Riding the Russian Rails

Russian literature is filled with romantic passages about train travel, and visitors to this vast country often look forward to experiencing for themselves the romance and relaxation of watching the Russian countryside glide by through the window of a gently rocking overnight train. Those traveling between St. Petersburg and Moscow, or to any city within a half-days train ride, will often make it a point to take the train for the cultural experience.

Indeed, train travel has long been by far the most popular form of intercity travel in Russia. There are a number of reasons for this: tradition, it’s easier to get tickets, it’s cheaper than flying, and it’s generally seen as safer than air travel. For short day trips it is often the only alternative.

Train types and options

In general, you will encounter three types of trains in Russia: the elektrichka (commuter trains for shorter trips), day trains (for longer, though non-overnight trips), and overnight trains. The elektrichka and day trains are almost identical, and consist of cars filled with open wooden benches. The main difference is that an elektrichka will not have a restaurant car or any other amenities.

There are three travel options available on overnight trains: First Class (‘‚  S-Ve, sleeps two), Second Class (êóïå  kupe, sleeps four), and Platzkarta (ïëàöêàðòà  platzkarta,  no class and not an option for any foreigner but a student with a masochistic streak).

Overnight trains will usually have a restaurant car in them. Each cabin in first or second class will have a small table near the window, pillows, sheets, blankets, small towels and a packet with soap and a wet-nap.

Each train wagon has a bathroom at one end and the car-attendant’s berth at the other. Always inquire whether your train is an express train. If not, the time difference can be many hours.

What to expect

Moscow boasts nine major train stations and St. Peterburg six, each serving specific regions of Russia and abroad. In smaller cities, there will usually be one or two stations at most. The station you depart from will depend on your destination and what type of train you are taking. Always inquire with the seller when you purchase tickets.

If you have never been to a Russian train station, you might be in for a bit of a shock. First of all, they tend to be very crowded. Amenities are minimal (you will not likely want to buy food here or use the toilets), cleanliness and seating are in deficit, there is seldom a functioning baggage check, and a wide range of people spend time here, many with no intention of boarding a train.

This said, you will want to arrive not sooner than 20-25 minutes before your departure, in order to avoid having to stand for a long period of time in uncomfortable surroundings. Don’t be late! Russian trains tend to run on time.

At around 20 minutes before departure time, you should begin to board. On commuter and day trains, there will be no reserved seating, so don’t wait until the last minute (on summer weekends, when everyone is heading to their dacha, commuter trains are standing-room only). On overnight trains, you will proceed to your assigned wagon number and hand your ticket to a uniformed car-attendant (provodnik (male) or provodnitsa (female)) at the entrance. The attendant will keep your ticket while you head to your assigned berth. He/she will almost certainly not speak English, but that shouldn’t affect your trip.

Shortly after departure, the attendant will knock on your door to collect a small sum in rubles for your bed-linens (at this time $3-4). Then you will be wished a good-night and are free to walk about, eat, drink, read, chat with your neighbors, or sleep. Practice can vary, and ticket prices for the better trains might include linen charges, continental breakfast, newspapers (in Russian), and mineral water.

Throughout your trip, the attendant is there to provide towels, extra blankets, hot water, tea, or coffee, and other help upon request. In the morning, shortly before arrival, the attendant will knock on the door once again to wake you and offer you tea or coffee (usually for a small fee).

Travelers should bring supplies of bottled water and snack food with them, in case the dining car is absent or closed, and to avoid having to leave your possessions unattended (see safety tips below).

Safety

Much has been written in the Western press about dramatic train robberies and the dangers of train travel in Russia. Though these can give an exaggerated idea of the dangers, one must still be careful in any such exposed situation. Following these tips will minimize any risk of problems:

Arrive at the train station no sooner than 20-25 minutes before your train departs. And head straight for your platform.

Do not stand in crowds, or leave your baggage unattended - ever. Beware of gypsies.

Do not buy food from station vendors (bottled/canned drinks are fine).

On the train, do not get drunk with people you do not know. On the day train, don’t get drunk at all.

Stow your baggage under the bed on an overnight train. It is very difficult to take during the night in this case.

Never open the door to your berth without asking someone to identify themselves.

Always keep the berth door locked when you are inside. There are usually two or three locking devices on better trains. Use them all. You can also use a belt to tie the door securely.

First class is the safest way to travel on overnight trains. Traveling in groups of two’s and four’s insures that you will have whole berths to yourself. Women traveling alone or in odd numbers might want to buy the ticket for the extra space if they want privacy and added safety.

Buying tickets

Like many transport and tourism related things in Russia, there is a dual-pricing system in force for train tickets: one price for Russian nationals and a much higher price for foreigners. But until quite recently, the Russian-speaking foreign bargain hunter could often skip official channels and buy tickets him/herself at the local rates by going directly to the station of departure or having a Russian friend buy them. Now, the regime has been tightened and all ticket-buyers must produce a passport for each ticket that they want to buy.

Thus, it makes little sense to bargain hunt for train tickets. In any case, the foreign price will still usually be lower than for an equivalent trip in a Western country. Below are some good ticket purchasing options from Moscow and St. Petersburg. You can also book through your hotel concierge. In the provinces, you should purchase tickets through Intourist or inquire at any hotel.