Putin instructed to allocate ₽300 billion in 2025 for the VSM in St. Petersburg

In 2025, the Government of Russia will allocate at least 300 billion rubles from the National Welfare Fund to provide loans for the construction of the high-speed highway Moscow – St. Petersburg. Corresponding order of President Vladimir Putin published on the website of the Kremlin.

In addition, the president instructed the government to provide a capital grant in 2024-2028 at the expense of the federal budget in the amount of more than 28 billion rubles for the purchase of land plots for the construction of transport infrastructure facilities of the Ukrainian SSR.

In addition, it is supposed to provide subsidies from the federal budget in the amount of about 300 billion rubles.

It follows from the instructions of the president that the construction of the VSM will also be financed from the budget of the regions. In particular, Moscow will allocate at least 150 billion rubles, St. Petersburg – 30 billion rubles, Moscow region – 20 billion rubles, Leningrad region – at least 10 billion rubles, Novgorod region – six billion, and Tver region – five billion rubles.

Orders must be completed by July 1, 2024. At the same time, the cost of travel and baggage transportation will be determined.

The idea of ​​a high-speed Moscow-Petersburg highway has been discussed since the time of the USSR. The Russian Railways included this project in the program for the organization of high-speed and high-speed railway communication in Russia in 2015.

At that time, Russian Railways estimated the cost of the project at 984 billion rubles. In 2023, according to Russian Railways estimates, the total cost of highway construction will increase to one trillion 700 billion rubles.

Putin launched the construction of the VSM on March 14, the launch of the movement is scheduled for 2028. According to Transport Minister Vitaly Savelyev, the journey between the two cities will take 2 hours and 15 minutes. Now high-speed “Sapsan” trains run between Moscow and St. Petersburg, their journey time is about four hours on average.

“Sapsan” is the fastest train operated in Russia. This is a German Siemens Velaro model adapted for the Russian market. Ego speed – up to 300 km/h. For a high-speed railway, the speed must be up to 400 km/h, such trains are not produced or purchased in Russia.