Lithuania to decide on train ticket discount return in August

Lithuania's Minister of Transport, J. Taminskas, announced that a decision regarding the potential reinstatement of a discount for train tickets will be made in August.

Preliminary figures from the Ministry of Transport indicate that the 50% discount, which was in effect from April 1 to June 1, prompted more than a million additional journeys on trains. "Initial information shows that over a million additional passengers traveled. We will have the final, comprehensive information soon, after we conduct a clear, detailed data analysis," Taminskas told ELTA.

The ministry plans to assess various factors before making a decision. These include analyzing which routes and times of day were most popular, as well as the types of tickets purchased, such as family, student, or senior tickets. The cost of energy resources will also be considered. This evaluation comes as the electrification of the railway line between Kaišiadorys and Klaipėda nears completion. In September, 15 new "Stadler" electric trains are scheduled to be added to the routes.

The 50% discount was implemented in late March in response to rising fuel costs attributed to the conflict in the Middle East. The decision was made jointly by Taminskas and "LTG Link," the passenger transport company within the LTG group. The discount expired on June 1. The ministry also supports the idea of temporarily subsidizing part of the bus ticket prices, although this decision largely depends on the Ministry of Finance. Taminskas noted that subsidizing bus tickets is more complex because bus routes are operated by non-state companies, unlike the single state-owned company that manages train transport.