Frequently asked questions

Rail Baltica is a modern, high-speed, electrified rail link connecting Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania. With a track gauge of 1 435 mm and two pairs of rails, it runs from Tallinn via Riga to the Lithuanian-Polish border. At the Lithuanian-Polish border, it connects to the European rail network, which is constantly evolving. As a broader corridor, Rail Baltica covers Scandinavia to the north and Poland and Western Europe to the south. Rail Baltica is an investment in green transport, but also a new way of thinking and an energy-efficient way of travelling and transporting goods to Europe. Rail Baltica's rail infrastructure is designed according to standard parameters widely used in Europe. This will ensure maximum compatibility with the rest of the European rail network. For this reason, in addition to the standard European 1435 mm gauge, Rail Baltica has been designed with a contact network and traffic control systems similar to those used on the Polish network immediately adjacent to Rail Baltica and on most of the networks bordering Poland. The traffic management system to be used will be the European Traffic Management System ERTMS. The electrified double track Rail Baltica will provide a design speed of 249 km/h for passenger trains and 120 km/h for freight trains. However, despite its high design speed, Rail Baltica is not a high-speed railway within the meaning of EU legislation. The speeds applied on high-speed railways can be much higher than on modern passenger trains. However, this makes it more cumbersome to use the same railway for freight, because if the speed difference between freight and passenger traffic becomes too great, one mode of transport will hinder the other. Rail Baltica can operate passenger trains of up to 400 m and freight trains of up to 1050 m in length. The maximum permissible axle load on the railway is 25 tonnes.

Estonia has historically been connected by rail to the east - the tracks still run to St Petersburg and Moscow. However, until now there has been no functioning rail link between Estonia and the rest of Europe. Rail Baltica connects Estonia with the countries of Central and Western Europe and provides a fast, safe and green way for passengers and goods to move from north to south and vice versa.

The current track gauge in Estonia is 1520/1524 mm, which was used during the tsarist era. Rail Baltica will be built with the most common gauge in Europe, 1435 mm. The current railways in Estonia are designed or reconstructed for a speed limit of no more than 140 km/h, while in general the speed limits tend to be in the 100-120 km/h range, and 80 km/h for freight trains. Rail Baltica allows speeds of up to 249 km/h for passenger trains and up to 120 km/h for freight trains. There will be no level crossings along the Rail Baltica route and the track will be fenced off to prevent people and animals from crossing. Rail Baltica will be equipped with a new and modern train control system with continuous automatic information exchange between the control centre and the rolling stock. In addition, Rail Baltica will generate less noise and vibration than the existing railway..

Spring 2012 - the Government of the Republic of Estonia issued an order to initiate the preparation of regional plans to determine the location of the Rail Baltic railway corridor
Autumn 2016 - January 2017 - public consultations on the Rail Baltic regional plans
2017 - negotiations to acquire the land for the construction of the railway
Spring 2018 - the Estonian part of the preliminary railway project is completed in full
2018 - technical design of railway starts in all Baltic States
2019 - design of passenger terminals in Estonia starts
2019 - construction of main railway line objects starts
2023 - construction of main railway line starts
2023 - construction of Rail Baltica Ülemiste joint terminal starts
2024 - construction of Rail Baltica Pärnu international passenger terminal starts
2030 - railway construction is completed and test period starts
2030 - traffic on the new railway starts

The Rail Baltica corridor is 350 metres wide (150 metres in major built-up areas), but the two parallel pairs of tracks, including the protection zone, cover only 66 metres of this. The fenced area, however, is a maximum of 45 metres wide, depending on the area, and the width of the railway track on the earthwork, where the tracks are located, is a maximum of 15 metres (except in station areas). The corridor is significantly wider to take account of the possible need for shifting and to accommodate all associated infrastructure, including service and access roads, overpasses and crossings, and eco-ducts. By way of comparison, when planning a four-lane motorway, the corridor is generally about twice as wide, with a 150-metre-wide road and protection zone. The barrier effect of the railway on the natural and human environment is therefore lower than for a four-lane road with fencing.

