Professional Documents
Culture Documents
6.0 GENERAL: Russian Rail Travel and Region Travel Notes ............................................................................... 11
6.1 Train Facilities ............................................................................................................................................. 11
6.2 Train Culture ............................................................................................................................................... 13
6.3 Sightseeing ................................................................................................................................................. 14
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1.0 FEATURES
- Firmenny (ФИРМ) :
- Modern trains with certain standards of quality
- Fastest and minimum number of stops
- Often with specific interior designs, as some towns and cities have their own original
trains proudly representing its heritage.
- Often Spalny Vagon and Kupeny (see 1.2 Train classes) – not always Platskartney
- Popular trains are the ‘Rossiya’ and ‘Krasnaya Strella’
- Routes: Russian domestic long distance rail routes.
- Skory (СК) :
- Express trains
- More convenient arrival / departure times
- Minimum number of stops (but more than
Firmeny)
- Comfortable for long distance routes
- Routes: Russian domestic long distance
rail routes Allegro Train
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- Skorostnoj (СКРСТ) :
- High speed seating coaches/trains
- Not often featured for long distance journeys
- Most well known trains are the Sapsan and Allegro
- Routes: St Petersburg to Moscow, or St
Petersburg to Helsinki
- Passazhursky (ПАСС) :
- Passenger trains
- Great number of stops, therefore the
slowest
- Will usually have Kupeny and Platskartney
classes – not often Spalny Vagon (see 1.2 Restaurant Carriage in Grand Train
Train classes)
- Routes: Russian domestic rail routes
bathrobes, fresh fruit, sweets, hot breakfast and freshly squeezed orange juice.
Facilities include: air conditioning, wardrobe, armchair, Wi-Fi, LCD TV, DVD player and
an electrical socket.
- Grand: 6 compartments in each carriage. Each compartment is half the size larger than
the standard compartments, with own
rest room and shower. Comes with
hairdryer, bathrobes, fresh fruit, sweets,
hot breakfast and freshly squeezed
orange juice. Facilities include: air
conditioning, wardrobe, armchair, Wi-Fi,
LCD TV, DVD player and an electrical
socket. Smena 1st class train carriage
- Premium: 9 compartments in each carriage,
with wider berths, armchair and wash sink. Ticket also includes hot breakfast. Facilities
include: air conditioning, wardrobe, Wi-Fi, LCD TV and an electrical socket.
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- Standard (1st & 2nd class re Grand Express only): 9 compartments in each carriage, with
4 berths in 2nd class and 2 berths in 1st class. Facilities include: air conditioning, wardrobe,
Wi-Fi, LCD TV and an electrical socket.
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1.5 Train Routes
REGIONAL TRAINS
- Moscow to St Petersburg
- Grand Express
- The luxury travel option - No finer
way to travel.
- Takes approximately 9 hours.
- Red Arrow
- One of the most famous trains Grand Train
between the two cities.
- Often called the Russian Orient Express, it first travelled in June 1931.
- Express
- One of the newer trains on the
railways.
- It is best known for its unique
décor.
- Smena
- Travelled its first journey from
Moscow in 1984. Red Arrow Train
- Has one stop between St
Petersburg and Moscow – in Tver.
- Sapsan
- Introduced December 2009
- Travels up to 250km/h, making it
the fastest way to travel by train
between Moscow and St
Petersburg.
- 1st and 2nd class available – seated
carriages with folding or window
table and onboard Wi-Fi access for Sapsan Train
1 class.
st
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LONG DISTANCE TRAINS
- What are the types of long distance trains, and what route do they cover?
- Many different types of long distance trains, some of which are described above,
such as Passenger, Fast, Skory, or Firmenny train.
- Many long distance trains travel towards Ural, Siberia and south of Russia.
- An example of a typical long distance train:
- Moscow to Vladivostok (Rossiya)
- Rossiya launched in 1966 and is the most famous train on the Trans-Siberian.
- First class cabins have a TV
- Staff carriage has a shower which can be used for a small fee.
2.0 ELIGIBILITY
Smena Train
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- How do I quote a multi-leg journey for a customer?
- Each leg of the journey would need to be calculated separately, as the customer
would require a new ticket per leg.
- Which routes and types of train ticket are booked up quickly?
- Russian domestic rail tickets, as these cover popular routes.
- Top bunk bed, as sometimes there are discounts for this type of ticket.
- How can I guarantee specific seats for a customer?
- There is no guarantee for specific seats – this can only be taken as a preference
request as availability changes rapidly.
- While making an order, is normally possible to choose specific seat types, like top,
bottom, side – but not exact seat
numbers, window or aisle seats or the
direction that the passengers face.
- How can I find an alternative route for a
customer if the original route is sold out?
Conduct research and try to find the
closest match to the customer’s
request. This might require the
customer to be flexible about type or Train in Moscow
class of train, or to consider a
different route.
- Can I get all tickets on all routes for our customers?
- Yes, tickets for all domestic routes are available.
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- Customers travelling with the less able:
- It is normally very difficult to book rail tickets for the less able.
- There are often requirements for those who travel and assist the person, which needs
to be done at the booking office of the train station in person, presenting their
documents on disability/assisting.
- There are only a few routes where
trains have specialised carriages to
accommodate a wheelchair, making
longer trips near to impossible (as
trains need wider corridors, toilet
facilities and larger cabin space; and
often special provisions, which are not Group bookings
available on regular trains).
