Russia and Iran finalising Rasht-Astara agreement

Russia and Iran are reportedly finalising an agreement for the Rasht-Astara railway. The line in northern Iran is a crucial missing piece for the western branch of the International North-South Transport Corridor (INSTC). According to the agreement, Russia will bear the brunt of the costs. A meeting between the Iranian ambassador in Russia and a…

Bridge in Russia collapses onto rail tracks: Traffic restored in a day

A road bridge in Russia has collapsed onto rail tracks. The debris of the bridge blocked the main rail line between Russia and Belarus. While the consequences for train traffic were initially unclear, traffic on the rail line resumed in about a day. The Paninsky bridge in the Russian town of Vyazma collapsed onto rail…

Operail CEO refutes media accusations: “Operail Finland sold at fair price”

The CEO of Operail, Merle Kurvits, has responded to media attention for Operail Finland’s sale. Estonian media recently said Operail Finland’s sale was a 12 million euro “gift” to the Finnish rail industry. Kurvits refutes the accusations of underselling, saying that Operail sold the subsidiary at a fair price. Operail sold its subsidiary Operail Finland…

China-EU freight through Russia nearly back at pre-war levels

Rail freight transit through Russia to the EU is nearly back at its pre-war level. As Houthi attacks endanger shipping on the Red Sea, shippers are looking for alternative routes. Consequently, the volume of China-EU freight that travels via Russian rail grew by 44 per cent in 2024. According to Russian media, the volume of…