Contract signed for construction of unique section of Rail Baltic route in Estonia

TALLINN - Rail Baltic Estonia signed a contract on Wednesday for the construction of one of the most unique sections of the Rail Baltic railway route, where the tracks will run partially in a trench up to 10 meters below ground level.

The construction of the 9.2-kilometer main section will cost 70.8 million euros, and it will be built by the joint bid winners OÜ Verston and OÜ Järelpinge Inseneribüroo. The section is located between the Soodevahe village and the small town of Kangru in Rae municipality.

"Rail Baltic is not just a transport infrastructure project -- it's Estonia’s future connection to Europe," said Anvar Salomets, chairman of the management board of Rail Baltic Estonia.

"Our goal is to provide a modern, safe, and environmentally friendly railway that serves both people and nature. Today, we moved 9.2 kilometers closer to achieving that goal."

Salomets added that the aim is to have contracts or ongoing construction covering at least one-third, or 70 kilometers, of Rail Baltic's 213-kilometer main route in Estonia by the end of this year. Currently, 65 kilometers are either contracted or under construction.

This section is one of the most unique in terms of construction -- it is the only part of the route where the train will travel in a trench for five kilometers. The width of the trench will vary between 55 and 75 meters, with the deepest point being 10 meters below ground.

On the Soodevahe-Kangru main section, the Tallinn-Tartu highway viaduct has already been completed, and in November, in addition to the Põrguvälja viaduct, a nearby viaduct for utility networks will also be finished. By the end of the year, a railway bridge on the Vaskjala-Ülemiste canal and the Rae highway viaduct will also be completed.

The construction contract will last 40 months, with the Soodevahe-Kangru main section expected to be completed by January 2028.

The construction is funded by the Connecting Europe Facility (CEF) and the Estonian state budget.