Lithuanian railways
The main part of the transport sector in Lithuania is the railway. Its length exceeds 1900 km. About 122 km of tracks have been electrified. Lithuanian railways are operated by a national company «Lithuanian railways».
The railway network is of great importance for the country's economy. Lithuanian trains annually carry a huge number of passengers and over 50 million tons of cargo. The most important cargo is considered to be oil transported from Russia to Lithuanian ports. International long-distance trains run through the country, which go from Vilnius to St. Petersburg and Moscow.
Main routes
The main international highway runs along the Kena - Vilnius - Kybartai route. The Lithuanian railway network is extensive. Vilnius is considered its center. The country maintains rail links with Prague, Budapest, Berlin, Sofia and other cities..
On certain routes, trains are the most convenient, fast and comfortable mode of transport. For example, when traveling from Vilnius to Klaipeda, Siauliai. For short distances, it is more profitable to travel by bus than by train.
AO acts as a monopoly on the Lithuanian railway «Lithuanian railways». The company has the following divisions: passenger transportation, cargo transportation and infrastructure. Over 91% of the country's freight turnover falls to the share of railway transport. Lithuania is connected by rails with Belarus and Latvia. Through these countries, goods are transported to other CIS countries. Trains go through Kaliningrad to Germany and Poland. The most important for foreign economic relations is the Moscow-Minsk-Kaliningrad highway, which connects Lithuania with Russia.
Passenger trains
Trains for passengers run at significant intervals. The frequency of traffic has been reduced in recent years. Comfortable conditions for passengers are created in the carriages. In Lithuania, there are express trains with soft couches that transform into beds. Other trains have wooden benches. The level of comfort there corresponds to the branded trains of the CIS. Trains with double-decker euro-class carriages ply across the country. Lithuanian trains move slowly but on time.
Rail travel is cheap. On the operator's website «Lithuanian railways» - litrail.lt, routes and ticket prices are presented. There you can get information on the availability of free seats on the train, as well as inquire about discounts. When ordering a direct and return ticket, the passenger receives a 15% discount. Tickets can be purchased at train station ticket offices, on the Internet or on trains from conductors.
