Helsinki–Tallinn Tunnel
The Helsinki–Tallinn Tunnel (also known as FinEst tunnel) is a proposed undersea tunnel that would span the Gulf of Finland and connect the Finnish and Estonian capitals by train. The tunnel's length would depend upon the route taken: the shortest distance across would have a submarine length of 80 kilometres (50 mi), which would make it longer than the current longest railway tunnel in the world, the 57 km (40 mi) Gotthard Base Tunnel. It has been estimated that the tunnel, if constructed, will cost €9–13 billion. It may open in the 2030s. The European Union has approved €3.1 million in funding for feasibility studies. A pre-feasibility study from 2015 proposed a 250 km/h top speed.
A map of the assessed tunnel routes between Tallinn and Helsinki | |
| Overview | |
|---|---|
| Location | Gulf of Finland (Baltic Sea) |
| Status | Planned |
| Start | Ülemiste, Estonia |
| End | Pasila, Helsinki, Finland |
| Technical | |
| No. of tracks | 2 |
| Track gauge | 1,435 mm (4 ft 8+1⁄2 in) (standard gauge) |
On 8 February 2024, Finnish Minister of Transport and Communications Lulu Ranne told Estonian daily Postimees that the tunnel is "unrealistic" and not on the agenda of the government, with the project remaining on hold unless further funding was provided by the European Union.