Published on: 2026-07-31
Source: Government of the Russian Federation –
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“Rail transport is actively developing in major cities of Russia – one of the most efficient and environmentally friendly means of transportation. In Chelyabinsk, on the President’s instruction, the metrotram project is being implemented, which will become an important part of the city’s transport system. It will connect key districts, increase the mobility of residents, and create new logistics connections. Today, the third tunnel boring machine “Lidiya” began constructing the right running tunnel from the “Ulitsa Kosareva” stop towards the “Torgovyy Tsentr” station. The shield will travel about 1105 meters at depths ranging from 10 to 43 meters. The first metrotram line “North – South” in Chelyabinsk, over 9 km long, will include two underground stations (“Ploshchad Revolyutsii” and “Torgovyy Tsentr”), as well as ground stops: “Ulitsa Ovchinnikova”, “Ulitsa Kosareva”, and “Ulitsa Kaslinskaya”,” said Marat Khusnullin.
The Deputy Prime Minister noted that the construction of the metrotram requires lower capital expenditures and operating costs compared to a conventional metro. Moreover, this project will help reduce the impact on the environment and urban development.
The shield is named after Lidia Pavlovna Skoblikova, a native of the Chelyabinsk region, a speed skater and six-time Olympic champion who won all four distances at the 1964 Winter Olympics, setting Olympic records in three of them – a unique achievement in the history of speed skating.
“Chelyabinsk historically has one of the longest tram networks in the country, and this mode of transport has always played an important role in the city’s life. Therefore, the metrotram for us is not only an effective solution to current transport challenges, but also a strategic project for decades ahead. Work is actively underway, the metrotram will connect existing routes with underground infrastructure and will make travel around the city faster, more convenient, and more comfortable. This is the transport of the future, which will serve the development of Chelyabinsk and improve the quality of life for people,” noted the governor of Chelyabinsk oblast, Alexey Texler.
Previously, on Pobedy Avenue, where the construction site of the “Ulitsa Kosareva” tram stop is located, a new section of bypass roads was laid along the starting excavation pit to avoid completely stopping traffic on the tram route.
Two more tunnel boring machines are constructing tunnels on the southern section of the route – from the “Ulitsa Ovchinnikova” stop towards the “Torgovy Tsentr” station.
The work is carried out by the Mosproekt-3 group of companies using funds from infrastructure budget loans (IBK), the operator of which, under the supervision of the Ministry of Construction, is the Territorial Development Fund.
In addition to Chelyabinsk, metro and metrotram facilities are being constructed with IBC funds in Nizhny Novgorod, Krasnoyarsk, Samara, and Saint Petersburg.
Recently, in Nizhny Novgorod, the tunnel boring machine “Alena” began excavation of the last tunnel of the Avtozavodskaya metro line from the “Gorkovskaya” station to the “Sennaya” station. The first shield “Evdokiya” has already passed nearly 150 meters, and at this important milestone, workers completed the outfitting of the mechanized complex for round-the-clock excavation. “Now ‘Alena’ has 730 meters and 486 reinforced concrete rings of high-precision lining ahead. According to forecasts, the new stations will increase passenger traffic in the upper part of Nizhny Novgorod by one-third,” reported the governor of Nizhny Novgorod Oblast, Gleb Nikitin.
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