Frequently asked questions

Rail Baltica is a high-speed, modern, electrified rail link connecting Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania, helping to mitigate climate impacts and reduce air pollution. Rail Baltica contributes to regional security and saves people time, while the train is 30 times safer than a car. With a track gauge of 1435 mm, the European rail line runs from Tallinn via Riga to the Lithuanian-Polish border, where it will connect with the European rail network. The total length of the railway in Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania will be 870 kilometres (213 in Estonia). As a wider corridor, Rail Baltica will cover Scandinavia to the north and Poland and Western Europe to the south. The railway infrastructure, including the interconnection network and traffic management systems, will be aligned with the rest of Europe's rail networks. Passenger trains will be able to run at speeds of up to 249 km/h and freight trains at up to 120 km/h. These speeds are optimal for combining passenger and freight services. Rail Baltica will be able to operate passenger trains of up to 400 metres in length and freight trains of up to 1050 metres in length, with a maximum permissible axle load of 25 tonnes.

Historically, Estonia has only been connected by rail to the east - the tracks still run to St Petersburg and Moscow. Until now, however, there has been no functioning rail link between Estonia and the rest of Europe. Rail Baltica connects Estonia with the countries of Central and Western Europe and gives passengers and goods a fast, safe and green way to move from north to south and vice versa.

The current track gauge in Estonia is 1520/1524 mm, which was used during the tsarist era. Rail Baltica will be built with the most common track gauge in Europe, 1435 mm. The current railways in Estonia are designed or reconstructed for speed limits of no more than 140 km/h, generally between 100-120 km/h and 80 km/h for freight trains. Rail Baltica has a speed limit of 249 km/h for passenger trains and 120 km/h for freight trains. There will be no level crossings along the Rail Baltica route and the track will be fenced off to prevent people and animals from crossing. Rail Baltica will be equipped with a new and modern train control system with continuous automatic information exchange between the control centre and the rolling stock. In addition, Rail Baltica will generate less noise and vibration than the existing railway.

The earliest date for the launch of the triple train service between Poland and the rest of Europe is 2030. In 2030, construction of the railway (including local stops) will be completed and the test period will start
In 2025, the entire main line will be covered by construction contracts
In 2025, construction of the Rail Baltica Pärnu passenger terminal will start
In 2024, construction of the main line will start
In 2023, construction of the Rail Baltica Ülemiste joint terminal will start
In 2019, construction of the Rail Baltica Ülemiste joint terminal will start. construction of railway facilities
2019 design of passenger terminals started
2018 preliminary design of the railway for the whole of Estonia was completed in full and technical design started
2017 land acquisition started
2012 regional planning was initiated to determine the location of the railway line

The two parallel pairs of tracks, including the protection zone, cover 66 metres. The fenced area is a maximum of 45 metres wide, depending on the area, and the width of the railway embankment, with the tracks on it, is a maximum of 15 metres (except in station areas). The corridor is significantly wider (up to 350 metres), as it must take into account the possible need to shift the alignment and accommodate all associated infrastructure, including service and access roads, overpasses and footbridges, and eco-ducts. By way of comparison, when planning a four-lane motorway, the corridor is generally about twice as wide, with a 150-metre wide road and protection zone. The barrier effect of the railway on the natural and human environment is generally lower than for a four-lane road with fencing.

As Rail Baltica is a joint project between three countries, in general both the cost and the cost-benefit are estimated for the whole trans-Baltic railway. The total cost of building a new railway line through the three Baltic States is estimated at €15.3 billion by the end of 2030, of which, depending on the nature of the works, up to 85% is expected to be contributed by the European Union. The cost of building the Estonian part of Rail Baltica is estimated at around €3.1 billion. The cost-benefit analysis, updated in 2024, shows that the cost of the project has changed compared to five years ago, but that the socio-economic benefits will exceed the costs in the long term, provided that the pace of construction is maintained and all three countries find optimisation opportunities. The price is more accurate than before, as dozens of eco-docks, animal and pedestrian tunnels have been added during the design process, the Pärnu freight station and the Soodevahe freight station have been added to the project, and the number and solution of local stops have been clarified.

