By the end of 2010, high-speed Allegro trains will start running between St Petersburg and Helsinki. This service will reduce the journey time between the two cities from 6 to 3.5 hours.

The high-speed Allegro trains will replace the Sibelius and Repin trains currently operating between Helsinki and Moscow. The launch of the Allegro service will allow the number of journeys between Russia and Finland to be gradually increased.

RZD Vice President Mikhail Akulov told journalists at a presentation of the train in Helsinki: “For RZD, work on the project for a high-speed service linking St Petersburg and Helsinki is of great importance, as this route is an element of Russia’s high-speed rail system. Passenger travel between Russia and Finland accounts for around 52% of RZD’s entire volume of international transport. We plan to increase the volume of passenger transport between the countries by 12% each year, until 2014.”

Each Allegro train has seven carriages, and total capacity of 344 passengers. The Allegro can reach a speed of 220 km/h, but thanks to the body tilt of up to 8 degrees, the effect of the centrifugal force will be minimized when rounding curves, ensuring maximum comfort for passengers.