08.01.2024
Large-scale construction work began in October on the Ülemiste passenger terminal, a hub for Rail Baltica. The terminal will be completed by 2028 and will serve existing train, bus and tram lines in addition to the future international rail connection.
"The first stage of the construction of the Ülemiste terminal has been completed, and a long journey to transform the wasteland between Tallinn's Suur-Sõjamäe and Peterburi highway into a new international gateway for the capital and all of Estonia has successfully begun," says Anvar Salomets, Chairman of the Board of Rail Baltic Estonia.
Salomets says that although the dismantling of the existing railway took a little longer than expected, there is now enough space in the Ülemiste area to begin construction of the railway facilities and substructures of the Ülemiste terminal. The construction of the terminal will require the reconstruction of the entire Ülemiste railway infrastructure and the removal of nearly 16 km of existing tracks to make room for the 1435 mm gauge Rail Baltica railway.
Access to the Ülemiste area will improve
The first phase of the construction of the Ülemiste passenger terminal, which has begun, will mainly involve the construction of underground railway support structures. This will include the construction of underground technical rooms and other areas necessary for the operation of the railway. In addition, three tunnels will be built, which will create the possibility for pedestrians and light motorists to pass under the railway much easier and safer in the future.
The tunnels will significantly improve accessibility to the area compared to today and connect the surrounding urban space with Ülemiste. The previous railway barrier and the resulting separation between the two districts will disappear. “We are not just building a terminal building, but we are modernizing the entire urban space in the area. There will be new passages on both sides of the railway, and the terminal building will connect the city much more than it has been in the area so far,” explains the head of Rail Baltic Estonia.
This is a mega project in Estonian terms.
The construction is being carried out by AS Merko Ehitus Eesti and KMG Infra OÜ. The contract value is almost 50 million euros, which is the largest Rail Baltica contract in Estonia in financial terms. Janno Oja, the construction project manager and member of the board of KMG Infra, says that in Estonian terms this is a real mega project.
“The entire terminal area is almost 800 meters long, figuratively speaking, it is a skyscraper on the horizon. For example, at this stage, at peak times, we have over 100 people on the site at the same time,” says Oja. He adds that the technically demanding solutions and high quality requirements for carrying out the work make it difficult. Logistics also requires very thorough preparation – it is necessary to deliver both construction machinery and materials to the heart of the city without any problems.
Construction has already begun with soil and lime layer work, and next year the construction will reach the so-called above-ground stage, when progress can already be seen in the form of tower cranes moving around the site and the installation of construction details.
The next construction works for the Ülemiste terminal will include public areas, roads, streets, parking lots, and a tramway adjacent to the terminal, the solutions for which are currently being designed. Next year, Rail Baltic Estonia plans to announce a construction tender for the terminal building.
Linda terminal to be completed by 2028
The Ülemiste terminal will be completed by 2028 and will serve current train lines and bus connections until Rail Baltica is completed in 2030. “The entire interior and functionality of the building will not be built out immediately, as the number of passengers and infrastructure users will not be very large before Rail Baltica is completed,” says Anvar Salomets, head of Rail Baltic Estonia, but adds that the opening of the terminal will not have to wait until Rail Baltica is completed. “The building can be used to service existing rail, tram and bus connections.”
Ülemiste Terminal will be the starting point of a high-speed rail connection connecting the Baltic States with Western and Southern Europe, as well as a public transport hub and attraction center for Tallinn. Ülemiste Terminal will integrate different modes of transport, public space and commercial premises.
The architectural competition for the future Ülemiste terminal was won by a joint bid by Zaha Hadid Architects and Esplani. The architectural focus is on connecting smooth traffic flows and an open and dynamic environment. During the public competition, the Ülemiste terminal was named “Linda”.
The Ülemiste settlement has been closely connected to the railway since 1870, and the metalworking factory built next to it later gave impetus to the further development of the entire region. Today, the production-centric settlement has become a modern technology and business district with an international atmosphere, which has the potential to be the city heart of the future.
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