Sapsan

Sapsan
Sapsan en route from Moscow to Saint Petersburg
In service	2009–present
Manufacturer	Siemens
Family name	Siemens Velaro
Formation	10 cars
Capacity	604
Operator	Russian Railways
Line(s) served	Moscow – Saint Petersburg Railway Moscow – Nizhny Novgorod Railway
Specifications
Car length	250 m (820 ft)
Width	3.265 m (10 ft 8.5 in)
Height	4.4 m (14 ft 5 in)
Floor height	1.36 m
Maximum speed	250 km/h (155 mph), upgradeable to 330 km/h (205 mph)
Weight	667 t (656 long tons; 735 short tons)
Power output	8,000 kW (11,000 hp)
Tractive effort	328 kN (74,000 lbf) (starting) 296 kN (67,000 lbf) @ 97 km/h (60 mph) (continuous)
Power supply	EVS1: 3 kV DC EVS2 (dual voltage units): 3 kV DC, 25 kV 50 Hz AC
Electric system(s)	Overhead catenary
Current collection method	Pantograph
UIC classification	Bo′Bo′+2′2′+2′2′+Bo′Bo′+2′2′ +2′2′+Bo′Bo′+2′2′+2′2′+Bo′Bo′
Safety system(s)	KLUB-U
Track gauge	1,520 mm (4 ft 11 27⁄32 in)

Not to be confused with the cancelled Sokol train project.

Sapsan (Russian Сапсан, "Peregrine Falcon", known as Velaro RUS EVS by Siemens) is a 1,520 mm (4 ft 11 ²⁷⁄₃₂ in) gauge high speed train in Russia. The design is part of the Siemens Velaro family.

The trains started regular service on the Moscow – Saint Petersburg Railway in December 2009^[1][2] at a maximum speed of 250 km/h (155 mph) (a new build High-Speed Line would allow for speeds of up to 330 km/h or 205 mph).

History of construction

On 18 May 2006 Siemens and Russian Railways signed a € 276m order for 8 high speed trains^[3] with a 30-year service contract worth around €300m.^[3]

OO gauge model railway featuring the Sapsan train on the Moscow – Saint Petersburg Railway and Moscow to Nizhny Novgorod Railway in the Museum of the Moscow Railway, Moscow

The trains were ordered to connect Moscow with Saint Petersburg and later Nizhny Novgorod at a speed of up to 250 km/h (155 mph). They are derived from the German ICE 3 train but with bodies widened by 330 mm (13 in) to 3,265 mm (10 ft 8.5 in) to suit Russia's wide loading gauge.^[4] Four of the trains ("EVS2") are equipped for both 3 kV DC and 25 kV 50 Hz AC operation. The total length of each ten-car train is 250 m (820 ft), carrying up to 600 passengers.

Development and construction was carried out by Siemens at Erlangen and Krefeld in Germany. In August 2009 it was announced that the fifth Sapsan had been delivered to Russia, of the eight that were planned.^[5]

Four single-voltage ("EVS1", 3 kV DC powered) trains entered passenger service at the end of 2009 on the Moscow - St Petersburg route, with the dual-system trains (EVS2) entering service on the Nizhny Novgorod route on 30 July 2010.^[6]

Sapsan set records for the fastest train in Russia on 2 May 2009, travelling at 281 km/h (175 mph)^[7] and on 7 May 2009, travelling at 290 km/h (180 mph).

On December 19, 2011, a 600 million euro order for an additional 8 EVS2 sets was signed in order to facilitate an increased number of services on existing lines and the expansion of new service elsewhere in the system.^[8][9]

Operations

Since entering service in December 2009, it has been Russian Railways' only profitable passenger service, with an occupancy rate of 84.5%.^[10] According to the timetable valid from 30 October 2011, the direct train from Moscow to St Petersburg without intermediate stops needs 3:40, the train from Moscow to Nizhniy Novgorod 3:55 hours.

Introduction of Sapsan initially provoked cancelling of affordable daytime trains between Moscow and St.Petersburg. By the end of 2012 Moscow - St.Petersburg daytime trains other than Sapsan were running again.

There were a series of stone throwing attacks against Sapsan trains. As possible reasons cancelling of commuter trains, disruption of local transportation in rural areas and accidents because of poor safety for pedestrians were mentioned.^[11]

Train surfing on the Sapsan

Tickets

On July 1, 2012 the company "Russian Railways" uses a new tariff system, which provides a flexible price of a ticket on the train "Sapsan." Fares vary automatically based on two factors:

• The date of sale of the ticket,
• Percentage of occupied seats on the train.

The change rates in the range of 0.8 to 1.2 times the base cost. It is possible to see the final price of a ticket for a specific date during the booking process.

The average cost of a train ticket "Sapsan":

See also

• The Museum of the Moscow Railway, at Paveletsky Rail Terminal, Moscow
• Rizhsky Rail Terminal, Home of the Moscow Railway Museum
• Varshavsky Rail Terminal, St.Petersburg, Home of the Central Museum of Railway Transport, Russian Federation
• History of rail transport in Russia

References

External links

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Sapsan.

• Siemens Velaro RUS Sell Sheet
• Velaro RUS pdf Siemens Page (Archived)
• Velaro high-speed train for Russia / A. Lipp, John D., R. Mangler, VA Gapanovich, AS Nazarov, ON Nazarov, VP Shilkin / / Railways of the World, 2009, No1, pp.36-50.
• St. Petersburg - Moscow - Nizhny Novgorod Official web page on Russian Railways
• The average cost of a train ticket "Sapsan" Web site about Petersburg-Moscow Trains

v t e High speed trains in Russia Diesel powered TEP80 Turbojet powered ER22 Turbojet train (experimental) Electric powered ER200 Sokol Sapsan Sm6 Allegro