On October 1, 2026, Russian Railways (RZD) began a preliminary feasibility study for a high-speed railway (HSR) line between Moscow and Nizhny Novgorod. At the same time, similar work started on the Moscow–Minsk route. This was reported by Russia's Minister of Transport Andrey Nikitin.[1][2]

Background

The project for a high-speed railway line from Moscow to Nizhny Novgorod and Kazan has been under discussion for more than ten years; it was reported that construction could be completed by 2031.[1] In the summer of 2026, at a meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin, Andrey Nikitin proposed that once the Moscow–Saint Petersburg HSR is finished, the next lines to be built should be those to Nizhny Novgorod and Minsk, justifying the choice by saying that the Moscow–Nizhny Novgorod section, with its extension to Kazan, delivers the "maximum economic gain." Putin supported the initiative.[3] The Moscow–Nizhny Novgorod–Kazan line was included in Russia's territorial planning scheme, developed as part of the Transport Strategy through 2030 with a forecast to 2036.[3]

Project Parameters

According to the project materials, the total length of the Moscow–Nizhny Novgorod–Kazan line will be 770 kilometers. The line will pass through Moscow, the Moscow, Vladimir, and Nizhny Novgorod Regions, Chuvashia, and Tatarstan.[3] In Nizhny Novgorod Region, the route will cover Nizhny Novgorod, Dzerzhinsk, and the Volodarsky, Balakhninsky, Bogorodsky, Lyskovsky, Spassky, and Vorotynsky districts.[3]

In a broader context, Russia plans to build five high-speed lines with a combined length of more than 4,500 kilometers by 2045; about 300 high-speed trains are expected to operate on the network. In addition to the routes to Nizhny Novgorod and Minsk, the list includes routes from Moscow to Yekaterinburg (via Nizhny Novgorod and Kazan), Adler, and Ryazan.[2]

Context and Priorities

The Minister of Transport named Moscow — Nizhny Novgorod and Moscow — Minsk as the "nearest priorities" for developing the high-speed rail (HSR) network after the first launch section, Moscow — Saint Petersburg, whose construction has already begun.[1][3] The start of the preliminary feasibility study is a preparatory stage before full-scale design, making it possible to assess the route alignment, technical solutions, and economic viability.[2]

Sources

  1. NIA "Nizhny Novgorod" — Russian Railways begins work on the Moscow HSR project (archive)
  2. Newsroom24 — Russian Railways begins work on the Moscow — Nizhny Novgorod and Minsk HSR — Transport
  3. GIPERNN — Russian Railways begins preparations for designing the Moscow — Nizhny Novgorod HSR