19.12.2025
By the end of 2025, Rail Baltica construction work will have reached every Estonian county that the future railway corridor will pass through. In Harju County, Rapla County and Pärnu County, work is progressing in different stages, but in the same rhythm: embankments are being raised and viaducts are being completed, confirming that the high-speed connection that meets European standards is moving on schedule to open train traffic between Tallinn and Warsaw in 2030.
Harju County: Intensive construction work is underway from Ülemiste to the Rapla County border
The construction of the most prominent object of the Estonian part of Rail Baltica, the Ülemiste terminal, is visible to everyone who comes to the Ülemiste area in Tallinn. The construction of the underground facilities of the passenger terminal, the building and also the tunnel intended for light traffic is proceeding according to plan, in addition, preparations have begun for the construction of a 1435mm track gauge route in the Ülemiste station area. The construction of the main route, which is divided into three sections in Harju County, is progressing as expected - various intersecting facilities are also being built as part of the foundation construction of the main railway route, of which the largest as a complete object is the Kangru traffic junction, which is already partially open to road users. The construction includes intersecting objects for both light traffic and vehicles - e.g. the Rae green bridge, the Uuesalu viaduct, the Kurna oja railway bridge. In the section running from Kangru village to Saku, the Kivi road light traffic viaduct and the Saunasilla light traffic tunnel are being built. In the section running to Saku-Rapla County, work is underway on the construction of the railway embankment, as well as the construction of the Soo road railway viaduct, the Vääna River and Vääna Vanajõgi railway bridges, the Kiisa ecoduct, and the Koosi light traffic tunnel. Additional design work is underway on the development of the Muuga Port and Soodevahe section of the railway, which is necessary for freight transport, and should be completed by the end of next year, so that construction of the section can begin.
Rapla County: work is underway on six subsections at the same time
The 70-kilometer section of the main route in Rapla County is divided into six sub-sections, and although work is progressing at different paces in the sections, progress is visible everywhere. In Kohila rural municipality, the busiest construction activity is taking place in the immediate vicinity of Kohila township, where several different intersections are being built along with the main route embankment. The Kohila traffic junction, which consists of various facilities, is the largest development in the area – the new traffic junction, which must ensure the smooth movement of vehicles and light traffic, is planned to open in the second half of 2026.
The Loone-Hagudi section, located south of Kohila, has six different structures under construction: the Keila River railway bridge – which will become the longest railway bridge in Estonia when completed, the Pureva and Tamme railway viaduct, the Mälivere road viaduct and the Röa ecoduct, which will cross both Rail Baltica and the current Edelaraudtee infrastructure. Construction work is scheduled to be completed in the autumn of 2027. The most exciting construction challenge on the Hagudi–Alu section is crossing the Hagudi bog – carpet slab installation work is currently underway and animal tunnels are being built. The railway embankment is due to be completed by the end of 2026.
The 17 km long Alu-Kärpla section is currently undergoing railway embankment construction, maintenance and access roads are being built, and land improvement works are being carried out. Rapla station is also included in this section, where construction work on the supporting structures of the crossing and waiting platforms is being carried out.
Deforestation work and preparations are underway on the Kärpla–Selja and Selja–Tootsi sections, and the section to Tootsi must be completed by 2028 at the latest.
Pärnu County: from research to construction
In Pärnu County, construction work on the main route has begun in Põhja-Pärnumaa rural municipality, but preparatory work has now reached beyond the Tootsi settlement. As part of the alliance agreements, additional geotechnical studies will be carried out along almost the entire route through Pärnu County, including, for example, the construction of a railway bridge over the Pärnu River. Two environmental impact reports have already been declared compliant for the nearly 95 km section from Tootsi to the Estonian-Latvian border, and a new environmental impact assessment will be completed for the third in early 2026.
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