Knorr-Bremse to supply on-board equipment for 13 new Russian high-speed trains

Based on the German rail vehicle manufacturer’s Velaro platform, the high-speed trains will operate in Russia under the Sapsan (Peregrine Falcon) brand. This is the third such contract that Knorr-Bremse has signed with Siemens Mobility to equip the Velaro model in Russia, helping to deliver fast, reliable and highly-efficient mobility.

“We are delighted that Siemens Mobility has once again chosen Knorr-Bremse as its partner to supply equipment for the Sapsan high-speed trains,” said Dr. Jürgen Wilder, Member of the Executive Board of Knorr-Bremse AG and responsible for the Rail Vehicle Systems division. “Through our involvement, we are helping to upgrade Russia’s infrastructure while at the same time strengthening our presence in a rail market with significant potential. At the same time we are also cementing our partnership with Siemens Mobility in the ongoing development of the Velaro platform around the world.”

Mark Cleobury, Member of the Management Board of Knorr-Bremse Rail Vehicle Systems, added: “With these new high-speed trains we are responding to the growing demand among travellers for faster, more reliable and more comfortable transportation between Russia’s two largest economic hubs. Our connected systems and solutions are helping to further increase the availability of high-speed rail travel in Russia and optimise train frequency.”

Moscow–St. Petersburg in under four hours

From Q4 2020, Knorr-Bremse will start supplying Siemens Mobility with braking, entrance and HVAC systems, windscreen wipers and power electrics for 13 ten-car high-speed trains. With seating for 604 passengers and a top speed of 250km/h, the Velaro RUS trains will complete the 650km-long route between Moscow and St. Petersburg in approximately three hours 45 minutes.

The equipment must meet particularly demanding requirements due to the extreme climatic conditions encountered within the region covered by the GOST technical standard, which encompasses Russia and some neighboring states. Consequently, the systems to be supplied by Knorr-Bremse have been designed to operate reliably at temperatures down to -50°C.

Knorr-Bremse already supplied equipment to Siemens Mobility for eight Sapsan trains in 2006 and a further eight in 2011. The 13 new trains will bring the total fleet size to 29. The existing trains are already achieving an impressive availability figure of over 99 per cent for the route between Russia’s two biggest cities.

In order to ensure a modern and fully functional fleet, all the Sapsan trains – including the 13 new vehicles – are covered by a 30-year maintenance contract with Siemens Mobility. Knorr-Bremse Rail Services is contracted to carry out the maintenance work on the systems supplied by Knorr-Bremse at the Company’s St. Petersburg service centre.