The statement was made by Oleg Belozerov, CEO, and Chairman of the Management Board of Russian Railways, during his lecture “Railways: The Path to the Future” as part of the federal educational Znanie.Pervye Marathon. He emphasized that the company had always sought to keep pace with the times and must continue to do so.
“We are preparing to launch the world’s first digital railway station, Chelyabinsk Main Station. Artificial intelligence plans routes, computer vision diagnoses railway cars and locomotives while they are in motion, and a robot uncouples train cars,” the head of Russian Railways said. At the station, robots are being taught to replace people in dangerous and labor-intensive operations. The company is testing the first robot designed to uncouple freight train cars on a hump yard. The robot works with an automated train sorting system and will eventually operate in tandem with an automated train driver. In addition, scanning frames are used for rolling stock inspection. They determine the parameters of running gear with millimeter precision and send signals to personnel when something needs to be replaced. These technologies are also being tested and will soon be introduced at two dozen of the country’s key railway yards.
“Soon, you will be greeted by the world’s first robot train attendant, the head of Russian Railways promised. It recently made its experimental trip aboard a Sapsan high-speed train. The robot greets passengers, checks their documents, and simply puts smiles on people’s faces, just as a good train attendant should.”
Unmanned trains are expected as well and are currently being tested on the Moscow Central Circle. For now, a train driver monitors the equipment while an intelligent system operates the train independently. “In the future, driverless railway technologies will become the foundation for the development of transportation in the country’s largest cities,” the head of Russian Railways said.
Russian Railways currently has more than 60 artificial intelligence (AI) projects. Digital assistants monitor infrastructure and passenger flows and help employees perform their tasks. The company is also developing quantum communications – a way of transmitting data so that it cannot be intercepted or altered. “Thousands of kilometers of quantum networks run alongside the railways. The backbone quantum network has been certified and connects 27 Russian regions and all major cities in the European part of Russia. By the order of Russian President Vladimir Vladimirovich Putin, the network will be extended eastward and will cover the Russian Far East regions by the end of 2030,” the head of Russian Railways said. The company also focuses on such types of quantum communications as atmospheric and space-based communications, which do not require data transmission via fiber-optic cables and will help provide connectivity to hard-to-reach regions.
“We constantly introduce new technologies. In particular, on the Eastern Railway Range, we use virtual coupling. We have equipped locomotives with additional devices that allow them to communicate with one another— to accelerate and brake synchronously — which has enabled us to reduce the headways. We are successfully scaling up this experience. Moreover, we have tested the operation of heavy trains – double trains weighing more than 14,000 tons. For reference, such a train could transport the entire nuclear-powered icebreaker Lenin, a huge vessel that could easily break through the Arctic ice,” Oleg Belozerov said.
Russian rail workers are ready to develop new technologies in friendly countries, where more than 15 projects have been implemented in recent years. The first high-speed railway line in the Balkans was built in Serbia, with trains reaching speeds of up to 200 km/h. Russian Railways operates the railways in Armenia and Mongolia and is developing cooperation with Belarus, Turkmenistan, and Kyrgyzstan. Russian Railways also plans to enter the markets of Latin America, the Middle East, and Africa. The head of Russian Railways expects the upcoming Russia–Africa Summit in October to provide momentum for new joint projects.
“Next year, Russia’s railways will celebrate their 190th anniversary. We have experience and new technologies, while you have energy and fresh ideas. Our doors are always open to young people, and the Festival venue is a great opportunity to show what you can do and choose your future path,” Oleg Belozerov concluded.
The Russian Znanie Society is the general partner of the IFY’s Educational Program. The Znanie.First federal educational marathon is held as part of the Festival. The marathon is expected to attract more than 12,000 participants. Over four days, they will be able to attend talks by more than 500 speakers, including over 180 distinguished lecturers who will take the stage at the Znanie.First Marathon. In addition, participants can visit the We Are Russia exhibition, the Literary Parlor, the Path of Enlightenment interactive game, and the Library of the World Youth City.
The IFY – 2026 is a major global event bringing together 10,000 young leaders from 191 countries. It serves as a meeting point for young people who have already succeeded in fields such as creative industries, public administration, science and education, sports, entrepreneurship, media, digitalization, and information technology. The participants are united by their desire to make the world a better place, while Russia gives them a rare opportunity to meet in person.
Live broadcasts of the Znanie.First Marathon are available on Znanie.TV on the marathon website, on the International Festival of Youth website, and in the Russian Znanie Society’s communities. The IFY – 2026 is being held as part of the Youth and Children national project.
Overview:
Russian Znanie Society is Russia’s largest educational organization, with its rich history and longstanding traditions of educational work. It serves as the country’s leading platform for open dialogue between young people and prominent figures.
Znanie Society’s projects and events focus on the most pressing issues and are aimed at popularizing scientific knowledge through new formats, promoting education and personal development among people of all ages and professions, and showcasing Russia’s achievements in science, technology, sports, the arts, and other fields. Every year, Znanie holds tens of thousands of educational events, creating opportunities for personal development and self-fulfilment, as well as access to reliable information both in person and online.
Since its relaunch, the Znanie Society’s community of lecturers has grown to 32,000 members. They have delivered more than 285,000 lectures across 89 regions of the Russian Federation. A total of 8,100 hours of educational content have been created on a wide range of topics, including science, technology, space, culture and art, history, medicine, sports and more.
Znanie Society also provides livestreams of its educational events.