RUSSIA. Government-owned rail operator Russian Railways has opened its first duty free shop at Zabaikalsk station bordering China, according to a report by The Voice of Russia.
The international radio broadcasting service said the shop is targeted at passengers travelling on the Moscow-Beijing and China-Manchuria (China) routes.
Russian Railways is also reported to be planning to open duty free shops at Finlyandsky station in St Petersburg and a station in Vyborg in north-western Russia.
The news follows an earlier report by Prime business news agency stating that Russian Railways will pilot a duty free service on board its Moscow-Kiev train in May this year, to be launched by the operator’s passenger carrying unit, Federal Passenger Company.
This milestone opening is a result of a government ordinance in April 2012 that paved the way for the opening of duty free outlets at railway stations in Russia, where duty free shops have previously only been allowed at airports, ports and borders.
Russia currently has international railway lines connecting it to 20 countries across Europe and Asia – including China, North Korea and Finland.
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How the news was reported on The Voice of Russia yesterday |
