Updated 'Raketa' Boat Still Awaiting Departure; Higher Fares Don't Dampen Interest

The "Raketa," a passenger boat operating between Kaunas and Nida in Lithuania, is still awaiting clearance for its maiden voyage of the season. The vessel's owner, the public institution "Vandens kelias" (Water Route), is awaiting final engine diagnostics from manufacturer Scania. Nerijus Šilgalis, the head of the institution, stated that the boat was tested with a full crew and load and performed well, but Scania requires a 100 percent guarantee for the new, modern engine.

Scania was expected to provide its findings by Tuesday, which will dictate the launch date for the "Raketa's" journeys. Šilgalis acknowledged the significant public interest in the service, which has been unavailable for nearly two years, longer than initially planned. The decision to replace the boat's engine after the 2024 season was made to improve handling, reduce noise, and increase environmental friendliness and power.

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On Thursday, the boat was tested with a full crew, full weight – everything was fine. Now Scania is conducting final engine tests. This is essentially the newest and most modern engine; the company's engineers are not satisfied with a 99.99 percent guarantee, they need one hundred percent.

The "Raketa," built nearly 70 years ago, previously operated regularly on this route. After disappearing from service for a period, it briefly returned from 2010-2012 before new owners revived the trips in 2019. This season, passengers face substantially higher ticket prices. A one-way trip from Kaunas to Nida costs 79 euros, with window seats priced at 89 euros.

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We feel the passengers' interest very much. However, almost 2 years have passed since the last trips, and we have taken a little longer than we planned.