Estonia - General Information: Difference between revisions

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*[https://www.europeanrailwayatlas.com European Railway Atlas] by M.G. Ball (1 May 2016) ISBN 978-0-9932457-8-7
*[https://www.europeanrailwayatlas.com European Railway Atlas] by M.G. Ball (1 May 2016) ISBN 978-0-9932457-8-7
*The [http://www.quailmapcompany.free-online.co.uk/ Quail Map Co.] publishes a Railway Map of Estonia.
*The [http://www.quailmapcompany.free-online.co.uk/ Quail Map Co.] publishes a Railway Map of Estonia.
* [https://eurosprinter.com.pl/pl_atlasy-i-mapy,46.html?sLang=en Eurosprinter], a Polish company, publishes a map of the Baltic States


===Web-based Maps===
===Web-based Maps===

Revision as of 15:32, 6 February 2020

Country Name

Estonia (Eesti)

National railway system

AS Eesti Raudtee (EVR) is the state-owned railway holding company.

National Railway Operator

AS Eesti Liinirongid (Elron) is the state owned national operator.

The state-owned Elektriraudtee was renamed Elron, which took over the assets and operations of the privately owned Edelaraudtee on 1 January 2014,

Language

Estonian.

Currency

Euro.

UIC code

numeric 26; alpha EST

Timetable

Journey Planner

Downloadable Timetable

Sõiduplaan

Printed Timetable

It is not known if Elron, which has replaced both Edelaraudtee and Elektriraudtee, publishes any printed timetable information. The compilers would be grateful for any information.

Engineering Information

None.

Bus Information

Peatus.ee provides comprehensive timetable information for both trains and buses.

Lux Express operates coach routes in the Baltic region.

Maps

Printed Maps

Web-based Maps

  • Thorsten Büker's Map of the Baltic States Although these remain on-line, the Büker maps are no longer being maintained. Last update was August 2009.
  • An Eesti Raudtee map can be found at Railway maps > Stations and distances of Estonian Railways 2014

Ticketing

There are no known "runabout"-type tickets, but fares are cheap.

A plastic smartcard and e-ticket system is now in use in Tallinn. Information on buying and using smartcards can be found on the Tallinn Tourism website.

Infrastructure

Infrastructure Authority

AS EVR Infra is the infrastructure subsidiary of AS Eesti Raudtee.

Network Statement

Edelaraudtee Infrastruktuuri AS - Railway network statements

Gauge

"Russian" gauge (1520mm)

Electrification

3 kV dc

Rule of the road

Most lines are single track, but on double track sections right hand running applies.

Distances

Tables giving distances between stations can be found in Annex 4 of the Network Statement.

Other Railways

None. However, Russian Railways operate a daily Tallinn - St Peterburg - Moskva service.

Tourist Lines

Naissar Island: former military line (600 mm gauge)

Metro

None.

Trams

Talinn: Tallinna Linnatranspordi AS.

Recent and future changes

Following the signing in January 2016 of the Finnish-Estonian Transport Link memorandum of understanding, two consortia were appointed in February 2017 to study the feasibility of the FinEst Link proposal to build a 92 km under-sea tunnel between Helsinki and Tallinn. The Feasibility Study – Final report was presented at a meeting in Tallinn in February 2018, but it is not clear what the next step will be.

Construction started in autumn 2018 on restoration of the 6.5 km Riisipere - Turba section of the former Riisipere - Haapsalu - Rohuküla line. This section reopened on 8 Decmber 2019. A further reopening to Haapsalu and Rohuküla is planned and EUR 2m will be provided in the 2020 budget for planning this project.

The 64 km Lelle - Pärnu line closed from 9 December 2018 as the government would no longer subsidise it. The formation might be used in the future by the Rail Baltica standard gauge line from Kaunas through Riga and Pärnu to Tallinn. The agreement on the Development of the line was ratified by the Estonian Parliament on 19 June 2017.

The new Koidula station on the Russian border, serving the lines from both Tartu and Valga, opened to traffic on 23 May 2011. It replaced the former border facilities at Orava on the Tartu line and at Valga on the line from Riga LDZ. Opening of the new connection from the Orava line to Koidula resulted in the closure of part of the former line between Orava and Pechory-Pskovskie RZD. Tartu - Orava passenger services were extended to Koidula with effect from 1 September 2011 and further from Koidula to Piusa from 27 May 2012. In the most recent timetable, valid until 28 September 2017, trains still run between Koidula and Piusa. It had been hoped services between Valga and Piusa would be introduced in 2014 if funding could be obtained but this has not occurred and probably never will.

From 27 May 2012 GORail restarted its Tallinn - St. Peterburg service withdrawn in August(?) 2008. The entire GO Rail operation was withdrawn in May 2015 owing to a serious reduction in passenger numbers. The last trains departed from Tallinn to St. Peterburg on 10 May 2015 and to Moskva on 17 May, each returning a day later. However Russian Railways launched a daily Moskva – St Peterburg – Tallinn service on 10 July 2015.

Following the completion of engineering work, passenger services between Tartu and Valga restarted on 1 January 2010.

On 14 January 2009 AS Eesti Raudtee became a holding company with two wholly-owned subsidiaries - AS EVR Infra for infrastructure management and AS EVR Cargo for freight traffic.

Latvian railways (LDz) reinstated three cross-border passenger services from Valka/Lugaži to Valga on 25 April 2008.

Special Notes

None.

See also