The reconstruction works of Palanga Airport, which started in early September, are proceeding according to plan. Asphalting of the runway is now complete, and the airport will now proceed to marking pavements and installing LED signal lighting.

As part of the celebration of the European Year of Rail 2021 the European Commission (EC) train that pulled out of Lisbon and travelled across Europe and the Baltic Express meet in Kaunas. The meeting of these trains, arriving on different gauges, marks the future of train travel for passengers and businesses alike. The Rail Baltica project will bring Tallinn within reach of a European-standard railway, but so far Kaunas is the furthest eastern Lithuanian city that can be reached by the European-standard railway from Western Europe.

On the 21st of September, a special Baltic States express train started its journey from Tallinn to Vilnius to celebrate the European Year of Rail. For the first time together aboard this train, are the ministers of transport of all three Baltic States, along with the representatives from the Baltic States rail and the European Commission (EC). Minister of Transport and Communications of the Republic of Lithuania Marius Skuodis, crossing the Baltic States by this train, remarked that this event demonstrates the Baltic States’ will to integrate into the European railway network and the importance of the Rail Baltica project. He also states that using the already existing infrastructure would enable regular train operation between Vilnius, Riga and Tallinn.

Minister of Transport and Communications Marius Skuodis suggests accelerating the renewal and development of the terminals of Vilnius Airport by making a decision and renouncing the almost 70-year-old terminal of arrivals, which requires high maintenance costs. The Minister suggests replacing the building, which reminds the epoch of Stalinist occupation and was built according to the examples set by Russian airports, with a new, contemporary, convenient and spacious terminal for receiving arriving passengers.

Four enterprises in the transport sector – Lithuanian Airports, Oro navigacija, Klaipėda State Seaport Authority and Lithuanian Inland Waterways Authority – will soon begin reorganisation into joint-stock companies. The legal possibility for such reorganisation was granted by the Seimas after its approval of the President’s suggestions on the adjustment of legal provisions.

A new technological opportunity coming to the country will soon be presented to Lithuanian users – the technical functionality and application of remotely operated vehicles in the vehicle sharing system. The opportunities offered by this technology, which will be demonstrated to the public next week, were discussed on Wednesday by Minister of Transport and Communications Marius Skuodis and the executives of CityBee, a company providing vehicle sharing services in the Baltic States.

At the discussion “Electromobility: challenges and future perspective” organised by the Ministry of Energy, Minister of Transport and Communications Marius Skuodis said that Lithuania is ready to significantly expand its network of public and semi-public charging points for electric cars and to ensure convenient electric cars infrastructure.

Minister of the Economy and Innovation Aušrinė Armonaitė is visiting Chicago, where she will meet potential US investors and present Lithuania’s life science achievements.

Lithuania will seek authorisation from the US Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) for aircraft registered in Lithuania to operate flights to the USA. The Ministry of Transport and Communications entrusted the Transport Competence Agency with a project to successfully carry out the FAA audit necessary for the operation of flights and to obtain the authorisation of this organisation by 1 January 2023.

At the global exhibition of transport innovations IAA Mobility 2021 in Munich, Minister of Transport and Communications Marius Skuodis met Federal Minister of Transport and Digital Infrastructure of Germany Andreas Scheuer and discussed the possibilities of more active cooperation between the two countries and exchanging experience in promoting the use of alternative fuels, as well as implementing hydrogen technologies and transport innovations.