The 650 km Oktyabrskaya zheleznaya doroga (October Railway), which links Moskva with Sankt Peters-burg, is a very busy part of the RZD network, in terms of both passenger and freight traffic. In 2006 over six million passengers were carried, so it is not surprising that the emergent open access operators in Russia are focusing most of their attention on this important corridor.
On Mondays and Fridays, when the „ER200“ operates (trains 167/168), there are two „sprinter“ daytime express pairs between Moskva and St. Petersburg, but on other days just one, the locomotive-hauled „Nevsky Express“ (trains 165/166). The latter is seen here on 14 September 2007 at Moskva Leningradsky vokzal (station), behind ChS200-005, shortly before departure. Just visible on the right of the locomotive, is the cab of the ER200, which will leave 15 minutes later.
Photo: Jaromir Pernicka