The Allegro high speed train from France’s Alstom has seven carriages running on supersoft suspension, has power back-ups and cutting-edge security and safety features, accommodates 352 passengers and offers amenities like wheelchair access, a restaurant, a corporate boardroom, a conference hall, a children’s play area, pens for pets and a desk for currency exchange. All passport and customs procedures are on board. The travel time is three and a half hours, down from the previous minimum of almost 6½ hours. There are two return trains a day, probably there will be as many as four beginning with the coming summer.
The Allegro made its first trip on 12 December from Helsinki to St Petersburg, arriving at Finland Station on schedule. Upon arriving in St Petersburg, Vladimir Putin and Finnish President Tarja Halonen shared their impressions of the trip with reporters. Responding to a question about how he liked the new train, Mr Putin said, "Very much! Over 200 kilometres per hour – that is seriously fast! We didn't even have time to have a proper conversation."
Asked what the leaders discussed, Mr Putin replied, "We talked about how to promote co-operation in the border region, Vyborg, and how economic ties are developing – and not only economic ties but cultural ones as well."
Mr Putin also said that during the conversation the idea was raised "to restore one of the old buildings in Vyborg from before 1939-1940 and make it a joint Russian-Finnish Cultural Centre." In turn, Ms Halonen said in Russian: "Vsyo v poryadke." (Everything is all right.) Then Mr Putin and Ms Halonen explored an exhibition on the Allegro project.
During their tour of the exhibition, Mr Putin asked the head of Russian Railways, Vladimir Yakunin, how much a trip on this train would cost. Mr Yakunin said that the price will be 15% lower than an airline ticket. A first-class ticket will cost 134 euros. Ms Halonen, in turn, noted the interest travellers have already shown in the new Allegro train. All the seats have already been sold for the Christmas and New Year's holidays.
During their tour of the exhibition, Mr Putin also said that there would be high-speed service between Moscow, Kazan, Samara and Ulyanovsk to transport fans during the 2018 World Cup. "There is an idea to base the programme to build high-speed trains around World Cup destinations," said Mr Putin. He said that there are already high-speed rail links between Moscow and St Petersburg and Moscow and Nizhny Novgorod. Now Russia will have to build high-speed rail links with Kazan, Samara and Ulyanovsk. "It will be a powerful impetus for the development of high-speed rail in the European part of Russia," said Mr Putin.
The Allegro made its first trip on 12 December from Helsinki to St Petersburg, arriving at Finland Station on schedule. Upon arriving in St Petersburg, Vladimir Putin and Finnish President Tarja Halonen shared their impressions of the trip with reporters. Responding to a question about how he liked the new train, Mr Putin said, "Very much! Over 200 kilometres per hour – that is seriously fast! We didn't even have time to have a proper conversation."
Asked what the leaders discussed, Mr Putin replied, "We talked about how to promote co-operation in the border region, Vyborg, and how economic ties are developing – and not only economic ties but cultural ones as well."
Mr Putin also said that during the conversation the idea was raised "to restore one of the old buildings in Vyborg from before 1939-1940 and make it a joint Russian-Finnish Cultural Centre." In turn, Ms Halonen said in Russian: "Vsyo v poryadke." (Everything is all right.) Then Mr Putin and Ms Halonen explored an exhibition on the Allegro project.
During their tour of the exhibition, Mr Putin asked the head of Russian Railways, Vladimir Yakunin, how much a trip on this train would cost. Mr Yakunin said that the price will be 15% lower than an airline ticket. A first-class ticket will cost 134 euros. Ms Halonen, in turn, noted the interest travellers have already shown in the new Allegro train. All the seats have already been sold for the Christmas and New Year's holidays.
During their tour of the exhibition, Mr Putin also said that there would be high-speed service between Moscow, Kazan, Samara and Ulyanovsk to transport fans during the 2018 World Cup. "There is an idea to base the programme to build high-speed trains around World Cup destinations," said Mr Putin. He said that there are already high-speed rail links between Moscow and St Petersburg and Moscow and Nizhny Novgorod. Now Russia will have to build high-speed rail links with Kazan, Samara and Ulyanovsk. "It will be a powerful impetus for the development of high-speed rail in the European part of Russia," said Mr Putin.
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