Russia to build first ‘VSM-1’ high-speed line
Russia has decided to build a high-speed line. The project, known as VSM-1 (High-Speed Railway line-1, HSR-1), aims to connect Russia’s major urban hubs, serving approximately 40.2 million residents, which constitutes 27 per cent of the country’s population.
The decision to construct a high-speed railway was made by Russian President Vladimir Putin and revealed in his Address to the Federal Assembly in February 2024. This initiative aims to “unite the entire country,” states the Moscow Transport press release. Moscow Mayor Sergey Sobyanin, alongside Vitaly Savelyev, Head of the Ministry of Transportation, and Oleg Belozerov, General Director of Russian Railways, briefed Russian President Vladimir Putin on Sunday about the start of construction for Russia’s first high-speed rail line, the Moscow – St. Petersburg high-speed rail line.
Russia’s High-Speed Railway line-1
The setup envisages a nearly halved travel time of 2 hours and 15 minutes between Moscow and St. Petersburg. With an announced focus on sustainability, the high-speed rail service is expected to reduce harmful emissions and accidents on the road. Forecasts shared in a press release from Moscow Transport suggest that by 2028, trains on the high-speed railway will run with intervals of 15-20 minutes during peak hours and 10-15 minutes starting from 2030. Moscow Transport also stated in a press release that a high-speed train capable of speeds up to 400 km/h is being specially designed for operation on the high-speed line.
The plan encompasses 16 stops along the route, with four strategically positioned within the capital. Construction in Moscow faces unique challenges due to its dense urban and suburban environment. To overcome these hurdles, tasks include expanding tracks from Leningradsky Railway Station to Alabushevo, constructing six bridges and five railroad overpasses, completing three highway overpasses, modernising passenger facilities at nine stations to meet MCD standards, and reconstructing four high-speed rail stations in Moscow, including Leningradsky, Rizhskaya, Petrovsko-Razumovskaya, and Zelenograd-Kryukovo, to enhance transfers to 14 metro and MCD stations, along with other ground public transportation options.
“The inaugural line will link Russia’s major economic hubs. Moscow boasts extensive experience in executing large-scale railway projects, such as the introduction of the MCC and 4 MCD lines. High-speed trains will include stops at existing D3 stations within the city, further enhancing the integration of the High-Speed Railway into Moscow’s transportation network, enabling passengers to craft more efficient routes,” said Deputy Mayor for Transport Maksim Liksutov.
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