As Rail Baltica is a three-state project, in general, both the cost and the cost-benefit are estimated for the whole trans-Baltic railway. The total cost of building a new railway line through the three Baltic States is estimated at an investment of more than €6 billion, of which, depending on the nature of the works, up to 85% is expected to be contributed by the European Union. The construction of the section of the line on Estonian territory will cost around €3 billion on the basis of a very detailed basic design.

The Connecting Europe Facility (CEF) is specifically designed for projects that aim to create better cross-border connections in Europe. CEF funds cannot be used for national projects, so it is not possible to use them to plan roads or local rail lines.
CEF grants already allocated:
- In 2015, the three Baltic States submitted the first four applications with the Joint Undertaking for a total of €540 million, with Estonia and Latvia receiving the most funding, €213 million and €291 million respectively. In 2016, Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania and the Tripartite Joint Undertaking submitted a second joint application to the European Commission for a total amount of €238 million, of which the European Union co-finances activities for €202 million. While the focus of the first funding was on the preparatory work in Estonia and Latvia, this time the bulk of the support went to Lithuania. - In 2018, €130 million of Connecting Europe Facility (CEF) funding was allocated to Rail Baltica, with CEF support of up to 85% of eligible costs, supporting the implementation of the project up to a maximum of €110 million. In 2020, Rail Baltica received an additional €184 million in CEF funding, which will be invested in the implementation of the project until 2024. Together with 15% national co-financing, the total investment for the additional funding of the project amounts to €216 million. With this grant agreement, Rail Baltica in the three Baltic States had received around €1.2 billion in grant funding from the EU and other national funds at that time. - In 2022, €350 million was allocated to the Rail Baltica project from the Connecting Europe Facility (CEF) under the first call of the new EU funding period 2021-2027, which, together with national co-financing from the three Baltic States, totals over €400 million. - In 2023, the Rail Baltica project received €928 million from the Connecting Europe Facility (CEF) under the second call for proposals for the EU 2021-2027 funding period, which together with national co-financing from the three Baltic States totals over €1.1 billion.

In selecting the rail route, priority was given to:
- location in relation to residential areas (buffer of at least 500 m)
- location in relation to Natura sites, protected areas and habitats of protected species
- location in relation to cemeteries, heritage sites and objects
- technical suitability of the route
- cost and socio-economic cost On the basis of the criteria assessed, the route options with the lowest negative effect across all impacts assessed were proposed. This included an initial analysis of route options that passed through Tartu. The experts' analysis showed that, on the one hand, a rail route through Tartu would be significantly more expensive and, on the other hand, would have a greater impact on both nature and people's way of life. Therefore, a shorter route through Harju, Rapla and Pärnumaa was chosen, which is more environmentally friendly and less damaging to the human environment.

When choosing the route for the railway, options via Pärnu and Tartu were considered. The analysis showed that, on the one hand, building a railway line through Tartu would be significantly more expensive and, on the other hand, would have a greater impact on both nature and people's way of life. A route through Harju, Rapla and Pärnumaa was therefore chosen. In addition, it should be borne in mind that a route via Tartu and Valga would not have benefited from the same level of support from the Connecting Europe Facility. Nor could a new railway line have been built on the already existing Tartu line, which would have required a significant widening of the curved route, which would have meant the demolition of many buildings in several settlements, including Tapa, Tamsalu, Tartu, Elva and Valga.

The existing railway can also benefit from investment to increase speeds, but upgrading it to meet Rail Baltica's needs will be too expensive and complicated. It would require rebuilding the entire route, including making the curves more gradual, adding a second pair of tracks and electrification, which analyses show would be more expensive than building a new railway. In addition, it would not avoid Natura 2000 sites and would require significant demolition of existing buildings and rebuilding of utilities.

In addition to freight and passenger transport, Rail Baltica also has a considerable security dimension. In the future, it will be possible to transport military equipment from Central and Western Europe without transhipment on a railway that meets European standards, which will significantly increase operational efficiency. In addition, high-speed rail will also be much more effective in situations requiring evacuation of the population in the event of any crisis.

