A joint tender for Rail Baltica regional trains has failed after none of the bids submitted by train manufacturers met the requirements set by the Baltic passenger rail operators.
Estonia’s Elron, Latvia’s Vivi and Lithuania’s LTG Link had launched the procurement jointly, with six train manufacturers registering an interest. However, no compliant bids were received by the 8 September 2026 deadline.
Elron management board member Märt Ehrenpreis said there had been strong interest in the tender, with two manufacturers continuing to submit questions and comments on the technical requirements and contract terms until the final days of the procurement process.
The operators will now review and clarify the tender documents before launching a new procurement round. Ehrenpreis said much of the preparatory work had already been completed, meaning the new tender process was expected to take less time.
The trains will operate on the 1,435 mm European standard-gauge infrastructure being built as part of Rail Baltica. They are intended to provide faster, more comfortable and more environmentally friendly regional services across Estonia, Latvia, and Lithuania.
The three operators plan to purchase up to 20 trains capable of operating at speeds of up to 200 km/h. Estonia plans to purchase five trains, with an option for two additional units, while Latvia could order up to five and Lithuania up to eight.
The original tender was launched on 18 March, with bids accepted until noon on 8 September.
The joint procurement is intended to ensure that the trains are compatible with Rail Baltica’s infrastructure and can be used for seamless cross-border services between the three Baltic States.
Independent railway commentator Jon Worth said the stringent requirements could leave some room for adjustment in a new procurement round.
“Given the stringent requirements for step free access and step free inside the vehicles, together with climatic requirements, there might be some room for manoeuvre to loosen the criteria somewhat for a new procurement round,” Worth said.
Meanwhile, Worth noted that progress on other parts of the Rail Baltica project is continuing. “Meanwhile the construction contract for the Białystok – Ełk section in Poland has been awarded, and the building works on the southern section of Riga station are now complete,” he said.
Baltic States 2025
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