Sapsan
The Sapsan, also known as Velaro RUS EVS, is a Russian gauge high speed electric express train. The train is a Siemens Velaro model, which in turn is based on the ICE 3M/F high-speed trains manufactured by Siemens Mobility for Russian Railways. The trains started regular service on the Saint Petersburg–Moscow Railway in December 2009, at a maximum speed of and journey time of four hours between Moscow and Saint Petersburg.
On 22 March 2022, following the 2022 Russian invasion of Ukraine, Siemens suspended its contract to supply additional trainsets, as well as announcing it would end maintenance and other services from 13 May 2022, with Russian Railways stepping in to continue their maintenance.
Construction history
On 18 May 2006, Siemens and Russian Railways signed a €276 million order for eight high-speed trains with a 30-year service contract worth around €300 million.File:Sapsan Museum of Moscow Railway.JPG|thumb|right|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. They are derived from the German ICE 3 train but with bodies widened by to to suit Russia's wide loading gauge. Four of the trains are equipped for both 3 kV DC and operation. The total length of each ten-car train is, carrying up to 600 passengers.
Development and construction were 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.
Four single-voltage trains entered passenger service at the end of 2009 on the Moscow – St Petersburg route, with the dual-system trains entering service on the Nizhny Novgorod route on 30 July 2010.
Sapsan set records for the fastest train in Russia on 2 May 2009, travelling at and on 7 May 2009, travelling at.
On 19 December 2011, a €600 million order for an additional twenty trainsets including eight 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. The second-batch EVS1 sets will be same details as the first-batch EVS1 sets, but the second-batch EVS2 sets will have retractable steps suited for low platforms, unlike the first-batch EVS2 sets.
Operations
According to the timetable valid from 30 October 2011, the direct train from Moscow to St Petersburg without intermediate stops needs 3 hours 40 minutes, the train from Moscow to Nizhny Novgorod 3 hours 55 minutes.Introduction of Sapsan initially caused cancelation of affordable daytime trains between Moscow and St Petersburg. Since the end of 2012, Moscow – St Petersburg daytime trains other than Sapsan have been running again.
New bridge crossings were built, platforms along the railway were reconstructed and an additional track was completed in 2015. New Lastochka commuter trains were introduced on the Moscow – Tver and St Petersburg – Bologoye routes. Local trains in the rural areas were saved.
Wagon layout
Top — single-system train of the EVS1 series with direct current of 3 kV
Bottom — dual-system train of the EVS2 series with direct current of 3 kV and alternating current of 25 kV and 50 Hz
- ГПм — head carriage, first class, motor, 23 seats + a three-seat sofa.
- ГТм — head carriage, passenger class, motor, 51 seats + baby cradle.
- ДБ — throttle, business class, trailer, 52 seats.
- ДТ — throttle, passenger class, trailer, 99 seats.
- Т — passenger class, trailer, 66 seats.
- ТТр — passenger class, with transformer for alternating current, trailer, 66 seats.
- Тм — passenger class, motor, 66 seats,
- Та — passenger class, battery-powered, brake resistors on the roof, trailer, 60 seats.
- ТаБ — passenger class, battery-powered, brake resistors on the roof, with a bistro, trailer, 40 seats + tables at the bar.
Route
Moscow – Saint Petersburg route
The first and the only route for Sapsan trains.Moscow – Tver – Vyshny Volochyok – Bologoye – Uglovka – Okulovka – Chudovo – Saint Petersburg
There are no Sapsan trains stopping at all stations on the route. The fastest ones do not stop between Moscow and Saint Petersburg at all. Numbers of the trains which stop at intermediate stations are listed above. Such measures were implemented to increase speed.
| Termini | via | Termini | Length | Average journey time | Train numbers | Date of introduction | Train type |
| Saint Petersburg—Moskovsky | Chudovo—Moskovskoye, Okulovka, Uglovka, Bologoye—Moskovskoye, Vyshny Volochyok, Tver, Kryukovo | Moscow—Leningradsky | 4 hours 00 minutes | 751—757 759—770 772—780 | 17 December 2009 | EVS1, EVS2 |
Moscow – Nizhny Novgorod route
Former route of Sapsan trains. Since 2015, new Talgo Strizh trains were introduced. All of the Sapsans were subsequently used on the Moscow – St Petersburg route.| Route | Length | Train type | Cancellation reason | Service period | Replaced by… |
| Moscow—Kursky - Nizhny Novgorod—Moskovsky | EVS2 | Increase in the number of flights on the Moscow-St. Petersburg route | 30.07.2010 — 01.06.2015 01.03.2018 — 01.06.2022 | Strizh Lastochka |
Saint Petersburg – Nizhny Novgorod route
On 1 March 2018, Russian Railways reopened the discontinued Saint Petersburg – Moscow – Nizhny Novgorod route which allows passengers to take an 8 hour 11 minute journey without a train change in Moscow.| Route | Length | Train type | Reason for cancellation | Service period | Replaced by… |
| Saint Petersburg—Moskovsky - Nizhny Novgorod—Moskovsky | EVS2 | Due to technical limitations, speeds greater than 160 km/h on the Moscow-Nizhny Novgorod section were not possible | 30.07.2010 — 01.06.2015 | — |
Tickets
On 1 July 2012, the Russian Railways company introduced a new tariff system for Sapsan trains which dynamically prices tickets based on two factors:- The date of sale of the ticket,
- Percentage of occupied seats on the train.