"Passenger Forum 2011", organised by Business Dialogue and the Argumenty i Fakty publishing house, with the support of the Ministry of Transport of the Russian Federation, began its work on 29 March 2011. The strategic partner for the forum is Russian Railways. The forum will take place at the Swissotel Red Hills Conference Centre.

At the forum the participants will discuss issues concerning the development of the passenger transport market in Russia: the quality of service provision, ensuring security, tariff regulation and many other important issues. It is planned that the main focus will be on developing the passenger transport market in the context of strengthening the country’s economy.

The participants in the Passenger Forum are representatives of industry-related ministries of the Russian Federation and government bodies, heads of transport, logistics, financial and service companies, general and commercial directors of urban, rail and air transport operators and of transport systems and equipment manufacturing companies.

Vladimir Yakunin, President of Russian Railways (RZD), has sent a letter of support to the event’s organisers in which he noted that in today’s world, carefully thought-through and balanced steps to reform the modern passenger system and to improve it are the main condition for ensuring that the transport system works effectively. “Holding the Passenger Forum will enable us to involve a wide range of experts from the transport industry in discussing the issues we face and to exchange experience and ideas.”

Sergei Shishkarev, Chairman of the State Duma Transport Committee, said in his letter of support: “Holding the first ‘Passenger Forum’ in our country will enable us to make an all-round assessment of the industry’s condition and will provide an opportunity to express ideas on issues concerning the development of passenger transport and to focus attention on promising areas of work in the transport industry.”

The forum’s sessions will focus on three main themes: security in transport, tariffs and the quality of service provision, services and suppliers.

Those taking part in the discussions will include Igor Levitin, Minister of Transport of the Russian Federation, Petr Katsyv, Deputy Chairman of the Government of Moscow Region and Minister of Transport of Moscow Region, Alexander Lomakin-Rumyantsev, Chairman of the Russian Society of People with Disabilities and deputy of the State Duma of the Federal Assembly of the Russian Federation, Sergei Shishkarev, Chairman of the Transport Committee  of the State Duma of the Federal Assembly of the Russian Federation, and Nikolai Lyamov, Deputy Mayor of Moscow for issues concerning the development of transport and road construction in the Government of Moscow. The main speakers at the forum will be Mikhail Akulov, Vice President of RZD and Managing Director of the Federal Passenger Company, Gennady Talashkin, First Deputy General Director of RZDstroy, and Sergei Abramov, head of the Directorate for Railway Stations, a subsidiary of RZD.

Representatives of companies such as IBM, Sky Express, Avianova, Siemens AG in Russia, ZhASO, NK Rosneft, Mercedes-Benz Trucks Vostok, Iveco, Bombardier, Transmashholding, Alstom and many others have been invited to the event.

As part of the forum a press conference will be held, featuring Mikhail Akulov, Vice President of RZD and Managing Director of the Federal Passenger Company, and there will also be a briefing by Sergei Abramov, head of the Directorate for Railway Stations.