Rail Baltica Ülemiste Passenger Terminal

Zaha Hadid Architects (UK), in collaboration with ESPLAN, won the international design competition for the Rail Baltica Ülemiste terminal in Tallinn. Following the competition, ESPLAN and Zaha Hadid Architects prepared the preliminary and main design for the terminal, and ESPLAN is currently providing designer’s supervision during construction.

The Ülemiste terminal is designed as a major transport hub serving the local community, passengers arriving at Tallinn Airport, and domestic and international rail travellers. The building’s geometry is shaped by intersecting loops and circulation routes that make navigation intuitive and connect the bus, tram and rail lines that meet at the station.

The terminal has been designed in line with BREEAM sustainability standards. Its modular, phased construction allows railway operations to continue throughout the building process.

Rail Baltica is an electrified railway line of about 870 kilometres from Tallinn to the Lithuanian–Polish border, linking Tallinn, Riga and Vilnius to the European rail network. The Ülemiste terminal will be the starting point of the line.

Rail Baltic Estonia launched the international design competition for the terminal in May 2019, and the winner was announced in September 2019.