High-speed rail is emerging in Russia as an increasingly popular means of transport, where it is twice as fast as the regular express trains between Moscow and Saint Petersburg.
High-speed rail is emerging in Russia as an increasingly popular means of transport, where it is twice as fast as the regular express trains between Moscow and Saint Petersburg.
Since June 1963 the Moscow-Leningrad line (ca. 650 kilometers) was serviced by a day train (Avrora) that offered a 5 hr 27 min ride with speed peaking at 160 km/h; faster speeds were not possible with heavy steel carriages and existing bogies.
Development of the higher speed passenger railway service in Soviet Russia started in 1965. First, the track and safety infrastructure was upgraded, then in 1972-1975 new aluminum cars with pneumatic suspension bogies, RT-200 (Russkaya Troyka) were designed by TVZ in Kalinin, Russia. These cars were originally supposed to be a hauled by experimental turbojet motor cars, but unfortunately this propulsion system was deemed unfeasible so the trainset was hauled by with the Czechoslovak locomotive ChS-2 and its later development ChS-200. At the time, the ChS was the fastest locomotive in the Eastern Bloc. Tests confirmed the trainset was capable of 220 km/h speed on the route, although in practise these speeds were not reached while in commercial service.
By 1973 a completely new integrated trainset, the ER-200 EMU was designed and assembled at RVR, in Riga. It was put into service on the Moscow-Leningrad line and with due troubleshooting done during 1979-1987 its maximum speed reached 200 km/h allowing to shorten the journey by one hour, to 4 hrs 20 mins. Since early 1990-ties its ageing parts required extensive repairs, yet still it remained in service until 2009.
Further development of RT-200, Nevsky Express train of TVZ pulled by Czech ChS-200 locomotive, entered into commercial service in 2001, connecting two major cities in 4 hrs 10 mins at 200 km/h. It was planned for retirement, but instead was renovated, provided with newer EP-20 locomotive of Transmashkholding and remains in service as the lower-cost alternative to Sapsan.
Once an attempt to build a fully domestic high-speed (250 km/h) integrated trainset (Sokol) made in 1993-2004 has proven a failure, the government signed an agreement with the German Siemens to supply Velaro trainsets, adopted to the Russian railway environment. EVS1 Sapsan entered into service in 2009 and by 2024 fifteen pairs of high-speed day ensured high-speed railway link between St.Petersburg and Moscow.
However, extensive use of the railway infrastructure for high-speed use required shifting of all freight trains to longer alternative tracking, and many local commuters in St.Petersburg, Moscow and Tver areas to be canceled or change schedule. Thus a project to build a new railway dedicated to high-speed passenger service was revived and by 2024 the construction is underway.
In February 2010, RZD announced that it would unveil proposals in March 2010, for a new "European standard" high-speed line between St Petersburg and Moscow. [2] The new line would be built to Russian gauge and would probably be built parallel to the existing line. [2] At an event on 1 April 2010, it was announced that the new Moscow – St. Petersburg high-speed line would allow trains to run at speeds up to 400 km/h (249 mph). The total journey time would be cut from 3h 45m to 2h 40m. The new line was expected to make extensive use of bridges, tunnels and viaducts. Finance would be provided by a public-private finance vehicle. The line was expected to carry 14 million people in its first year, with capacity for 47 million passengers annually. Representatives from many other high-speed lines were to be consulted, in an effort to avoid construction delays and design flaws. [3]
Apart from faster travel times, the new line would increase capacity, since the current line is congested and there is only room for a limited number of high speed trains. It would also improve safety, since trains currently pass some level crossings at 250 km/h (155 mph). [4]
In November 2021, it was reported that the government was abandoning the proposal in favour of possible upgrades to the existing line. [5]
By 2023, the project was revived and by March 2024 construction had commenced. [6]
| Type | Production | Number built | vmax [km/h] | In service | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Allegro (train) | 2009–2011 | 4 | 220 km/h | 2010-2022 | retired |
| ER-200 | 1974 | 2 | 200 km/h | 1984–2009 | retired |
| Sapsan | 2008 – 2014; 2021 – current | 20 | 250 km/h | since 2009 | 20 in service |
| Sokol (train) | 2000 | 1 | 250 km/h | never (experimental trainset) | retired |
| Strizh (train) | 2014 | 7 | 200 km/h | since 2015 | stored |
| Nevsky Express | 2000 | 2 | 200 km/h | since 2001 | 2 in service |
 | This section needs to be updated.(July 2017) |
| This section needs to be updated.(February 2015) |
Since the Sapsan service between Moscow and St Petersburg shares tracks with regular passenger trains and freight trains, it has been widely reported that its introduction has resulted in the cancellation of a number of more affordable long-distance passenger and commuter trains, and long delays for many other trains that continue to run. Moreover, the numerous level crossings along the line have to be kept closed to road traffic for longer for the high-speed trains than for regular ones (the crossing is closed 15 minutes ahead of a fast train passing through); the resulting delays have been criticized by motorists and bus passengers, as well as by ambulance and fire services in towns along the railway. In some small towns dependent on commuter trains for connection with the outside world, and on level crossings for local travel, such as Chupriyanovka (Чуприяновка; population 2,500) near Tver, local officials have expressed the sentiment that "our town is cut into two halves for over seven hours each day" and that "we have been cut off from the outside world". Overall, the feeling is widespread that the new service benefits the country's moneyed elite, while severely inconveniencing the majority of the population in the regions through which the railway runs. [15] As of 2015, the additional tracks for high speed trains and over-crossings were built. [16]
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