The new rail-air terminal at Sochi Airport and a regular passenger service between Sochi city centre and Sochi Airport were inaugurated at an official ceremony on 15 February 2012. The new 2.8 km line can handle 60% of all airline passengers passing through Sochi Airport and carry more than 86,000 people every day. The commuter trains take 40 minutes to complete the journey from Sochi to Adler and another 10 minutes from Adler to Sochi Airport, making the total travel time 50 minutes. The service will be operated by the company Aeroexpress.
A modern railway passenger terminal has been built at the rail-air station. Tactile indicators have been installed on pavements, platforms, banisters, railings and lift buttons to aid the orientation of the visually impaired. The concept for the service was developed after taking into account the characteristics of Sochi’s infrastructure and the needs of the residents and the future visitors to the Olympic Centre.
During construction, a number of complex problems had to be solved in order for the line to pass through dense urban areas and the irregularities of the terrain. The new line from Adler to Sochi Airport passes through two tunnels of 164 and 368 metres and over three overpasses with a total length of 750 metres, as well as across a 44 metre bridge over the Bolshaya Khirota river. In addition, about a kilometre of retaining walls were built to hold back landslides.
The ED4M series trains which will operate between Sochi city centre and Sochi Airport were designed specifically for inter-modal communication by the Demikhovsky Engineering Plant, taking into account the need to traverse mountainous terrain. The trains are divided into three classes: business, standard and suburban. Closed-circuit video surveillance cameras and speakerphones have been installed for passenger and train safety and security. From 2014, the new comfortable Desiro (Lastochka) train will come into service on the line. In the first phase, from 16 February 2012 until the 2012/2013 train timetable comes into effect, four pairs of commuter trains will be assigned to the route Sochi - Adler - Sochi Airport.
(Source: Russian Railways, RZD)