The Connecting Europe Facility (CEF) is specifically designed for projects that aim to create better cross-border connections in Europe. CEF funds cannot be used for national projects, so it is not possible to use them to plan roads or local rail lines. For the Estonian part of the Rail Baltica project, the CEF, together with Estonia's national contribution, has so far allocated nearly €1.2 billion. CEF grants already allocated:
- In 2015, the three Baltic States submitted the first four applications with the joint undertaking for a total amount of €540 million, with Estonia and Latvia receiving the largest funding, €213 million and €291 million respectively. In 2016, Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania and the Tripartite Joint Undertaking submitted a second joint application to the European Commission for a total amount of €238 million, of which the European Union co-finances activities for €202 million. While the focus of the first funding was on the preparatory work in Estonia and Latvia, this time the bulk of the support went to Lithuania. - In 2018, €130 million of Connecting Europe Facility (CEF) funding was allocated to Rail Baltica, with CEF support of up to 85% of eligible costs, supporting the implementation of the project up to a maximum of €110 million. In 2020, Rail Baltica received an additional €184 million in CEF funding, which will be invested in the implementation of the project until 2024. Together with 15% national co-financing, the total investment for the additional funding of the project amounts to €216 million. With this grant agreement, Rail Baltica in the three Baltic States had received around €1.2 billion in grant funding from the EU and other national funds at that time. - In 2022, €350 million was allocated to the Rail Baltica project from the Connecting Europe Facility (CEF) under the first call of the new EU funding period 2021-2027, which, together with national co-financing from the three Baltic States, totals over €400 million. - In 2023, the Rail Baltica project received €928 million from the Connecting Europe Facility (CEF) under the second call for proposals for the EU 2021-2027 funding period, which together with national co-financing from the three Baltic States totals over €1.1 billion. - In 2024, the Rail Baltica project received €1.163 billion from the Connecting Europe Facility (CEF), which together with national co-financing from the three Baltic States totals €1.4 billion.

In selecting the rail route, priority was given to:
- location in relation to residential areas (buffer of at least 500 m)
- location in relation to Natura sites, protected areas and habitats of protected species
- location in relation to cemeteries, heritage sites and objects
- technical suitability of the route
- cost and socio-economic cost On the basis of the criteria assessed, the route options with the lowest negative effect across all impacts assessed were proposed. This included an initial analysis of route options that passed through Tartu. The experts' analysis showed that a rail route through Tartu would be significantly more expensive and would have a greater impact on both nature and people's way of life. The existing Tartu and Pärnu routes were also considered, but both would have required the reconstruction of the entire route to increase speeds, including making the curves steeper and demolishing a number of existing buildings and relocating utility networks, as well as avoiding Natura 2000 sites. Analyses have shown that the reconstruction would have been more expensive than building a new railway line.

In addition to freight and passenger transport, Rail Baltica also has a considerable security dimension. In the future, it will be possible to transport military equipment from Central and Western Europe without transhipment on a railway that meets European standards, which will significantly increase operational efficiency. In addition, high-speed rail will also be much more effective in situations requiring evacuation of the population in the event of any crisis.

As is the case for transport infrastructure projects in general, the expected benefits of rail are mainly socio-economic - passengers and freight shippers gain time, the likelihood of accidents is reduced, air pollution is reduced and negative climate impacts are reduced. In addition, there will be a potential reduction in congestion on the Tallinn-Pärnu-Ikla road, and thus lower costs for road maintenance and repair. Rail Baltica's maintenance costs are currently planned to be covered by user charges, and the business plan will need to be adjusted operationally if necessary. If road maintenance is largely paid for by taxpayers through the state budget, the railway could potentially be largely self-sustaining.

Rail Baltic Estonia OÜ is a local holding company representing Estonian interests in the Baltic joint venture AS RB Rail. The company's task is to organise and coordinate the procurement of the construction of the Rail Baltica railway line and related infrastructure (terminals, stations, freight depots, maintenance depot, etc.) in Estonia. Upon completion of the railway, Rail Baltic Estonia will become the operator of the Estonian part of the railway. The role of the joint venture AS RB Rail will be to coordinate the design of the railway throughout the Baltic States and the cross-border procurement required for the operation of the railway, as well as the procurement of the necessary components where economies of scale can be achieved. RB Rail AS is responsible for coordinating and submitting applications for Connecting Europe Facility funding to the European Commission.

