Rail Baltica concludes discussions on Kaišiadorys airport: Vilnius and Kaunas airports will be connected in 38 minutes

The route between the Vilnius and Kaunas airports is a priority for Lithuania, this connection would allow travel in 38 minutes, which means that no new airport would be needed, explained Loreta Maskaliovienė, Deputy Minister of Transport and Communications, to the members of the Seimas. .

“We have priority over Vilnius and Kaunas airport: the connection allows us to connect in 38 minutes, we have answered ourselves that we no longer need any additional airport,” Deputy Minister L. Maskoliovienė told the Seimas Economic Committee.

Another Deputy Minister of Transport and Communications, Julius Skačkauskas, stressed that the Government had clearly stated in the action plan that it would expand the existing infrastructure.

“If about 12-15 million can be reached through Vilnius and Kaunas. Passenger traffic per year, which is more than double the previous record year. This alone is a very distant prospect. As for the new airport. , you have to understand it, that was the study, there were calculations, but certain assumptions that it would be profitable to close all the other airports, it is politically difficult to implement. In this term, we do not see any data that it is necessary to talk about it and develop more that topic, ”said J. Skačkauskas.

The mayor of Kaišiadorys, Vytenis Tomkus, who supported the new airport, missed the calculations.

“What is lacking is justification, cost-benefit analysis, comparisons of those projects, how much it will cost, including access to existing airports, redemption of land, construction of tunnels, and so on. stuff. With clear alternatives, no one would be left with questions, now we do not have that information and, apparently, that transparency in the implementation of such large projects should be the most important thing ”, said V. Tomkus.

He ensured that even previous studies were not public and that large projects should be disseminated as widely as possible:

Kaunas District Deputy Mayor Antanas Nesteckis was surprised that it has not yet been decided whether the Kaunas airport terminal will be moved to the other side of the runway, where the Rail Baltica route will also be built.

Deputy Minister L. Maskaliovienė explains that a public consultation on alternatives to the Rail Baltica route from Kaunas to Vilnius has been started.

“At the time of calculating the new airport, the speed that Rail Baltica would allow to reach was not evaluated,” said the deputy minister, noting that it would be a great luxury to consider the construction of a new airport when there are other airports in operation.

The public consultation presents several alternatives, as the Rail Baltica gauge would run between Vilnius and Kaunas airports, the most likely gauge would be the North, but would pass through smaller towns, complicating planning and land acquisition procedures.

“The ambition has been raised that ‘Rail Baltica has to reach the terminal and it is being designed,” emphasized the deputy minister, explaining that this also determines the need to design new terminals at Vilnius airport and change the infrastructure.

Gintautas Paluckas also suggested not discussing the new airport: “all those alternatives still floating over the airport at the intersection between Vilnius and Kaunas, we should basically close those issues and stop discussing whether we rationally evaluate the plans and projects that we are doing here.”

He hopes to build a track in Latvia by 2026

The Ministry of Transport and Communications does not change the deadlines and ensures that the construction of the Rail Baltica route should be completed by 2026.

“We are quite advanced compared to the three Baltic countries and we believe that the plan is realistic,” said L. Maskaliovienė.

She assured him that she was more concerned about the slowness of the procedures in Latvia, until the neighbors broke their way to Lithuania.

He estimated that the cost of the project was higher than previously anticipated, but the previously estimated socio-economic benefits are much higher. The value of the Lithuanian part of the project amounts to 2.47 billion. of which the EU finances 2.1 billion euros. The remaining financing needs amount to 2.07 billion euros. euros. The estimated benefits of the project are estimated at 16.2 billion euros.

“The Kaunas intermodal terminal is already operational and freight transport to northern Germany is underway. (…) The main goal in 2026 is to have a truly interconnected infrastructure with Poland, as in 2027. Poland joins Lithuania. ( …) We are ready and we are building a line right on the Latvian side, a lot will depend on the Latvian side. They have advanced and are starting to build an intermodal station, but the connection in Latvia is not progressing yet, “said the deputy minister.

At the Seimas it was emphasized that there is no doubt that the connection between Vilnius and Kaunas airports will be built.

“Our ambition remains: in 2026 to have the infrastructure, the rails from Kaunas to Vilnius will be built. Our priority is the railway, which is the connections. Yes, all the terminals are important, but from the point of view of financing. Europe, we are still designing buildings with other resources, ”said L. Maskaliovienė.

He informed the members of the Seimas that currently the construction works are already underway until Jonava, a large bridge is planned over the Neris. From 169 kilometers to Latvia, the acquisition and construction works have started on the 65 km Rail Baltica track, initiated by the regional stations and the electrification and development specification of the Panevėžys crossing. plan preparation.

“We have announced purchases for 500 million, half of this amount,” explained the deputy minister.