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President of Russia Vladimir Putin: Friends,

Today we celebrate Railway Workers’ Day.

I want to extend heartfelt greetings to all current and former railway workers and young specialists who have chosen this vocation, on their professional holiday, and thank you for your hard work and dedication.

Each of you contributes to ensuring that the railway industry – which is undoubtedly of strategic importance for our vast country – works reliably, seamlessly and smoothly and meets modern demands of both the economy and our citizens, develops and fittingly continues the best traditions, including its own engineering school, which, I remind you, were laid as early as in the first half of the 19^th century, when the Tsarskoye Selo railway was launched.

The history of Russian railways shows many instances of labour and military valour, true feats, and selfless work for the good of the country.

This year marks the 50th anniversary of the construction of the Baikal-Amur Mainline (BAM). I would like to once again congratulate everyone – and above all the participants in this legendary construction project – on this significant date.

The BAM – like the Trans-Siberian Railway – became an unparalleled state, nationwide and national project. It opened up fundamentally new opportunities for the exploration and development of Siberia and the Far East, and for strengthening the country’s overall economic potential. Today, we see that the BAM in many ways determines the global logistics of the 21st century.

Russia is developing and progressing, and it is the railway transport sector – workers, engineers, track workers, transport builders, specialists of freight and passenger companies – that plays a significant role here.

The opening of new global markets, the growth of domestic tourism, the stable operation of enterprises, including the defence industry – all of these are your achievements, among others.

At present we are facing the tasks to further modernise the Eastern Railway Domain – the BAM and the Trans-Siberian Railway. Moreover, these mainlines should work in conjunction with the Northern Sea Route and such promising projects as the Northern Latitudinal Railway with access to Arctic ports.

In general, we need to take Russia's railway infrastructure to a new technological level, using the most advanced solutions. And in doing so, we should not only consider today's needs, but also draw up a plan for the future, for decades to come. This is the way our great ancestors thought and worked.

Therefore, our agenda includes the construction of high-speed railways in connection with the Central Transport Hub, the creation of international logistics corridors, the development of the Azov-Black Sea transport route, and the organisation of a so-called seamless railway service from the Baltic Sea and the Barents Sea to the Persian Gulf coast and the Indian Ocean.

The tasks are really formidable. However, I am confident that we will definitely achieve them thanks to your expertise, experience, and focus on results in the interests of the country.

I wish you and your loved ones success, good health and prosperity.

Happy Railway Workers’ Day!