At a transport leaders’ meeting in Spain, representatives of the Ministry of Transport and Communications and the LTG Group gained insight into the Spanish railway infrastructure model, which comprises dual-gauge solutions, conventional and high-speed rail infrastructure, and interoperability between different systems.

During the visit, the Lithuanian delegation met with Adif, the Spanish railway infrastructure manager, as well as various stakeholders from the rail sector, including passenger train manufacturer and engineering company Talgo, one of the companies offering variable-gauge technological solutions.

“Rail Baltica and its infrastructure development are among the key priorities for Lithuania and the wider region in terms of connectivity, security, and defence. I am confident that Spain’s experience serves as a valuable benchmark for the development of a European standard-gauge railway network in our country,” said Roderikas Žiobakas, Deputy Minister of Transport and Communications of Lithuania.

Although Talgo is not the only manufacturer of variable-gauge technologies worldwide, Spain’s experience is often cited as an example of how a country addressed the challenge of gauge interoperability. For a long time, Spain used the Iberian gauge (1,668 mm), which is wider than the 1,520 mm gauge commonly used in the Baltics, and therefore faced the challenge of how to integrate seamlessly into the European standard-gauge (1,435 mm) railway network.

Spain addressed this challenge in stages by developing new European standard-gauge high-speed rail infrastructure, while at the same time maintaining the functionality of the existing network and ensuring passenger mobility without transfers.

“Variable-gauge technology was used in this process as a transitional solution: once a section of European standard-gauge track is completed, the variable-gauge mechanism can be dismantled and relocated elsewhere, allowing the network to be expanded in a phased and consistent manner without making temporary infrastructure permanent,” says Vytautas Radzevičius, LTG Group Chief Strategy and Business Development Officer.

Variable-gauge technology enables trains to operate on tracks of different widths. At dedicated gauge-changing installations, the locking system of the wheelsets is released, enabling the wheels to automatically adjust to the new gauge (for example, from Iberian to European standard gauge) and then re-lock in the required position. This process takes a few minutes and is carried out without the train stopping, making the change in infrastructure almost imperceptible to passengers.

In total, Spain’s railway network comprises nearly 16,000 km of Iberian and European standard-gauge infrastructure. Currently, 60% of passenger train operations are carried out using variable-gauge solutions. Spain’s high-speed train fleet includes approximately 90 trains equipped for variable-gauge operation, with plans to add a further 30 trains, and a long-term expansion target of up to 120 trains.

The Spanish model has been developed over several decades, combining long-term planning, investment in new high-speed lines, and transitional technologies.

In Lithuania, various alternatives and technical solutions are currently being considered for Rail Baltica network connections to connect the capital to the main line more quickly and conveniently. These considerations are not linked to the selection of specific technologies or suppliers – final decisions will be taken following an assessment of available alternatives, their costs, interoperability with existing infrastructure, and the long-term objectives of national transport policy.

In May, a high-level meeting of railway transport sector leaders took place in Madrid, attended by the Spanish Minister of Transport and Sustainable Mobility, representatives of the transport and communications ministries of the Baltic States, and the companies implementing the Rail Baltica project. These meetings are organised to ensure political and financial support during the upcoming 2028–2034 European Union Multiannual Financial Framework period.

Rail Baltica is a strategic project for both the LTG Group and the European Union and is the largest railway infrastructure project in the history of the Baltic States. Once completed, it will deliver an electrified European standard gauge railway line connecting Lithuania, Latvia, and Estonia with Central and Western Europe, strengthening regional integration, civil and military mobility, and the overall resilience of the transport system.