Rail Baltica, an 870-kilometer high-speed rail project intended to connect Estonia, Latvia, and Lithuania, was initially justified as a means for NATO forces to quickly deploy in the event of a military threat. However, its construction has faced numerous financial and organizational challenges.
Since its launch in 2017, the project’s estimated cost has quadrupled, now reaching 24 billion euros. The European Union is funding 85% of the costs and recently allocated an additional 1.1 billion euros to continue the work.
For comparison, the construction of the Nord Stream 2 gas pipeline cost 9.5 billion euros and took three years, whereas Rail Baltica is now projected for completion by 2030—albeit with limitations.
According to revised plans, the line will be single-track instead of dual-track, with further expansion uncertain. Brussels emphasizes the importance of Rail Baltica as a unifying project for the Baltic states, but the escalating costs and prolonged timeline have raised concerns among critics regarding the transparency and effectiveness of EU fund usage.
