During the online event that took place on 17 November, the railway administrations of Lithuania, Belarus, Ukraine, Moldova, Sakartvelo, and Azerbaijan and train operators shared information on the volumes transported by Viking Train, discussed the issues of expansion and those of opening of new stations, pricing, and development of e-services.
The train operators of Viking Train, who attended the meeting, emphasized that in order for the project to be successful, it is necessary for the railway administrations of the countries to maintain and improve the level of services provided, develop responsible pricing, and considering the transferring of some services to the electronic space.
AB LTG Cargo, a company from the AB Lietuvos Geležinikeliai Group, stated that the amount of cargo transported by Viking Train in the territory of Lithuania is increasing. During the first ten months of 2021, 31247 TEUs were transported by trains of Viking Train in Lithuania, which is 22% more than in the same period in 2020.
Assessment of cargoes transported by Viking Train in the territory of Lithuania in January – October of 2021 shows that the majority of cargoes was comprised of industrial products, machinery and equipment, timber and timber products. The total range of cargo transported is quite wide, which testifies to the needs of very different customers to transport cargo on Viking Train routes and the great potential of the project.
It is expected that UAB LTG Cargo Ukraine, a subsidiary of AB LTG Cargo, joining Viking Train operators in Ukraine will also contribute to the success of the project in the Lithuanian and Ukrainian markets. Provission of services at the initial and final points of the route by companies of the same group will improve the quality of service, speed up the provision of cargo information, significantly expand the first and last mile service, and increase customer confidence.
Considering the general tendencies to choose rail transport as an alternative to transportation of cargoes by road, it is likely that Viking Train will continue to grow in the upcoming periods. The fact that railways are not only reliable, safe, but also one of the most environmentally friendly modes of transport also contributes significantly to this trend. It has been estimated that cargo transportation by rail instead of cargo transportation by road, reduces the environmental impact several times over.
Viking Train is a joint project of Lithuanian, Belarusian, Ukrainian, Moldovan, Sakartvelian, and Azerbaijani railways, port stevedoring companies, Klaipėda, Odessa and Chornomorsk ports, connecting the Baltic, Black, and Caspian seas by rail.