On 5 January 2026 at 10:05 a.m., the inaugural train of the new Tallinn–Tartu–Riga passenger line departed from Tartu railway station. The ceremonial journey was attended by the Estonian Minister of Infrastructure, the Latvian Minister of Transport, the mayor of Tartu, and senior representatives of the railway operators and local municipalities.
No tickets were sold for this special trip, and the train carried only the invited guests. However, the public was invited to greet the train at the stations along the route, where local officials formally presented the new timetable.
The scheduled stops of the inaugural service were:
- Tartu station – opening ceremony 09:30‑10:00
- Elva station – 10:27‑10:37
- Valga station – 11:23‑11:33
- Valmiera station – 12:04‑12:14
- Cēsis station – 12:35‑12:45
- Sigulda station – 13:19‑13:29
- Riga station – 14:11‑14:35
The train returned to Tartu at 18:39, concluding the welcome journey.
From 12 January, regular scheduled services will operate:
- Tallinn → Tartu → Riga: departure from Tallinn 14:50, from Tartu 17:05, arrival in Riga 20:46.
- Riga → Tartu → Tallinn: departure from Riga 07:38, arrival in Tartu 11:45, arrival in Tallinn 13:57 (first south‑north service on 13 January).
The journey time is 3 h 41 min between Tartu and Riga and 5 h 56 min between Tallinn and Riga. Ticket prices start at €19‑22 for the Tartu‑Riga segment and €29‑32 for Tallinn‑Riga. The line will be operated with a two‑car Stadler FLIRT diesel unit.
The launch is carried out in cooperation with the Estonian Ministries of Climate Affairs and Regional Affairs and Agriculture, the City of Tartu, the Latvian passenger rail operator Vivi, and other Latvian partners.
Since January 2025, a once‑daily passenger connection with one transfer has linked Tallinn, Tartu, Valga, Riga, and Vilnius. An additional weekend service between Tallinn, Tartu and Riga was introduced in September 2025.
Elron, the state‑owned Estonian passenger rail operator, transported 7.93 million passengers in 2024.
Source: visittartu.com
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