First High-Speed Train Services Start in Russia

Russian Railways introduces the first high-speed Sapsan train between Moscow and St Petersburg, offering an even faster journey time than by plane, despite a recent bomb blast that caused significant damage.

December 21, 2009 9:18 pm | Last Update: August 9, 2015 9:23 pm

Russian Railways has launched its first high-speed Sapsan train between Moscow and St Petersburg, which offers a journey time even lower than by air on the same route.

The ten-car 604 passenger train travels at 250kmph and takes three hours 45 minutes to cover the 650km distance, down from the nearly four and a half hours by plane.

The launch comes just weeks after the route was targeted in a bomb blast in late November, when the Nevsky Express derailed, killing 27 people and injuring over 100.

Sapsan has been built by German group Siemens under a 30-year $907.5m (€630m) contract to supply and service eight trains.

TAGS: moscow to st petersburg hsr journey, russian high speed railway lines, sapsan train route

railwaynews

Railway infrastructure, rolling stock and transport technologies specialist focused on global rail industry developments, high-speed rail systems, signaling technologies and freight transportation. Covering railway investments, public transport modernization, rail operations and international mobility projects across Europe, Asia and North America.