Mayors of Helsinki and Tallinn revive proposal for rail tunnel under Gulf of Finland

[Happy Times]

Mayors of Helsinki and Tallinn revive proposal for rail tunnel under Gulf of Finland

The cities of Helsinki and the Estonian capital Tallinn are to launch a study into the feasibility of an undersea railway tunnel between the two countries.
Helsinki Mayor Jussi Pajunen (Nat. Coalition Party) and Tallinn Mayor Edgar Savisaar signed an agreement on the matter on Friday.
The mayors agreed that both Helsinki and Tallinn will apply for EU funding in May for preliminary study of the feasibility of such a project. The cost of the research project is expected to be about EUR 500,000 - 800,000. Both cities are ready to invest EUR 100,000 in the project at this stage.

Pajunen, who was reached on Friday evening as he was on his way home from the ferry from Tallinn, says that the study will be on the economic and transportation aspects of the tunnel project. If EU financing becomes available, a study could be ready by the end of 2009.
"The opening of the train tunnel will certainly not be celebrated for another 15 years. The report will decide how the project is pushed forward", Pajunen said.
Many of the proposals in the Greater Helsinki Vision idea contest emphasised the importance of reducing the distance between Helsinki and Tallinn.
"It is good that the matter has come forward from many directions. The cities are taking part in the application for EU funding as equals", Pajunen emphasised.

Tallinn Mayor Edgar Savisaar says that he is certain that the tunnel will be built one day, and that it will be economically profitable.
"This tunnel was discussed in Finland already ten years ago, but at that time those who proposed it were laughed at. People were not ready for it yet", Savisaar said on Friday evening through his aide.
The tunnel plan has received new impetus from the Rail Baltica project, calling for better railway connections from Poland through the Baltic countries to Estonia.
"Why couldn't it continue through an undersea tunnel to Finland",Savisaar says. "If France and Britain achieved it, then why couldn't Estonia and Finland?"

Technical details, such as where the mouths of the tunnel should be located, remain unknown, emphasised Deputy Mayor Pekka Sauri (Green) on Friday. The construction of a ferry connection carrying rail cars is also an option in the study.


http://www.hs.fi/english/article/May.../1135235189676

[Dowly]

Good news for whoever lives on the south coast.

[joea]

That is a cool idea.

[Happy Times]

Originally Posted by Dowly

Good news for whoever lives on the south coast.

And to all Finns, this would link us to Central Europe in a historical way.
With high-speed trains you could get to Warsaw and Berlin in hours.

[Dowly]

Originally Posted by Happy Times

And to all Finns, this would link us to Central Europe in a historical way.
With high-speed trains you could get to Warsaw and Berlin in hours.

Ah yes, very true. Didnt think that far out.

[Trex]

Practicable? Probably.

Practical? Unlikely.

[antikristuseke]

It would be a good thing to have, then we would finaly have a fast mode of transport to get rid of all the drunken finns