Rail Baltic Estonia awarded Verston and Järelpinge Inseneribüroo joint venture a EUR 70.8 million contract for the construction of Soodevahe – Kangru rail section situated in , a rural Parish municipality in northern Estonia.
The project covers a 9.2 km section partially running through a trench up to 10 meters below ground level.
The Soodevahe – Kangru rail section is one of the most unique in terms of construction. It is the only part of the route where the train will travel in a trench for a total of 5 kilometers. The trench resembles the Lasnamäe canal, with natural limestone walls rising on both sides of the track. The railway will run through a trench that varies in width from 55 to 75 meters, with the deepest point being 10 meters from ground level to the tracks.
On the section of the main line, the Tallinn – Tartu highway viaduct has already been completed. In November, in addition to the Põrguvälja viaduct, a viaduct for technical networks located nearby will also be completed. By the end of the year, the railway bridge over the Vaskjala – Ülemiste canal and the Rae highway viaduct will also be finished.
This section of the route will include the important Assaku stop for Rae parish. The parish plans to develop a transport hub in Assaku, where county buses will also stop in addition to the train. As part of the contract, platforms will be built in the trench, with structural supports for crossings, up to the platform level. The remaining part of the station will be constructed later under a separate contract when work on the railway superstructure is carried out.
The duration of the construction contract is 40 months, meaning the Soodevahe – Kangru rail section of the main route must be completed by January 2028. The construction contract is financed by the Connecting Europe Facility (CEF) and the Estonian state budget.
The Chairman of the Management Board of Rail Baltic Estonia, Anvar Salomets, said that the company aim “is to reach agreements and begin construction on at least one-third of Estonia’s 213-km Rail Baltica main line this year, meaning contracts for 70 km.
To date, contracts have been signed or construction is underway for 65 km of the main line in Estonia.
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