Currently, 103 kilometers of the "Rail Baltica" railway line from Tallinn to the Latvian border are in active construction in Estonia.
As the construction approaches Pärnu, preparations for the next stage are already underway, and geological work is being conducted south of Pärnu. It is planned that logging and earthworks in this area will begin in 2026.
As noted by the chairman of the board of "Rail Baltica Estonia" Anvar Salomets, the project is economically beneficial for the state, as every euro invested in construction returns in the form of tax revenues.
The project in Estonia is expected to be completed by 2030. In specific figures, the construction estimate for "Rail Baltica" in Estonia in 2026 will amount to nearly 500 million euros.
"Rail Baltica" is an international project, but the pace of its implementation varies across the Baltic countries. Latvia is currently lagging behind its neighbors, and this issue was discussed at the level of the prime ministers of the Baltic states in December last year. Latvia confirmed that it will build its section of the route by 2030. As noted by Estonian Prime Minister Kristen Michal, this is a positive signal.
"The section of the route towards Estonia is actively being planned, and this is very positive news for us. If we look at the map, we see that thanks to this connection, Europe will become much more accessible to us. And I believe that the Latvian government will act very purposefully and successfully." Latvian Prime Minister Evika Silina previously stated that everything possible is being done to ensure that work on the Latvian section progresses.
This is also confirmed by Anvar Salomets, who notes that Latvia has begun construction of the main route: "Latvia has started building its main route. The initial strategy was to focus on the Central Station and Riga Airport, but now it is also working on the railways on the main route from south to north."
