Representatives of Rail Baltic Estonia and the construction company Leonhard Weiss OÜ signed the contract for the underpass on Monday. The first stage is expected to be completed by 31 October 2027.

At present, the Ülemiste area can mainly be accessed via Tartu maantee, and the next opportunity to cross the railway is located more than three kilometres away on Smuuli tee.

The new tunnel will create a connection between Peterburi tee and Suur-Sõjamäe street and improve access for pedestrians, cyclists, public transport and car traffic.

Currently, the railway can only be crossed at the same location via a pedestrian bridge.

"The Kantsi tunnel is much more than a single passage under the railway. It is part of a larger whole that will turn the Ülemiste area into Estonia's most important international mobility hub," said Rail Baltic Estonia CEO Anvar Salomets in a press release. 

In addition to the Kantsi tunnel, it includes the construction of a new passenger waiting platform.

Tallinn City Council approved the construction of the underpass for the Rail Baltica railway route in May last year.

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