New Riga Central Station Completes Its Southern Façade

New Riga Central Station has reached its designed architectural form after workers completed the southern façade and glazed roof, while main construction on three passenger platforms is also complete.

A 1,500 m² envelope designed for Latvian winters

Rail Baltica’s official construction update⁠ puts the completed glazed area at 1,500 square metres. The façade combines glass structures and architectural details with mounting points for fire-protection equipment and industrial rope-access maintenance.

The façade and roof glazing units were manufactured in Italy and underwent load and quality testing there. The tests covered exposure to air and water as well as mechanical impact, confirming that the structures meet the durability requirements for Latvia’s climate, including severe winters.

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Three platforms complete main construction

Main construction on the three new passenger platforms finished in June 2026. Access routes are in place, and lifts at both ends of each platform provide direct access from ground level.

New canopies run along the platform area to the Timoteja Street entrance and exit, with glazed details that connect their design to the station building. Platform surfaces use European-made porcelain tiles with an R11 slip-resistance rating. They are intended for outdoor use and provide grip in dry and wet conditions, while their durability and low maintenance requirements suit areas with heavy passenger traffic.

Inside the station, finishing work continues alongside the integration of engineering equipment, safety systems and utility networks. BERERIX has also started work on the southern square and adjacent paving; planting and landscaping are scheduled when seasonal conditions allow.

Funding and commissioning remain separate milestones

An earlier official project update⁠ places the planned value of the financing agreement for the southern section at EUR 138,699,855.80. That comprises EUR 114,627,980 from the Recovery Fund and EUR 24,071,875.80 from Latvia’s state budget.

The agreement, signed in November 2025, requires the listed major works to be completed by 31 August 2026, when a certificate of substantial completion is due.

The completed platforms do not yet represent an operational opening. The southern part can function fully as a passenger station only after the associated 1520 mm-gauge railway infrastructure is finished, with full commissioning currently linked to work planned for mid-2028. The July milestone therefore records physical construction progress, while interior systems and railway infrastructure are still required before full passenger use.