Translation. Region: Russian Federation –
Source: Government of the Russian Federation – Government of the Russian Federation –
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Marat Khusnullin: More than 52 million trips were made by motorists on the M-12 "Vostok" highway in two years.
On December 21, 2023, Russian President Vladimir Putin opened the M-12 "Vostok" expressway from Moscow to Kazan. Since its opening, more than 52 million vehicle trips have been recorded on this section, according to Deputy Prime Minister Marat Khusnullin.
"The construction of the M-12 Vostok highway has become one of the most ambitious projects of our time. Thanks to the new expressway, travel time for motorists has been cut almost in half. The commissioned sections of the highway have had a multiplier effect not only on the regions they pass through, but also on the economy of the entire country. The road is in demand among motorists: in just two years since the launch of traffic from Moscow to Kazan, more than 52 million trips have been recorded. Thanks to the highway, new logistics routes are being formed. Thus, since the launch of traffic on the M-12 Vostok, more than 150 million tons of cargo have been transported. Moreover, the M-12 Vostok contributes to the active development of domestic tourism, and statistics for the regions located along the highway confirm this. A significant increase in hotel room occupancy is shown in the Moscow, Vladimir, and Nizhny Novgorod regions, as well as the Republic of Tatarstan and the Chuvash Republic – from 30 to 100%. Moreover, in these regions, the road has also given impetus to housing development construction, expansion of their urban development potential,” said Marat Khusnullin.
The highway's development continues. In July 2025, the President of Russia opened a new section of the M-12 highway from the town of Dyurtyuli to the village of Achit, extending the route to Yekaterinburg. Today, a high-speed, traffic-light-free route from St. Petersburg to Yekaterinburg is available, covering the distance in 22 hours—almost twice as fast as before. This is part of the "Rossiya" transport route from St. Petersburg to Vladivostok.
Roadside services are also actively developing on the M-12 "Vostok" highway. Currently, 24 multifunctional road service zones (MFSZs) operate between Moscow and Kazan. They provide all necessary services for drivers and passengers on short and long-distance trips. Furthermore, this year, the first hotel on this highway was opened within the MFSZ at kilometer 421 near Arzamas in the Nizhny Novgorod region.
According to Vyacheslav Petushenko, head of the state-owned company Avtodor, traffic intensity during peak periods is almost three times higher than the annual average.
"On sections of the M-12 Vostok near Moscow, the average traffic volume is around 40,000 vehicles per day, and during peak periods, it's around 66,000. Moreover, on almost every transit section, this figure is even higher in August and on holidays. For example, if the average traffic volume in the Arzamas area is around 10,000 vehicles, then during peak periods it's around 30,000 vehicles. Overall, the demand for the M-12 Vostok highway is growing along with its development. Sections of the M-12 Vostok located beyond Arzamas have shown significant growth—more than 40% compared to last year. This is due, among other things, to the opening in July of this year of the new Dyurtyuli-Achit section of the M-12, which connects the Republic of Bashkortostan, Perm Krai, and Sverdlovsk Oblast. This trend shows that long-distance trips are becoming popular among drivers, and transit traffic is becoming more and more popular. “more intense,” Vyacheslav Petushenko emphasized.
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