Russian Railways plans to launch a direct service between St. Petersburg and Berlin. The train will travel via Kaliningrad, Poland, and the Baltic states, Izvestia reports, citing the German Ministry of Transport.
In JSC Russian Railways confirmed that technical development of the project is currently underway. A launch date for the train has not yet been determined. However, it is planned that trains will depart 2-3 times a week. The route will pass through Kaliningrad. Furthermore, trains to Berlin will use the railway infrastructure of Poland and the Baltic states, avoiding the construction of new lines.
Experts believe the launch of a direct train will attract tourists from Germany to Russia and halve the travel time from St. Petersburg to Kaliningrad. Furthermore, the new route will also benefit the Baltic countries.
Currently, residents of the northern capital can travel to the German capital by train only with a two-hour transfer in Moscow. The total travel time is over 24 hours. Trains from Moscow to Berlin depart on Tuesdays, Fridays, and Sundays. One-way tickets start at 11,945 rubles.
Rossiya Airlines flies directly from the northern capital to the German capital. Roundtrip tickets for mid-October start at 14,800 rubles.
Source: news.turizm.ru