- Customer travelling in a group:
- You can only book up to 4 tickets at any one time.
3.0 VALIDITY
- What will a valid ticket cover?
- A specific seat on a specific train for a
domestic rail journey in Russia.
4.0 DISCOUNTS
- When are Discounts available for customers?
- At times, RZD launch 20 - 50% discount Smena Train
during booking periods, which normally fall during important Russian national
holidays.
- Child discounts normally applicable on Russian domestic rail tickets.
- No discount on Russian domestic rail tickets for foreign students, seniors or groups.
- Discounts would be publicised online when one is available.
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5.0 CONDITIONS OF USE
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5.3 Journey Delays
- What happens if a customer has been left by the train?
- They should notify the station manager straight away, in case he is able to extend
the validity of their ticket, as well as contact the train manager – who will leave
their belongings at the next station. The customer may be required to purchase a
new valid ticket.
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- Can customers smoke on the train?
- Yes but not in cabin or corridor
areas
- Only in designated areas, often in
passenger areas between carriages
- Is there a luggage allowance limit for
passengers?
- Yes, each passenger has the right to
carry up to 36kg of hand luggage, Moscow Business City
not more than 180cm in each dimension.
- These restrictions do not apply to handbags, skis, fishing equipment, kayaks,
cameras, umbrellas, and other small or obscure items.
- It is possible to carry bigger items in the baggage car of the train. In order to do
this, you need to purchase a special ticket before the train departs.
- What sort of things should a customer consider taking with them on an overnight or
long distance train?
- Light clothes – as the trains can be warm, although would recommend to take
some warmer clothes also as if air con is on the trains can be much cooler.
- Toiletries
- Bottled water
- Savoury snacks
- Flip-flops
- Carrier bags for rubbish
- Personal first aid kit
- Plug adaptor for Europe
- Feminine hygiene products - difficult to find on a train, and not easy to ask, so
would recommend to always bring in your luggage.
- How much money should a customer allow for the train? (approximate price guide)
- Meals cost on average 500 RUB per meal
- Showering can cost 100 - 150 RUB per shower
- Snacks cost ~ 50 RUB per snack
- How many bathrooms are in a carriage?
- 2 bathrooms per carriage – one at each end – with a toilet and a sink.
- These may or may not have a shower.
- Are there showers in the cabins?
- There are often no showers in the cabins themselves, so the customer can ask the
conductor to allow them to take a shower in another carriage for approximately
150 RUB.
- In some trains there are no showers available at all.
- What kind of meals can be bought on the train?
- A range of meals are available, from refreshments to more complex meals
(including the occasional vegetarian option).
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- What is the cost approximately per meal?
- It is roughly 500 RUB /£10 per meal.
- Can customers bring refreshments with them on the train?
- Yes – the best food to take with them would be dry stodgy foods, as well as
bottled water and any other supplies.
- When the train stops, can travellers get off the train and buy supplies at the station?
- Yes, travellers can leave the train and buy food from vendors, with snacks costing
around 30-50 RUB (about £1). Be careful with hopping on and off the train, as the
trains only stop for 5-20minutes. It will not wait for passengers so be sure to get
back on the train before you hear the hissing!
- Are there any mini fridges on the train for customers to keep their food and drink, or
the option to cook their own meals?
- There are no places available to store food or water, other than being with their
belongings; and no cooking facilities on the train.
- Are pets allowed on the train?
- Pets are allowed on the train, but either in the baggage cars (where a cage and
tray are required), or in some passenger carriages under certain regulations.
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- Is there Wi-Fi available?
- There is usually no Wi-Fi available on the trains. If a customer needs to work and
need access to the internet, then we would recommend that they purchase a
dongle; which should give them internet access as they travel.
6.3 Sightseeing
- Where would be the highlights to visit in
Russia?
- The most popular destinations in
Russia after Moscow and St
Petersburg are (in no order):
Irkutsk (for Lake Baikal), the
ancient Golden Ring (for Sergiev Vladivostok Coastline Landscape
Posad, Yaroslavl, Kostroma,
Ivanovo, Suzdal, Vladimir), Vladivostok, Nizhny Novgorod, Ulan Ude, and
Yekaterinburg.
7.0 APPENDIX:
Main Stations in
Metro Airport Main destinations
Moscow
Kaliningrad, Lithuania,
Belorussky – Belorusskaya – Sheremetievo - Belarus, Poland,
Белорусский Белорусская щереметьево Germany, the Czech
Republic and Latvia.
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– щереметьево /
and South-eastern
Домодедово
Europe.
Voronezh, Tambov,
Paveletsky – Paveletskaya - Domodedovo -
Volgograd and
Павелецкий Павелецкая Домодедово
Astrakhan.
Southern Russia,
Kurskaya/Chkalovskay
Kurskiy – Domodedovo - Caucasus nations,
a stations –
Курский Домодедово Eastern Ukraine, and
Курская / Чкаловская
Crimea.
Main Stations in
Metro Airport Main destinations
St Petersburg
Ploshchad Vosstania /
Moscow, Far North,
Moskovsky – Mayakovskaya – Pulkovo -
Central Asia, Crimea,
Московский пулково
Площадь Восстания/ and the Caucuses.
Маяковская
Poland, Belarus
Vitebsky – Pushkinskaya – Pulkovo - including Minsk,
Витебский Пушкинская пулково Ukraine including Kiev
and Odessa.
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