20.05.2026
The Rail Baltic Estonia mobility conference "The Economy Gets Derailed" held in Tallinn yesterday brought together European railway visionaries, economic analysts, entrepreneurs and policymakers to discuss how Rail Baltica will transform not only transport, but the entire Estonian economic space. The conference left a clear message: Estonia has a historic opportunity to reshape its role in the European economy.
Chief Economist of Luminor Lenno Uusküla, Member of the Board of Enterprise Estonia Mari-Liis Küppar and head of the Ülemiste Center Guido Pärnits highlighted that the box from Rail Baltica will not be born automatically — it requires active action in every settlement along the route. Küppar emphasized that in the future, Rail Baltica stations will compete with each other, and those regions that create new industrial areas, tourism products and services around their stops will win. Küppar also highlighted a global trend that favors Estonian tourism: the cooler climate of Northern Europe becomes increasingly attractive in the summer, when the heat is growing in Southern Europe.
Summer capital and attractive small towns: railway brings growth
One of the brightest moments of the conference belonged to the Mayor of Pärnu To Kristel Voltenberg, who painted a picture of a new everyday life where the high-speed railway essentially makes Tallinn and Pärnu one living and working area. After a 42-minute train ride, Pärnu is no longer a distant summer resort, but an attractive place to live for everyone whose work is in Tallinn.
“As far as I’m concerned, there may be smart jobs in Tallinn, but you’ll all still come to live in Pärnu,” said Voltenberg. According to him, Pärnu’s trump cards are the sea, the river, and the fact that kindergartens, schools, and services are within walking distance. In addition, the city is actively working to build a large multifunctional hall for sports competitions and concerts right next to the Rail Baltica passenger terminal — the railway will generate a new cultural economy.
Head of Rapla County Development and Entrepreneurship Centre Janek Kadarik gave an example of how the impact of the railway in Estonia has already proven itself. After the railway was extended to Turba, real estate prices and the number of residents there began to increase - simply due to improved connections. State Architect Tõnis Arjus noted that progressive countries - like Finland - are planning cities around rail transport, and this is also the vision of Estonia's new national plan.
Estonia and Latvia — one market
Real estate developer Kristjan-Thor Vähi offered the most ambitious vision of the future at the conference: Estonia and Latvia should start seeing themselves as one economic space. According to him, the 300 kilometers between Tallinn and Riga will be a negligible distance when Rail Baltica is completed, and Estonian developers are already actively building in Latvia.
European trains today, not just when Rail Baltica is completed
CEO of European Sleeper Elmer van Buuren stressed that the Baltics do not have to passively wait for the completion of Rail Baltica. The launch of night trains and more frequent international connections on existing lines is already possible — and the demand for this is growing rapidly across Europe.
The Deputy Director-General of the European Commission's Directorate-General for Internal Market and Industry also took the stage at the Rail Baltic Estonia Mobility Conference Maive Rute, European Commissioner for Transport Apóstolos Tzitzikóstas and the Estonian Minister of Infrastructure Kuldar Leis — a testament to the fact that Rail Baltica has become a strategic priority at the European level.
Conference photos can be found here. FROM HERE.
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