Since December 27, 2023, almost 62,000 passengers have traveled by train between the capitals of Lithuania and Latvia, reports Lithuanian rail operator LTG Link.
A year ago, trains on the Vilnius–Riga–Vilnius route started running daily, stopping in Kaišiadorys, Šiauliai, Joniškis and the Latvian city of Jelgava. From the first of April, the route was supplemented by stops in Jonava and Kėdainiai, and from December 15, residents of Radviliškis can also travel to Riga from their city train station. The additional stops did not lengthen the journey: a year ago, the journey took 4 hours and 15 minutes, now the train journey to Riga takes just under 4 hours.
“This route is successful, having maintained its popularity throughout the year. Additional stops on the way to Rīga also paid off: about 4,000 passengers traveled from Jonava and Kėdainiai to Latvia and back,” said Kristina Meidė, head of LTG Link.
With the entry into force of the new annual timetable, the daily international route is even more adapted to passengers who travel to Riga for one day for work or entertainment: the train departs from Vilnius at 7:05 a.m., arrives in Riga at 11:04 a.m., the train departs from Riga at 4:55 p.m., and returns to Vilnius at 9:03 p.m. – passengers have almost 6 hours for a one-day stay in Riga.
“The train route connecting Vilnius and Riga this year allowed tourists from Latvia to travel to Lithuania more conveniently and sustainably. In the first three quarters of 2024, we received 106 thousand Latvian tourists in our country’s accommodation establishments. It is obvious that such transport solutions strengthen tourism ties between the Baltic countries.
“When Tallinn joins this route, the three Baltic capitals will become even more accessible. This will not only facilitate travel for local residents and tourists, but will also strengthen the international accessibility of Lithuania and the entire region. The connection from Vilnius to Tallinn will encourage tourists from both European and long-distance markets to discover new experiences in Lithuania and the Baltic States and contribute to the popularization of sustainable travel,” said Olga Gončarova, head of the national tourism promotion agency “Travel Lithuania”.
LTG Link is rapidly moving towards its goal of connecting Vilnius via Riga with Tallinn. Until now, it has not been possible to travel from Vilnius to Tallinn by train in one day. The carriers of the three Baltic countries – LTG Link, Vivi and Elron – have already coordinated train schedules to ensure train connections between the capitals of the three countries .
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