October 02, 2021

Faster Than a Speeding Sapsan


Faster Than a Speeding Sapsan
Russian Railways (RZhD) platform in Moscow.

It used to take eight hours to get from Moscow to St. Petersburg by train, often overnight.

In 2009, Sapsan came along and cut that time in half.

In 2026, the trip will be 2.5 hours.

What will the new railway be called? What flies faster than a sapsan (peregrine falcon)?

According to the internet, nothing. Oops; they used the name Sapsan too soon.

Perhaps they will consider Cheetah (Gepard; the world's fastest land animal) or Sailfish (Parusnik; the world's fastest sea animal).

Sapsan moves at a maximum speed of 250 kilometers per hour (155 miles per hour), frightening passengers when it overtakes and whips past one of those old-style slow trains still on the tracks, with a space between them of what appears to be a few inches.

Some Sapsan routes make stops between Moscow and St. Petersburg, while the fastest ones make no stops at all . . . for hopefully obvious reasons.

The new train may have a maximum speed of about 350 kilometers per hour (217 miles per hour).

The new track will be 680 kilometers (422 miles) long. It will depart from Moskovsky Station in the center of St. Petersburg, from whence trains to Moscow depart now.

After completion of the initial line, high-high-speed trains will go to Nizhny Novgorod as well.

Those who can only afford the cheap seats will still be able to buy them, as not all trains will be Speeding Cheetahs or Speeding Sailfish.

 

You Might Also Like

Tips for Russian Train Travel
  • July 30, 2019

Tips for Russian Train Travel

There may be no better way to understand Russia than spending a few days chugging across the country by train. Here are our tips for how to make the most of it.
Your Trip To The U.S.S.R.
  • September 12, 2021

Your Trip To The U.S.S.R.

Let's take a trip to a nation that no longer exists! We've got an old hard-cover travel guide to lead the way. 
Like this post? Get a weekly email digest + member-only deals

Some of Our Books

The Pet Hawk of the House of Abbas

The Pet Hawk of the House of Abbas

This exciting new trilogy by a Russian author – who has been compared to Orhan Pamuk and Umberto Eco – vividly recreates a lost world, yet its passions and characters are entirely relevant to the present day. Full of mystery, memorable characters, and non-stop adventure, The Pet Hawk of the House of Abbas is a must read for lovers of historical fiction and international thrillers.  
Driving Down Russia's Spine

Driving Down Russia's Spine

The story of the epic Spine of Russia trip, intertwining fascinating subject profiles with digressions into historical and cultural themes relevant to understanding modern Russia. 
Okudzhava Bilingual

Okudzhava Bilingual

Poems, songs and autobiographical sketches by Bulat Okudzhava, the king of the Russian bards. 
Steppe / Степь (bilingual)

Steppe / Степь (bilingual)

This is the work that made Chekhov, launching his career as a writer and playwright of national and international renown. Retranslated and updated, this new bilingual edition is a super way to improve your Russian.
The Moscow Eccentric

The Moscow Eccentric

Advance reviewers are calling this new translation "a coup" and "a remarkable achievement." This rediscovered gem of a novel by one of Russia's finest writers explores some of the thorniest issues of the early twentieth century.
Davai! The Russians and Their Vodka

Davai! The Russians and Their Vodka

In this comprehensive, quixotic and addictive book, Edwin Trommelen explores all facets of the Russian obsession with vodka. Peering chiefly through the lenses of history and literature, Trommelen offers up an appropriately complex, rich and bittersweet portrait, based on great respect for Russian culture.
A Taste of Chekhov

A Taste of Chekhov

This compact volume is an introduction to the works of Chekhov the master storyteller, via nine stories spanning the last twenty years of his life.
Fish: A History of One Migration

Fish: A History of One Migration

This mesmerizing novel from one of Russia’s most important modern authors traces the life journey of a selfless Russian everywoman. In the wake of the Soviet breakup, inexorable forces drag Vera across the breadth of the Russian empire. Facing a relentless onslaught of human and social trials, she swims against the current of life, countering adversity and pain with compassion and hope, in many ways personifying Mother Russia’s torment and resilience amid the Soviet disintegration.
Russian Rules

Russian Rules

From the shores of the White Sea to Moscow and the Northern Caucasus, Russian Rules is a high-speed thriller based on actual events, terrifying possibilities, and some really stupid decisions.

About Us

Russian Life is a publication of a 30-year-young, award-winning publishing house that creates a bimonthly magazine, books, maps, and other products for Russophiles the world over.

Latest Posts

Our Contacts

Russian Life
73 Main Street, Suite 402
Montpelier VT 05602

802-223-4955