The contract for the construction of Rail Baltica station and the related infrastructure at Riga airport has been signed with the consortium B.S.L. Infra, which consists of Swietelsky AG and Latvian construction companies such as the road construction company SIA Binders and AS LNK Industries.
“Construction of the second most important section of Rail Baltica now will begin in Latvia. The construction of both Rail Baltica international stations and regional stations along with the associated infrastructure will be the largest constructions in the coming years, creating hundreds of jobs,” said Kaspars Vingris, the chairman of the board of Eiropas Dzelzceļa līnijas, the implementing body of Rail Baltica in Latvia.
EUR 236.96 million is the total amount of the contract, excluding VAT.
The construction works will start in May and will be carried out in five stages until December 2025. The first stage of work, construction of Rail Baltica railway infrastructure from the railway station Imanta to the Riga international airport, as well as the construction of the station terminal, will have to be completed by April 2023.
“Implementation of large infrastructure projects has significant added value. The signing of the construction contract is a positive signal to stimulate the economy, creating hundreds of new jobs over the next five years and boosting national GDP growth. Investments in infrastructure will strengthen Riga’s position as a Baltic aviation hub. This way, ensuring accessible traffic between Riga and other regions of Latvia. In addition, residents of Lithuania and Estonia will also have easier access to the Riga Airport than currently,” Latvian Minister of Transport Tālis Linkaits said.
Under the project, a three-level station building, overpass structures, and access roads with related infrastructure will be constructed. The first floor or ground level of the new station building will provide easy access to the station and airport complex, and will benefit new access roads, car and bicycle parking lots, stairs, escalators, and elevators to get to other floors of the station.
The project includes a green corridor for the passengers, an area for the flow of passengers both from and to the airport terminal, including those who will arrive at the airport by car, public transport or bicycle.
On the 2nd level of the Rail Baltica station will be a comfortable, spacious, and bright lounge area and waiting rooms for passengers, ticket vending machines and ticket offices, information stands.
On the 3rd level of the station, there will be a stop for the high-speed train and shuttle from the center of Riga. To make it easier to get to the required level from the passenger platforms, several escalators and elevators will be available to access the floors beneath to use the waiting rooms or to go to the airport terminal. Near the station new access roads for car and bicycle traffic, a parking lot, bicycle parking lots, electric car charging stations will also be created.
The next stage of work will be the creation of the facade of the station building, carried out by respecting the traditions of Latvian wooden architecture, hence wood has been chosen as the dominant element of the station facade and facade finishing works. Additionally, for this stage mechanical systems, interior decoration and improvements will be created.
The project also involves the construction of an overpass to Riga and Jaunmarupe. For the railway to take up less space, Rail Baltica tracks and the station at the Riga airport will be located on the railway overpass, which will be about 10 meters high. In addition, an embankment and a 113 m long railway crossing over K. Ulmaņa gatve will be constructed.
In the final phase, construction works will be carried out for two railway tracks which will allow high-speed trains to run four times a day and a shuttle train every 30 minutes connecting the airport and the Riga Central Station. This will allow passengers to reach the center of the capital from the airport in only 8 minutes.
The construction will be based on the project by the consortium from three countries PROSIV Syntagma (Italy), Prodex (Slovakia) and Vector T (Latvia).
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