According to Andrius Veršinskas, head of the Business Department of Kaunas IN, the European railway line Rail Baltica, connecting the Baltic countries with Europe and thus completing the missing link, will unlock the value of the growing city for businesses and travelers.
A representative of Kaunas IN, the agency responsible for the economic development of the temporary capital, says that one of the main advantages of Kaunas is its convenient and well-developed logistics infrastructure, so the significance of the Rail Baltica project for the city is immense.
The opening of the first Rail Baltica information center at Kaunas railway station in October highlighted the fact that high-speed trains will carry the highest number of passengers in Lithuania – 11,000 – through Kaunas International Station every day.
New rules of the game
“We always present Rail Baltica to potential foreign investors, representatives of other countries, and diplomats as an upcoming major advantage that will change the rules of the game. We emphasize that Kaunas will be the most active point in the entire network. Kaunas’ logistical importance has been growing in recent years. Still, we feel that the strengthening of the network will further strengthen the city’s position and create opportunities for further development,” A. Veršinskas said.
The European standard railway between Poland and Kaunas has been operational since 2021. Freight is transported westward on this route, and, if necessary, military equipment too. With the first Rail Baltica line, the city has become the easternmost, and at the same time, the northernmost European railway point on the eastern coast of the Baltic Sea.
Business growth
According to A. Veršinskas, Kaunas has attracted major logistics companies in the region, and with the construction of high-speed rail infrastructure, business expansion will accelerate even more due to increased logistical capacities, and eventually, this will create opportunities for businesses in other industries as well.
“Kaunas Intermodal Terminal in Palemonas is already successfully operating and expanding. Along with newly planned projects – the largest intermodal terminal in the Baltics at Juragiai, the expansion of Kaunas Airport, and the Kaunas River Port – Kaunas’ overall intermodality and logistical capacity will grow, thus increasing its significance. Many opportunities will open up for industries that aim to not only save costs but also to become more environmentally friendly,” A. Veršinskas pointed out.
Passenger growth
According to a Kaunas IN representative, perhaps the most welcome benefit is reduced travel time.
“While waiting for the fast European connection, we are also expecting tourism growth. The possibilities for attracting employees are also important: with reduced travel times, the geographic area from which we can attract workers will significantly expand. Trains on the Kaunas-Vilnius route are already full every morning in both directions, showing the movement of employees, as business service and IT companies establish branches in both Kaunas and Vilnius. So, Rail Baltica will further accelerate the convergence of the cities,” A. Veršinskas said, adding that another important and welcome direction will be toward Riga: a four-hour-long trip from Kaunas will be reduced to one and a half hours.
“For employees, especially those working in a hybrid model, this could expand the locations where they can work or live. So, it would be possible to live in Panevėžys and work in Kaunas, or vice versa. The area that now covers Jonava, Kėdainiai or extends more towards Marijampolė or Vilnius, would also extend more into Northern Lithuania,” A. Veršinskas said.
Faster access to concerts and sports events
In October, during the opening of the Rail Baltica information center, A. Veršinskas participated in a discussion titled Opportunities for Kaunas: Tourism > Business > Utilizing the Spaces of the Station Area.
“Kaunas, being the central and most active point, will naturally be the place where the biggest flows of travelers will converge. Therefore, we will see even more Polish, Latvian, or Estonian visitors coming to concerts or Kaunas Žalgiris EuroLeague games. The Science Island, the renovated Lithuanian Zoo, the swimming complex and water entertainment center along with many other new leisure and entertainment venues will attract both local and foreign tourists. The expanding infrastructure unlocks Kaunas’ attractiveness and the values it offers in a wider geographical area,” A. Veršinskas assessed.
Rail Baltica is the largest railway infrastructure project in the history of the Baltic States, which will see the construction of an electrified, European standard double-track railway linking Warsaw, Kaunas, Vilnius, Panevėžys, Riga, Pärnu and Tallinn. The total length of the Rail Baltica line in the Baltics is 870 km: 392 km in Lithuania, 265 km in Latvia, and 213 km in Estonia.
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