First Talgo Train Departed from Kursk to Moskow

The first of the four TALGO trains departed from the Kursk Railway Station in Moscow on its inaugural journey, registering a 100% passenger occupancy. The new train sets will operate between the two Russian cities Moscow and Nizhny Novgorod, on the second most important railroad line in the country. The distance of 440 km, separating the cities, will be covered in 3 hours and 35 minutes, accommodating 414 passengers per trip.

TALGO trains, commercially known as Strizh, are the first Spanish trains operating in Russia. Their natural tilting system reduces the travelling time by 30% without any need of investment in the rail track infrastructure, obtaining, therefore, at least a 20 minutes gain at a maximum speed of 200 km/h.

Train sets formed of 20 coaches each (18 passenger and 2 technical coaches), painted in the colours of the flag of Russia, are designed to offer their passengers the highest levels of comfort and accessibility and at the same time significantly reduce energy consumption as compared to other trains. The number of trips will be 5 on a daily basis and since July up to 7 journeys per day, some running on the direct route between Moscow and Nizhny Novgorod; others making intermediate stops in the cities of Vladímir, Kovrov and Dzerzhinsk.

Just before the first train departure, an opening ceremony attended by Mr. Vladímir Yakunin, Chairman of RZD, and Mr. Carlos de Palacio, Chairman of TALGO, took place. In his inauguration speech Carlos de Palacio put special emphasis on “a strong friendship bond between Spain and Russia people” and assured that “this is a great day for the Spanish industry and technology”. On his part, Mr. Guillermo Martinez, Managing Director of TALGO in Russia, added that we were “witnessing the culmination of twenty years of work and negotiations with Russian Railways (RZD). We can finally see Spanish technology running across this country, a very important milestone for both Russia and Spain.”

The other 3 of the 7 train sets ordered in 2011 by RZD will enter commercial operation next year on the international route Moscow – Berlin. The main feature of these trains will be the integration of the TALGO variable gauge system that will enable to change from the Russian gauge (1520 mm) to the European one (1435 mm) in Brest (Belarus), without making any investment in infrastructure.

With TALGO trains in Russia, the company increases its international presence enlarging the list that includes countries such as Saudi Arabia, Germany, Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan, the USA, etc.

Source & Photo : Talgo