Russian gauge high speed electric express train
Not to be confused with the cancelled
Sokol train project.
The Sapsan (Russian: Сапсан, lit. 'Peregrine Falcon', known as Velaro RUS EVS) is a Russian gauge high speed electric express train. The train is a Siemens Velaro model, which in turn is based on the ICE 3M/F high-speed trains manufactured by Siemens for the German Deutsche Bahn (DB), known as the Siemens Velaro RUS.
The trains started regular service on the Saint Petersburg–Moscow Railway in December 2009[1][2] at a maximum speed of 250 km/h (155 mph).
On 22 March 2022, following the 2022 Russian invasion of Ukraine, Siemens suspended its contract to supply additional trainsets,[3] as well as announcing it would end maintenance and other services from 13 May 2022, with Russian Railways stepping in to continue their maintenance.[4][5]
Construction history
[edit]
On 18 May 2006, Siemens and Russian Railways signed a €276 million order for eight high-speed trains[6] with a 30-year service contract worth around €300 million.[6]
OO gauge model railway featuring the Sapsan train on the Moscow – Saint Petersburg Railway and Moscow to Nizhny Novgorod Railway in the Museum of the Moscow Railway, Moscow.
The trains were ordered to connect Moscow with Saint Petersburg[7] and later Nizhny Novgorod at a speed of up to 250 km/h (155 mph). They are derived from the German ICE 3 train but with bodies widened by 330 mm (13.0 in) to 3,265 mm (10 ft 8.5 in) to suit Russia's wide loading gauge.[8] Four of the trains (EVS2) are equipped for both 3 kV DC and 25 kV 50 Hz AC operation. The total length of each ten-car train is 250 m (820 ft 3 in), carrying up to 600 passengers.
Development and construction was carried out by Siemens at Erlangen and Krefeld in Germany. In August 2009, it was announced that the fifth Sapsan had been delivered to Russia, of the eight that were planned.[9]
Four single-voltage ("EVS1", 3 kV DC powered, trainsets 5-8) trains entered passenger service at the end of 2009 on the Moscow – St Petersburg route, with the dual-system trains (EVS2, trainsets 1-4) entering service on the Nizhny Novgorod route on 30 July 2010.[10]
Sapsan set records for the fastest train in Russia on 2 May 2009, travelling at 281 km/h (175 mph)[11] and on 7 May 2009, travelling at 290 km/h (180 mph).
On 19 December 2011, a €600 million order for an additional twenty trainsets including eight EVS2 sets[12] was signed in order to facilitate an increased number of services on existing lines and the expansion of new service elsewhere in the system.[13][14] The second-batch EVS1 sets (trainsets 9-20) will be same details as the first-batch EVS1 sets, but the second-batch EVS2 sets (trainsets 21 onward) will have retractable steps to suit for low platforms, unlike the first-batch EVS2 sets.
500 meters version on a route Moscow — Saint Petersburg
According to the timetable valid from 30 October 2011, the direct train from Moscow to St Petersburg without intermediate stops needs 3 hours 40 minutes, the train from Moscow to Nizhny Novgorod 3 hours 55 minutes.
Introduction of Sapsan initially provoked cancelling of affordable daytime trains between Moscow and St Petersburg. Since the end of 2012, Moscow – St Petersburg daytime trains other than Sapsan were running again.
New bridge crossings were built, platforms along the railway were reconstructed and additional track was completed in 2015.
New Lastochka commuter trains were introduced on the Moscow – Tver[15] and St Petersburg – Bologoye routes. Local trains in the rural areas were saved.[16][17]
Moscow – Saint Petersburg route
[edit]
The first and the only (since 2015) route for Sapsan trains.
Moscow (Leningradsky railway terminal) – Tver (756A, 762A, 770A, 778A, 780A) – Vyshny Volochyok (758A, 768A, 776A) – Bologoye (756A, 762A, 770A, 778A, 780A, 784A) – Uglovka (758A, 760A, 768A, 778A) – Okulovka (758A, 760A, 768A, 778A) – Chudovo (756A, 758A, 768A, 776A, 780A, 784A, 786A) – Saint Petersburg (Moskovsky railway terminal)[18]
There are no Sapsan trains stopping at all stations on the route. The fastest ones do not stop between Moscow and Saint Petersburg at all. Numbers of the trains which stop at intermediate stations are listed above. Such measures were implemented to increase speed.
