Direct rail link to Cherkessk from Moscow and St. Petersburg to resume in 2025

Direct rail links to Cherkessk from Moscow and St. Petersburg are set to resume in 2025.

Russian Railways (RZD) announced the plans in a statement on its website, saying that the new services would be part of an overall push to improve rail connectivity in the North Caucasus region.

The Moscow-Cherkessk service will run twice a week, taking around 24 hours, while the St. Petersburg-Cherkessk service will run once a week, taking around 30 hours.

The resumption of direct rail links to Cherkessk is a major boost for the city, which has been without a direct rail connection to the capital since 2009.

The new services will make it easier for residents of Cherkessk to travel to Moscow and St. Petersburg, and will also boost tourism and business in the region.

In addition to the new services to Cherkessk, RZD also announced plans to increase the frequency of other rail services in the North Caucasus region.

The company said that it would add additional trains to the Rostov-on-Don-Makhachkala service, and would also introduce a new service between Krasnodar and Nalchik.

The increased rail connectivity is part of RZD’s wider plans to develop the North Caucasus region, which is seen as a key economic growth area for Russia.