A 50% discount on domestic train tickets in Lithuania takes effect Friday for the second time this year, as the government seeks to ease the impact of exceptionally high fuel prices. The measure will remain in place until the end of the year.
LTG Link, the passenger transport company of the state-owned Lithuanian Railways group, is applying the discount to tickets already offered at reduced prices.
The company has urged passengers to plan their journeys in advance and said it would increase train capacity or add seats where possible to accommodate higher demand, particularly before holidays and long weekends.
The busiest routes are Vilnius-Kaunas, Vilnius-Klaipėda and Vilnius-Turmantas, according to a company representative.
New Swiss-made Stadler trains, each with 200 seats, are expected to enter service at the end of October.
A similar fare reduction in April and May attracted 5,800 more passengers than during the same period last year. The latest discount is expected to bring in about 45,000 additional passengers.
The government also plans to introduce the same 50% discount on intercity bus journeys from November 1 through the end of December. The exact start date will depend on when parliament adopts amendments to the Law on Public Passenger Transport Privileges.
Preliminary estimates put the cost of the train fare discount to the state at 2.8 million euros. The bus fare reduction is expected to cost about 3.15 million euros.
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