New A-Passenger Terminal Ready by Christmas 2028?
Text Timo Raussi Photos Tallinnan satama / Molumba OÜ
Tallinn’s A-terminal, used by Eckerö Line and Viking Line, has long awaited a complete overhaul. Last week, progress finally accelerated when the updated zoning plan for the harbour area, including detailed property plans, moved onto the city council’s decision agenda. The construction of entirely new passenger facilities, costing around €30 million, is thus one step closer to reality.
The new A-terminal will rise in front of the current building, closer to the pedestrian bridge leading to the D-terminal and the tram stop. Its construction design is already complete. Plans include small underground parking areas, and, like the Tallink-operated D-terminal, the surroundings will be landscaped into a pleasant pedestrian-friendly zone.
Taxi and ride-share waiting areas and access routes will be moved underground to level zero of the new terminal, improving both traffic flow and the comfort of the outdoor space. Vehicle traffic already bypasses the current A-terminal frontage, using nearby Rumbi and Logi Streets instead.
According to Port of Tallinn CEO Valdo Kalm, construction is expected to begin at the end of this year or early next year, following the final zoning approval and tender process. Kalm hopes the new terminal could open roughly 18 months after work begins. Once completed, the existing building will be demolished, and the boarding galleries leading to the ships will be modernised.
The start of construction and the permit process have been slowed by the decision to consolidate the harbour’s wider land-use planning, including the plots behind the D-terminal, into one comprehensive package. This has been important for the port’s long-term business viability. Planners also had to take into account the situation of the long-unfinished Porto Franco buildings located near the A-terminal, even though those properties are not owned by the port. The new A-terminal will be funded directly from the Port of Tallinn’s own cash flow, without EU subsidies.
To learn more about this and similar topicsA-terminal Eckerö Line Harbour passenger ferries Tallink Tallinn Transport Viking Line
