The rail transport system in Estonia consists of about of railway lines, of which are currently in public use. The infrastructure of the railway network is mostly owned by the state and is regulated and surveyed by the Estonian Technical Surveillance Authority. All public railways in Estonia are , the same as in Russia, Belarus, Latvia, and Lithuania. The gauge used in Estonia is also compatible with Finland's gauge. Sometimes it is defined to be , for example when buying track maintenance or vehicles from Finland. Railways in Estonia today are used mostly for freight transport, but also for passenger traffic, with 7.3 million passengers reported in 2017. Passenger transport is most frequent near Tallinn, centred on the main Balti jaam.
History
Network
Total length: circa 1,200 km, of which 900 km in public use
The Estonian railway network is owned by the state-owned companyAS Eesti Raudtee and the private company Edelaraudtee Infrastruktuuri AS. These railway network infrastructure operators provide all railway network services for railway operators running freight and passenger services. AS Eesti Raudtee provides approximately of track, of which is double track and is electrified. Edelaraudtee Infrastruktuuri AS maintains of track which consists of of main line and of station line.
Main lines
Owned by AS Eesti Raudtee:
Tallinn–Narva railway,. This line was completed in 1870. It was originally a part of the railway network of the Russian Empire, connecting Paldiski to St. Petersburg via Tallinn and Narva.
Tallinn–Keila–Paldiski,. Passenger trains are operated by Elron.
Keila–Riisipere,. This line is part of the former Keila–Haapsalu line, that was completed in 1905. The Riisipere–Haapsalu section was abandoned in 2004, but is due to be rebuilt as far as Turba during 2019, as a first step towards eventually re-opening the line to Haapsalu . Passenger trains are operated by Elron.
Tapa–Tartu,. Completed in 1877.
Passenger trains are operated by Elron.
Tartu–Valga, 82.5 km. Completed in 1887. International connection from Valga in Estonia to Valka in Latvia.
Passenger trains between Tartu and Valga are operated by Elron. Passenger trains between Valga and Riga are operated by Latvian Railways.
Tartu–Pechory,. Built between 1929 and 1931. International connection from Koidula railway station in Estonia to Pechory in Russia.
Passenger trains are operated by Elron.
Valga–Pechory,. Part of Riga–Pskov railway, opened to regular traffic in 1889. International connection from Koidularailway station in Estonia to Pechory in Russia.
The line is used only by freight trains. Owned by Edelaraudtee Infrastruktuuri AS:
Tallinn–Lelle––, . There was an international connection from Mõisaküla to Latvia, but the stretch Pärnu–Mõisaküla was abandoned in 2008. The Lelle-Pärnu section was permanently closed for passenger operations on 9 December 2018 as it required a €17 million refurbishment. A rail service to Pärnu station will be resumed with the opening of the Rail Baltica line.
Lelle–Viljandi,. This line connects Viljandi to the Tallinn–Pärnu line via Lelle.
Major industrial railways
Põlevkivi Raudtee maintains over of track in Ida-Virumaa. Main use of the network is transporting oil shale from underground and open-cast mines to the Narva Power Plants. The company is a subsidiary of Eesti Põlevkivi, which itself is a subsidiary of Eesti Energia, owned by the state.
Rakvere–Kunda,. Built in 1896, this line connects the industrial town of Kunda to the Tallinn–Tapa–Narva line. The line is owned by private company Kunda Trans.
Connections to adjacent countries
Daily passenger service connect Tallinn with Moscow through Saint Petersburg, operated by the Russian Railways. As of summer 2016 three daily trains operated by Latvian Railways connect Riga to Valga. The other railway lines to neighbouring countries are not used for direct passenger traffic at the moment. It is possible to travel between Tallinn and Riga with train change at Valga, and the timetables of Tallinn–Valga and Valga–Riga are adjusted for that purpose, but this still takes a long time compared to bus or air. Historic train routes are Tallinn–Moscow via Tartu–Pechory, and Riga–St. Petersburg, which passed through Estonia from Valka, Latvia to Valga, Estonia–Võru–Piusa–Pechory, Russia. Both were closed inthe 1990s. There are plans for a new high-speed line Tallinn–Riga, Rail Baltica, planned to be in operation around 2025.
Freight trains are operated by Eesti Raudtee and private companies including Estonian Railway Services, and Spacecom. Passenger services are offered by three operators:
Elron, domestic routes
Russian Railways, Tallinn–Saint Petersburg and Tallinn–Moscow
