Lithuania is turning a simple train ride into one of the region’s most playful summer tourism campaigns. A special “Pink Soup Train,” inspired by the country’s famous cold beetroot soup, šaltibarščiai, is now running between Mockava and Vilnius, giving travelers from Poland a colorful introduction to the Lithuanian capital before they even arrive.
The project is led by Lithuanian rail operator LTG Link together with Go Vilnius, the city’s tourism and business promotion agency, and is tied to the Vilnius Pink Soup Fest, one of the city’s most distinctive warm-weather events.
For Polish travelers, the train is especially practical because Mockava is the transfer point between PKP Intercity services from Poland and LTG Link trains into Lithuania. Passengers can begin in cities such as Warsaw, Krakow, Szczecin or Suwałki, travel to Mockava and continue toward Vilnius in the themed carriage.
The special train is scheduled to operate between Vilnius and Mockava from May 15 to August 30, with several daily services, turning the cross-border route into both a transport link and a promotional experience.
A Train Designed Around Lithuania’s Summer Dish
The Pink Soup Train is not a subtle campaign. The carriage has been transformed in shades of pink, with decorated walls, ceilings, tables, windows and interior details inspired by the ingredients and color of šaltibarščiai. The design includes playful visual touches such as selfie-friendly mirrors, humorous festival messages and a “river” of pink soup running through the carriage.
The goal is to make the journey part of the destination. Instead of treating rail travel as a neutral transfer, LTG Link and Go Vilnius are using the train to create anticipation for Vilnius and its food culture. It is a smart example of how rail operators and tourism boards can work together, especially on routes where travelers are already choosing trains as a slower, more relaxed alternative to flying or driving.
The campaign also arrives as rail travel between Poland and Lithuania continues to gain attention. More than 20,000 passengers reportedly used last year’s edition of the themed train, while cross-border travel between the two countries has been growing. Future Rail Baltica connections could make this corridor even more important, but the Pink Soup Train shows that tourism value can be built even before major infrastructure upgrades are complete.
Vilnius Pink Soup Fest Turns the City Into an Event
The train’s return is linked to the Vilnius Pink Soup Fest, which takes place from May 29 to 31. The festival celebrates šaltibarščiai, a cold beetroot soup made with kefir, cucumbers, herbs and boiled eggs that has become one of Lithuania’s most recognizable summer dishes. Its bright pink color gives the event a strong visual identity, making it especially suited to social media and citywide activations.
During the festival, Vilnius is expected to embrace the theme across food, design, music and public events. Attractions include a large pink water slide, waiter races, tastings, culinary activities and citywide celebrations built around local humor and creativity. The result is less like a conventional food festival and more like a destination campaign using one dish to tell a broader story about the city.
For Vilnius, the appeal is clear. Food tourism is increasingly important for European city breaks, and the Pink Soup Fest gives the Lithuanian capital a memorable hook during the early summer travel season. For Polish visitors, the combination of a direct rail connection, lower travel friction and a highly visual festival makes Vilnius feel close, fun and easy to choose for a weekend trip.
The Pink Soup Train may be lighthearted, but the strategy behind it is serious. It connects transport, culture and tourism into one experience, showing how smaller European destinations can compete for attention through creativity rather than scale.
