Russia considers airline and railway merger

Russia’s national airline, Aeroflot, is considering merging operations with the country’s state railway operator in order to provide added convenience for air or train travel passengers who wish to transfer from one form of transportation to another in order to continue their journey. A preliminary agreement aimed at jumpstarting cooperation between the two companies has already been signed and if everything goes according to plan, passengers will soon be able to purchase train and air tickets at the same time, allowing them to connect from either without any hassle. Merging air and rail travel in such a way is a unique and possibly trailblazing endeavor, as this level of cooperation does not exist between carriers and trains in the vast majority of other countries.

The initially signed agreement paves the way for the establishment of a working group which will focus on mapping out precisely how the two state-owned companies can proceed in their efforts to coordinate and fuse operations. Part of the plan includes setting up a joint company which would be in charge of issuing both air and train tickets at the same outlets. Many analysts believe that if these goals are reached, passengers will soon be able to use the same ticket to travel on trains as well as on Aeroflot-operated flights.

Aeroflot is one of the world’s oldest airlines, as it was established in 1923. The carrier operates a fleet of 91 planes, but has an additional 126 on order, many of which are expected to be delivered in the next couple of years.

www.aeroflot.co.uk