During the board meeting, Deputy Prime Minister Sergei Ivanov said that subsidies for passenger air travel from the Far East to Moscow and St Petersburg will be extended. "A total of 2.45 billion roubles was allocated for the purpose last year, and this figure will remain the same for 2011."
Mr Ivanov noted that in 2010, 325,500 passengers traveled on the 26 subsidised routes, which is twice more than in 2009. And in 2011, the air travel programme will be expanded to include the routes Ulan Ude - Moscow, Chita -Moscow, Norilsk - St Petersburg.
The deputy prime minister also announced that Russia will no longer subsidise international railroad travel in economy class, and will focus instead on subsidising the cost of travelling within Russia for Russian citizens.