Update Post: November 30, 2023 5:15 pm
The development of the MCD is a joint project of the Moscow authorities and the federal government. According to the basic concept, the diameter trains will run alongside regular express trains and will give Russians the opportunity to build routes that suit them best. While the details of the program are being agreed upon, conceptual approval already exists. Travel on the expanded MCD can be paid for by the Moscow Troika, which already operates in several regions.
Meanwhile, the inhabitants of the agglomeration had time to appreciate the possibilities of the new diameters: regular passengers note the comfort of the new trains. By the way, its update continues. “In total, 30 new Ivolga, Lastochka and EP2D trains are planned to be delivered by the end of the year on the MCD-3 and MCD-4 routes,” said Maxim Liksutov. “Over the next year, the remains of the old trains will be replaced by new ones.”
Even more passengers are satisfied with the intervals: during peak hours they do not exceed 5 minutes. The Department of Transportation assessed the accuracy of schedule compliance at 97 percent. And although in most cases the subway remains the fastest and most comfortable option for moving around the city, a certain proportion of passengers has appeared who choose exclusively diameters for travel.
According to Maxim Liksutov, the diameters will stimulate not only the passenger transport industry, but also the economy as a whole. The number of small businesses along the newly opened MCD-3 line is estimated to have tripled. This can be judged by the data of the Federal Tax Service, where all newly installed cash registers are registered. So far we’ve mainly talked about restaurants and cafes, but other businesses along the diameter route also have huge potential.
In the Moscow transport structure, the MCD harmoniously coexists with both the expanded metro and the Aeroexpress. According to Maxim Liksutov, Vnukovo will remain for now the only airport in the capital with its “own” metro. According to the vice mayor, the express train is sufficient to transport passengers to other airports. By the way, in Vnukovo, even after the launch of the metro, Aeroexpress passenger traffic decreased slightly. “For many, it is of fundamental importance to get to the city center as quickly as possible, without unnecessary stops, which is why they choose the express service,” commented the head of the capital’s transport complex. “In addition, this option is more convenient for passengers with heavy luggage.”