The immersive new train experience celebrates Lithuania’s famous cold beetroot soup while encouraging travellers to swap short-haul flights for rail journeys
International rail travel across Europe continues to grow in popularity, with increasing numbers of travellers opting for trains over short-haul flights — and now Lithuania is adding a distinctly colourful twist to the trend.
This summer, travellers heading to Vilnius can board the newly launched Pink Soup Train, a specially themed rail experience celebrating Lithuania’s iconic cold beetroot soup, šaltibarščiai.
Running until 30 August on the Mockava–Vilnius route, the immersive train forms part of the wider Warsaw-to-Vilnius rail connection, which can be reached from London and other UK cities via European cross-border rail networks.
The initiative has been created by Go Vilnius in partnership with LTG Link to coincide with the annual Vilnius Pink Soup Fest, taking place from 29–31 May.
Inside the specially designed carriage, nearly every surface has been transformed into shades of vivid pink inspired by the traditional Lithuanian soup. Walls, ceilings, windows and tables are covered in themed artwork, while the carriage floor features playful patterns based on the dish’s ingredients.
The train also includes Instagram-friendly features such as selfie mirrors and immersive visual installations designed to turn the journey itself into part of the tourism experience.
“The idea was to make the journey itself feel like the beginning of a Vilnius visit,” said Eglė Girdzijauskaitė, Head of Communications at Go Vilnius.
“It’s not just about getting to Vilnius — it’s about how you arrive. With the Pink Soup Train, we’re turning a simple train ride into something memorable, playful and distinctly local.”
The launch reflects wider changes in European travel habits, with growing numbers of passengers embracing rail as both a more sustainable and more experience-driven alternative to flying.
According to the organisers, passenger numbers between Poland and Lithuania rose sharply last year, with more than 23,000 people travelling the route in 2025 — a 38% increase compared to the previous year.
Meanwhile, demand for international rail routes from the UK continues to grow, including strong passenger increases on services between London and Amsterdam operated by Eurostar.
The Pink Soup Train arrives just in time for the annual Vilnius Pink Soup Fest, one of the city’s most unusual and visually striking summer celebrations.
During the festival, large parts of the Lithuanian capital are transformed pink, with themed menus, costumes, public art installations and large-scale events taking place across the city. Highlights include a 50-metre pink waterslide, a waiters’ race and a coordinated “Pink Break” lunch event where people across the city stop to eat pink soup simultaneously.
Organisers say the event has evolved from a quirky local celebration into one of Vilnius’ most recognisable international tourism attractions.
Travellers from the UK can reach Vilnius by rail through connections via Poland, including routes from Warsaw, Kraków and Szczecin, before transferring onto the themed LTG Link service at the Polish-Lithuanian border.
Depending on connections and overnight stops, the journey from London takes approximately 29 hours.
“Vilnius Pink Soup Fest often becomes the reason people first come to Vilnius,” said Girdzijauskaitė, “but once they arrive, many discover a city that feels unexpectedly suited for summer — compact and easy to explore, with a UNESCO-listed Old Town, vibrant public spaces and a growing food scene.”