MOSCOW, September 26 (RIA Novosti) – Active talks on the Russian high-speed rail network project are being held with Chinese and European companies, Russian Railways president Vladimir Yakunin told RIA Novosti in an interview Friday.
"Everyone thinks that the project is very interesting, very good. The Ministry of Economic Development thinks the same way," Yakunin said.
The Russian Railways chief believes that the construction of a high-speed rail network is necessary. "I am deeply convinced that the project must be realized ... To start it today you need 20 billion rubles… Without this amount, the projects will only stay desired," he said.
Yakunin also said that the volume of investment needed to construct the high-speed rail network from Moscow to Kazan is likely to be huge, but from the point of view of the business model, the project would be compensated and be economically efficient in 15 years.
