The plan is for there to be a new tram stop within 200m of the port terminal.
The estimated cost of the project is about €26m (£23.5m). The implementation will depend on Tallinn’s City planning process, but the analysis indicated that the new tramway corridor could open at the end of 2023.
RB Rail – the joint venture coordinating the international Rail Baltica project - appointed French consultant Egis last year to investigate ways of improving connectivity.
Several parties were involved in the study, among them the Tallinn City Planning Board, Port of Tallinn and specialists from RB Rail. “The end goal is to make the local infrastructure in Tallinn more convenient for both Estonian residents and tourists,” says Karmo Kõrvek, project expert of the study.
Three options were considered in the study, leading to the most effective solution. “Based on the technical and economic aspects and taking into account usability, speed, size of investments, maintenance costs and other accompanying aspects, the most effective option was to expand and operate the existing Tallinn tram network,” said Kõrvek.
Tallinn deputy mayor Andrei Novikov said that connecting different transport hubs – Tallinn Airport, Ülemiste passenger terminal and Port of Tallinn – is an important step both locally and internationally. “The feasibility analysis presents the most effective solution in adding more options to the existing tramway network. The aim of it is to take into account the infrastructure that we already have today and develop it further,” he said.
Port of Tallinn CEO Valdo Kalm said that he supports the decision to extend the tramway line up to the harbour. “More than 10 million people visit the Old City Harbour annually who wish to travel to the city centre conveniently. A new tramway line also creates more possibilities for tourism to flourish,” he added.
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