Border Crossings: Lithuania - Poland
Note that there is a one hour time difference between Lithuania and Poland
(Šeštokai -) Mockava LG - Trakiszki PKP (- Suwałki)
[D] A standard gauge [1435 mm] track crosses the border, but from Mockava [LG] it is interlaced with Broad gauge track [1520 mm] to just south of Šeštokai. The standard gauge track then continues in Lithuania parallel to the broad gauge as far as Kaunas station, plus from October 2020 a partly interlaced with the broad gauge extension to an Intermodal freight terminal at Palemonas opened.
From 11 December 2022 PKP IC pair "Hańcza" were extended daily from Suwałki cross border to Mockava for a guaranteed interchange with a Lithuanian DMU service to/from Vilnius with through ticketing. This is the first BG passenger use of tracks via Šeštokai from Kazlu Ruda since September 2013. The long-term plan is for a through Rail Baltica SG Warsaw - Vilnius service, but a through service on the already existing SG to Kaunas was planned first, but only if LG could utilise suitable standard gauge diesels. This was planned from the 2023/24 timetable but an October 2023 press article advised this would not happen and a change of train in Mockava would continue.
When the "Hańcza" was introduced, the through "weekend" Białystok - Kaunas SG DMU service was withdrawn. This had resumed after pandemic suspension on 1 July 2022 with one pair FSO northbound, SSuO southbound after commencing on 17 June 2016 and operated by PKP DMU's. Note the former interchange island platform on the east side at Šeštokai (one platform face for each gauge) had been demolished by June 2016 so 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PKP had previously worked a daytime TLK pair from Warszawa to the then limit of standard gauge track at Šeštokai until withdrawn on 15 December 2013.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 changing gauge at Mockava. This GC is believed to have been removed with all transhipment of freight now dealt with at Šeštokai.
In March 2019 Rail Baltica announced that, when the line is completed [estimated 2030] 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.