As is the case for transport infrastructure projects in general, the expected benefits of rail are mainly socio-economic - passengers and freight shippers gain time, the likelihood of accidents is reduced, air pollution is reduced and negative climate impacts are reduced. In addition, it also potentially means less strain on the Tallinn-Pärnu-Ikla highway, and hence, for example, lower costs for road maintenance, repairs, etc.
However, on the basis of current projections, a scenario where the railways are unable to recover the costs of their own operation is not considered very likely. RB's maintenance costs are planned to be recovered entirely from user charges, with the business plan to be adjusted operationally if necessary. While road maintenance is largely paid for by the taxpayer through the state budget, rail is certainly more sustainable and could potentially be self-sustaining.

Rail Baltic Estonia OÜ is an Estonian holding company representing Estonian interests in the Baltic joint venture AS RB Rail. The task of Rail Baltic Estonia OÜ is to organise and coordinate the procurement of the construction of the Rail Baltica railway line and related infrastructure (terminals, stations, freight depots, maintenance depot, etc.) in Estonia, and to become the company responsible for the management of the Estonian part of the line when it is completed. The role of the RB Rail joint venture will be to coordinate the design of the railway throughout the Baltic States and the cross-border procurement of the necessary components for railway interoperability, as well as the procurement of the necessary components where economies of scale can be achieved. RB Rail AS is responsible for coordinating and submitting applications for Connecting Europe Facility funding to the European Commission.

More than 1,500 motor vehicles longer than 12 metres, or about 10 million tonnes of goods per year, cross the Estonian-Latvian border via Ikla every day, and these numbers have been on a predominantly upward trend. On average, every tenth motor vehicle on Estonia's major main roads is a lorry, while on the Tallinn-Pärnu-Ikla road every fifth vehicle is a lorry. Over fifteen years, this main road has seen the largest increase in traffic - 39% - and there is reason to expect this trend to continue in the absence of alternatives. Some goods and journeys will continue to have an advantage over road transport, but a significant proportion of goods can be lifted by rail, which is a safer, faster and more environmentally friendly way of transporting goods. It is expected that most freight will come by rail from road, but around 20% will also come from the sea. The amount of freight expected on Rail Baltic is in itself sufficient, not to say very large. First and foremost, it will be transit goods from the Nordic countries, mainly Finland, passing through the Baltic States, but also import goods arriving in the Baltic States, which today are mainly transported by road - for example, timber and timber products, iron and steel, food and beverages, various types of industrial goods, etc.. Although the forecasts are currently being updated, we believe that the total volume of goods transported on the Rail Baltica (Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania) could be in the range of 10-18 million tonnes per year in the early years, reaching a maximum of 25 million tonnes per year. In the North Sea - Baltic Sea corridor, of which Rail Baltica is part, the European Commission forecasts a 42% increase in road transport by 2030, assuming Rail Baltica is not completed. The additional transport volumes would imply the need for road widening, which has a similar impact to rail during construction, but is much more environmentally damaging in the long term than electric rail.

Rail Baltica will be designed for a top speed of 249 km/h, while the maximum speed of a freight train on Rail Baltica will be 120 km/h. From Tallinn to Pärnu in 42 minutes. Tallinn Riga 1 hour 42 minutes. Tallinn - Vilnius 3 hours 38 minutes In the future, the Lithuanian capital Vilnius will be reached by train in less than four hours. Tallinn - Warsaw 6 hours 47 minutes. Rail Baltica is planned to run around 8 passenger trains (one of which will take passenger cars) and 9-12 freight trains per day in both directions. In addition, regional trains will also run on the Rail Baltica, with a maximum speed of 200 km/h. These trains will have a maximum speed of 1.5 km/h.

Rail Baltica international passenger terminals will be located in Ülemiste and Pärnu in Tallinn. In addition, local stops for regional trains are planned on the railway. According to the current plan, the following stops of local importance will be added to the Estonian railway line. Assaku, Luige, Saku, Kurtna, Kohila, Rapla, Järvakandi, Kaisma, Tootsi, Urge, Surju and Häädemeeste. The Rail Baltica freight terminal will be located in the port of Muuga, which will be the only Rail Baltica terminal with a direct connection to the freight port. In addition, there are plans for a freight station in Pärnu as well as in the Soodevahe area of Harju County.

