A high-speed rail line has been in the works in Eastern Europe for some time now, and the project could finally be moving forward after years of roadblocks and hurdles.
According to Bloomberg, the Rail Baltica project was started in 2010, with the objective of building a high-speed rail system that could slash the travel time between Warsaw, Poland, and Tallinn, Estonia, by a significant amount.
Currently, the journey between the two cities, which takes passengers through multiple Baltic states, takes 22 hours, but Rail Baltica is projected to make the trip in just seven. It would also provide a key link between those same Baltic states and the rest of the European Union, something that had previously been lacking.
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Would having access to a high-speed train change how often you use public transit? Click your choice to see results and speak your mind. |
Absolutely 💯 Estonia, Latvia, and Lithuania use Russian gauge train tracks on their rail systems, which allow them to easily connect with their neighbors (and former sovereign governors) in Russia but makes it difficult to connect with the rest of Europe, which uses a different gauge of track. Rail Baltica would allow for better delivery of goods and services from the West while also making it exponentially easier for people to traverse the space between the countries.
High-speed rail is growing rapidly around the world. France and Germany recently announced plans for a system that will link Paris and Berlin, while the route between Paris and London has gotten high praise from riders. Even the U.S. is finally getting in on the push, with California working on a high-speed line powered by solar energy.
With more countries offering high-speed trains, travelers are incentivized to opt for rail travel over air travel, helping to decrease our carbon pollution.
Rail Baltica has hit snags due to money in recent years, and as a result, the project has slowed to a crawl. Segments are progressing (in Estonia, it's projected to be ready before the 2026 opening), but the whole system has been delayed until 2030 as the country seeks the rest of the funding needed to make it happen.
If it works, though, it will provide a brand new way to traverse the continent and connect regions that had previously been tough to navigate.
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