The Kaunas Intermodal Terminal (KIT) in Lithuania opened on 19 July to commercial traffic on the Rail Baltica corridor, welcoming the first train loaded with containers and semi-trailers, from the Netherlands.
Located next to the Palemonas railway station, KIT by the European standard-gauge railway has become the most north-eastern point of the European railway system. After the completion of all works on the Rail Baltica railway section Kaunas-Palemonas, KIT can be reached by European standard rolling stock, according to a statement.
The impact of the railway infrastructure project Rail Baltica which is planned to link Finland with Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania and Poland, is not only economic but also environmental, as the project reduces environmental pollution and contributing to the European Union’s (EU) Green Deal strategy, according to an announcement.
“This project is 85% funded by the EU Structural Funds. The continued support of the EU institutions for the project shows that Rail Baltica is more than a railway infrastructure – it is an economic corridor that promotes regional connections,” noted CEO of the company responsible for the implementation of the Rail Baltica project, LTG Infra, Karolis Sankovski.
CEO and Chairperson of the Management Board of RB Rail AS, the joint venture of the Rail Baltica, Agnis Driksna commented, “The commercial opening of KIT allows to capitalise on the European-gauge section between the Polish-Lithuanian border and Kaunas that was developed in 2015 and start initial freight shipments even before the full Rail Baltica Global Project infrastructure is developed.”
Driksna added, “This will allow us to start developing the initial business case for the long-term development of freight logistics along the Rail Baltica corridor which is being developed in parallel.”
