OREANDA-NEWS. December 26, 2007. The Company attaches great importance to the creation of joint ventures, since this form of cooperation with leading international partners and rail companies allows the most effective development of relations, reported the press-centre of Russian Railways.

In June 2007, a statement was signed in Moscow to create a joint venture, EurasiaRailLogistics, in which the rail systems of Russia, Germany, Poland and Belarus are partners. The goal of the statement was to coordinate the activity of the participants in optimising procedures and transportation and to increase the quality of services and freight volumes along International Transport Corridor Number 2, which runs from Berlin – Warsaw – Minsk – Moscow – Nizhny Novgorod.

In the same month, Russian Railways and Deutsche Bahn signed an agreement to create a joint venture in shipments and logistics, Trans-Eurasia Logistics GmbH, with the involvement of Russian Railways, Trans-Container, Stinnes, Kombiverkehr and Polzug.

In accordance with its plans to upgrade its rail car fleet, Russian Railways signed a series of contracts to take delivery of high-speed passenger trains from international manufacturers.
 
On 20 July, at the Siemens factory in Krefeld-Urdingen, the signal was given in the presence of the president of Russian Railways Vladimir Yakunin and the Chairman of Siemens Transportation Systems Hans Schabert to start producing the Velaro RUS high-speed electric train. It is planned that the trains will begin services between Moscow and Saint Petersburg at the end of 2009 and travel at 250 kph.

At the end of November in Saviliano in Italy, a ceremony was held to mark the beginning of production of the high-speed Pendolino electric trains for passenger services between Saint Petersburg and Helsinki. Delivery to Russia is expected at the end of 2009.