Press Releases

Shuttle train Saulė marks a new era in cargo carriage

Thursday, November 10, Vilnius - Today the first regular container train Saulė - connecting Western Europe with China via Kazakhstan, Russia, Belarus and Lithuania - will reach Lithuania. Having started in China at the end of October, the train this noon will be solemnly met at Kena railway station in Vilnius district.

The project sees the light after a month since the President's official visit to Kazakhstan when the leaders of both countries agreed to support the shuttle train project on the highest level.

"The shuttle train reaching China in a week is a breakthrough in the cargo carriage market. It means not only ensured benefit for the countries' economies within the forthcoming decades, but also the best offer for Europe and China in search for interconnections," President Dalia Grybauskaitė underlined.

According to the President, in view of the changing geopolitical situation in the world, Lithuania and Kazakhstan have and use a unique possibility to become a global link between Europe and Asia and to ensure a new economic perspective for the people of their countries. When completed, the project which extends across China, Kazakhstan, Russia and Lithuania will become an important interconnection and many countries will soon feel its benefit, she said.

A new train line will considerably shorten the time needed for the transportation of goods. Cargo carriage from China to Europe by sea takes 40 days. Upon launching the shuttle container train Saulė, the goods will reach Lithuania four times faster.