Sochi gears up for 2014
This article first appeared in the March 2010 issue
In the run up to the Winter Olympic Games in 2014, Sochi is transforming its rail infrastructure to ensure efficient Games-time transport
With the Vancouver Winter Olympic Games behind us, organisers are now turning their attentions to the Black Sea resort of Sochi in Russia, where the 2014 Winter Games will be held. The Games will be based in the coastal area of Sochi, with events also taking place in the mountain region of Krasnaya Polyana. It will be the first time the Russian Federation has hosted the Winter Olympic Games, and there are plans for huge investment in the region over the next four years.
Sochi light metro model
One of the main targets for investment is the region’s transport infrastructure. The network’s current capacity would struggle to transport event-time crowds, with only one main highway linking the airport and the coast. A total of 47 transport infrastructure construction and modernisation projects are due to be completed by the time the Games begin and rail is a vital element of this investment. “30 billion dollars’ worth of investment into the region is planned – including projects, constructions, venues and infrastructure for the Games” says Dmitry Chernyshenko, CEO Sochi 2014.
Planned infrastructure investments include new railway links, two major highways and a bypass road that will be designed to minimise noise. These links will connect the airport and parts of the city, as well as transporting spectators between venues.
Rail storms ahead
The existing 102km rail track from Tuapse to Adler will be extended to serve the airport and updated so that the whole stretch of line is double track. This will greatly increase capacity and enable a reliable regional service. Russian Railways is also set to develop a high-speed Moscow to Adler link and in December 2009 ordered 38 Siemens Mobility Desiro trains, which will be delivered in 2013, for use during the Olympic Games.
By 2014, a 48km railroad will operate between the mountain and the coastal cluster of venues, running parallel to the highway. The line will have a capacity of 8,500 passengers per hour and will reduce the trip time between the two clusters to less than half an hour.
The region’s infrastructural transformation will also be showcased through the Adler to Alpika-Service combined rail and road tunnel. Construction of a major system of tunnels between Adler and the Кrasnaya Polyana mountains began in May 2009. “These tunnels will play a key role in the delivery of the road and railway that will connect the Sochi 2014 coastal cluster with the ski venues in the mountain cluster” says Dmitry Kozak, Deputy Prime Minister of the Russian Federation.
This system of tunnels, located near Ahshtyr, a village in the Adler district of Sochi, will consist of a 2.2km road tunnel, a 2.5km rail tunnel and a 2.3km escape tunnel. In total, the 50km road and railway that will play a vital role in Sochi 2014 will include 26.5km of road, rail and escape tunnels and more than 35km of bridges and trestles. “Following construction, travel between Adler and Krasnaya Polyana will take only 30 minutes by train and 40 minutes by road making Sochi 2014’s plan the most compact in the history of the Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games” says Chernyshenko.
Adding metro capacity
To help with intercity travel, the Sochi Light Metro is also under construction and is due to be completed in 2013. The metro will run to Adler and Krasnaya Polyana, connecting the airport and the Olympic Park. After Moscow's Butovskaya Line and Saint Petersburg's Nadzemny Express, the Sochi Light Metro will be Russia's third light metro. The system will run both overground and underground and will consist of three lines with a total of 86.4km of track and 24 stations.
Legacy first
The Sochi 2014 Games will not only rejuvenate the city of Sochi, but will also boost the economic, cultural and environmental development of the region. Legacy is a vital element of Sochi’s Olympic plan and the benefits of infrastructure upgrades will be felt for many years to come. “The infrastructural developments being achieved demonstrate the impetus being brought to the entire Sochi region by the Olympic and Paralympic project. This kind of innovation will enhance quality of life for the area’s residents, and increase convenience for visitors,” says Kozak.
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