Elron's orange train departed from a festively decked-out Tartu Railway Station at 10:05 a.m. on Monday.

Platform one was decorated with orange and white balloons in the color of the state passenger train company, along with red and white for Latvia's flag and white, black and blue for Estonia's. The train itself was also decorated with ribbons in the colors of the two countries' flags.

"Tartu station is dressed for celebration. Something long-awaited is about to come true," Elron wrote on its Facebook page.

Photographs show that the arrival of the train was met with celebrations further down the track, from kindergarteners waving flags in Estonia's Elva to musical performances in Latvia's Cēsis and Sigulda (video below). The new timetable was also unveiled at every stop.

"On the welcome trip, we will introduce the new train line to the public, local governments and representatives of the tourism sector in both Estonia and Latvia," said Elron Chairman of the Board Lauri Betlem.

Mayor of Tartu Urmas Klaas (Reform) said the new railway connection is an important link to Europe for the whole of Estonia.

"In addition to Tartu, the Tartu-Riga connection is an important gateway for the whole of Estonia and a logical starting point on the road to Europe. In addition to academic relations, Latvia is also important for Tartu in terms of economic relations and tourism," said Klaas.

Estonian Minister of Regional Affairs and Infrastructure Kuldar Leis (Reform) said the new line and the international connections it brings are important for the whole of south and central Estonia.

"Estonia is much bigger than Tallinn, and we constantly have to ensure that there are good opportunities for economic development throughout Estonia," he said.

According to Latvian Transport Minister Atis Švinka, the launch of the new train line is an excellent example of cooperation between the two countries.

"This line also strengthens the connectivity between the regions and provides Valmiera, Cesis, and Sigulda with a direct international train connection to Valga, Tartu, and Tallinn, promoting tourism and the economy," said Švinka.

"For me, it is particularly important that it opens up opportunities for educational and academic cooperation between our university cities. At the same time, railways, as one of the most environmentally friendly modes of transport, make an important contribution to sustainable mobility and the achievement of climate goals," he added.

When it comes into service next week, the route will stop at Tartu, Elva and Valga in Estonia, then Valmiera, Cēsis station, Sigulda and finally the Latvian capital.

According to the current timetable, the Tartu–Rīga trip takes 3 hours and 41 minutes, the Tallinn–Riga trip takes 5 hours and 56 minutes.

A ticket from Tartu to Rīga will cost €19–22 and from Tallinn to Rīga €29–32. The route will be served by a two-car Stadler Flirt diesel train.

While the Tallinn-Vilnius route was launched last year, the Tartu-Riga connection has been long-delayed.

--

Follow ERR News on Facebook and Twitter and never miss an update!