The tunnel boring machine "Alyona" is a mining complex launched in late July 2026 to bore the right running tunnel of the Nizhny Novgorod metro from Gorkovskaya Station (Gorky Street) toward the future Freedom Square Station. The name was given in honor of a girl named Alyona who, according to a 16th-century legend, while on her way to fetch water, fought off enemies armed with nothing but a yoke — the heroine of the tale of the Koromyslova Tower of the Nizhny Novgorod Kremlin.

Route and Purpose

"Alyona" operates in parallel with the tunnel boring machine "Yevdokiya," which is boring the left tunnel of the same section. Both machines started from the same launch shaft on Gorky Street, but "Alyona's" route skirts the historic block from the opposite side relative to "Yevdokiya." Before "Alyona," the tunnels between Freedom Square and Sennaya Square were being bored by the shield "Vladimir," launched in January 2024 and named after Grand Prince Vladimir Svyatoslavich — the first tunnel boring machine in the country to bear a male name.[5] The "Alyona" shield is a Chinese tunnel boring complex — as is the "Yevdokiya" shield with which it works in tandem.[3] Completion of both tunnels was planned for the end of 2026.

Construction Progress

At the time the design sketches for Sennaya and Freedom Square stations were presented, the "Yevdokiya" shield had advanced the first 200 meters from Gorky Street; "Alyona" was launched shortly after — in late July 2026. By the time the shield had traveled its first 100 meters, it had already fully cleared the launch pit and entered standard boring mode.[1] According to Deputy Governor Sergey Morozov, the plan for 2026 was to complete all boring work and begin construction of the stations, with their opening scheduled for December 2027. New metro stations are projected to increase passenger traffic to the Upper Town of Nizhny Novgorod by approximately one third.[6] Construction of Freedom Square and Sennaya stations is estimated at nearly 48 billion rubles, with Mosproekt-3 serving as the general contractor.[1]

The total length of the tunnel that "Alyona" is set to bore is approximately 730 meters beneath Maxim Gorky Street. Along "Alyona's" route, 486 high-precision precast concrete rings are to be installed as tunnel lining.[3] The body of the "Alyona" tunnel boring complex is 80 meters long. The shield body weighs nearly 600 tonnes: the head section with its rotor, 6.2 meters in diameter, accounts for over 380 tonnes, with the remainder comprising equipment cars carrying machinery for excavating and removing spoil to the surface, as well as for installing the precast concrete lining segments.[4][1]

The heroine after whom the shield is named was killed by a saber blow during a skirmish with an enemy detachment; in her memory, a monument has been erected near the Koromyslova Tower of the Nizhny Novgorod Kremlin.[6]

Sources

  1. Kommersant (Volga Region) — The "Alyona" shield is a Chinese tunnel-boring complex — as is the "Yevdokia" shield with which it operates in tandem. The launch of "Alyona" was announced by the Governor
  2. Vremya N — The body of the "Alyona" shield weighs nearly 600 tons: the head section with a rotor 6.2 meters in diameter accounts for over 380 tons, with the remainder falling on the equipment trolleys
  3. TASS — Before "Alyona," the tunnels between Freedom Square and Sennaya Square were being dug by the "Vladimir" shield, launched in January 2024 and named after Grand Prince Vladimi (archive)
  4. nn.aif.ru — According to projections, the new metro stations will increase passenger traffic to the upper part of Nizhny Novgorod by approximately one third.
  1. Zhivyom v Nizhnem — The length of the "Alyona" tunnel-boring complex is 80 meters. Having covered the first 100 meters of its route, the shield crossed the boundary of the construction site and left the st
  1. GIPERNN — The total length of the tunnel that the "Alyona" shield is to bore runs approximately 730 meters beneath Maxim Gorky Street. (archive)
Materials from articles used (2)

Tunnel-boring shield "Yevdokia", Presentation of design sketches for the "Sennaya" and "Freedom Square" metro stations