Tallinn's bike tunnel project stalls over train service dispute with Elron
Tallinn's plans to build new bike and pedestrian tunnels under the Endla tänav railway embankment have hit a snag. The city wants to pause train services during construction, but rail operator Elron strongly opposes the idea. The dispute centres on whether trains must stop for the EU-funded project to go ahead.
The project began in 2024 as part of a wider redesign of the Kristiine traffic junction. Tallinn signed a construction deal with Oü Infra in 2025, with funding partly coming from the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF). Work on the tunnels is set to start in spring 2026 and last 18 months, with most activity scheduled at night and on weekends to avoid daytime disruptions.
Originally, the city planned a closed construction method, which would not require stopping trains. The Consumer Protection and Technical Regulatory Authority (TTJA) even issued a permit based on this approach. But later, Tallinn changed the procurement terms, switching to an open method that demands halting rail traffic. This shift caught Elron off guard, as they had not been consulted.
Sander Salmu, deputy secretary general at the Ministry of Climate, confirmed the disagreement stemmed from the city's last-minute change. Elron's management board member Märt Ehrenpreis argued that a similar project in Tartu succeeded without stopping trains. Meanwhile, Deputy Mayor Kristjan Järvan (Isamaa) claimed Elron refuses to accept the proposed construction stages, which include temporary rail closures. The entire embankment upgrade is due for completion by 2029.
The dispute leaves the project in limbo, with no clear resolution yet. If trains cannot be paused, Tallinn may need to revise its construction plans. The outcome will determine whether the tunnels, funded partly by the EU, can be built as scheduled.
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