OREANDA-NEWS Russian Railways launched Russia's first unmanned Lastochka train on Wednesday: it began transporting passengers on the Moscow Central Ring (MCC), RIA Novosti correspondent from this train reports.

This is a train that travels by itself, but the driver is in the cabin to control and open and close the doors during boarding and disembarkation of passengers, Russian Railways explained. This is the so-called third level of automation.
Journalists and its first passengers met the first flight of the unmanned train on Wednesday at one of the MCC stations. He slowed down and stopped himself. After boarding the people, the driver closed the doors of the Swallow, and the train set off on its own.

Previously, such a train ran along the MCC only as part of testing and preparation for launch. Now the unmanned "Swallow" will travel to the MCC regularly in the general flow of ordinary trains, which are operated by drivers.
Russian Railways has been working on the project of unmanned Swallows at the MCC for several years. A lot of work has been done before the launch of such a train. In particular, tests and health checks of all systems were carried out.

Russian Railways reported that the next level of automation - the fourth - is a train without a person in the cabin. Such trains are planned to be launched at the MCC in 2026. The train will be developed on the platform of the completely Russian equivalent of the Lastochka, the Finist train.