Prospects for Launching High-Speed Trains in Bashkortostan Announced

The Institute for Transport Economics and Development (IEDT) has analyzed potential options for incorporating the million-plus cities of the Kuibyshev Railway—Samara and Ufa—into Russia’s High-Speed and Very High-Speed Rail Program until 2036. This was announced during a press conference by the management of the Kuibyshev Railway.

"The implementation of high-speed passenger services connecting Moscow with Samara and Ufa is planned beyond 2036, provided there is an increase in passenger demand on these routes," said Vyacheslav Dmitriev, Head of the Kuibyshev Railway. "Meanwhile, the list of socially significant routes for launching high-speed and very high-speed trains includes the Ufa – Samara – Saratov – Volgograd – Likhaya corridor." 

The project envisions both long-distance overnight high-speed routes and medium-distance daytime services. The estimated total population within the corridor’s catchment area is 12 million people. The primary challenge lies in the necessity of constructing a dedicated track for high-speed passenger service, allowing for a maximum speed of 160 km/h on the Ufa – Volgograd segment.

The Kuibyshev Railway Directorate emphasized that such capital-intensive projects can only be realized with federal funding, ensuring their financial viability.

The full article is available on the Bashinform (published on 04.02.2025 and 06.02.2025) and SOVA websites.