CEO Marko Kivila and Emilien Dang, Chief Technical Officer at RB Rail AS, presented the project’s progress at the CER CEO Summit in Prague (30–31 March 2026), where railway leaders from across Europe gathered to discuss the role of rail in the continent’s strategic future. Fellow speakers included the CEOs of ÖBB, Ferrovie dello Stato Italiane, LTG Infra, and TGV Europe, alongside the European Commission’s ERTMS Coordinator and the Czech Minister of Transport.
Rail Baltica is replacing the Baltic states’ legacy 1520 mm Russian-gauge rail system, which currently forces passengers to change trains at the Polish border, with standard European gauge. This will fully integrate Estonia, Latvia, and Lithuania into the continent’s rail network.
The project rests on four pillars: European connectivity, economic value, military mobility, and TEN-T compliance. Since Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, defense considerations have moved to the forefront. The line meets NATO specifications, including Swedish gauge C and a 25-tonne axle load capacity, enabling rapid movement of troops and heavy equipment along the North Sea-Baltic and Baltic-Black Sea-Aegean corridors. As Kivila stated at the Summit: “Military mobility has become a top priority for European transport infrastructure. Rail Baltica is designed for dual use.”
Economically, the line is projected to carry 98,000 passengers and 55,000 tonnes of cargo daily, based on the 2024 Cost-Benefit Analysis. A single 40-wagon train replaces a 7 km truck convoy, and standardized gauge eliminates up to a full day of transshipment delays at the Polish border. Additionally, 71% of Baltic residents say the project will strengthen NATO rapid deployment.
At the moment, construction within the Baltic borders is 43% complete across the 659 km Phase I mainline. Key 2026 milestones include finalization of control, command, and signalling contracts, regional rolling stock procurement, and electrification design.
Financing is needed to be secured through the EU’s Multiannual Financial Framework (MFF), which is the European Union’s long-term budget that sets spending priorities and funding ceilings over a seven-year period.