Marat Khusnullin: More than 66 million trips recorded on the M-12 “Vostok” highway section from Moscow to Arzamas

Published on: 2026-09-08

Source: Government of the Russian Federation –

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On September 8, 2023, the President of Russia, Vladimir Putin, launched the movement on the section of the federal highway M-12 «Vostok» from Moscow to Arzamas. Since its opening, more than 66 million vehicles have passed through this section, reported Deputy Prime Minister Marat Khusnullin.

“The M-12 ‘Vostok’ highway is a unique mega-project implemented in record time. The highway became part of the international transport corridor ‘West – East,’ the ‘Russia’ route, and has become a driver of growth in business and entrepreneurial activity. The investment and tourist appeal of the territories has increased, new opportunities for business development and job creation have appeared. M-12 has become a symbol of new opportunities both for the road industry and for the entire transportation infrastructure of the country. After the launch of traffic, the examples of the cities of Sarov, Diveyevo, and Arzamas are particularly illustrative — thanks to the new highway, they received a strong impulse for development. For example, since 2022, the tourist flow has increased by more than 17%, and the number of trips in this direction has multiplied. Despite all difficulties, including the fuel market situation, we see a steady growth in demand for high-speed routes. Thus, since the opening of the section from Moscow to Arzamas, more than 66 million vehicles have traveled along it. At the same time, since the beginning of this year, the average daily traffic intensity has been 15.8 thousand passages, which is 8% higher than the figure for the same period last year.”Moreover, the flow of heavy-duty vehicles has also increased – more than doubled. If in 2023 the average daily traffic intensity of freight vehicles on the section from Moscow to Arzamas was 1.9 thousand, now it is about 3.8 thousand vehicles per day,” said Marat Khusnullin.

The Deputy Prime Minister specified that about 80% of the routes along the M-12 highway from Moscow to Kazan pass through the 415-kilometer section from Moscow to Arzamas. In total, more than 80 million passages have been recorded on the M-12 from Moscow to Kazan since this section was opened. New bypasses around populated areas and the development of the entire road network additionally contribute to the increased demand for the highway.

“We work daily on creating a framework of high-speed roads and comfortable conditions for motorists. This is of strategic importance for the dynamic development of the entire country. And one of the most important components of this framework is the M-12 ‘Vostok’ highway. At the same time, not only the number of trips on the main route to the east is growing, but also their length. Motorists increasingly choose the M-12 for long and safe trips. If in 2023 the average trip length was 83 km, then in 2026 this figure is currently 114 km. Moreover, the M-12 is actively used by both freight and passenger vehicles. A significant milestone in its construction was the opening of the section between Moscow and Arzamas. Since its launch, the average daily traffic volume on it is 13,700 passages. We see that motorists not only actively use the new road but also choose it for increasingly longer routes,” noted Vyacheslav Petushenko, Chairman of the Board of the state company Avtodor.

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