ABSTRACT
Without a drastic restructuring of the existing transportation network, Russia will not be able to implement other changes needed to create a new market-based economy. Between 1985 and 1990, each year about 8 trillion (8×1012) tonne-kilometres of goods were handled by all means of transport in the whole of the USSR. In the RSFSR the amount was about 4.5 trillion (the rest being between the RSFSR and other republics or between and within other republics). In 1991 the total in Russia had dropped to 4.1 trillion, an uncharacteristic admission of a marked decline. The rail system took 56.7 per cent, 25.6
per cent was moved through pipelines, 16.1 per cent by sea and inland waterway, but only 1.6 per cent by road and a negligible amount by air.
