New southern section of Riga Central Station could open to trains by mid-2028
The newly built southern part of Riga Central Station, constructed under the Rail Baltica project, could start handling train traffic on the existing 1520 mm gauge tracks by mid-2028, representatives of European Railway Lines said on Wednesday.
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The southern section of Riga Central Station, being rebuilt from scratch as part of the Rail Baltica project, could welcome its first trains by the middle of 2028. This estimate was shared with media on Wednesday by representatives of the company European Railway Lines (EDzL).
Which trains will run first
It is important to note that this timeline refers to traffic on the existing, wider 1520 millimeter gauge track, historically used across Latvia's rail network. This means the newly constructed part of the station will initially serve already-existing train services, rather than the new European-standard 1435 mm gauge system intended for the Rail Baltica high-speed connection linking the Baltic states with the rest of Europe.
About the Rail Baltica project
Rail Baltica is one of the largest infrastructure undertakings in the history of the Baltic states, aiming to build a modern rail connection between Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania and Poland, integrating the region into the European rail network. The reconstruction of Riga Central Station is one of the project's key components in Latvia, since the station is meant to serve as a hub for both domestic and international traffic.
EDzL is the company responsible for building the Rail Baltica railway infrastructure in Latvia.
No precise information has yet been made public regarding when the entire station complex, including the new standard-gauge tracks, will be completed, or when full-scale international Rail Baltica service will begin.
