Russia doubles rail freight rates to Estonia, Latvia and Finland
Russia will double railway freight tariffs on cargo bound for Estonia, Latvia and Finland starting June 1, 2026, under a new order from the Federal Antimonopoly Service (FAS).
The measure imposes a 2.0 multiplier on standard transport costs calculated under Russian Railways' primary tariff schedule, according to the newly registered order.
The higher rates apply to all cargo moving toward Russian land border crossings with export codes for the three countries, Interfax notes.
Freight bound for stations on the Kaliningrad Railway or headed into Lithuania is exempt. The order also bars workarounds via neighboring countries: cargo routed through Belarus will still face the doubled tariff if its final destination is Latvia or Estonia.
For trains not owned by state carrier Russian Railways, the 2.0 multiplier applies to each railcar traveling toward the affected borders. If a privately operated train includes even one railcar, container or trailer bound for those destinations, the higher rate is triggered for the entire train's infrastructure and locomotive charges.
That means a single container destined for Estonia can double the cost of track access and locomotive services for the whole train.
The changes are set out in FAS Order No. 306/26. The order was signed by FAS head Maksim Shaskolsky, drafted in late April and registered May 18, 2026.
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Editor: Argo Ideon
Source: Interfax, FAS
