Spring 2025 could be a time of new beginnings for train travel between Tartu and Riga – that is, if the Estonian government steps in with the needed financial support. Elron, Estonia’s state-owned passenger rail operator, initially aimed to have this cross-border connection up and running by October 2024, but bureaucratic hurdles have derailed that plan. As it turns out, getting Estonian trains certified to roll smoothly on Latvian tracks is far trickier than expected. What once seemed a manageable task now demands an entirely new certification process, stretching the project’s timeline and leaving commuters in limbo.
For now, travelers between the two cities must continue the less-than-ideal practice of hopping off at Valga, right on the Estonian-Latvian border, to switch trains. Tartu’s mayor, Urmas Klaas, envisions a more streamlined experience where one ticket could cover the whole journey, and connections would be almost seamless. That might seem like a small win, but it would be a major leap for cross-border cooperation and ease of travel. But for Elron, the bigger goal remains to extend its Tallinn-Tartu-Valga route all the way to Riga. The plan? Send a train to Riga in the evening, let it rest overnight, and have it return in the morning. Simple, but impactful.
Of course, such a service comes with a price tag – approximately €1 million a year in state subsidies. Both Elron and the city of Tartu are holding their breath, hoping for a favorable government decision. Klaas, ever the optimist, points to the success of similar rail lines, such as Poland and Lithuania’s Warsaw-Vilnius and Riga-Vilnius connections, which have boosted tourism and cross-border exchanges. Could the Riga-Tartu-Tallinn train deliver similar benefits? Klaas and Elron certainly think so, but only time – and funding – will tell if this dream will leave the station.
(Source: Baltic News Network | ERR)
