All Latvia articles
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Rail Business UKFree webinars to support UK rail suppliers seeking export opportunities
UK: The Railway Industry Association is holding a series of free webinars in partnership with the Department for International Trade to support UK rail companies looking to win export business. Participants will hear from DIT Trade Advisors about opportunities arising in a number of European countries. ...
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News
Design contracts awarded for Latvian section of Rail Baltica
LATVIA: On behalf of the Ministry of Transport, Rail Baltica project promoter RB Rail has awarded two contracts for design and design supervision services for the remaining two sections of the corridor in Latvia. This means design activities are now ongoing for the entire Latvian section ...
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Latvian railway electrification project on hold
LATVIA: National railway group LDz has put its electrification programme on hold. It said a decrease in freight volumes which began in the first half of 2019 is forecast to continue, and it would not be able to balance its budget in 2020 without additional government funding. ...
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Rail Baltica implements planning, scheduling and risk management software
EUROPE: Rail Baltica project promoter RB Rail has begun rolling out planning, scheduling and risk reporting software to improve the management of its activities and resources and to speed up the implementation of the project. The need for such a system was highlighted in a review ...
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Illegally-closed cross-border railway reopened
EUROPE: The reinstated 19 km railway between Mažeikiai in Lithuania and Rengė in Latvia was officially reopened February 15, when ministers and officials from both countries attended a ceremony to mark the departure of a train carrying oil to Latvia from Orlen’s Lithuanian refinery. ...
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Urban news
Daugavpils tramway opens new alignment
LATVIA: City transport operator Daugavpils Satiksme has opened a replacement single-track tram alignment for part of route T3 on February 05. The new 2·2 km section between Brāļu kapi and the eastern terminus of Stropu ezers provides direct access to the city hospital, replacing the previous ...
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Auditors warn of Rail Baltica cost and timescale risks
EUROPE: Procedures for managing the Rail Baltica project are mostly in place but inefficiencies and a lack of change and risk management systems mean the project could exceed its agreed budget and timeline, according to a report issued jointly by the national audit bodies of Estonia, ...
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Škoda signs Latvian EMU contract
LATVIA: National passenger operator Pasažieru Vilciens has signed the €240m contract for Škoda Vagonka to supply a fleet of 32 dual-system EMUs for the Riga suburban network, the manufacturer announced on July 30. Škoda Vagonka was named as preferred bidder in February, after procurement monitoring agency IUB blocked an ...
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EU to fund Latvian electrification programme
LATVIA: The EU’s Cohesion Fund is to provide €318·5m to support the electrification of the main east–west corridor and the replacement of diesel locomotives. Only around 14% of Latvia’s 1 860 km network is currently electrified, well below the EU average of 55%, with electric traction currently only used ...
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Riga Central station reconstruction contract awarded
LATVIA: Design and build contracts for the reconstruction of Riga Central station as a multimodal transport hub with provision for 1 435 mm gauge services were signed on May 29 by Latvia’s Rail Baltica implementation agency Eiropas Dzelzceļa Līnijas and the Besix Rere Group. EDzL selected the joint venture of ...
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Dual-fuel locomotive on test
LATVIA: The prototype conversion of a ČME3 diesel shunting locomotive to dual-fuel gas operation has attracted international interest, with representatives of French gas supplier GRDF and the city of Lille recently visiting Riga to see the loco in action. National railway LDz and Riga-based DiGAS launched the pilot project two ...
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Škoda replaces Talgo after Latvian EMU appeal
LATVIA: Škoda Vagonka has replaced Talgo as the preferred bidder for a contract to supply 32 electric multiple-units, Rodžers Jānis Grigulis, CEO of national passenger operator Pasažieru Vilciens, announced on February 15. The procurement process was launched in September 2015, and in 2017 CAF, Škoda Vagonka, Stadler and Talgo were ...
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News
Daugavpils tram contract signed
LATVIA: Public transport operator Daugavpils Satiksme and UAB Railvec signed a contract on November 26 for the supply of eight single-section trams. UAB Railvec was selected as preferred bidder in March. The Lithuanian company is partnering with PK Transportnye Systemy, which is likely to supply its Lionet tram. The ...
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Electric buses head to the Baltic seaside
LATVIA: The seaside resort of Jūrmala has ordered two Solaris Urbino 8.9 LE electric buses which are expected to enter service in the third quarter of 2019. Announcing the order on November 27, the manufacturer said they would be the first battery buses it has supplied to the Baltic States. ...
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News
Talgo selected for Latvian EMU contract
LATVIA: National passenger operator Pasazieru Vilciens has selected Talgo to supply a fleet of 32 electric multiple-units for suburban and regional services, CEO Rodzers Janis Grigulis announced on November 21. Formal award of the contract is expected to follow the 10-day regulatory standstill period. The Talgo VitTal EMUs are to ...
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News
Končar selected for Liepaja tram contract
LATVIA: Liepaja tram operator Liepājas Tramvajs has selected Končar to supply six meter-gauge trams. Končar’s €8·8m bid was lower than that of Modertrans. Railvec UAB had also bid with an offer of trams made by Belkommunmash, but was disqualified. The contract is expected to be signed after a ...
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Electrification programme gets underway
LATVIA: National railway LDz has invited expressions of interest in a contract to undertake the first phase of its 25 kV 50 Hz electrification programme. Phase 1 covers the routes radiating from Krustpils to Daugavpils (89 km), Rēzekne (95 km) and Riga (129 km), with completion planned by the end ...
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More Škoda trams delivered to Riga
LATVIA: The first of five 41 m long trams which Rīgas Satiksme ordered from Škoda Transportation in 2016 arrived in the city on the night of April 15-16 and was unloaded at the Aleksandra Vārtu depot. The €62·6m contract signed in April 2016 covers 15 three-section and five four-section ...
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Latvia's cabinet backs electrification financing proposal
LATVIA: The cabinet has accepted a Ministry of Transport report setting out how the first phase of the electrification programme envisaged under the national development plan for 2014–20 can be undertaken without requiring funding from the state budget. The first phase covers 25 kV 50 Hz electrification of the routes ...
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Riga station rebuild to offer ‘moments of great wonder’
LATVIA: Danish architectural firm PLH and engineering partner Cowi have won an international competition to design the rebuilding of Riga’s Centrālā station into multimodal transport hub and the provision of a bridge over the River Daugava as part of the Rail Baltica project. Procurement for the station project is scheduled ...
