LTG Group will pay EUR 33 million in dividends to the state this year – almost three times more than last year. After recovering from operational turbulence and developing its business stably, LTG earned 10 percent more revenue – as much as EUR 499 million, net profit – EUR 37 million.   

"In 2024, profitability indicators grew and exceeded the established and previous year's indicators. We have had more than one critical turning point in our rail transport operations, but it was precisely a clear strategic direction that allowed us to move forward and adapt to changing business and geopolitical conditions. This year, we have to implement the planned strategic projects, and we also see new opportunities in our activities – to further expand new routes – so there is definitely room for growth prospects,” says Egidijus Lazauskas, CEO of LTG Group.   

LTG Group's investments in 2024 amounted to EUR 389 million . Most of them were allocated to the renovation and expansion of railway infrastructure.  

LTG Cargo – focus on transportation geography opportunities  

Although the war in Ukraine launched by Russia and the expanding package of sanctions against Belarus and Russia have halved the flow of cargo transported through the country's territory, cargo transportation revenues increased by 9 percent due to the growth of transportation in the domestic market.   

According to E. Lazauskas, the Group had no time for hesitation, decisions had to be made quickly and decisively. Significant steps have been taken both in focusing on consistent growth in the Lithuanian domestic market and in expanding operations to the West: the necessary investments have been made for this purpose. 

LTG Cargo has purchased 500 grain trucks specially manufactured for transportation in Lithuania, taking into account state investments in infrastructure works – 200 semi-wagons for transporting crushed stone and bulk materials and 17 electric locomotives, which will help create an electrified cargo logistics system. After electrifying the railway from Vilnius to Klaipėda, it will be possible to transport freight by rail on this section without a CO2 footprint. 

“The goal of our freight transportation company is to be not only a reliable national carrier, a competitive leader in mobility and logistics solutions throughout the region, but also a reliable partner in the entire Baltic-Central European logistics corridor. The company has a clear direction – to move towards a modern, green and innovative railway system," says Egidijus Lazauskas, Director General of LTG.   

Last year, the company became a carrier in Latvia and Estonia, and as part of its expansion into Western markets, the geography of freight transportation was expanded to include countries such as the Czech Republic and Austria – for the first time, Škoda cars were delivered from the Czech Republic to Kaunas on a European track, and railway tracks were delivered from Austria. Further development is planned in the North-West Corridor, aiming to become a reliable sustainable logistics partner for European customers. 

The Group is expanding its business into new European markets together with its subsidiaries. LTG Cargo Polska has established itself in the Polish market, occupying more than 5% of the country's intermodal transportation market, and LTG Cargo Ukraine has also expanded its customer base. Although companies strengthen their positions every year, due to the shrinking freight transportation market in Poland, companies faced operational challenges, which they managed to overcome by increasing operational efficiency, reducing costs, increasing the number of flights, and developing new routes. It is predicted that companies will achieve the expected results this year.  

Ambition – 9.3 million passengers  

Over the past year, the number of passengers choosing trains as the most sustainable mode of travel has grown by as much as 10 per cent. At the same time, the sales revenue of LTG's passenger transportation company LTG Link also grew – by as much as 29 per cent.  

"5.5 million passengers traveled by train, and this growth was driven by the LTG Link team's updated schedule in line with traveler needs, the rapid expansion of the number of ticket sales points, and the focus on improving the passenger experience, which has become another of our strategic directions that were confirmed last year." "Passengers more often chose sustainable mobility not only when traveling domestically, but also on international routes to Riga and Warsaw (Krakow)," says E. Lazauskas.   

By coordinating schedules with Latvian and Estonian carriers, passengers now have the opportunity to reach Tallinn in one day, and with only one transfer. This year, in cooperation with the Polish carrier PKP Intercity, the Vilnius-Warsaw route is also expected to be made even more attractive for passengers by shortening the journey time, increasing the frequency of trips, and adjusting convenient transfers to other cities. 

The head of the LTG Group does not hide that the strategic ambition of the passenger transport company LTG Link is to increase the number of passengers to as many as 9.3 million passengers by 2029. The group has been preparing for its implementation since last year, when it purchased as many as 15 new electric and battery-electric trains manufactured using Swiss technology, which will significantly update the existing train fleet in the coming years. It is planned that by 2029 as much as 54 per cent of LTG group's trains will be electric, ensuring more comfortable, quieter and environmentally friendly travel throughout Lithuania. 

The LTG team, together with the Vilnius Municipality, is also planning integrations between railway transport and Vilnius public transport, which would create an even faster breakthrough in creating more sustainable mobility.   

In 2024, a consistent customer experience path was launched in all LTG Group companies: services on trains are being improved, station infrastructure options are being reviewed, and joint travel solutions are being initiated in cooperation with municipalities. In the field of freight transportation, the connection with customers is actively strengthened through digitalization, simplification of services, and personalization of logistics solutions.   

Rail Baltica – also for faster defense mobility 

LTG maintains its leadership in preparing Lithuania for European integration: LTG's railway infrastructure company LTG Infra has achieved the greatest progress among the Baltic countries in the construction of Rail Baltica, is rapidly implementing the electrification of the Vilnius-Klaipėda railway line, and is also carrying out technological and operational desynchronization of railways from Russia and synchronization with the work of the FREE Rail program ensured by the EU.  

Rail Baltica is not just infrastructure, it is a new economic and geopolitical connection between the Baltic States and Western Europe. This project will allow Lithuania to physically integrate into the European railway network, ensure freight and passenger mobility, and provide economic value to the entire region. "This is our strategic bridge to the future," emphasizes E. Lazauskas. 

According to him, recent years have highlighted another strategic direction: the need for dual-purpose infrastructure – civilian and military – is great and mutual. This need will also be met by Rail Baltica, whose significance for faster defense mobility and the overall security of the Baltic States is essential, ensuring a high-capacity route for military transport. The high-speed rail infrastructure will be adapted to heavy military equipment, such as tanks and armored vehicles, which are difficult to transport by road.  

A dual-purpose 1520 mm and 1435 mm gauge loading infrastructure is being designed and implemented in Kaunas (Palemonas), which will allow receiving significant flows of NATO military cargo arriving on the European gauge and reloading them onto the broad gauge for transportation to Latvia and Estonia. This will be the largest dual-purpose terminal in the Baltic States.   The development of infrastructure in Palemonas will also facilitate communication with the Rūdininkai training ground, where the German brigade is planned to be deployed.   

According to E. Lazauskas, securing financing for these projects remains the most important thing at the moment. LTG Infra's operations remain partially subsidized by state funds in order to balance operations due to a sharp decline in freight transport volumes. The revenue of the Railway Construction Center (GTC) was also decreasing, falling due to reduced demand. However, the company's fleet of machinery and available competencies create the prerequisites for increasing sales volumes in the coming years.