Rail Baltica is planned to run 9-12 freight trains per day in both directions. The maximum speed of a freight train will be up to 120 km/h. More than 1 500 motor vehicles over 12 metres in length, or about 10 million tonnes of freight per year, cross the Estonian-Latvian border via Ikla every day, and these numbers have been increasing. On average, every tenth motor vehicle on Estonia's major main roads is a lorry, while on the Tallinn-Pärnu-Ikla road every fifth vehicle is a lorry. Over the last fifteen years, it is on this main road that traffic volumes have increased the most and there is reason to expect that, in the absence of alternatives, the trend will continue. For some goods and journeys, road transport will continue to have an advantage, but a significant proportion of goods can be lifted by rail, which is a safer, faster and more environmentally friendly way of transporting goods. It is expected that most freight will come by rail from road, but around 20% will also come from sea. Above all, the goods will be transit goods from the Nordic countries, mainly Finland, but also import goods arriving in the Baltic States, which today are mainly transported by road - for example, timber and wood products, iron and steel, food and beverages, various industrial goods, etc. - and will be transported by rail. Although the forecasts are still being updated, we believe that the total volume of goods transported on the Rail Baltica (Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania) could be in the range of 10-18 million tonnes per year in the early years, reaching a maximum of 25 million tonnes per year. In the North Sea - Baltic Sea corridor, of which Rail Baltica is part, the European Commission forecasts a 42% increase in road transport by 2030, assuming Rail Baltica is not completed. The additional transport volumes would mean the need to widen roads, which in the long term are much more environmentally damaging than electrified rail.

Rail Baltica is designed for a top speed of 249 km/h. Rail Baltica is planned to run around 8 passenger trains per day in both directions, one of which will also take passenger cars. In addition, the Rail Baltica will also be used by regional trains, which will have a maximum speed of 200 km/h. These trains will run at a maximum speed of 2.5 km/h. Planned running times of international passenger trains:
Tallinn-Pärnu 42 minutes
Tallinn-Riia 1 hour 42 minutes
Tallinn - Vilnius 3 hours 38 minutes
Tallinn - Warsaw 6 hours 47 minutes.

Rail Baltica international passenger terminals are planned in Tallinn Ülemiste and Pärnu in Estonia, Riga and Riga Airport in Latvia, and Panevežis, Kaunas and Vilnius in Lithuania. In addition, local stops for regional trains are planned on the railway. According to the current plan, the following stops of local importance will be added to the Estonian section of the line: Assaku, Luige, Saku, Kurtna, Kohila, Rapla, Järvakandi, Kaisma, Tootsi, Urge, Surju and Urissaare. The Rail Baltica freight terminal will be located in the port of Muuga, which will be the only Rail Baltica terminal with a direct connection to the freight port. In addition, there are plans for a freight station in Pärnu as well as in the Soodevahe area of Harju County.

High-speed cross-border rail connections are a European priority, and Rail Baltica's wider aim is to bring European cities closer together in time-space. At the same time, it has now been decided at national level that local trains of regional importance will be brought on the railway, with stops at Assaku, Luige, Saku, Kurtna, Kohila, Rapla, Järvakandi, Kaisma, Tootsi, Urge, Surju and Urissaare.

The choice of the location of the railway line has been open to all, including local residents whose lives are most affected by the proximity of the railway. The route of the link through Pärnu towards Riga was agreed as part of the Estonia 2030+ national planning process, following extensive discussions involving many groups in society. It was drafted and organised by the Planning Department of the Ministry of the Interior, and everyone was able to participate in the discussions. The participatory process was extensive, with discussions held with civil associations, local residents, local authorities and experts. The planning was adopted by the Government of the Republic on 30 August 2012 and the basic Rail Baltica route was set out. The more detailed route was laid down in the framework of the regional planning process, which involved 86 different public consultations between 2013 and 2017, with the participation of more than 4,000 people. Consultations were carried out in all the municipalities crossed by Rail Baltica during the preparation of the preliminary design. In 2021, the Supreme Court annulled a section of about 40 kilometres of the line in Southern Parnu County, which was previously included in the regional plans. In 2023, new environmental impact assessments were completed for this section, and a new optimal route corridor was selected at the end of 2023, subject to public consultations in 2024, so that an updated county plan with a suitable Rail Baltica route could be adopted in 2025.

