Last year, LTG Infra initiated the creation of a high-speed rail design competence center, which aims to strengthen the company’s engineering capabilities and, potentially, enable it to offer expertise beyond Lithuania. The new division will accumulate experience in modern infrastructure design and will facilitate the expansion of the 1435 mm European gauge network.
The center’s key project was the Kaunas hub of the Rail Baltica international line. Here, the 1435 mm European gauge and the existing 1520 mm broad gauge intersect, requiring complex engineering solutions to integrate the two systems. Dense urban development poses an additional challenge, as the new infrastructure must be coordinated with existing roads and utility networks. The hub includes the development of an intermodal terminal and the Palemonas station, as well as the construction of a bridge over the Kaunas Hydroelectric Power Station, all in compliance with TEN-T standards.
LTG Infra notes that some design work will continue to be carried out through open tenders, while others will be carried out in-house, which will expedite the adoption of key engineering decisions. Once the high-speed railway is operational, the Kaunas International Station is expected to handle more passengers than Vilnius, transforming the city into an important logistics and transport hub for the region.