SPEECH BY HRH PRINCE MICHAEL OF KENT, GCVO AT KAZANSKY STATION, MOSCOW, 27 TH APRIL, 2007

I am proud to be present today at GW Travel’s naming ceremony for the Golden Eagle Trans-Siberian Express - Russia’s first luxury private train.

Designing, building and operating a private train of this quality has its challenges financially and logistically and so, after seven years of planning, today’s launch of the Golden Eagle is a tremendous achievement for GW Travel and its Russian associates Russian Railways, Zircon Service and Vagon RemService - and I congratulate all concerned.

It is particularly satisfying to see the strong Russo-British links that have been forged in the process. For me the Golden Eagle exemplifies what can be achieved through positive Russo-British collaboration. Of course, as a champion of British small businesses I am particularly proud of the part GW Travel have played in the development of the Golden Eagle and in opening up luxury rail travel along the Trans-Siberian and Silk Road routes to international travellers. The presence here today of so many Russian, British and international business partners is evidence of the continued attraction of luxury rail travel in general and of the iconic Trans-Siberian route in particular not just in Russia but right around the world.

Building trains and operating tours is one thing, filling them with passengers is quite another and I have no doubt that with the continued support and commitment of so many international operators and agents – many of you who are here today - that GW Travel having carried their 10,000 th passenger in 2006 can look forward to carrying many thousands more in the years ahead.

Yesterday at Bellarusky I had the pleasure of unveiling the Golden Eagle crest which you can now see on display beside me. I am delighted to announce that after today’s launch it will be on permanent display at the Russian State Museum of Railways and it will be a fitting reminder of the considerable achievement that the Golden Eagle represents. My congratulations to all concerned.