Two tenders have been announced for Rail Baltica in Estonia, worth a maximum of €932m.

One involves the construction of superstructure for the Ülemiste–Pärnu section of track and substructure for the Tootsi–Pärnu section.

The other includes the design and construction of a line between the city of Pärnu and Ikla,on the border with Latvia. When completed, this section will mark the completion Rail Baltica’s mainline.

Vladimir Svet, Estonia’s minister of infrastructure, said: “Rail Baltica is more than a regional project; it connects Estonia and the Baltic states to Europe’s extensive rail network, creating new opportunities for economic growth and improving mobility across the continent.

“Although we often discuss Rail Baltica in terms of passenger and freight transport, its role as a strategic backbone for military mobility on Nato’s eastern flank has become increasingly significant given Russia’s aggressive war in Ukraine.”

Construction of Rail Baltica’s mainline will take place in stages, with construction to start in 2026 and finish in 2030.

Earlier this year, it was revealed by state auditors that the high-speed corridor connecting Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania to Poland and the European rail network could end up costing as much as €24.8bn,. The original price tag for the 870km line in 2017 was €5.8bn.