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RZD to purchase 1000 electric locomotives
Russian Railways intends to purchase 1000 new electric locomotives over the next three years, valuated at EUR 2 billion. In addition, the company will expand its Lastochka existing fleet from the current 183 trains in service increasing to 270 by 2021. The two projects are part of company's wider electrification and reduction of emissions strategy. The new electric locomotives and increasing the number of Lastochka trains form the pillar of the electrification process.
RZD is focused on the electrification of its busiest lines and on the decommissioning of diesel locomotives. Currently, more than half of the 85,500km Russian rail network is electrified and more than 85% of all rail passenger journeys in Russia take place on the electric network.
With rising passenger journeys out of urban centres towards surrounding regions, Russian Railways has been building out its electrified network and rolling stock to offer transport at the best combination of speed and price, and with the lowest possible carbon impact. Journeys on high-traffic routes are forecast to rise, and RZD projects should help to attract travellers away from cars and buses, and onto electrified trains.
Railway travel already offers significant advantages over road and air travel in terms of CO2 emissions and resource consumption. The Lastochka trains will improve this performance, achieving CO2 emissions typically by 3.5 times lower than road transport and almost by 10 times lower than air transport.
Russian Railways' investment programme for 2018-2025 has a total value of EUR 100 billion.