As part of the implementation of the railway project "Rail Baltica," 260 million euros are planned to be allocated in Latvia next year, informs the Ministry of Transport.
Of this amount, 247.2 million euros will be directed specifically to the construction of "Rail Baltica," while 12.8 million euros will be allocated for the adaptation of construction projects and management functions. The latter likely pertains to salaries and bonuses.
Funding is provided for the construction of the southern section of the main line of "Rail Baltica" in Latvia, as well as for construction in the southern part of the Riga Central Station and the station at Riga Airport.
In 2026, 75 million euros will be allocated for the construction of the main line to continue work at the "Rail Baltica" infrastructure service center near Iecava, where the establishment of a regional base will be completed by the end of this year. Additionally, near Iecava, the construction of access infrastructure on an area of 23 hectares and embankments, earthworks, the creation of storage areas for construction materials, and the formation of a railway embankment are planned.
At the same time, preparatory works are ongoing over more than 30 km to ensure the readiness of the route for the construction of railway infrastructure. Extensive areas are planned for forest clearing, checking for unexploded ordnance along an 11 km stretch, earthworks, and the construction of a drainage system.
According to the ministry, by December 2025, 95 explosive objects were discovered and neutralized on the main line.
Additionally, the 2026 budget allocates 8 million euros for the adaptation of the project for the southern section of the main line at the Lithuania-Misa border to ensure the implementation of all 11 types of work specified in the construction permits. These works will be carried out in parallel with construction and will not affect its progress.
Also, next year, work will continue in the southern part of the Central Station, for which funds have been redistributed from the Recovery Fund. In total, 120 million euros will be allocated for these works in 2026. By the end of August, the main works in the southern part of the station building are expected to be completed, including the construction of the roof and glazing of the waiting hall, the construction of passenger canopies and roofing systems, facade and other finishing works. According to the funding conditions, the commissioning of the Central Station building is planned for the end of 2026.
At the same time, JSC "Latvijas dzelzceļš" will build signaling systems, contact networks, and railway tracks in the southern part of the station by mid-2028.
52 million euros will be allocated next year for the continuation of the construction of the "Rail Baltica" station and related infrastructure at Riga Airport. It is planned that next year construction will take place on the overpass from the Dzirnieku street area to the station building and from the station to Ziemelu street. The relocation and construction of the airport boiler house and fuel station are also planned.
Additionally, the funding provided in the budget will also be directed to ensure project management functions and the expropriation of real estate necessary for construction.
As reported, according to data from the joint Baltic enterprise for the implementation of the "RB Rail" project, the cost of the first phase of "Rail Baltica" may reach 14.3 billion euros, including 5.5 billion euros in Latvia, with a potential savings of 500 million euros through the optimization of technical solutions and other measures.
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