The article reviews the world experience in the construction and operation of high-speed railways in terms of factors that determine the success or failure of such projects. Since the construction of HSR is often considered as a part of national projects on a broader scale, it is proposed to use as criteria for success not only commercial indicators, but also various socio-economic effects arising from their implementation. The author classifies externalities that reflect the impact of HSR on the development of regions and cities and presents the results of foreign research on their quantitative and qualitative analysis. Special attention is paid to the experience of China, since this country significantly differs from the rest of the world in terms of development of high-speed rail traffic. In this regard, the largest amount of representative data that allows us to identify the success factors of HSR projects can be found for Chinese projects. The main scientific result of this article is a generalization of the existing experience of HSR construction projects and justification of the prospects for implementing such projects in the Russian Federation.

The evolution of urban transport systems leads to the emerging of new forms of transport services. This trend is increasing during the period of intensive development of new technologies, for example, digital technologies and smart transport systems. However, smart transport system involves not only implementation of information and communication technologies, but also changes in the business model of transport company, forms of their interaction with competitors and consumers. One of this new forms is transport sharing, which is the part of sharing economy. The latter involves the reduction of private ownership and sharing of benefits in different industries. Sharing economy is mainly develops in such areas as housing rental, trade and procurement, job search, and project financing. Recently, the accelerated development of sharing consumption of transport services with the accompanying development of electronic travel search services has attracted attention. This trend may in the near future significantly affect the structure of transport market, as well as forms and methods of doing business in urban transport, so the study of the segment of shared consumption in transport is of particular relevance. The purpose of this article is classification of new business models in the segment of transport sharing, as well as identification of the problems of transport sharing development in Russian megacities. The material for the research was taken from open sources, available publications and scientific articles on the economy of shared consumption.

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The variety of biosphere functions of mire ecosystems is associated with the intensity of vertical growth of peat deposits, which is correlated with the rate of decomposition of plant remains. This process depends on the complex of ecological conditions and accompanies by changes in the chemical composition of plants. For studying of dynamics of the chemical parameters of the main peat-forming plants on the model karst-suffusion mire, an experiment was conducted with the laying of plant material in the peat. Plant samples were placed in peat to a depth of 5–7 cm in different parts of the mire, which is corresponded to the original place of species growing. After 1 and 2 years, the samples were removed from the peat and elemental analysis was carried out on the CHN-analyzer Carlo Erba 1100, ash content was determined by weight method and the degree of decomposition of plant remains was done by microscopy method. The results shows, that during the 2-year experiment the degree of decomposition of plants remains was changed by different ways. The herbs are least resistant for decomposition in the peat, but sphagnum mosses are the most resistant. The process of decomposition of plant remains is accompanied by a decreasing of ash content in vascular plants and increasing in sphagnum mosses, which is associated with their ability to accumulate surface runoff substances and atmospheric dust. During the transformation of plant material the content of carbon and nitrogen are changing. The C/N ratio indicates an uneven proportion of carbon and nitrogen at different stages of decomposition in different plant species, which correlates with the degree of decomposition.

Introduction. Regional passenger companies (RPCs) split-off was a result of Russian railways restructuring. Now RPCs have some problems of development, one of them is insufficient funding from regional authorities. Purpose. The purpose of the research is identification of regional passenger transportation general tendencies and features in various countries on the base of international experience survey, including forms of interaction between RPCs and regional authorities. The research is focusing on the following aspects: 1) competition forms at suburban and regional passenger transportation markets; 2) railway infrastructure and vehicles ownership; 3) state or private ownership on regional passenger companies; 4) regional passenger transportation financing schemes; 5) possibilities of regional passenger transportation performance increasing. Methodology. For achievement of the research purpose general scientific methods were applied, such as: analysis and synthesis, generalization, analogy, comparison, induction, system approach. Results. The article has the analysis of competition forms at regional passenger transportation markets. Models of regional passenger transportation development in the world are classified into competition model and regulatory model. Practical importance. Results of the research can be used by regional authorities in case of transportation policy development, transport reforming and further regional passenger transportation improvement. Conclusion. The survey of regional passenger companies development should be considered in case of suburban railway passenger transportation reforming in our country. It must be kept in mind RPCs operating conditions in certain regions of Russia, the high level of social importance and historical aspects of suburban transportations development.