The “Friends of Rail Baltica” cooperation group met at the European Parliament in Brussels in late January to review progress on the Rail Baltica and to stress the need for continued EU political and financial support. Established in 2016 and chaired by European Parliament Vice-President Roberts Zīle, the group brings together MEPs and project stakeholders to strengthen parliamentary backing and promote strategic dialogue on European transport integration.
Project partners reported accelerated construction, with more than 267 kilometres which is over 40% of Phase I construction ready. Key milestones include the signing of the mainline electrification contract and the start of track laying in Lithuania. Participants underlined that predictable funding under the next EU budget and the Connecting Europe Facility is essential to maintain momentum and meet long-term targets.
Similar messages were echoed on 6 February at a session of the Baltic Assembly in Vilnius. Rail Baltica CEO Marko Kivila confirmed the project’s transition to full-scale construction across all three Baltic states.
“Rail Baltica has moved decisively into the construction phase, with progress in Estonia, Latvia, and Lithuania. More than 267 kilometres of the mainline are now construction-ready,” Kivila said, adding that “the implementation schedule is prepared on the basis of full financing availability and uninterrupted access to construction resources.”
Kivila noted that any changes in funding conditions could affect the timeline, noting: “If the conditions underpinning the current schedule change, particularly with regard to financing, the timeline will inevitably be affected.”
Both the European Parliament and Baltic Assembly meetings highlighted Rail Baltica’s role in strengthening regional connectivity, economic development, climate goals, and military mobility, and called for sustained EU parliamentary support to ensure the project’s timely delivery.
