Vilnius launches a playful Pink Soup Train as rail travel rises across Europe

Step Inside: The Pink Soup Train Bringing a Splash of Colour to Europe’s Rail Travel

As train travel surges across Europe, Vilnius turns the journey into an experience – inviting travelers to welcome summer through a bold, pink, design-led carriage inspired by its iconic cold pink soup.

Train travel is gaining ground across Europe, with recent data showing that 40% of Europeans now plan to travel more by rail than by any other form of transport. As cities rethink how people move between destinations, Vilnius offers a more playful take on the trend. This summer, the Lithuanian capital introduces the Pink Soup Train – a concept that transforms a cross-border journey into part of the destination itself.

Running from May 15 to August 30 on the Mockava–Vilnius route, the Pink Soup Train forms part of the wider Warsaw-Vilnius rail connection, offering easy access from all over Europe. The Pink Soup Train features a specially designed carriage inspired by šaltibarščiai, Lithuania’s bright pink cold beetroot soup, just in time for Vilnius Pink Soup Fest, happening on May 29-31. The festival celebrates the iconic cold soup by transforming the whole city pink and inviting visitors to participate in one of the city’s most distinctive international events.

“The idea was to make the journey itself feel like the beginning of Vilnius’ visit,” says Eglė Girdzijauskaitė, Head of Communications at Go Vilnius, the official tourism and business development agency of the City of Vilnius. “It’s not just about getting to Vilnius – it’s about how you arrive. With the Pink Soup Train, we’re turning a simple train ride into something memorable, playful, and distinctly local.”

All aboard the Pink Soup Train

One of the train’s carriages has been transformed into a vivid pink space inspired by the cold pink soup. Inside, nearly every surface is saturated in shades of pink – from the ceiling and walls to the tables – creating an immersive, almost surreal environment. The floor stands out most, patterned with the ingredients of the dish itself, while even the windows carry the same šaltibarščiai motif. The only contrast comes from the dark seats, grounding the space and making the color feel even more intense.

Designed with Instagrammable details, including a selfie mirror, the carriage becomes a visually inspiring space that offers travellers a playful first impression of Vilnius before arrival.

The pinkest festival of the summer

The Pink Soup Train arrives just in time for Vilnius Pink Soup Fest. During the festival, Vilnius is filled with pink installations, themed events, special menus, and crowds dressed head-to-toe in pink. Highlights include a 50-meter pink water slide, the annual waiters’ race, and the “Pink Break,” when people across the city will stop for pink soup lunches at the same time.

What started as a quirky local initiative has grown into one of Vilnius’ most recognizable summer events, blending food culture, humor, and community participation into a photogenic celebration.

Vilnius Pink Soup Train © Go Vilnius

Vilnius: easy rail access from Europe

Vilnius is part of a growing European rail network that is increasingly seen as a practical alternative to short-haul flying. Travelers can reach the city by train from Poland via daily rail connections from major cities, with onward links from across Europe.

Approximate rail travel times to Vilnius are around 18 hours from Berlin, 25 hours from Amsterdam, 27 hours from Paris, and 29 hours from London, depending on connections and overnight stops. The journey continues with PKP Intercity to Mockava on the Polish–Lithuanian border, where passengers transfer to a pink LTG Link train for the final stretch to Vilnius – the point where the Pink Soup Train experience begins.

This cross-border connectivity reflects a wider shift in how people choose to travel between countries. In 2025, more than 23,000 passengers travelled by train between Poland and Lithuania, with ticket sales increasing by 38% compared to the previous year. As demand continues to grow, rail is increasingly seen not only as a more sustainable option, but also as a more conscious way to travel.

“Vilnius Pink Soup Fest often becomes the reason people first come to Vilnius, but once they arrive, many discover a city that feels unexpectedly suited for summer – compact and easy to explore, with a UNESCO-listed Old Town, vibrant public spaces, a growing food scene, and more greenery than most visitors expect from a European capital,” says Eglė Girdzijauskaitė.