GRK has won a major railway project in Estonia. Rail Baltic Estonia has chosen GRK and Merko Ehitus eesti to construct the railway embankment between Saku and the border of Harju and Rapla County. The value of the project is approximately EUR 59,9 million.
During the Rail Baltica project, a new, approximately 870 kilometres long railway connection from Estonia to Poland will be constructed. In Estonia, the Rail Baltica railway will be approximately 213 kilometres long. The railway runs from Tallinn via Pärnu, Riga and Panevėžys to Poland.
The construction of the Rail Baltica project has been divided into several different projects that will be carried out at the same time. Rail Baltic Estonia, the client in Estonia, has tendered the projects related to the construction of the railway embankment in the summer of 2024.
Rail Baltic Estonia signed an agreement on the Harju County railway section with GRK on 26 August 2024. In practice, GRK and its partner Merko Ehitus Eesti are building a railway embankment of approximately 10.5 kilometres, but the project also includes numerous other parts, such as railway bridges, a green bridge and a pedestrian tunnel. GRK’s share of the contract is 49%, i.e. 29,4 million euros.
“This is a historic project to which we can contribute our diverse expertise. During the project, GRK and Merko will implement the superstructure, substructure and foundation structures and railway-related structures between Saku and the border of Harju County,” says GRK’s CEO Juha Toimela.
“This is one of GRK Estonia’s most significant infrastructure projects. We do this together with our partner Merko . The planning phase of Harju County IV main line section will begin in September 2024 and ends in February 2025, and the construction work will begin in March 2025 and last until August 2027. This adds a significant amount to our company’s order book,” says Tiit Roben, Chief Executive Officer of GRK Eesti AS.
“Good cooperation is an inevitable prerequisite for the high-quality completion of every project. Constructive communication with the customer, supportive and solution-oriented cooperation with partners and contractors – these are the foundations of success. Extensive and complicated work begins. I believe that the next four years will pass in a fast-paced and cooperative rhythm,” says Jaan Mäe, Chairman of the Managing Board of Merko Ehitus Eesti.
In practice, GRK and Merko are building the Rail Baltica Harju County main line section between Saku and the border of Harju and Rapla County. In addition to the railway embankment, the work includes drainage, various drums, support walls, fences, cable ducts wells, noice barriers, maintenance and access roads. In addition to these, the project will include three railway bridges, a green bridge and a pedestrian tunnel.
From Estonia to Poland quickly by rail
Numerous infrastructure projects are under way in Estonia on the railway side. When the new Rail Baltica is being built, it will also affect other traffic arrangements in connection with the future railway and the current and future station areas.
GRK is involved in several projects related to Rail Baltica. In April 2023, Rail Baltic Estonia selected GRK to construct the new Ülemiste railway station area and its surrounding area in Tallinn for the upcoming passenger terminal.
GRK is currently carrying out a significant transport project, in which a multi-level junction as well as several bridges crossing the railway tracks of Rail Baltica will be built in Kangru, near Tallinn.