On July 31, Rail Baltic Estonia signed a contract for the construction of one of the most technically complex objects of the Rail Baltica project — the Soodevahe transport hub. The contract worth €38.8 million was awarded to AS TREF Nord. This section is where two standard railways intersect — European (1435 mm) and broad-gauge (1520 mm), and where the Lagedi highway overpass will pass. This is where a direct railway connection will be created with the Estonian port of Muuga — a key logistics point between the Baltic and Western Europe.
The Soodevahe hub will be a three-level interchange with unique engineering solutions: a 1.55 km long tunnel will pass under two railway corridors and a highway, without disrupting current train traffic. It is also planned to build a 286-meter viaduct, an embankment for the Rail Baltica main line, drainage systems, turnaround and service roads, and relocate utility networks. The work will last 38 months.
The project is financed by EU funds from the CEF 10 programme and revenues from the sale of CO₂ emission quotas, according to an agreement between Rail Baltic Estonia and the Estonian Ministry of Climate. The company emphasizes that the implementation of this hub is of strategic importance for the Estonian economy, ensuring a direct exit for cargo flow from the port of Muuga to the center of Europe.