A branded train to mark the 300th anniversary of St Petersburg University at the St Petersburg Metro

The solemn ceremony brought together Alexander Belsky, Chairman of the Legislative Assembly of St Petersburg; Boris Piotrovsky, Vice Governor of St Petersburg; Andrey Maksimov, Chairman of the St Petersburg Committee on Science and Higher Education; Aleksei Lvov, Senior Deputy Chairman of the Committee on Transport; Evgeny Kozin, Head of the St Petersburg Metro; Dmitrii Serov, Vice President of the Bank ‘St Petersburg’; and Nikolay Kropachev, Corresponding Member of the Russian Academy of Sciences, Rector of St Petersburg University.

The 300th anniversary of St Petersburg University is a milestone for the entire city, because it is impossible to separate the University from St Petersburg.

Alexander Belsky, Chairman of the Legislative Assembly of St Petersburg

"I am glad that I had the honour to study at St Petersburg University. It is not just an iconic place for the city, it is a brand of St Petersburg!" said Alexander Belsky, Chairman of the Legislative Assembly of St Petersburg. "We know that the University is already represented in the air. On Fresher’s Day, we launch boats along the Neva River. Today, St Petersburg University has appeared in the metro. I am sure that this is not the last event in the anniversary year. I would like to wish our University success and prosperous development, and always remain at the forefront of science and St Petersburg!" 

"This year, we are celebrating the 300th anniversary of St Petersburg University. The launch of the branded train is one of the festive events. The metro plays a huge role in the lives of our citizens, and I know that it is always a pleasure to board beautiful trains, look at their design and immerse yourself in history. This is fascinating, very festive and very St Petersburg-like," said Boris Piotrovsky, Vice Governor of St Petersburg.

During the presentation, Nikolay Kropachev, Rector of St Petersburg University, said that the festive design of the train was a special gift for St Petersburg University. He thanked the partners who implemented this project: Governor and the St Petersburg Government, the St Petersburg Metro, and the bank "St Petersburg". "I am sure that those who travel by our trains will receive sincere pleasure. Everyone who is connected with St Petersburg University, who would like to study at the University, will learn a lot about St Petersburg University, since your gift reveals many fascinating pages from the life of the University," said Nikolay Kropachev.

The University, its graduates, academic staff, students and management staff are not only a great past. The University is also a great present and a great future of Russia.

Nikolay Kropachev, Corresponding Member of the Russian Academy of Sciences, Rector of St Petersburg University

"Today, a new branded train dedicated to St Petersburg University begins to operate on the second line of the St Petersburg metro. The design of the train unfolds a story about the history of the University, about the people who now work at the University and who created the University. I think that it will be of interest to both guests and residents of the city. In this way, the metro supports the tradition that originated in St Petersburg of branding transport facilities in honour of the significant events. The University’s anniversary is one of these events," said Evgeny Kozin, Head of the St Petersburg Metro.

The carriages of the train are decorated in honour of various fields of study: physics, law, medicine, Asian and African studies, and the arts. The head carriage is an "admissions committee" where passengers can get acquainted with academic programmes of different levels of education.

At the end of the ceremony, the Rector of St Petersburg University led the guests through thematically decorated carriages. Each of them was dedicated to a separate scientific area of the University. He also spoke about interesting facts from the 300-year history of St Petersburg University. After the presentation, the event participants were the first to take a branded train to the Nevsky Prospekt metro station. 

As part of the celebration of the 300th anniversary of the oldest university in Russia, the St Petersburg Metro and St Petersburg University held a number of events. In February, a limited series of Podorozhnik travel cards, dedicated to the 300th anniversary of the University, were on sale. The design of the cards was developed in the corporate style of St Petersburg University. In May, the University and the St Petersburg Metro held a joint event for the Day of Slavic Literature and Culture. Philologists at St Petersburg University adapted the rules of behaviour in underground transport into the Old Church Slavonic language for the project ‘I Am the Metro’. The image of the St Petersburg University building is present in public service advertising, including in the metro.