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Soviet Union [USSR] Passenger Transportation
Passenger transportation constituted an important function of
the river fleet, although its share of the overall passenger
traffic was small. In 1986 river boats carried 136 million fares.
On major deep-water rivers, intercity or suburban passengers
traveled on rapid--up to ninety kilometers per hour--hydrofoils. On
small or shallow rivers, service was provided by surface skimmers
and air-cushion vehicles.
The bulk of river travel was, however, for excursions and
cruises. Big river liners, some of a catamaran type, equipped with
cabins, dining rooms, and recreational facilities, took from 120 to
1,000 passengers on one-day excursions and on cruises of longer
duration. On major summer holidays, the Moscow Navigation Company
has transported between 80,000 and 100,000 passengers daily to and
from recreational and tourist areas.
Data as of May 1989
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