Tallinn’s Ülemiste station reached a major milestone early this morning as passenger trains were directed to a brand-new platform – the first completed section of Rail Baltica’s northern gateway, the Ülemiste Linda Terminal, has been taken into use.
The new platform, measuring 230 meters in length and 9.3 meters in width, is part of the infrastructure being developed by Rail Baltic Estonia. Until now, Elron trains operated from older platforms partially located in the same area. With today’s change, passenger services have been moved to the new platform, where travellers can already get a glimpse of the future travel experience through modern design and improved accessibility.
“The construction of Estonia’s first passenger terminal and transport hub built to meet international standards is underway,” said Anvar Salomets, Chairman of the Management Board at Rail Baltic Estonia. “The Ülemiste terminal is unique in the region – in the future, it will connect two railway gauges, 1520 mm and 1435 mm, as well as tram lines, pedestrian and cycling paths, and a bus terminal with six bays. Today marks the completion of the first phase, in which new passenger facilities have been established.”
The Ülemiste Linda Terminal is scheduled for completion in 2028. It was designed by the London-based architecture office Zaha Hadid Architects in collaboration with Estonian firm Esplan. The sculptural building will span over Suur-Sõjamäe Street, rise to a height of 20 meters, and integrate Rail Baltica’s high-speed line with Elron’s local services, Tallinn Airport, tram lines, bus routes, and pedestrian and cycling infrastructure.
This is also a landmark moment for Elron. “Faster and more convenient connections supported by modern infrastructure are exactly what our 8 million annual passengers expect,” said Lauri Betlem, Chairman of the Management Board at Elron. “There’s also great anticipation for new routes and destinations – connections to Pärnu, Riga, Kaunas, and Warsaw. Linda Terminal will become the hub where all these routes converge and connect seamlessly with the airport. For passengers, this will represent a new level of travel, both logistically and in terms of experience – an attractive solution that will encourage people to shift from road to rail and meet their mobility needs in a more sustainable way.”
The construction of the terminal is the largest infrastructure project of its kind in Estonia. It is being carried out in stages and train service will continue uninterrupted throughout the building period. Once Rail Baltica is completed and operational in 2030, the first high-speed train between Tallinn and Warsaw will depart from Linda Terminal.
The construction of Ülemiste Terminal is co-financed by the European Union Cohesion Fund (CF) and the Connecting Europe Facility (CEF).
About Rail Baltica
Rail Baltica is one of the largest high-speed rail projects in Europe and is part of the Trans-European Transport Network. It aims to improve connectivity, strengthen regional security and support economic growth in the Baltic states. The new railway will link Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania with Poland and, indirectly, with Finland, as well as with the broader European rail network.
Rail Baltica will be fully electrified with a standard gauge of 1435 mm and it will be equipped with ERTMS (European Rail Traffic Management System). It has been designed to meet European standards. With a design speed of 249 km/h, Rail Baltica will reduce travel times between the Baltic states and major European cities by more than half. It will serve as a modern infrastructure for passenger, freight and military mobility, promoting accessibility and facilitating business, tourism and cultural exchange. Rail Baltica will help establish the Baltics as a key link in European trade and cooperation.
About RB Rail AS
RB Rail AS is a multinational joint venture between Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania established to lead and coordinate the implementation of the Rail Baltica Global Project, the first infrastructure development project of this scale in the Baltic region. Find out more about the Rail Baltica global project at www.railbaltica.org
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