Estonia has signed the largest infrastructure contracts in the country’s history — Rail Baltic Estonia has entered into agreements with two international consortiums for the construction of key sections of the Rail Baltica high-speed railway. The project, worth up to €932 million, covers the entire Estonian section of the future passenger line from Tallinn to Ikla, and is an important step towards launching traffic between Tallinn and Warsaw by 2030.
The first contract, worth €394 million, covers overground and underground works on the Ülemiste–Pärnu and Tootsi–Pärnu sections. It is being implemented by an alliance led by GRK Suomi Oy, which also includes GRK Eesti AS, Merko Ehitus Eesti, TSO SAS and Sweco. The second contract, worth €332 million, covers the full cycle of design and construction of the Pärnu–Ikla section, with Bouygues Travaux Publics as the lead partner. Both teams include leading international and local players.
According to Anvar Salomets, the head of Rail Baltic Estonia, the signing of the contracts marks the beginning of a new stage – construction now covers the entire Estonian section. The work will start after a year of preparation, and funding will come, among other things, through the greenhouse gas emissions trading system.