MOSCOW, March 14 Russian President Vladimir Putin said that he has no doubt that Russia has the best railways, but the construction of a high-speed railway (HSR) ) will help increase the speed of cargo transportation.
Russian President Vladimir Putin on Thursday participates via video link in an event dedicated to the start of construction of Russia's first high-speed railway (HSR) Moscow-St. Petersburg.
“We, of course, have the best railways. I have no doubts. But, as I understand it, the construction of a high-speed railway intended for passenger traffic will allow us to increase the speed of movement of freight trains,” Putin said.
High-speed is a specialized electrified double-track railway line for operating trains at speeds from 200 to 400 kilometers per hour. Now in Russia there are no such roads. The pilot project should be a high-speed railway between Moscow and St. Petersburg, but in general the creation of a network of such roads in the country is being discussed.
Belozerov said in an interview that the launch of the Moscow-St. Petersburg High-Speed Line planned for construction is expected before 2030. And the first deputy general director of Russian Railways, Sergei Kobzev, announced on March 6 that Russian Railways expect to launch trains on this road by the end of 2028 — 2029.
The head of Russian Railways, Oleg Belozerov, previously said that the Russian high-speed trains being developed will reach speeds of up to 400 kilometers per hour. They will consist of eight carriages, have four classes of service and a bistro car with a bar. The start of assembly of the first sample is scheduled for 2026. The train should be ready in 2027, and it is planned to receive a certificate of conformity in 2028.