Train Station or Architectural Monument? When Will the New Station Be Able to Accept Trains?

The construction company BeReRix has completed all major works planned for the southern part of the new station building, the adjacent square, and passenger platforms. On Wednesday, the FIDIC engineer overseeing the construction issued confirmation to BeReRix and the client EDzL that the main works have been completed. The building has fully completed the glazing of the facade and roof, most of the decorative and functional elements have been installed, the passenger platforms have been built and landscaped, and the adjacent public square has been paved and put in order. Thus, the new station building has acquired the architectural appearance and functionality envisaged by the project. According to the contract, the main works in the southern part of the station must be completed by August 31, 2026. By the end of this year, minor finishing works and landscaping will continue in the building, on the platforms, and in the adjacent square, after which the facility will be handed over to the client — EDzL. The executive director of BeReRix, Guntis Aboltins-Abolinsh, told LETA that three platforms have been built in the southern part of the station. Each of them is designed to simultaneously service two trains on one side of the platform, which is not available at the current station. This will increase the station's capacity. A total of six railway tracks are planned. Five of them will be used for passenger trains, while one will serve as a through route for freight or transit traffic. Meanwhile, the northern part of the existing station with several tracks will continue to operate, as the construction of the northern part of the new station is currently not a priority for the first phase of Rail Baltica. According to Aboltins-Abolinsh, the built platforms can be adapted to the European gauge of 1435 mm if necessary in the future. There is also a possibility to raise the viaduct at the bus station to eliminate the height difference between the new bridge and the viaduct. "This is provided for in the project; the question is only when it will be done and when the corresponding funding will appear," noted the company representative, adding that such a solution will not incur additional costs. The State Secretary of the Ministry of Transport told LETA that after the completion of the main construction works, it will still be necessary to lay tracks, install the contact network, and signaling systems. Therefore, the new part of the station is planned to be opened for traffic in mid-2028. By the end of 2029, it is also planned to create a railway connection between Riga Airport and the Central Station. Funding for this has already been secured. However, the official acknowledged that the available funds are less than initially planned, so efforts are being made to reduce costs in the construction of the Rail Baltica terminal at the airport. Temporary board member of EDzL, Davis Blaus, noted that the works in the southern part of the Central Station are in the final stages. The planned volume of work has been completed both in the adjacent square and on the passenger platforms. According to him, it is already possible to see what the station, platforms, and additional premises will look like when trains start arriving here in 2028 — even before the full launch of Rail Baltica. Construction works, fully funded by the European Recovery Fund, resumed in April 2025. Their goal is to bring the southern part of the Central Station to a state that allows the building to function fully. The works included the installation of the roof and facade, construction of canopies over the platforms, finishing, creation of infrastructure for passenger access, as well as the installation of external and internal engineering networks and systems. As previously reported, the works are being carried out in accordance with the contract between EDzL and the Central Finance and Contracts Agency (CFLA). The total cost of the funding provided for in the contract is €138.67 million, of which €114.628 million comes from the Recovery Fund, and €24.072 million from the state budget. The contract was signed in November 2025. It provides for the completion of the main works — the construction of the roof, facade, and canopies over the platforms, finishing, construction of passenger access infrastructure, as well as mechanical, electrical, and plumbing works — by August 31 of this year. The responsibilities of the FIDIC engineer, construction supervision, and expertise at the site are performed by LLC Forma 2. Latvijas dzelzceļš (LDz) is also participating in the project as a partner. As a potential infrastructure manager, LDz is involved in addressing issues of transferring and further managing the Central Station to obtain the necessary information in advance and ensure technical readiness. The new southern part of the Riga Central Station will be able to fully perform the functions of a passenger station after the completion of the railway infrastructure construction for the 1520 mm gauge. Currently, the completion of these works and the full commissioning of the southern part are scheduled for mid-2028.