Rail Baltica Shortlists Five Consortia for Mainline Construction in Estonia

Rail Baltica shortlists five consortia for its Estonian mainline project, marking a significant milestone. The selected groups bring technical expertise, financial capacity, and project experience to this initiative. This was reported by the railway transport news portal Railway Supply.

Key Consortia Selected for Rail Baltica Mainline

The infrastructure initiative aims to connect Estonia, Latvia, and Lithuania with Europe’s high-speed rail system. Rail Baltica promises travel speeds up to 249km/h along a route spanning 870km.

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The project receives funding from the European Union and the Estonian government budget. Among the chosen groups, Bouygues Travaux Public, Budimex, Ingérop Conseil et Ingénierie, KMG Infra, and WSP Finland stand out.

GRK Eesti AS, GRK Suomi, AS Merko Ehitus Eesti, NGE Contracting, Sweco Finland, and Sweco Sverige make up another selected team. Leonhard Weiss, INF Infra, Leonhard Weiss, Ramboll Danmark, and Skepast & Puhkim represent the third consortium.

Next Steps in Rail Baltica’s Procurement Process

Verston Eesti, GoTrack, Jarelpinge Inseneriburoo, and Reaalprojekt form the fourth consortium. Vinci Construction GeoInfrastructure, AS TREV-2 Grupp, Dodin Campenon Bernard, and SYSTRA complete the lineup as the fifth group.

Rail Baltica’s next steps include reviewing initial proposals and holding contract discussions with shortlisted consortia. Additional stages involve workshops and final proposal submissions before securing agreements by early 2025.

The overall procurement process could total €932m ($983.4m), including strategic material procurement. The initial mainline contract, worth €394m ($415.7m), focuses on the railway superstructure for the Ulemiste–Parnu section and Tootsi–Parnu substructure.

A second contract, valued at €332m ($350.3m), covers the full design and construction of the Parnu–Ikla railway. The phased contracts aim to streamline the project’s execution and enhance strategic resource allocation.

Earlier this year, Rail Baltica signed two additional contracts valued at €107m ($115m). These agreements cover two adjacent sections of track spanning 16km in Estonia, marking progress in the multi-national railway project.

Rail Baltica’s comprehensive approach highlights its commitment to timely delivery and fostering regional connectivity. The collaboration between governments and private entities ensures the project’s scope remains ambitious but achievable.

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