OREANDA-NEWS. February 15, 2008. JSC "Lithuanian Railways" and German company "DB – International GmbH" have signed agreements on: "Technical Engineering Assistance For Infrastructure Modernization  of the Line Vilnius - Kaunas, Operational Speed 160km/h." and "For Construction of the Second Track on Sections Kyviskes – Valciunai and Vaidotai – Paneriai", reported the press-centre of Lithuanian Railways.

In 2007 – 2013 the enterprise, implementing projects financed from the EU funds,foresees to assign billion 2,9 LTL of investments for development and modernization of thecomany's infrastructure, out of thisamount - billion 1,9 LTL is EU funding.

One of the major projects of thepresent time is reconstruction of Corridor IX, section Vilnius – Kaunas for operational speed 160km/h.It is a complex project, includingmodernization of:   track,  its upper structure,  power supply  and signalling systems, overhead catenary.

In the first stage itis planned to reconstruct the track,while in the second - to upgrade powersupply and signalling systems.Having implemented the a.m. project the travel time from Vilniusto Kaunas will reduce to 50 minutes.

The agreement ontechnical engineering, total value of which-million 7,1 Euro signed on 2008.02.08. is the first agreement of such scale,realizing the infrastructure modernization projects for period 2007 – 2013. The first  stage of engineering works is to be finished by the end of 2009, constructionof the track to be started in 2010.

The second agreement for the amount of million 3,7 LTL signed on 2008.02.08 is construction of the second track on rail sections: Kyviskes–Valciunai and Vaidotai – Paneriai, Corridor IX B. Having finished this project the number of trains running via Vilnius will be considerablyreduced. The works on the project will be started in 2009.