"We plan to finish four stations this year: Leningradski, Paveletskaya, Rizhskaya, and Savyolovski," says Mr Dmitry Piesarenko, head of communications with RZD's stations division, "and we plan to finish another four next year: Belorusskaya, Kievskaya, Kazanskaya, and Yaroslavskaya." Kurskaya station, which was renovated in 2008, is being used as a model for the work.

A further Roubles 1.76bn will be spent modernising 56 smaller stations. RZD expects to complete its station reconstruction programme in 2015.