Red Arrow (Russian train)
Encyclopedia
The Red Arrow is a Russian sleeper train connecting Moscow
and Saint Petersburg
via the Moscow–Saint Petersburg Railway.
. In 1949, the deep red color of the train was adopted.
Since 1965, the song "The Hymn to the Great City" (composed by Reinhold Glière
and adopted as the hymn of Saint Petersburg) has been playing when the Red Arrow leaves Saint Petersburg at 23:55.
To enhance capacity, a second sleeper train was started in 1978, called the Red Arrow 2; this service leaves Moscow and Saint Petersburg four minutes later.
As newly designed cars were introduced by Russian Railways
in 2007, the Red Arrow 2 was renamed Express. As the demand for sleeper train increased even more, they introduced yet another sleeper service, called Megapolis, leaving Moscow or Saint Petersburg after the Red Arrow and Express.
In honor of the 75th anniversary of the train, a special subway train called "Red Arrow--75 years" was launched in 2006 on the Moscow Metro
. On 29 March 2010 the subway train was bombed in the terrorist attack at the Lubyanka station. As of June 2010 the subway train has been repaired and relaunched.
Moscow
Moscow is the capital, the most populous city, and the most populous federal subject of Russia. The city is a major political, economic, cultural, scientific, religious, financial, educational, and transportation centre of Russia and the continent...
and Saint Petersburg
Saint Petersburg
Saint Petersburg is a city and a federal subject of Russia located on the Neva River at the head of the Gulf of Finland on the Baltic Sea...
via the Moscow–Saint Petersburg Railway.
General
The Red Arrow runs from Leningrad Station in Moscow to Moscow Station in Saint Petersburg. It started its first regular service in 1931, and has only been interrupted between 1941 and 1943 during the Siege of LeningradSiege of Leningrad
The Siege of Leningrad, also known as the Leningrad Blockade was a prolonged military operation resulting from the failure of the German Army Group North to capture Leningrad, now known as Saint Petersburg, in the Eastern Front theatre of World War II. It started on 8 September 1941, when the last...
. In 1949, the deep red color of the train was adopted.
Since 1965, the song "The Hymn to the Great City" (composed by Reinhold Glière
Reinhold Glière
Reinhold Moritzevich Glière was a Russian and Soviet composer of German–Polish descent.- Biography :Glière was born in Kiev, Ukraine...
and adopted as the hymn of Saint Petersburg) has been playing when the Red Arrow leaves Saint Petersburg at 23:55.
To enhance capacity, a second sleeper train was started in 1978, called the Red Arrow 2; this service leaves Moscow and Saint Petersburg four minutes later.
As newly designed cars were introduced by Russian Railways
Russian Railways
The Russian Railways , is the government owned national rail carrier of the Russian Federation, headquartered in Moscow. The Russian Railways operate over of common carrier routes as well as a few hundred kilometers of industrial routes, making it the second largest network in the world exceeded...
in 2007, the Red Arrow 2 was renamed Express. As the demand for sleeper train increased even more, they introduced yet another sleeper service, called Megapolis, leaving Moscow or Saint Petersburg after the Red Arrow and Express.
In honor of the 75th anniversary of the train, a special subway train called "Red Arrow--75 years" was launched in 2006 on the Moscow Metro
Moscow Metro
The Moscow Metro is a rapid transit system serving Moscow and the neighbouring town of Krasnogorsk. Opened in 1935 with one line and 13 stations, it was the first underground railway system in the Soviet Union. As of 2011, the Moscow Metro has 182 stations and its route length is . The system is...
. On 29 March 2010 the subway train was bombed in the terrorist attack at the Lubyanka station. As of June 2010 the subway train has been repaired and relaunched.
External links
- Railway stations in Saint Petersburg (Encyclopedia of Saint Petersburg)
- Photos of the Red Arrow train, RZD (Russian Railways)