Jump to content

Rail Baltica: Difference between revisions

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Browse history interactively
← Previous editNext edit →
Content deleted Content added
VisualWikitext
No edit summary
No edit summary
Line 11: Line 11:
Option two is a new railway with {{convert|200|km/h|abbr=on}} speed and standard gauge: Trakiszki-Kaunas-Joniškis-Riga-Pärnu-Tallinn.<ref name="feasibility EU">{{cite web| url=http://ec.europa.eu/regional_policy/sources/docgener/evaluation/railbaltica/concl_en.PDF| title=Feasibility study on Rail Baltica railways| date=January 2007| format=PDF| author=European Commission, Directorate-General Regional Policy| }}</ref> There is an EU high-speed directive saying that the new TEN-T lines should have {{convert|250|km/h|abbr=on}} speed, and upgrades 200&nbsp;km/h speed but it is hard to finance the project as it is.
Option two is a new railway with {{convert|200|km/h|abbr=on}} speed and standard gauge: Trakiszki-Kaunas-Joniškis-Riga-Pärnu-Tallinn.<ref name="feasibility EU">{{cite web| url=http://ec.europa.eu/regional_policy/sources/docgener/evaluation/railbaltica/concl_en.PDF| title=Feasibility study on Rail Baltica railways| date=January 2007| format=PDF| author=European Commission, Directorate-General Regional Policy| }}</ref> There is an EU high-speed directive saying that the new TEN-T lines should have {{convert|250|km/h|abbr=on}} speed, and upgrades 200&nbsp;km/h speed but it is hard to finance the project as it is.


Reports in March 2011 indicate plans are moving towards a standard gauge railway, with a slightly modified route: [[Tallinn]]-[[Parnu]]-[[Riga]]-[[Bauska]]-[[Panevezys]]-[[Kaunas]] <ref name="Press report on route in Lithuania">{{cite web| url=http://www.baltic-course.com/eng/transport/?doc=38760| title=Rail Baltica’s fate to become clearer by the end of May | date=March 2011| format=PDF| author=Baltic Course| }}</ref> with a feasibility study expected until May 2011{{update after|2011|06|01}}.
Reports in March 2011 indicate plans are moving towards a standard gauge railway, with a slightly modified route: [[Tallinn]]-[[Pärnu]]-[[Riga]]-[[Bauska]]-[[Panevezys]]-[[Kaunas]] <ref name="Press report on route in Lithuania">{{cite web| url=http://www.baltic-course.com/eng/transport/?doc=38760| title=Rail Baltica’s fate to become clearer by the end of May | date=March 2011| format=PDF| author=Baltic Course| }}</ref> with a feasibility study expected until May 2011{{update after|2011|06|01}}.


==Financing and the time horizon==
==Financing and the time horizon==

Revision as of 19:01, 7 July 2011

Map of Rail Baltica (The solid line represents the option involving a new railway. The dashed line is the alternative of upgrading the old railway)

Rail Baltica is one of the priority projects of the European Union Trans-European Transport Networks (TEN-T). The project is supposed to link Finland, the Baltic States and Poland and also improve the connection between Central and Eastern Europe and Germany. It envisages a continuous rail link from Tallinn (Estonia), to Warsaw (Poland), going via Riga, (Latvia) and Kaunas, (Lithuania). It will by-pass the Kaliningrad Oblast, Russia and Hrodno, Belarus where the two historic rail routes Poland-Lithuania have been going.

The section from Helsinki to Tallinn will be operated by existing commercial ferries. In the future a proposed Helsinki to Tallinn Tunnel could provide a rail link between the two cities.[1] The length of the railway between Tallinn and Warsaw will be at least 950 kilometres (590 mi).

Route and standard

There are two options to build the Rail Baltica. Both options include an upgrade of the existing railway (with standard gauge) Warsaw-Bialystok-Ełk-Trakiszki to 160 km/h (99 mph),[2] and a new railway with standard gauge Trakiszki-Kaunas.

Option one is to upgrade the existing railway Joniškis-Riga-Tartu-Tallinn to 160 km/h, keeping Russian gauge, and a new railway Kaunas-Joniškis with 160 km/h. Because of the break of gauge, a freight reloading (or bogie exchange) station would be placed near Kaunas. Passengers would have to change trains in Kaunas.

Option two is a new railway with 200 km/h (120 mph) speed and standard gauge: Trakiszki-Kaunas-Joniškis-Riga-Pärnu-Tallinn.[2] There is an EU high-speed directive saying that the new TEN-T lines should have 250 km/h (160 mph) speed, and upgrades 200 km/h speed but it is hard to finance the project as it is.

