“We are rapidly approaching a historic moment when Lithuanian Railways will fundamentally change. This fall, residents of both major cities and regions will be able to travel on modern Swiss electric trains. Most importantly, we ensure that rail transport meets the needs of all passengers and is convenient for everyone,” says Minister of Transport Juras Taminskas.
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Testing of the new trains begins at the “Stadler” factory in Poland, where the main rolling stock systems are checked, such as ventilation and emergency systems, and later the tests continue in Lithuania. Here, static and dynamic tests are performed, during which the train’s performance is evaluated at various speeds and modes, including acceleration, braking, and smooth driving.
“Each train arriving in Lithuania brings us closer to the moment when we can offer passengers a new quality of rail travel. Currently, our main focus is on ensuring that all rolling stock successfully completes the testing and certification processes and begins regular services safely and reliably,” says Kristina Meidė, head of “LTG Link”.
So far, the rolling stock tests have been successful, and double, triple, and mixed traction tests are planned to begin soon. Before the start of regular services, all 15 “Stadler” trains manufactured for Lithuania – 9 electric and 6 battery-powered – will be tested.
After the static and dynamic tests of the new rolling stock are completed, certification procedures will be carried out, and permission to operate the train in passenger service must be granted. Based on the test results, the Lithuanian Transport Safety Administration (LTSA) will issue the operating permit.
The new electric “Stadler Flirt” trains will offer passengers more comfort and space. After several decades, a bistro area is being reintroduced where warm food and hot drinks can be purchased, and more spaces for bicycles are also planned. The trains have 200 seats, allowing for more efficient handling of passenger flows, and during peak times, trains can be doubled or even tripled. These rolling stocks will operate on the Vilnius–Klaipėda–Vilnius route.
Battery trains, capable of running on both electrified and non-electrified railway sections, will operate in Lithuania on the Kaunas–Šiauliai–Kaunas and Vilnius–Varėna(Marcinkonys)–Vilnius routes. They have 128 seats, coffee and snack machines, and the rolling stock is adapted for passengers with reduced mobility. When running under the contact network, these trains can reach speeds of up to 160 km/h, and in battery mode – up to 120 km/h.
