RB Rail: 52% of Latvia's residents have a positive attitude towards Rail Baltica 0 7

At the same time, the survey found that 24% of Latvia's residents have a neutral attitude towards the Rail Baltica project, while 6% of respondents rated it very negatively.

Additionally, 67% of respondents in Latvia believe that the military mobility aspect of the Rail Baltica project is important for the security of the Baltic region, and 71% of respondents agree that the project will enhance NATO's ability to rapidly deploy troops and military equipment in the region.

The joint venture, citing survey data, indicates that the Rail Baltica project is perceived by Latvian society as strategically important infrastructure in both mobility and security and development contexts. At the same time, the data indicate high expectations, as residents want to see progress and concrete actions, as well as a clear understanding of how the project is managed.

RB Rail also emphasizes that the security aspect regarding Rail Baltica is highly valued by different groups in society – both by the younger and older generations. Furthermore, according to the survey data, the highest rating of the importance of military mobility for the security of the Baltic region was given by representatives of the older generation aged 66 to 75.

The survey results also show that residents want to know more about the project, including seeing its progress. Although the overall level of awareness in the Baltic region exceeds 90%, some respondents indicated that the available information is insufficient. According to RB Rail, this indicates that it is important for society to see concrete achievements, the use of funding, information about project costs, the progress of construction work, and practical results confirming the transition of the project from the planning stage to implementation.

The public opinion survey on the Rail Baltica project, conducted in collaboration with the research agency Norstat, was carried out in December 2025 and involved 1,006 respondents aged 18 to 75.

It was previously reported that according to RB Rail, the cost of the first phase of the Rail Baltica project in the Baltic countries could amount to €14.3 billion, of which €5.5 billion is in Latvia. However, potential savings from optimizing technical solutions could amount to up to €500 million, and other cost reductions are also possible.

The total costs of the project, according to the cost-benefit analysis, in the Baltic countries could reach €23.8 billion. In a previous cost-benefit analysis conducted in 2017, the total project cost was estimated at €5.8 billion.

The Rail Baltica project involves the construction of a European standard gauge railway line from Tallinn to the border of Lithuania and Poland, in order to subsequently connect the Baltic countries with other European states by rail. A new European gauge (1435 mm) railway line is planned to be built in the Baltic countries, stretching 870 kilometers, along which trains will be able to reach speeds of up to 240 kilometers per hour.