Reports in March 2011 indicate plans are moving towards a standard gauge railway, with a slightly modified route: Tallinn-Pärnu-Riga-Bauska-Panevezys-Kaunas [3] with a feasibility study expected until May 2011[needs update].

Financing and the time horizon

The project will be financed by the member states and by the European Union TEN-T budget (€124 million), Structural and Cohesion Funds provided to the EU New Member States. [4] The total cost is expected to be around €1.5 billion for option one and around €2.4 billion for option two.[2]

The first phase of the project will be completed by 2013[needs update],[5] while the second phase should be finished in 2020.

The 66 kilometres (41 mi) line between Tartu to Valga (on the Latvian border) in Estonia was the first part to be renovated. This was done by the Finnish VR Group from 2008 to 2010. The cost was €40M.[6][7]

In Lithuania, the two parts Polish border-Marijampolė (using standard gauge) and Šiauliai-Latvian border (using broad gauge) will be new built, to be finished 2015[needs update], costing €270M.[6] In Latvia the existing railway will be upgraded, to be finished 2015, costing €97M.[6] The EU will contribute with about 25 % of the cost for the three parts.

The EU also finances a technical study for a new standard gauge railway between Estonia and Poland.[6]

Opportunities

Rail Baltica creates the possibility to shift the major freight transport in the regions from road to rail, which for the time being is transported towards Russia and the north by heavy trucks. In the case of Poland the trucks follow the local roads and directly cross the villages of Podlaskie Voivodeship (north-east Poland) creating danger to their inhabitants. Transporting the freight by rail would increase the safety of the local roads and also reduce the CO2 emissions and oil consumption. Furthermore, it would create a convenient passenger connection which does not exist at the moment.

Rail Baltica could be a sustainable sound alternative to the planned Via Baltica motorway which has proved controversial on environmental grounds. In contrast to Via Baltica, the implementation of the Rail Baltica project could become a good practical example of sustainable and efficient utilisation of the Cohesion and Structural Funds, bringing social and economical benefits, as well as environmental and climatic improvements.[citation needed]

Railways currently have a low number of passengers along the route, especially in Estonia and Latvia. International travel is done by car, bus and air with very little by train.

Constraints to be resolved

One of the project's aspects is the conversion of the Baltic States' rail network to Standard Gauge (1,435 mm / 4 ft 8+1⁄2 in), thus improving rail integration with Europe at the expense of integration with the Russian system (1520).[8]

If the north-south going railways are converted to standard gauge, the west-east railways are still not likely to be converted, since they are used for freight and passenger trains to Russia. There is even a consideration to build a new high-speed railway Riga–Moscow[9]. That project is not prioritized by the EU and Latvia until Rail Baltica is finished.

See also

References

  1. ^ "Helsinki-Tallinn Rail Tunnel Link?". YLE News. October 31, 2008. {{cite news}}: Cite has empty unknown parameter: |1= (help)
  2. ^ a b c European Commission, Directorate-General Regional Policy (January 2007). "Feasibility study on Rail Baltica railways" (PDF). {{cite web}}: |author= has generic name (help); Cite has empty unknown parameter: |1= (help)
  3. ^ Baltic Course (March 2011). "Rail Baltica's fate to become clearer by the end of May" (PDF). {{cite web}}: Cite has empty unknown parameter: |1= (help)
  4. ^ European Union (November 21, 2007). "Trans-European Transport Network (TEN-T): selection of projects for the TEN-T multi-annual programme 2007-2013 and the annual TEN-T programme 2007" (Press release). {{cite press release}}: Cite has empty unknown parameter: |1= (help)
  5. ^ "Latvia to Begin Constructing Rail Baltica". RZD-Partner Portal. April 18, 2008. {{cite news}}: Cite has empty unknown parameter: |1= (help)
  6. ^ a b c d Mid-Term Review. Detailed report from 2010. See pdf page number 161-172. (65 MB)
  7. ^ VR Group (April 28, 2008). "VR-Track wins superstructure renovation contract for Tartu-Valga track" (Press release). {{cite press release}}: Cite has empty unknown parameter: |1= (help)
  8. ^ "Lietuvos Respublikos Susisiekimo Ministerija". {{cite news}}: Cite has empty unknown parameter: |1= (help)[dead link‍]
  9. ^ Augulis: high-speed railroad project between Riga and Moscow must be self-sufficient
Retrieved from "https://en.wikipedia.org/enwiki/w/index.php?title=Rail_Baltica&oldid=438284878"