OREANDA-NEWS. May 11, 2010. Vladimir Yakunin met with European Transport Commissioner Siim Kallas, Belgian Mobility State Secretary Etienne Schouppe, and leading European Commission members responsible for transport, reported the press-centre of Russian Railways.

The meeting focused on discussions with the EU leadership and European Parliament on perspectives for cooperation in railway transport. The Russian Railways president briefed Siim Kallas on the activities of the company and reforms, and efforts to develop its external links and international business, noting that the successful cooperation between railway companies and administrations of countries with 1520 mm gauge ail tracks - which include four member of the EU – represent a good example of interaction that should be extended to cooperation with other EU member states.

"Promising projects, such as the development of Talgo technology or the project to extend broad gauge tracks from Bratislava to Vienna, could provide a powerful boost to further transport and economic integration between countries of the EU and CIS", Vladimir Yakunin said.

The discussions between Vladimir Yakunin and Etienne Schouppe addressed railway transport safety, the development of international transport corridors, the Bratislava-Vienna broad-gauge project, the work of the UIC and CER, and technological cooperation in building new rolling stock.

Presenting the project to build a 1520 mm gauge rail track to Vienna, Vladimir Yakunin noted that a joint venture involving Russia, Ukraine, Slovakia and Austria is currently selecting contractors with the aim of drawing up an investment feasibility study.

The company president said that the results of this work should be available by autumn this year. In December 2010, the draft investment feasibility study should be confirmed by shareholders, which will end the pre-project phase. In 2011-2013, a feasibility study, a complete business plan, and design work will be conducted. Construction of the new line is scheduled for 2013-2015, and commercial train services will begin in 2016.

"The four-way joint venture was created on a parity basis, and we plan to continue the joint venture’s work on this principle", Vladimir Yakunin said.
 
*****
Russian Railways has been working with the railway administrations and transport departments of Slovakia, Austria and Ukraine since 2007 on the project to build a line to Bratislava and Vienna with 1520 mm gauge track, involving the construction of an international logistics terminal.

According to preliminary research on the region involved in the project, carried out by Slovak and Austrian specialists, the length of the new rail line could reach around 560 km, of which 500 km would be in Slovakia, and around 60 km passing through Austrian territory.

According to preliminary estimates, the cost of the project to build the new rail line could exceed 4.7 billion euros.