From the outset, the route options were designed to avoid areas with existing buildings. However, it is likely that the railway will extend the usual routes in some areas. Sufficient under- and overpasses will be provided to mitigate the 'barrier effect' of the railway, including light traffic routes and access to agricultural and forestry land. Feedback from local people on actual needs has been taken into account in the design of the detailed solutions. In particular, accessibility to public services, community cohesion and security will be maintained. The contractor is responsible for the condition of local roads during construction and must ensure that they are restored to pre-construction condition when construction is completed.

The train speed is generally not limited when passing residential buildings. The track is restricted and access to it is made difficult for safety reasons. The disruptive effects of a fast passing train are reduced by various other mitigation measures.

Already in the comparison of the route options, rescue capacity was taken into account, and a more detailed analysis will be carried out in cooperation with the Rescue Board. Where necessary, underpasses, overpasses and additional access roads will be built to maintain or improve rescue capacity.

Rail Baltica's infrastructure is newer and of a higher quality than the existing railways in Estonia, which means that there will be significantly less noise. Measures to mitigate noise are already planned in the early stages of the infrastructure construction. Noise barriers will be installed, among other things, already during the construction phase of the railway, in order to reduce the noise generated by construction works. In addition, further mitigation measures, such as the planting of tall vegetation, will be implemented to reduce the impact of the railway on both animal and human habitats. Noise from the planned activities will be assessed on the basis of the noise standards in force in Estonia (Regulation No 42 of the Minister of Social Affairs of 4 March 2002 on "Noise Standards in Residential and Recreational Areas, Dwellings and Buildings in Communal Use and Methods of Measuring Noise Levels"), which are based on the protection of human health and the minimisation of disturbance. In rural areas, stricter standards are used than in urban areas where noise disturbance already exists.

Rail Baltica's infrastructure is newer and of a higher quality than existing railways, which means that there will be significantly less vibration from the outset. Vibration mitigation measures such as soil drainage, vibration mats and other modern technical solutions will reduce the transmission of vibrations from the rails to the ground. Vibration levels in residential areas must be ensured in accordance with Regulation No 78 of the Minister of Social Affairs of 01.06.2002 on "Vibration limit values in residential and communal buildings and methods of measuring vibration". The zone of influence of vibration is generally 30-50 metres, in exceptional cases up to 100 metres. If the standard values are expected to be exceeded, measures shall be taken to prevent the propagation of vibration.

The route options were pre-selected on the basis of the principle that the railway line does not generally pass through heritage sites and objects, and the route options were developed in close cooperation with the Heritage Board. With regard to historical and heritage values, a cultural heritage survey and an archaeological survey were carried out, taking into account the values of cultural monuments, heritage sites and sites identified in the general plans of the regional and local authorities. Close cooperation has been established with archaeologists to ensure that no important historical or heritage sites remain on the railway line.

There are no restrictions on agricultural activity, nor is there any direct legal regulation on the height of trees, although the owner may be required to clear the forest if there is a risk. According to the law, the construction of land drainage systems, the extraction of minerals, excavation work, forest clearance or other work that alters the natural environment, the production and storage of flammable substances and explosives may only be carried out in the railway protection zone with the prior written consent of the Technical Inspection Authority and the relevant infrastructure manager or the owner or keeper of the railway. The Railway Act does not impose any further restrictions.

The planning and construction of the railway will be carried out in close cooperation with the electricity network operator, who will determine the necessary protection zones and technical solutions at the railway crossing. All costs incurred by the power line operator will be compensated within the Rail Baltica project and there will be no increase in line charges.

During the construction period, there will undoubtedly be an impact on local residents, and various factors will have to be taken into account, such as an increase in traffic density on local roads, changes to traffic management and, in extreme cases, the temporary closure of road(s). Construction activities will also potentially result in an increase in the noise footprint and, depending on the time of year, there may be wear and tear on road surfaces due to increased traffic. However, care will be taken during the construction period to minimise potential negative impacts. The contractor is responsible for the condition of local roads during construction and must ensure that they are restored to pre-construction condition at the end of construction.

There is an information board next to each construction site, where you can find the contact details of the company/site manager carrying out the work. In addition, information on construction-related activities (e.g. changes to traffic management) is also published in local and regional newspapers. Operationally, we will also try to provide updates on the Rail Baltic Estonia website and social media channels. In addition, local residents can also contact their local authorities or Rail Baltic Estonia by writing to:
1) For general questions about the project: info@rbe.ee
2) For construction-related questions in Harjumaa: harju@rbe.ee
3) For construction-related questions in Rapla County: raplamaa@rbe.ee
4) For construction-related questions in Pärnumaa: parnu@rbe.ee.

