OREANDA-NEWS. July 09, 2013. Vladimir Yakunin, President of Russian Railways, summed up the Company's performance in the first six months of 2013 during a conference call.

Yakunin said that in January-June, tariff freight turnover decreased by 3% compared to the same period last year, while loading fell by 3.7%.

The Company continued to implement technology to dispatch freight trains according to the timetable. In June, 840 such trains were dispatched on a contractual basis.

In the past month, the average speed on freight routes was 520 km per day, while the average speed of container trains was 856 km per day, an increase of 7.8% year-on-year.

Passenger turnover on the infrastructure of Russian Railways decreased by 1.4% over the same period of 2012 and by 3% on long-distance services, although suburban passenger turnover increased by 3.8%.

To date, 128 extra passengers trains have been laid on to resorts in the North Caucasus and Crimea, up from 85 in 2012. In all, more than 400 additional trains will be assigned over the entire summer season. To ensure the transportation of organised children's groups, 255 trains have been laid on.

In the first half of 2013, the total number of accidents on the infrastructure of Russian Railways fell by 0.3%.

The Company's investment budget for the first six months of 2013 is projected at 184.1 billion roubles.

Projects being carried out under instructions from the Russian government are being implemented as a priority. In particular, the reconstruction of the railway station complex at Kazan station has been fully completed, as has the reconstruction of the railway section between Kazan - Airport and the construction of the Aeroexpress terminal with a rail link at Kazan international airport. By the end of the year, the construction of the highway overpass at the intersection with the Usada - Stolbische road is due to be finished.

As of 1 July 2013, over 5,000 km of track have undergone various kinds of repairs and upgrades and more than 1,400 sets of point operating gear on reinforced concrete sleepers laid.

The Company purchased 366 locomotives units and 316 multiple motorised rolling stock units during the reporting period.