.
The new fleet will be more spacious, accessible to all passengers, and reintroduces bistro carriages for the first time in decades.
LTG aims to double annual passenger numbers to 10 million by 2030, up from an expected 5.5 million this year, according to LTG CEO Egidijus Lazauskas.
The new Stadler electric train, unveiled in Vilnius, will begin operating on routes to Klaipėda, Riga, and other destinations.
LTG Link, the group’s passenger rail company, has expanded its fleet with a total of 15 new units – nine electric and six battery-electric trains.
According to LTG CEO Egidijus Lazauskas, the new train will also help increase rail passenger traffic.
“I am particularly pleased about the fact that, following the war, when freight operations contracted significantly, we had to take substantial action, and now passenger traffic, especially after COVID, is growing by roughly 10% annually,” Lazauskas said.
The growth has been supported by the group’s flexible pricing and additional services, such as seasonal trains.
Previously, the company indicated that its strategy aims to increase passenger numbers by 45% by 2029 – to over 9 million per year.
Speeds of up to 140 km/h
Lazauskas said that current trains can reach speeds of up to 140 km/h, and the new electric trains will be capable of higher speeds, though this will require infrastructure upgrades.
“Some trains and carriages are in service for up to 50 years, so it is natural that all infrastructure improvements are designed to allow us to offer passengers affordable ticket prices over the long term. If we wanted the project to pay for itself in a few years, tickets would cost an astronomical amount,” he told journalists on Tuesday.
The 15 new trains will make up around 30% of the existing fleet and will operate on routes to Daugavpils and Ignalina, where newer trains have not run for some time.
Transport Minister Juras Taminskas highlighted that the journey from Vilnius to Klaipėda should take around four hours, with faster services possible in the future.
“These trains will fundamentally change how rail travel is perceived, and I hope they will encourage even more people to choose rail as a sustainable mode of transport, which will also make it possible to reach Klaipėda more quickly,” he said at the launch event.
Lazauskas emphasised that this is the largest purchase of electric trains in Lithuania to date.
“The newest trains currently in our fleet, which are over 15 years old, are diesel-powered. Electrification so far extended only to Kaunas, allowing travel to Trakai. The new electric trains will emit significantly less CO₂ and, when factoring in operating costs and electricity prices, will be around 25% cheaper to run than diesel trains,” he explained.
Electrification work on the Vilnius–Klaipėda line is already underway, with part of the work completed. The project, including testing, is expected to be fully finished by September next year, with trains entering service by the end of October.
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