A joint venture between Estonian contractors Järelpinge Inseneribüroo and Verston has been chosen to build a 16km section of the Rail Baltica train line linking the Estonian municipalities of Kohila and Rapla.

The work, which is worth €107m, includes a two-part contract to construct a 9.4km section of track from Rapla’s border with Harju county to the village of Loone in the Kohila municipality. It also includes road viaducts, a pedestrian tunnel and preparatory works for Kohila station.

The second phase of the deal involves a 7.1km-long railway embankment, a railway bridge, two railway viaducts and a road viaduct, as well as the construction of 10km of maintenance and access roads.

The contracts are 85% funded by the Connecting Europe Facility, an EU fund. Construction is due to begin by this summer and to be completed in autumn 2027.

Anvar Salomets, Rail Baltica Estonia’s chief executive, said: “This year, we anticipate finalising contracts or even commencing actual construction activities on approximately 50km of the Rail Baltica mainline in Estonia.”

Rail Baltica is an 870km rail line that is intended to integrate the Baltic States into the European rail network by creating a connection between Tallinn and Warsaw. The railway will accommodate passenger trains travelling up to 249km/h and freight trains at 120km/h.