According to the Moscow Department of Transport, the berths were used about 500 times on the first day. Now there are two regular river routes in the capital: “kyiv – Park Fili” and “ZIL – Pechatniki”. What will the new berths change for their passengers? “River transport in Moscow is a purely specialized means of transport and it turned out to be convenient and in demand for those Muscovites who have such berths within walking distance and who are not in a hurry,” Mikhail Blinkin, director of the Institute of Transport Economics and Transport Policy at the Higher School of Economics, told RG.
Although the speed of movement of electric boats on the water is low, citizens still need them, says Blinkin. River transport for tourists, the “restaurant fleet,” is another story. And these river buses are intended for city residents who make regular trips by public transport. The only difference is that in the metro there are, let’s say, tens of millions of passengers, but here there are hundreds. This is not a huge percentage of the population, but it is still a demonstration that Moscow can afford not only the main types of public transport. But do not delude yourself that river transport will ease traffic congestion and passenger flow – this is not the case, the expert warns. There will be fewer traffic jams on the roads and less crowding in the metro. Aquabuses will simply provide additional comfort to a certain part of Moscow residents.
By the way, only the richest cities in the world can afford this. For example, regular passenger transport on the Thames has only recently returned. The return of river fleets to cities around the world has been a trend for the past 20 years. And Moscow fits well into this trend.
The new berths will allow residents of the actively developing districts of Moscow (Presnensky, Danilovsky, Nagatinsky Zaton and Nagatino-Sadovniki) to use river buses. As a result, electric boats have become more accessible for 35 thousand residents. Earlier, in June, the “Park Fili” berths on the right bank of the Moscow River, next to one of the most popular green areas of the capital, and the “Beregovaya” berth opposite the “Heart of the Capital” quay also went into operation.
According to the Department of Transport, there are currently 18 berths operating on two regular river routes. Since the beginning of summer, Muscovites and city visitors have already made 450,000 trips on electric boats. Let me remind you that electric vessels were launched in the capital on June 20, 2023. Since then, passengers have used the new means of transport more than 1.2 million times. It is expected that by 2030, five more river routes will be operating in the city and several dozen electric passenger vessels and berths will appear.
