Rail Baltica train tender fails after no compliant bids arrive

No compliant bids were submitted by the deadline for the joint tender to buy Rail Baltica regional trains, ERR reported. The passenger train operators Elron, Vivi and LTG Link will issue a new tender after reviewing feedback and procurement documents.

“Although interest in the tender was strong among train manufacturers and six different manufacturers registered for it, no compliant bids were received by the deadline,” Elron board member Märt Ehrenpreis said.

Two manufacturers submitted questions and comments on the technical requirements and contract terms until the final days of the procurement process, Ehrenpreis said. The documents will now be revised, and the new tender is expected to take less time because the main procurement work has already been completed.

The trains will operate on the planned 1,435-millimetre-gauge Rail Baltica infrastructure. They are intended to provide faster, more comfortable and more environmentally friendly travel, with a maximum speed of 200 kilometres per hour.

The three Baltic passenger train operators plan to buy up to 20 regional trains suitable for the European gauge. Estonia plans to purchase five trains, with an option to increase the order to seven. Latvia could buy up to five trains and Lithuania up to eight.

The tender was launched on March 18, with bids accepted until noon on September 8. The operators are conducting the procurement jointly to ensure compatibility with Rail Baltica infrastructure and smooth cross-border traffic.