Land for the railway will be purchased just where the exact location of the infrastructure is in place. In total, the state needs more than a thousand parcels of land. Most of the land to be purchased is agricultural land in areas of scattered settlement, while residential land will only be purchased on a case-by-case basis, and the state plans to buy up to 5 residential buildings. Nearly a fifth of the land needed has already been owned by the state, but this will also require specific parcels of land to be earmarked for rail infrastructure. An offer will be made to the landowner on the basis of the value determined by a professional real estate valuer or on the basis of a calculated value for a forested property. During the negotiations, the wishes of the owners will be heard and the conditions of the land acquisition will be specified, including the location of the swap site, the logging or harvesting of the land. If the owner's wishes are justified and an agreement is reached on the acquisition of the land, a contract is concluded or a decision is taken to proceed with the land readjustment. All costs related to the acquisition of the land are paid by the State. Negotiations so far show that 70 percent of property owners prefer to buy the land for cash, and that in such a sale agreement the state will also pay them an additional compensation, or incentive fee, which is usually 20 percent of the value of the property. At the same time, properties have also been exchanged, boundaries have been changed by the state through land readjustment and plots have been re-plotted.

Rail Baltica is an electrified railway, which means that travelling by train leaves a smaller ecological footprint than travelling by car, bus, boat or plane. One of the objectives of Rail Baltica is to reduce air pollution from the transport sector by offering the freight and passenger fleet currently travelling by road the opportunity to move to electrified rail. The route options have been pre-selected on the basis of the principle that, in general, the railway should not cross Natura areas, ensuring the protection of priority species and habitat types and minimum disturbance. For all alignment options, a natural heritage study was carried out under the supervision of researchers from the University of Tartu, which provides information on the existing situation and potential conflict areas. Protected species, protected areas, large mammals, medium-sized mammals and bats were the main areas to be studied. The study also mapped animal movement routes and proposed mitigation measures (eco-bridges and solutions for smaller animals). Mitigation measures:
- Eco-bridges, tunnels and culverts will be built along key corridors and animal routes in the green corridors, together with access facilities.
- Passages for amphibians, reptiles and small mammals (rodents) unable to climb over the tracks will be provided every 25-50 metres. These will be simple race-like openings. - During and after the construction of the railway, efforts will be made to preserve ecologically valuable feeding and habitat areas. - To ensure the protection of watercourses and wetlands, geotextile will be used for the storage of construction materials to avoid potential silt contamination. In the vicinity of natural wetlands, special attention will be paid to maintaining water regimes that are important for vegetation and habitats. - Noise barriers, such as those near teddy bear play areas, will be provided to meet the needs of the natural environment. - In forests, construction activities shall be avoided during the main breeding season of animals and birds, from April to June. - After the construction of the railway line, nature surveys will continue to be carried out in order to detect unforeseen impacts. If necessary, additional measures will be implemented.

More than 30 eco-bridges are planned along the Estonian section of Rail Baltica, as well as other mitigation measures such as embankment tracks on railway bridges, grass bridges that animals can use to cross the railway safely. In addition, around 100 passages are planned for small animals and amphibians. The eco-bridges are for animals only, and people are not welcome to visit them even before the railway is completed, as they may scare off timid forest dwellers.

Maintaining the water regime of surface water and groundwater is important both for human water supply and for the protection of natural communities and the preservation of agricultural and economic land use conditions. Only a solution that does not disturb the water regime in the areas adjacent to the route can be acceptable for the design and construction of the railway line. More detailed geological studies of the route, including water regime issues, are a mandatory part of the design work.

There is no single answer to this question, but it is not necessary to open additional mines in Estonia just to build Rail Baltica. Although it is estimated that 7.42 million cubic metres of backfill will be needed for the construction of the embankment of the Estonian section of the Rail Baltica route, plus the volume of the embankments of the surrounding roads, secondary or recycled materials (e.g. previously excavated soil) will also be used as backfill where possible. From the point of view of construction material logistics, aggregates could be brought from up to 50 km from the axis of the route.