Moscow – Nizhny Novgorod route
[edit]
Former route of Sapsan trains. Since 2015, new Talgo Strizh train was introduced. All the Sapsans were directed to Moscow – St Petersburg route. Talgo trains are also high speed but more suitable for this route.
Saint Petersburg – Nizhny Novgorod route
[edit]
On 1 March 2018, Russian Railways reopened the discontinued Saint Petersburg – Moscow – Nizhny Novgorod route which allows passengers to take an 8 hour 11 minute journey without a train change in Moscow.[19]
RZD Sapsan route
On 1 July 2012, the Russian Railways company introduced a new tariff system for Sapsan trains which dynamically prices tickets based on two factors:
- The date of sale of the ticket,
- Percentage of occupied seats on the train.
The new rates range from 0.8 to 1.2 times the base rate for the day. It is possible to see the final price of a ticket for a specific date during the booking process.
Wikimedia Commons has media related to
Sapsan.
High speed trains in Russia |
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Diesel powered | | |
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Turbojet powered | |
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Electric powered | |
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Locomotive haulage | |
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Trainsets run in Germany (ICE) | |
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Export trainsets (Velaro) | |
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Technologies | |
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High-speed trains | 350 km/h (217 mph) or more | |
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300–349 km/h (186–217 mph) |
- Renfe Class 100, 101, 102, 103
- Alstom AGV
- China Railway Hexie CRH2C, 3C, 380A / MTR CRH380A, 380B, 380C, 380D
- ETR 500
- ETR 400
- Eurostar e300; e320
- ICE 3
- KTX-I, II (Sancheon), KTX-Cheongryong
- Oaris
- Shinkansen Series 500, N700, N700S, E5/H5, E6, E8
- AVRIL
- TGV Sud-Est (refurbished), Atlantique, Réseau, Duplex, POS, 2N2, M (Avelia Horizon)
- TCDD HT80000
- Thalys PBA, PBKA
- THSR 700T
- Siemens Velaro
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250–299 km/h (155–186 mph) |
- Avelia Liberty
- China Star, DJF2, China Railway Hexie CRH1A, 1B, 1E, 2A, 2B, 2E, 2G, 3A, 5A, 5E, 5G, China Railway Fuxing CR300AF, CR300BF
- ICE 1, 2, 4 (ICx)
- KTX-Eum
- New Pendolino
- Renfe Class 120, 121, 130
- Sapsan
- SBB RABe 501, RABe 503
- Shinkansen Series 200, 300, 700, 800, E2, E3, E7/W7
- TCDD HT65000
- TGV Sud-Est (original), La Poste
- V250
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200–249 km/h (124–155 mph) |
- Acela
- ACS-64
- Adelante
- APT
- China Railway DJJ1, China Railway Hexie CRH6, China Railway Fuxing CR200J
- ER200
- HHP-8
- IC4
- ICNG
- InterCity 125, 225
- ICE T, TD, ICE L
- Javelin
- NSB Class 71 (Flytoget)
- NSB Class 73
- NSB Class 74
- Pendolino
- Railjet
- Regina
- Shinkansen series 0, 100, 400, E1, E4
- SBB RABDe 500
- Re 460
- SC-44
- SCB-40
- X 2000, SJ X40
- Z-TER (Z 21500)
- Sokol
- British Rail Classes 800, 801, 802, 803, 805, 807, 810
- Talgo XXI
- Voyager/Meridian
- X3
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High-speed railway line | |
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By countries and territories
planned networks in italics | |
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Rolling stock of former Soviet Union countries |
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Steam locomotives | |
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Diesel locomotives | Freight | |
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Passenger | |
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Shunting and industrial | |
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Narrow-gauge | |
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Electric locomotives | |
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Multiple units | Metro | |
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Diesel | |
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Electric | |
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High-speed | |
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