Rail Baltica Launches €41.33M Depot Design, Build Bids

A public procurement for the design and construction of a rolling stock depot for the Rail Baltica corridor has been initiated for a site in the Soodevahe area of Harju County, Estonia. The facility is intended to provide all maintenance, repair, and operational services for the high-speed line. Estonia’s national passenger rail operator, Elron, has been identified as the first lessee for the completed infrastructure.

The estimated value for the design and construction contract is €41.33 million, excluding VAT. The procurement timeline requires bid submissions by March 10, 2026. Construction is scheduled to commence in late 2026, with a target completion and handover date set for the fourth quarter of 2028.

Technical plans for the depot specify a capacity to service six high-speed trains or twelve regional train units at the same time. The design includes eight indoor lines with a total usable length of 1,380 meters, supplemented by six outdoor lines for cleaning and parking. The facility will also contain a dedicated line for train washing and a separate line equipped with a lathe for wheel profiling.

The project includes a three-story administrative building to support depot operations. Upon becoming operational, the facility is projected to create between 150 and 200 permanent positions. This depot is the largest of its type planned for the Baltic region as part of the Rail Baltica global project.