Biometric boarding on Sapsan trains expected in first half of 2027

Passengers on Russia's Sapsan high-speed trains are expected to be able to board through the Unified Biometric System without presenting a passport in the first half of 2027, Deputy Prime Minister Dmitry Grigorenko's office said on October 16.

The deputy prime minister's office stressed that biometric boarding would be voluntary, with passengers choosing how to verify their identity. Russian Railways announced the start of Sapsan testing on October 16.

Since April, biometric boarding has been available on routes from Moscow to Nizhny Novgorod, Ivanovo and Kostroma. Routes from Nizhny Novgorod to Kirov and Ivanovo were added in August.

Passengers must register with the Unified Biometric System beforehand and consent to data processing. Their identity is checked at boarding using a conductor's portable device.

The Unified Biometric System is a government information system for storing and using biometric data, including facial images and voice recordings. It supports more than 20 services, ranging from contactless payments and transport access to remote business registration and passport-free service at public service centres.