On Monday, 15 December, the first new battery-powered train arrived in Lithuania. It was manufactured at the Polish plant of the Swiss-owned company Stadler. By the end of 2026, the rolling-stock fleet of LTG Link is expected to be expanded by a total of six battery-powered trains.

‘The first battery-powered train in Lithuania is not only a technological milestone, but also a reflection of our commitment to passengers. Our goal is to make travel sustainable, comfortable and modern, and these new trains will turn those expectations into everyday reality,’ says Kristina Meidė, CEO of LTG Link.

Battery-powered trains have one carriage dedicated to a fast-charging, long-life lithium battery. This battery carriage does not have seating, but passengers will be able to walk through it. When the train is running under overhead lines, a pantograph is raised to charge the battery; once the overhead line ends, the train runs on the charged battery.

In Lithuania, the battery-powered trains will operate on two routes: Vilnius–Varėna (Marcinkonys) and Kaunas–Šiauliai. On lines without overhead electrification, the trains will be able to cover distances of up to 70 kilometres. In the future, LTG Link may also acquire trains capable of travelling up to 100 kilometres on battery power alone.

The Vilnius–Marcinkonys route is longer; therefore, the trains will need to stop at a charging station to be installed in Varėna. This station will be used by trains arriving from both directions, Vilnius and Marcinkonys. Trains running on the Kaunas–Šiauliai route will not require a charging station, as the battery capacity will be sufficient to cover the non-electrified sections of this line.

The battery-powered trains will have 128 seats. Both the seating and the interior are identical to the second-class carriages of electric Stadler FLIRT trains. Like the electric units, the new battery-powered trains are fully accessible for passengers with reduced mobility, with ramps for smooth boarding, special lifts and accessible toilets.

When operating under overhead lines, the trains will be able to reach speeds of up to 160 km/h, and up to 120 km/h in battery mode.

For passengers’ convenience, the battery-powered trains will also be equipped with coffee and snack vending machines.

LTG Link reminds passengers that its fleet will be expanded by a total of 15 new trains: nine electric and six battery-powered units. The first new electric train arrived in Lithuania in October this year, followed by a second one last week. Passenger services using the new rolling stock are planned to begin in the first half of 2027.