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Russian Railways to organize trains for football fans going to Poland

In part, the RZD proposes the so-called ‘changeover trains’

PARIS, March 30 (Itar-Tass) – Russia’s national railway corporation RZD plans organizing additional trains for the football fans, who plan to attend the games of UEFA’s EURO 2012 championship so as to support the Russian national team, RZD Vice-President Mikhail Akulov said here Thursday.

“Right after the draw, the RZD launched joint work with the Belarussian and Polish railway authorities to design the possible routes for the delivery of passengers, and particularly the football bans,” Akulov said.

“We’re working with the associations of fans and the Federation of Football of Russia and we’ve tapped a number of solutions that will help us increase the service and speed up the transportation owing to reduced customs and passport control formalities,” he said.

In part, the RZD proposes the so-called ‘changeover trains’.

“We’ll take the passengers by the wider /Russian-standard 1,520 mm wide/ track to the Polish station of Terespol where they will pass the border crossing formalities and transit to the neighboring platform, from which they will be taken by the European track to Warsaw,” Akulov said.

As another possibility, he mentioned the delivery of passengers to a railway station in Warsaw in coaches of the Russian standard size, which is bigger than the European one. The RZD hopes this measure will be helpful, as the number of European-size coaches is limited.

Akulov also said the RZD, Polish, Ukrainian, and Belarussian railways will sign a memorandum April 13 in Warsaw on organizing the passenger service during the EURO 2012 games.

“After this, we’ll make detailed proposals on the routes and schedules,” he said.