Border Crossings: Lithuania - Poland

Note that there is a one hour time difference between Lithuania and Poland

(Šeštokai -) Mockava LG - Trakiszki PKP (- Suwałki)

[D] The "Rail Baltica" standard gauge [1435 mm] track crosses the border, interlaced with Broad gauge track [1520 mm] from Mockava [LG] to just south of Šeštokai. It continues in Lithuania parallel to the broad gauge as far as Kaunas station, beyond which it is used for freight only and partly interlaced with the broad gauge to an Intermodal terminal at Palemonas which opened in October 2020.

An October 2022 Press announcement advised PKP IC pair "Hańcza" will be extended daily from Suwałki cross border to Mockava for a booked interchange with a Lithuanian service to/from Vilnius from the December 2022 timetable change with through ticketing available. This would be the first BG passenger use of the tracks via Šeštokai from Kazlu Ruda for many years. The long-term plan is for a through ticketed Warsaw - Vilnius service once Rail Baltica SG tracks to Vilnius are completed, with to Kaunas first but this requires LG obtaining suitable standard gauge diesels so an unexpected consequence of "Hańcza" is the withdrawal of the through "weekend" Białystok - Kaunas SG service. this had resumed after pandemic suspension on 1 July 2022 with one pair FSO northbound, SSuO southbound.

A standard gauge passenger service between Białystok and Kaunas had commenced on 17 June 2016 operated by PKP diesel units running FSSuO. Note the former interchange island platform on the east side at Šeštokai (one platform face for each gauge) had been demolished by June 2016. The through SG Kaunas trains were only able to call at Šeštokai from 6 October 2017 after a platform had been completed on new through standard gauge tracks on the west side of the station.

PKP had previously worked a daytime TLK service from Warszawa to the then limit of standard gauge track at Šeštokai until withdrawn on 15 December 2013. From 29 October 2000 to 28 May 2005 there was a through overnight passenger train between Warszawa and Vilnius, which used 25AN/S bogied coaches equipped with 'SUW2000' variable gauge wheelsets and changed gauge at Mockava. This GC is believed to have been removed with all transhipment of freight dealt with at Šeštokai.

In March 2019 Rail Baltica announced that, when the line is completed [estimated > 2026] they plan to run six daytime trains between Warszawa and either Tallinn or Vilnius, plus overnight Tallinn – Riga – Kaunas – Warszawa – Berlin and Vilnius – Kaunas – Warszawa – Berlin trains.

See also

• Border Crossings - General Information