On 12 April, AS Merko Ehitus Eesti, part of the listed Estonian construction group AS Merko Ehitus, and KMG Infra OU signed a design and construction contract with Rail Baltic Estonia for the construction of the first stage of the Rail Baltic Ülemiste terminal. The cost of the contract is 44.8 million euros, which is up to date the largest signed contract for Rail Baltica construction works in Estonia.
“Development of the Rail Baltica railway and related infrastructure objects will accelerate significantly this year. I am glad that we have reached the conclusion of the second construction contract for such a complex and significant transport centre as the Ülemiste joint terminal, which will result in the completion of the underground part of the new terminal building,” said Anvar Salomets, Chairman of the Board at Rail Baltic Estonia, national implementing body of Rail Baltica project in Estonia.
Salomets also added that the first construction works in the Ülemiste surrounding are expected to commence in the coming months, but their impact on the train traffic operations will be minimal. The works will be carried out in stages and the completion of the final stage is planned for the end of 2026.
Last week, a construction contract amounted to 27.2 million euros was signed with GRK Eesti AS and GRK Suomi OY for the reconstruction of the railway infrastructure. In addition, the design work of the northern outdoor areas of the Ülemiste joint terminal has also started. “As the next step, we want to announce tenders for the construction of the areas surrounding the terminal and for the construction of the terminal building in 2024,” Salomets explained.
“Together with our partners from KMG Infra, we are happy to lay the foundation for Estonia’s most significant and unique public transport hub, where travellers will have an opportunity to meet within a short tram ride, by train, by air, or by land. In the future, the Ülemiste terminal will be the start, end and intermediate station for many Estonians and our guests,” said Ivo Volkov, Chairman of the Management Board, AS Merko Ehitus Eesti.
The signed contract with Merko Ehitus Eesti and KMG Infra includes construction of the load bearing structures under the railway of the Ülemiste joint terminal, as a result of which the concrete part of the future underground floor of the terminal, which will be named “Linda”, and other underground communications necessary for railway facilities will be built. Construction of structures will commence after demolition of the existing railway and must be completed before the construction of new railways, requiring close cooperation from the contractors building the infrastructure and the terminal.Estimated cost of the construction procurement was 66.5 million euros.
The volume of the contract signed with the winning bidders, who made the best offer, is 44.8 million euros (+VAT). Up to 85 percent of the project will be funded by the Connecting Europe Facility (CEF).
OÜ Reaalprojekt and OÜ AllSpark carried out the design work of the Ülemiste railway infrastructure. The author and designer of the architectural solution of the Ülemiste terminal are Zaha Hadid Architects and ESPLAN OÜ.