The railway connection running from Tallinn to the Polish border with the European gauge is expected to be completed across all three countries within five years.

Despite this, Latvia is looking for savings in the project. According to local media, an unofficial proposal has been made to leave the section between Salaspils and Skulte in the country's north on the old, so-called Russian gauge. This could mean that trains capable of running on both gauges would be required.

Estonians working on Rail Baltic said the proposal had not been discussed among partners and no agreement has been made.

"On the other hand, I cannot rule out that somewhere in Latvia, railway enthusiasts are thinking outside the box and that some of the proposed solutions are bordering on the realm of fantasy. It cannot be ruled out that such ideas exist somewhere, but there has been no discussion of this among partners, and understandably, no agreements on such a solution," Rail Baltic Estonia head Anvar Salomets told Saturday's "Aktuaalne kaamera."

Leis echoed his comments. Leis said he did not know where the information reported in the Latvian media had come from.

"The entire main Rail Baltic route in all three countries will be built with European gauge. That is the core of the project, which has also been agreed upon in cooperation with the European Commission. Just last night [Friday], the Latvian Minister of Transport called me and confirmed that their official position has not changed at all," the minister said.

Latvia intends to take out loans to finance Rail Baltic and is considering cooperation with the private sector. At the same time, many questions remain open, and efforts to find savings will certainly continue.

"Construction work has started in Latvia. They have funding for the southern sections between the Lithuanian border and Riga, and work is underway there. But clearly, the pace needs to be increased. How exactly the funding will be secured, I do not know in full," Salomets said.

In Estonia, the goal is to begin construction on the entire main Rail Baltic route by next summer. Salomets said keeping up the pace will require the government to make fairly large financing decisions even before the start of the European Union's next budget period in 2028. There is a shortfall of €100–150 million.

"Full funding for 2027 is not yet guaranteed; those discussions lie ahead next summer and fall. To keep the pace, financing must be secured. The technical capability is there," Salomets said.

"Already a year from now, when the new state budget is confirmed, we will be able to set the missing funding in place. In that sense, everything is progressing in a normal rhythm, and the main goal is to show through 2028 that we are moving at the right pace, so that new funding can be secured from the EU's next round," Leis said.

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