High-speed cross-border rail connections are a European priority, and Rail Baltica's wider aim is to bring European cities closer together in time-space. At the same time, it has now been decided at national level that local trains of regional importance will be brought on the railway, with stops in Assaku, Luige, Saku, Kurtna, Kohila, Rapla, Järvakandi, Kaisma, Tootsi, Urge, Surju and Häädemeeste.

Technically, special solutions are possible if there is sufficient justification and the positive effect expected from a special solution cannot be achieved more cheaply. The default and standard solution is for the railway to run on earth or in a depression. In general, railways are built on concrete foundations in densely populated areas or in areas where there is a shortage of arable land. Raising the railway to the viaduct is technically much more complex than the standard solution and is generally 4-5 times more expensive. While the viaduct would avoid some negative environmental impacts (mainly barrier effects), it would in turn introduce new negative impacts (e.g. additional maintenance risks, increased noise pollution, complexity of rescue operations). In addition, the maintenance of the railway on the viaduct and the overhaul of the viaduct will be significantly more complex and costly compared to a conventional solution. It is generally estimated to be between 7 and 14 times more expensive than a conventional above-ground solution, and also technically more complex (e.g. groundwater problems must be excluded). However, Rail Baltica also foresees certain sections where the railway runs in a trench instead of an embankment, i.e. below ground level.

The choice of the route of the new rail link has been open to all, including local residents whose lives will be most affected by the proximity of the railway.
The route of the fast international rail link through Pärnu towards Riga was agreed as part of the Estonia 2030+ national planning process, following extensive discussions involving many groups in society. It was drafted and organised by the Planning Department of the Ministry of the Interior, and everyone was able to participate in the discussions. The participatory process was extensive, with discussions with civil society, local residents, local authorities and experts.
The planning was adopted by the Government of the Republic on 30 August 2012 and sets out the basic route of Rail Baltica. The more detailed route was laid down in the framework of the regional planning process, which involved 86 different public consultations between 2013 and 2017, with a total of over 4,000 participants. Consultations were carried out in all the municipalities crossed by Rail Baltica during the preparation of the preliminary design. In 2021, the Supreme Court annulled a section of about 40 km of track in Southern Parnu County previously included in the regional plans. In 2023, new environmental impact assessments were completed for this section, and a new optimal route corridor was selected at the end of 2023, which will be subject to public consultation in 2024, so that an updated county plan with a suitable Rail Baltica route can be adopted in 2024.

From the outset, the route options were designed to avoid areas with existing buildings. However, it is likely that the railway will extend the usual routes in some areas. Sufficient under- and overpasses will be provided to mitigate the 'barrier effect' of the railway, including light traffic routes and access to agricultural and forestry land. Feedback from local people on actual needs has been taken into account in the design of the detailed solutions. In particular, accessibility to public services, community cohesion and security will be maintained. The contractor is responsible for the condition of local roads during construction and must ensure that they are restored to pre-construction condition when construction is completed.

The train speed is generally not limited when passing residential buildings. The track is restricted and access to it is made difficult for safety reasons. The disruptive effects of a fast passing train are reduced by various other mitigation measures.

Although the basic design of the railway is still underway, it is estimated that 4 or 5 residential buildings will be built under the 213 km of railway line that the state will acquire for the railway.

Already in the comparison of the route options, rescue capacity was taken into account, and a more detailed analysis will be carried out in cooperation with the Rescue Board. Where necessary, underpasses, overpasses and additional access roads will be built to maintain or improve rescue capacity.

