Rail Baltic Estonia has signed a contract with AS Merko Ehitus Eesti for the construction of the Rail Baltica international passenger terminal in Ülemiste, Tallinn. The architectural design was developed by the world-famous Zaha Hadid Architects, and the contract value is approximately 85 million euros excluding VAT. The new terminal has been named Linda after the heroine of an Estonian epic poem and will become the northern gateway to Europe for the Rail Baltica high-speed line.
According to Anvar Salomets, Chairman of the Board of Rail Baltic Estonia, Linda Terminal will be a symbolic beginning of the entire line and a new international attraction for Estonia. The multi-level building, up to 20 meters high, will span Suur-Sõijamäe Street and the existing railway infrastructure of Eesti Raudtee. In addition to the station itself, the project includes pedestrian tunnels, technical systems and three platforms with a total length of 1,250 meters.
The general contractor Merko has previously participated in the construction of the underground part of the terminal and will now complete the project in full.
“This is an exceptional opportunity to build a world-class facility here in Estonia,” said Merko Chairman of the Management Board Jaan Mäe.
The terminal will open in 2028 and will become a key transport hub in the Baltics, connecting railways, trams, buses and a direct connection to the airport. The project is financed by the EU Cohesion Fund and the Connecting Europe Mechanism.