Production of switches begins for Rail Baltica project in Lithuania

A new milestone has been reached in one of the largest infrastructure projects in the Baltics – Rail Baltica – as production of railway switches has commenced. The work is being carried out in Lithuania by the Austrian company voestalpine Railway Systems, which has signed agreements with the national implementers in Estonia, Latvia, and Lithuania, along with the central coordinator RB Rail. The contracts cover the delivery of switch systems and rail expansion joints required for track construction.

Switches are a critical component of railway infrastructure, enabling trains to move from one track to another and providing access to stations, terminals, and maintenance facilities. In high-speed rail, they are particularly complex and demand high safety and reliability standards.

The centralized approach to procurement ensures a uniform technical solution across the entire Rail Baltica corridor, promoting interoperability between tracks, signaling, and train control systems. It also facilitates efficient coordination of design, manufacturing, and delivery across the three countries.

In addition to switches, the contracts include rail expansion joints, which compensate for changes in rail length caused by temperature fluctuations and structural deformations. These are essential for safe and continuous operation, especially on high-speed lines.

voestalpine Railway Systems has extensive international experience in producing such components and is already active in the Baltic region. The company notes that the start of switch production for Rail Baltica is a significant step and expresses pride in contributing to the project's development.