THE government of Moscow plans to complete the Central Transport Hub project by the beginning of 2023, 18 months earlier than originally planned.

The project involves reconstruction of the Kalanchyovskaya - Kurskaya - Nizhegorogskaya section of line running along the east side of the city centre to provide additional tracks which will double capacity. The project also includes the modernisation of 12 stations and possible testing of a double-deck coach to further increase capacity.

Completion of the project will allow Line D4 of the Moscow Central Diameters (MCD) network to open in 2023 and train frequency to be increased on Line D2, one of the two MCD lines already in service.

Line D4 will be 86km long and will connect Aprelevka, southwest of Moscow, with Zheleznodorozhny to the east of the Russian capital. Line D4 will have 37 stations and 18 interchanges with metro, MCC and MCD lines. 

The MCD project aims to create five at-grade suburban lines connecting the city’s outer suburbs with the centre. The first two lines, Line D1, which connects Odintsovo and Lobnya, and Line D2, which connects Nakhabino with Podolsk, opened in November 2019. The final two lines are expected to open by 2025.