RB Rail and the European Climate, Infrastructure and Environment Executive Agency (CINEA) signed a EUR 928 million CEF grant agreement for Rail Baltica project bringing the entire financing to more than EUR 1.1 billion, combined with the national co-financing.
“Awarding of an impressive CEF grant of almost EUR 930 million is giving a further push to the implementation of Rail Baltica. The global project is now entering into its main construction phase in all three Baltic States, hence we trust the beneficiaries will also implement this important European project in due time,” Morten Jensen, Head of Unit at CINEA, said.
The planned financing agreements will support numerous key activities, including the construction of railway substructures, civil engineering structures, service – access roads, and road crossings for multiple sections in Estonia, including the sections from Loone to Alu, Harju/Rapla county border to Loone, Parila, Juula, Alu road crossings, and others.
The activities also entail the construction of railway substructure, civil engineering structures, and service – access roads from Ülemiste to Soodevahe, construction supervision services, as well as land acquisition and related procedures for the mainline in Estonia.
In Latvia, the funding from this call will be used for the continuation of construction works in the main sections of the Rail Baltica project at both international stations. This includes the construction of viaducts and access platforms at the Rail Baltica Riga Central Hub, the relocation of the existing 1520mm gauge tracks to the southern side of the newly constructed station, the construction of the railway viaduct near Riga International Airport terminal, and the elevation of station platforms. Additionally, funding is allocated for the acquisition and design of real estate properties, the establishment of the construction base in Iecava, and the construction and supervision works of the main track outside Riga.
In Lithuania, funding will be used for the construction of the railway embankment and its structures from Kaunas towards the border with Latvia including the construction of the embankment and engineering structures, access service roads in the sections of Kaunas – Šveicarija and Šėta – Ramygala, the preparatory works, the technical supervision, the risk and safety assessment, the conformity assessment and the other activities related to the railway construction.
The additional funding will also be used for land acquisition activities in two sections: the Kaunas railway junction and the Kaunas-Lithuania-Poland border section.
The horizontal global project activities include the implementation of the delivery phase for consolidated material management supply, the implementation of the railway infrastructure sustainability framework, the continuity of IT infrastructure and solutions implementation, and Shadow Operator services for Rail Baltica, among others.
Together with this latest CEF grant agreement for Rail Baltica, the secured co-financing will support the construction activities covering approximately the first 130 km of the Rail Baltica mainline. The substantial amount of financing for the Rail Baltica global project will be added to the existing funding of over EUR 1.6 billion secured for the implementation of Rail Baltica from CEF and national funding. Together with the recently approved additional financing, Rail Baltica has secured approximately EUR 2.7 billion from CEF and national funding. Updated Cost-Benefit Analysis, planned by the end of 2024, to reassess the project’s socio-economic benefits, secure funding, and optimize project delivery.
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