New construction contracts signed for the Rail Baltica mainline in Estonia

Rail Baltic Estonia signed new construction contracts today for the mainline of the railway in Rapla County. Verston OÜ and Järelpinge Inseneribüroo OÜ, who submitted a joint bid, will begin the construction of the Rail Baltica mainline section in the municipalities of Kohila and Rapla. The total value of the two contracts amounts to 107 million euros.

“Earlier this year, Rail Baltica signed the first construction contract for the Rail Baltica mainline in Harju County, and now we are progressing with construction into Rapla County. The construction contracts signed today in Kohila municipality, covering over 16 kilometers of mainline construction, represent a significant milestone, showcasing the increasing maturity of our railway development. It is also gratifying to witness the sustained interest of our construction companies in participating in Rail Baltica tenders, with competition remaining fierce. This year, we anticipate finalising contracts or even commencing actual construction activities on approximately 50 kilometres of the Rail Baltica mainline in Estonia,” said Anvar Salomets, CEO of Rail Baltic Estonia. He further noted the effective and constructive cooperation with local municipalities, stating, “This is critically important for the implementation of the Rail Baltica railway.”

According to Veiko Veskimäe, Chairman of Verston, the Rail Baltica project is of vital importance to the Estonian people, businesses, and services, as it establishes a fast and secure connection to Europe. “Considering the current geopolitical situation, it is evident that every connection with Europe and its partners is crucial for us. However, it is precisely infrastructure investments that stimulate the economy during challenging times and create competitiveness for the future. Modern infrastructure that considers the needs of people and the environment, along with robust connections, is strategically important for our small country as they ensure development, competitiveness, and security. At Verston, we highly value these principles and, therefore, dedicate our best knowledge and expertise to the successful and timely completion of projects,” Veskimäe said.

The construction works for the first phase of the railway infrastructure in Rapla County will commence at the border of Harju and Rapla counties and conclude in Loone village in Kohila municipality, covering a total length of 9.4 kilometres. The average width of the mainline embankment is 15 metres. In addition to the mainline embankment, seven major structures will be built under the contract (1 eco-duct, 5 road viaducts, and 1 pedestrian tunnel). The construction of the mainline embankment will also prepare for the establishment of the Rail Baltica Kohila local station.

The necessary land clearance works for the construction of the mainline railway have been largely completed on this section, with only the works related to the construction of the Kohila traffic node remaining. In collaboration with the Land Board, approximately 95% of the required lands have been acquired in this section, with mainly the parcels necessary for the construction of the Kohila traffic node yet to be acquired. The contractual cost of the construction works is approximately 60 million euros.

During the second phase of the construction of the railway infrastructure in Rapla County, a 7.1 km railway embankment will be built, along with necessary drainage, land improvement systems, two eco-ducts, one road viaduct, and two railway viaducts, as well as nearly 5 km of noise barriers. The second phase of construction works also includes a unique 224-meter-long railway bridge in Estonia.

In the Loone-Hagudi section, the future Rail Baltica railway line intersects with the existing Edelaraudtee corridor. The construction of the Pureva railway viaduct will divert the Edelaraudtee over the Rail Baltica track. In total, six major structures (including Edelaraudtee facilities) will be built in this section: the Keila River railway bridge with a length of 224 metres; the Mälivere road viaduct with a length of 111.76 metres; the Pureva railway viaduct with a length of 107.03 metres (Edelaraudtee); the Tamme railway viaduct with a length of 16.40 meters; the Röa eco-duct with a length of 115.45 metres (on the RB railway infrastructure); the Röa eco-duct with a length of 113.50 metres (Edelaraudtee).

Additionally, approximately 10 kilometres of various maintenance and access roads will be constructed. The construction contracts are financed up to 85% by the Connecting Europe Facility, and the construction works, which will commence this summer, are expected to be completed by the autumn of 2027 according to the contract terms.