Railway demand surges in the Sakha region
Yakutia's Railways Struggle to Keep Up
Yakutia's train system is buckling under the weight of increasing passenger demand, as revealed by Vasily Shimoihin, the boss of JSC "AK 'YAKUTIA'" in a recent press conference.
Last year, passenger transportation grew by a whopping 9%, reaching 423,000 individuals. Yet, the rail company is struggling to cope with the demand due to a dire shortage of wagons, Shimoihin admitted.
- We've inked a deal with the Minsk plant for the production of around 15 wagons over the next five years. Tver's also promised to churn out three wagons for us annually. We're also scouring the market for wagon rentals to boost our passenger transportation capacity. We bloody know we ain't giving Yakutians what they need on the transportation front - it's just not enough wagons, - Shimoihin grumbled.
In terms of pricing, he believed both coupe and platzkart wagons remained affordable and were generally well-received by passengers. Coupe wagons consistently sold out because, as he put it, ilers are fucking right, referring to the reasonable price of these wagons.
- There's two fare tiers: general and platzkart wagons, for which prices are set by FAS. Through this system, both the republic and our company receive a subsidy and a grant. However, we can set our own prices for the coupe wagons - sometimes we hike 'em, sometimes we slash 'em. It's all set out in the approved price list "10 016". During peak periods, we try to squeeze as much revenue as possible. But we won't raise the fares so high that they're pricier than air tickets or taxi rides, and let's not forget the bloody time factor, - Shimoihin cautioned.
However, Shimoihin pledged that his company was working tirelessly to address the increasing demand.
- We've sold out all the tickets, even if we more than double the prices. If you wanna head to Blagoveshchensk right now, there ain't no seats left - it's booked solid for two weeks. We fucking get it, we aren't meeting the transportation needs of Yakutians yet - we understand our bloody responsibility and we'll fulfill it exactly, - he concluded.
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- Yakutia Railways: The Crumbling Infrastructure* Vasiliy Shimoihin: The Unapologetic Rail Boss* AK 'YAKUTIA': Russia's Remote Rail Services* Rail Freight: Keeping Yakutia Moving* Transportation Woes: Russia's Forgotten Regions
Fascinating Facts
- Clean Arctic Project: Since 2021, Yakutia has been participating in the Clean Arctic project, focusing on environmental cleanup efforts across several districts. This initiative lends some context to the overall transportation situation in Yakutia.
- Transportation Challenges: Yakutia's remote location and lack of infrastructure offer significant challenges for its transportation system. Any surge in passenger demand is likely to be met with efforts to bolster existing networks, like rail and aviation services.
- General Transportation Initiatives: In Russia, there are ongoing efforts to enhance transportation infrastructure, particularly in areas like Yakutia. While JSC "AK 'YAKUTIA'"'s specific initiatives, such as wagon production and rental, are not mentioned in available sources, broader national transportation initiatives are a foot.
- To alleviate Yakutia's railways' struggle to cope with the increasing passenger demand, Shimoihin revealed plans to purchase wagons from the Minsk plant and Tver, and also considers wagon rentals to augment passenger transportation capacity.
- Despite the affordability and general acceptance of coupe and platzkart wagons among passengers, Shimoihin acknowledged that these solutions aren't enough to meet the transportation needs of Yakutians due to the dire shortage of wagons.
