The long-term conservation costs of the first-stage engineering structures of the Rail Baltica bridge over the Daugava River are currently estimated at 551,000 euros, according to the Ministry of Transport.
The ministry has received an updated report from Latvia’s national implementing body for Rail Baltica, Eiropas dzelzceļa līnijas (EDzL), regarding conservation works for unfinished project structures.
The report provides information on the provisional costs of conserving structures within the scope of Riga Central Station, as well as the section near Riga Airport—specifically the viaduct from the station building to the Dzirnieku Street area in the direction of Mārupe—and the allocation of funding for 2026–2027.
At the same time, EDzL continues calculating conservation costs for individual sections of Riga Central Station and the Riga Airport segment, which will be уточn уточified in line with the ministry’s requirements.
In the near future,
the Ministry of Transport plans to prepare an informative report on conservation works
for unfinished Rail Baltica structures and the necessary funding from the state budget, to be submitted to the Cabinet of Ministers for consideration.
Transport Minister Atis Švinka (Progressives) has previously stated that conservation works must begin this year and should cover the railway bridge pier and span over the Daugava, the supports of the Riga Airport railway station section towards Mārupe, as well as diaphragm walls and other related elements.
EDzL earlier reported that in the first quarter of 2025, construction of an overpass across Lastādijas and Krasta streets was completed. The 140-metre-long structure includes one support built in the Daugava River, with the deck extending over the water. However, EDzL stressed that construction of the actual railway bridge over the Daugava has not begun.
The company explained that not the entire overpass requires conservation, but only the section where the span extends beyond the second support—the so-called exposed span section.
Prime Minister Evika Siliņa (New Unity) has stated that
responsibility must be taken for the unfinished support
and that an investigation into project management is under way. EDzL has previously confirmed that the support will be conserved this year.
Meanwhile, the board of the Union of Greens and Farmers (ZZS) has called on the Prime Minister and Finance Minister Arvils Ašeradens (New Unity) to initiate disciplinary proceedings to assess responsibility and potential losses related to the unfinished support in the Daugava.
According to information from RB Rail, the first phase of Rail Baltica in the Baltic states could cost 14.3 billion euros, including 5.5 billion euros in Latvia. However, potential savings of up to 500 million euros may be achieved through optimisation of technical solutions, alongside other possible cost reductions.
Overall project costs in the Baltics, according to the latest cost–benefit analysis, could reach 23.8 billion euros. In 2017, a previous cost–benefit assessment had estimated total project costs at 5.8 billion euros.
The Rail Baltica project envisages building a European standard-gauge railway line from Tallinn to the Lithuanian–Polish border, connecting the Baltic states with the rest of Europe by rail. A new 870-kilometre-long 1,435 mm gauge railway line is planned across the Baltics, with trains operating at speeds of up to 240 km/h.
EDzL is a fully state-owned company with share capital of 4.445 million euros.