Eesti Raudtee wants to electrify the railway lines Tallinn–Tartu and Tapa–Narva. Initially, the Tartu route was supposed to be completed by the end of 2024. Now the deadline is summer 2026. Chairman of the Board Kaido Zimmermann said they hope to finish the work in the second quarter of next year. He said the work was delayed for several reasons.
One reason was Tartu being the cultural capital. People wanted to get to Tartu, and the railway could not have many disruptions. Also, NATO trains and oil trains had to pass through. Because of this, many works were delayed.
Railway works can only be done in the summer months. In winter, the works stopped and waited until the ground thawed. The works resumed in April. A major milestone for the Tartu route will be set on September 1. Zimmermann said the cultural capital period was known as early as 2019. However, the schedule of NATO trains and oil trains is unpredictable.
Currently, Elron is waiting for operating licenses for 10 new trains. Zimmermann said the trains could start running in September. They are dual-system, so they can run on the existing overhead lines.
Eesti Raudtee's repair works have disrupted bus services because bus schedules depend on trains. Zimmermann said train schedules had to change quickly. He hopes such a situation will not happen again.
The total cost of Eesti Raudtee's works is 500 million euros. It includes works on the routes to Tartu, Narva, and Valga. Most of the funds will go to the construction of the overhead lines. The works will last until 2028.