Belarus launches trains to Russia's Mineralnye Vody, Nizhny Novgorod - transport minister

MINSK. Nov 20 (Interfax) - Belarus is launching trains to Russia's Mineralnye Vody and Nizhny Novgorod, Belarusian Transport and Communications Minister Alexei Lyakhnovich said on the state-run television channel Belarus 1 on Saturday.

"We have worked with Russia and are launching two new routes, those to Mineralnye Vody and Nizhny Novgorod," Lyakhnovich said.

In the case of Nizhny Novgorod, "the route existed before Covid-19 and is essentially being restored. Traffic stopped amid Covid-19, but we are resuming it now," he said.

Russia accounts for the bulk of Belarusian transborder rail traffic, Lyakhnovich said. "We are observing a steady growth in cargo and passenger traffic. We are progressively growing month-on-month. Speaking of railroad routes currently in operation, the international ones are Moscow and St. Petersburg. About 85% of passenger traffic goes there," he said

"As for cargo traffic, we understand that the logistics has changed, it has been reoriented, and the main rail route today is to the ports of St. Petersburg," Lyakhnovich said.