28 Trains a Day to Run between Moscow and St. Petersburg during 300th Anniversary Celebrations

Russian Railways Minister Gennady Fadeev has approved a final version of the timetable for train services between Moscow and St. Petersburg in the period between May 23 and June 10. The Railways Ministry predicts that the volume of passengers during this period of St. Petersburg's 300th anniversary celebrations will increase from 10,000 a day to 18,000 a day. For this reason the ministry is altering the routes of goods and container services in order to leave the main route free for passenger services.

'An additional 15 trains per day will be added,' said Deputy Railways Minister Hasan Zyabirov. 'This will mean that a total of 28 services will run between Moscow and St. Petersburg each day - 18 night services and 10 day services. As well as these services, a further 2 trains will depart from and arrive at the Vitebsk Station in St. Petersburg.' The Repin service, which operates between St. Petersburg and Helsinki, will also be lengthened during this period from 5 coaches to 18.

As reported earlier, St. Petersburg's airspace will be closed at the end of May and beginning of June. This is due to an international summit that will be held in the city. Between May 29 and June 1 the city's airport will only cater for planes carrying VIP passengers.