Rail Baltica's infrastructure is newer and of a higher quality than the existing railways in Estonia, which means that there will be significantly less noise and vibration. Measures to mitigate noise are already planned in the early stages of the infrastructure construction. More detailed technical solutions will be identified during the design phase, including the use of tall vegetation to mitigate noise. Noise barriers will be installed, among other things, during the construction phase of the railway to reduce the noise generated by the construction work. To mitigate noise from rail traffic, 21.5 km of noise barriers will be installed on the Estonian section of Rail Baltica. In addition, further mitigation measures will be implemented to reduce the impact of the railway on both the animal and human environment.
The noise from the planned activities will be assessed on the basis of the noise standards in force in Estonia (Regulation No 42 of the Ministry of Social Affairs of 4 March 2002 on the standard noise levels in residential and recreational areas, dwellings and buildings of common use and methods of measuring noise levels), which are based on the protection of human health and the minimisation of disturbance. In rural areas, stricter standards are used than in urban areas where noise disturbance already exists.

Rail Baltica's infrastructure is newer and of a higher quality than existing railways, so there will be significantly less noise and vibration from the outset. Vibration is mitigated by measures such as soil drainage, vibration mats and other modern technical solutions that reduce the transmission of vibrations from the rails to the ground. Vibration levels in residential areas must be ensured in accordance with Regulation No 78 of the Minister of Social Affairs of 01.06.2002 on "Vibration limit values in residential and communal buildings and methods of measuring vibration". The zone of influence of vibration is generally 30-50 metres, in exceptional cases up to 100 metres. If the standard values are expected to be exceeded, measures shall be taken to prevent the propagation of vibration.

The route options were pre-selected on the basis of the principle that the railway line does not generally pass through heritage sites and objects, and the route options were developed in close cooperation with the Heritage Board. With regard to historical and heritage values, a cultural heritage survey and an archaeological survey were carried out, taking into account the values of cultural monuments, heritage sites and sites identified in the general plans of the regional and local authorities. Close cooperation has been established with archaeologists to ensure that no important historical or heritage sites remain on the railway line. Railway-related facilities will be designed in such a way as to blend into the existing environment.

According to the law, the construction of land drainage systems, the extraction of earth, excavation work, deforestation or other work that alters the natural environment, the production and storage of flammable substances and explosives may only be carried out in the railway protection zone with the prior written consent of the Technical Inspection Authority and the relevant infrastructure manager or the owner or keeper of the railway. The Railway Act does not impose any further restrictions. For example, there is no direct statutory regulation on the height of trees, but the owner may be required to clear the forest if there is a risk. There are also no restrictions on agricultural activities.

The planning and construction of the railway will be carried out in close cooperation with the electricity network operator, who will determine the necessary protection zones and technical solutions at the railway crossing. All costs incurred by the power line operator will be compensated within the Rail Baltica project and there will be no increase in line charges.

During the construction period, there will undoubtedly be an impact on the local population, and various factors will have to be taken into account, such as an increase in traffic density on local roads, changes to traffic management and, in extreme cases, the temporary closure of road(s). Construction activities will also potentially result in an increase in noise levels and, depending on the time of year, there may be wear and tear on road surfaces due to increased traffic. However, care will be taken during the construction period to minimise potential negative impacts.

There is an information board next to each construction site, where you can find the contact details of the company/site manager carrying out the work. In addition, information on construction-related activities (e.g. changes to traffic management) is also published in local and regional newspapers. Operationally, we will also try to provide updates on the Rail Baltic Estonia website and social media channels. In addition, local residents can always contact their local authority or Rail Baltic Estonia by writing to info@rbe.ee.

Land for the railway will be purchased just where the exact location of the infrastructure is in place. Thus, there are municipalities along the route where a large proportion of the land has already been acquired or is in the process of being acquired, as well as those where negotiations have not yet started. In total, the State needs more than a thousand parcels of land, of which nearly half have been or are in the process of being acquired. Most of the land to be purchased is agricultural land and is located in sparsely populated areas, with only a few cases of residential land being purchased. Almost a fifth of the land needed has already been owned by the State, but even this will require specific parcels of land to be earmarked for rail infrastructure. Most of the land has been acquired in Rapla County. Most negotiations are currently ongoing in Harjumaa, but land acquisitions have also started in North-Pärnumaa. In the areas south of Pärnu, local residents may not expect land acquisition to reach them in the near future. Negotiations so far indicate that 70 percent of property owners would prefer to buy out the land for cash, with the state also paying an additional compensation, or incentive fee, to the owners, usually amounting to 20 percent of the value of the property. At the same time, properties have also been exchanged, boundaries have been changed by the state through land readjustment and plots have been re-plotted. The offer is made on the basis of the value determined by a professional real estate appraiser, or on the basis of the value calculated for a forested property. During the negotiations, the wishes of the owners are heard and the conditions of the land acquisition are specified, including the location of the exchange land, logging or harvesting. If the owner's wishes are justified and an agreement is reached on the acquisition of the land, a contract is concluded or a decision is taken to proceed with the land readjustment. All costs related to the acquisition of the land are paid by the State.

