Eleri Kautlenbach, Rail Baltica project manager at the Ministry of Regional Affairs and Agriculture, said: "The planning solution has now been coordinated with all relevant authorities."

The new route starts in the village of Silla, continues along the eastern edge of Vaskrääma village and through a sparsely populated area near Rabaküla, passing Ilvese village, along the Ura River in Kõveri village, and then from northeast to southwest through Laiksaare and Nepste, close to the Latvian border.

The route reconnects with previously planned track in the eastern part of Krundiküla, near the village of Penu.

The preferred route alternative includes a planning solution which outlines the principles for railway development.

For example, a 350-meter-wide corridor is planned for the railway's construction, with local stops and access roads near Surju, in Saarde municipality, and Urissaare, in Häädemeeste municipality.

The plan also includes grade-separated crossings over water bodies and roads, including the prospective Pärnu bypass on Via Baltica.

Additionally, the plan includes conditions for the functioning of land improvement systems and areas requiring noise mitigation to protect both local residents and wildlife, particularly bird life.

Specific solutions for noise reduction and ecoducts, with a 500-meter protective zone for large mammals to cross the railway, will be developed during the railway's design, the ministry said.

Provisions are also made for crossings for smaller animals at water bodies, a linkage corridor at Rabaküla, to ensure connectivity between the Luitemaa and Kikepera-Soomaa capercaillie populations, and a green network within the corridor previously annulled by the Supreme Court.

The Supreme Court partly annulled the previous Pärnu County route plan in 2020, citing insufficient impact assessment on the Luitemaa bird zone, adjacent to the proposed Rail Baltica route.

A new planning solution is now being developed for these sections.

Six alternative solutions were considered for the new Rail Baltica route's Estonian phase, all via Pärnu County, with evaluations of their environmental and socio-economic impacts conducted.

The plan also outlines mandatory environmental protection measures, compensation measures, and support measures that must be followed.

Public display and discussions of the planning materials are to be held from September to November this year.

Rail Baltica's current estimated finish date is 2030.

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