Almost 601,000 passengers used the train by the end of February, an increase of 72% compared with the same month in 2009. Aeroexpress' share of total airport-bound traffic was also up by 5% to 21%, as more people looked to its services to avoid heavy road traffic congestion in and around the city.
The Belorusskaya - Sheremetyevo Airport service experienced the biggest gains, with over 183,000 people using it during the month, an increase of 235%. The most popular route, though, remains the Paveletskaya - Domodedovo Airport link which carried 303,000 people in February, an increase of 31%, while 114,000 passengers travelled to Vnukovo Airport, an increase of 85%.
Among the improvements to its services, Aeroexpress has introduced business class coaches that offer a higher level of comfort including seat reservations, drinks, newspapers and wi-fi internet access. The operator also established an e-ticket service on its website and plans to further develop online ticket sales in conjunction with leading airports, airlines, travel operators and air and rail ticket agencies. With seasonal growth expected in air travel, Aeroexpress also plans to install 100 ticket machines at rail terminals and airports, as well as increase service frequency and train capacity.