Rail Baltica is an electrified railway, which means that travelling by train leaves a smaller ecological footprint than travelling by car, bus, boat or plane. One of Rail Baltica's objectives is to reduce air pollution from the transport sector by offering the freight and passenger fleet that is currently travelling by road the opportunity to move to electrified rail. The route options have been pre-selected on the basis of the principle that, in general, the railway should not cross Natura areas, ensuring the protection of priority species and habitat types and minimum disturbance. For all alignment options, a natural heritage study was carried out under the supervision of researchers from the University of Tartu, which provides information on the existing situation and potential conflict areas. Protected species, protected areas, large mammals, medium-sized mammals and bats were the main areas to be studied. The study also mapped animal movement routes and proposed mitigation measures (eco-bridges and solutions for smaller animals). Mitigation measures: - Ecoducks, tunnels and culverts will be built along key corridors and animal routes in the green corridors, with facilities to access them. - Passages for amphibians, reptiles and small mammals (rodents) unable to climb over the tracks will be provided every 25-50 metres. These will be simple race-like openings. - During and after the construction of the railway, efforts will be made to preserve ecologically valuable feeding and habitat areas. - To ensure the protection of watercourses and wetlands, geotextile will be used for the storage of construction materials to avoid potential silt contamination. In the vicinity of natural wetlands, special attention will be paid to maintaining water regimes that are important for vegetation and habitats. - Noise barriers, such as those near teddy bear play areas, will be provided to meet the needs of the natural environment. - In forests, construction activities shall be avoided during the main breeding season of animals and birds, from April to June. - After the construction of the railway line, nature surveys will continue to be carried out in order to detect unforeseen impacts. If necessary, additional measures will be implemented.

More than 30 eco-bridges are planned along the Estonian section of Rail Baltica, as well as other mitigation measures such as embankment tracks on railway bridges, grass bridges that animals can use to cross the railway safely. In addition, around 100 passages are planned for small animals and amphibians.

One of the objectives of Rail Baltica is to reduce air pollution from the transport sector by taking over some of the freight and passenger traffic on the road today. The entire length of the line is designed to be electrified, which will help to significantly reduce air pollution from the railways. Outside the fenced railway area, air pollution standards will not be exceeded anywhere.

One of the key issues addressed in the SEA is the water regime of surface water and groundwater and how to ensure its conservation. This is important both for the water supply of people and for the protection of natural communities and the maintenance of agricultural and economic land use conditions. Only a solution that does not disturb the water regime in the areas along the route can be acceptable for the design and construction of a railway line. More detailed geological studies of the route, including water regime issues, are a mandatory part of the design work.

The selected route does not generally cross Natura areas. Exceptions are river crossings in the Pärnu nature area. All Natura sites within the project area will be considered in the Natura assessments. In general, the impacts on Natura sites will be indirect, but the aim is to avoid impacts.

There is no single answer to this question. Although it is estimated that 7.42 million cubic metres of backfill material will be needed for the construction of the embankment of the Rail Baltica line section in Estonia, plus the volume of the embankments of the surrounding roads, secondary or recycled materials (e.g. previously excavated soil) will also be used as backfill where possible. The construction of Rail Baltica alone will not require the opening of additional excavations in Estonia. As regards the construction material, it is considered that, from a logistical point of view, they should not be more than 50 km from the axis of the route.