Rail Baltic: A new era connecting Estonia and Latvia to Europe

Text Susanna Poikela
Photo Gatis Rozenfelds, Valsts kanceleja

In early November, Estonian Prime Minister Kristen Michal met his Latvian counterpart Evika Siliņa to discuss the countries’ common priorities in the EU and NATO, and the promotion of Baltic energy and transport projects.

Next year, Estonia and Latvia will synchronise their electricity systems with those of continental Europe. The neighbouring countries have many other common projects, one of the most important being a direct rail link to Europe. When completed, Rail Baltic will connect Tallinn to continental Europe. This will be the largest joint logistics project between Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania for decades and is expected to boost both tourism and the economy. 

“In order for Rail Baltic to be a success and for us to get as much funding as possible for the project, we all need to make an extra effort. Clarity on how to ensure that the main line is operational by 2030 is essential. Additional funding for the project will be sought from the Connecting Europe Facility and other sources,” said Estonian Prime Minister Kristen Michal.

A business centre will also open in the new Estonian Embassy building in Riga in the spring, which is expected to further boost economic cooperation between the two countries. “Hopefully, the Tartu-Riga rail link will also contribute to strengthening ties,” added Michal.

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Baltic States Estonian Prime Minister EU Funding EU Infrastructure Kristen Michal Latvia Rail Baltic