From Murmansk to Mumbai in 15 days

The IV Railway Congress commenced in Moscow on December 15. About 2,000 railwaymen from all Russian railroads, as well as officials from the government, business community, trade unions, and veteran organizations, attend the event. The growth of railroads in the framework of safeguarding the nation's social and economic interests is the congress's main focus.

Vladimir Putin, the president of Russia, traditionally gave a speech at the Railway Congress. He gave the congress attendees an overview of all the promising train routes across the Eurasian continent. 

The head of state acknowledged the contributions made by railway personnel to the construction and preservation of infrastructure and thanked them all for their dedicated labor. “Many generations of railroad workers in Russia have created a powerful infrastructure, production and technological base that allows us to move forward, achieve great results, set new, ambitious goals,” Putin stated.

Russia is currently putting its extensive development strategy into action, fortifying its sovereignty, opening up fresh avenues for economic expansion, deepening regional connections, and establishing a globally competitive market for corridors and transportation services.

As the head of state promised, the upcoming ten years will see a lot of large-scale building and projects, including railroads, that will be important for both Russia and all of Eurasia.

“Today, I'll also discuss our intentions to improve the logistics and transportation network throughout Eurasia and diversify cargo flows by implementing more effective, dependable, and secure delivery methods. For instance, we are creating an international North-South corridor in the European portion of Russia. It will link ports on the shores of the Persian Gulf and Indian Ocean with Russian ports on the Baltic Sea and the transportation hub in Murmansk, which is one of our most significant support hubs in the Arctic and which capacity we will undoubtedly expand. Experts predict a smooth railroad connection on the 1520 standard wide gauge over the entire line, which runs from Murmansk to Bandar Abbas in Iran. The cargo will arrive in Mumbai from Murmansk in approximately fifteen days. The trip time will be four times shorter than on regular routes, the nation's president declared.

Another transportation meridian from North to South will cross the Urals and Siberia. Modernizing the Trans-Siberian Railway's core segment, which includes the West Siberian Railway and passes through the regions of Omsk, Novosibirsk, Kemerovo, and Tomsk as well as Altai Krai, is one of its main components.

In addition, Vladimir Putin listed the construction of a new North Siberian railroad from the Khanty-Mansiysk Autonomous District to its intersection with the Trans-Siberian Railway and Baikal-Amur Mainline (BAM) as future corridors. The Northern Latitudinal Railway offers potential access to the ports of Yamal, Taimyr, and the northern region of the Krasnoyarsk Krai.

“Together, these initiatives will not only relieve the Trans-Siberian Railway but also establish a strong logistical hub in Siberia and the Urals, stimulating the growth of this entire macroregion. Concurrently, we are collaborating with our international partners to establish train links from Central Siberia towards China, Mongolia, and ports on the Indian and Pacific oceans. Lastly, we are developing a second route in the Far East that will connect the South to the Arctic. The Pacific Railroad, a railroad line from BAM to Yakutia, and bridges over the Lena and Amur rivers are also being constructed.” Vladimir Putin clarified.

The president claims that all three of these North-South corridors—in the European portion, in Siberia, and in the Far East—offer the chance to directly link Russia's rail and transportation networks with logistical hubs in southeast and south-central Eurasia.

The head of state promised that these projects will have a significant good impact on our nation and its residents, creating a large area for the long-term growth of whole industries and large regions of the Russian Federation.

Vladimir Putin emphasized that railroads are the most significant component of Russia's transportation network. The dynamics of our nation's development, the standard of the national economy, and its competitiveness internationally are significantly influenced by their steady and dependable performance in both the domestic and international transportation markets.

Vladimir Putin pledged, “We will keep bolstering the railroad sector and expanding the railway system's carrying capacity. - Among our tasks is to address the issue of boosting the quality, convenience, and speed of passenger and cargo transportation. We must strengthen the capacities of domestic industry, the technology sector, sectoral science, and education in light of the emerging difficulties. We will collaborate and act logically, pooling the resources of the government, business, regions, and your amazing labor collectives—millions of gifted individuals, true professionals, driven to produce outstanding outcomes, and, I have no doubt, prepared for this work. And we will undoubtedly complete any challenges in Russia's best interests.