On Wednesday, the Rescue Board will test Estonia's emergency warning system, including sirens and the EE-alert messaging system.

Estonian Railways and Elron will use this moment to test their chain of command and crisis preparedness under real-life conditions on routes toward Ida-Viru County and South Estonia.

"We are simulating a drone threat requiring immediate sheltering during the exercise," said Marius Kupper, Head of Business Continuity at Estonian Railways.

Elron Safety Manager Madis Kolli said train traffic must be halted immediately due to a drone threat.

"A drone threat means new types of risks, for example, delays in receiving critical information, incorrect decisions when stopping train traffic, or insufficient preparedness of train personnel to carry out passenger evacuation," he said.

"The aim of the exercise is to identify these bottlenecks and address them before real-life situations occur," Kolli summed up.

Trains halted

When the emergency alert is received at 3 p.m., train dispatchers at the Estonian Railways control center will order trains operating on four lines to stop at the first station or stopping point.

The exercise will affect the following railway sections: Tapa–Narva, Tapa–Tartu, Tartu–Valga, and Tartu–Koidula.

During the stop, Elron train drivers will simulate the beginning of a train evacuation. The stop will last up to two minutes, after which scheduled train traffic will be immediately restored on the dispatcher's verbal order.

"As part of the exercise, we ask passengers for their understanding — it is a controlled drill and there is no danger to anyone. Train personnel will also make an onboard announcement during the stop. Since the stop is short, the impact on train schedules will be minimal, but the practical experience gained by our dispatchers and Elron locomotive drivers is of invaluable value," Kupper added.

The joint exercise by the railway companies is taking place in the same week as the large-scale national defence exercise Ilves 2026, in which nearly 130 institutions and companies are practicing how to cope in crisis situations.

The Rescue Board's nationwide emergency alert system test will take place today between 3:00 p.m. and 3:10 p.m., during which the siren network will be activated, app notifications will be sent, and scrolling text messages will be displayed on ERR channels. A few hours before the test, the Rescue Board will also send a reminder by SMS.

--

Follow ERR News on Facebook and Twitter and never miss an update!