Russia is a vast country and major cities are well spread out with
large tracts of countryside or forest in between them. Flights are
expensive and roads can be slow and sometimes uncomfortable. For
most Russians faced with a long journey there is only one choice:
the train.
Moscow has
several huge stations which serve as points of departure for all
parts of Russia and what was once the Soviet Union. Until recently
you had to buy your tickets in person at the station but now you
can beat the queues, book your places and pay online at www.rzd.ru.
This is an especially good idea in summer when places between
Moscow and
St Petersburg,
and other large cities become booked up quickly. After booking like
this you need to collect your tickets from the station when you
arrive and you are off!
Due to the long distances involved, night trains are a great idea
for the traveler. The trains can be 25 carriages long and travel
steadily through the night arriving at their destination the next
day or several days later depending on the journey. In a typical
carriage a corridor runs from end to end and it is divided into 6
sections which each contain enough space for 6 people to sleep. The
bunks are two up and two down facing each other and two additional
bunks one above the other on the opposite side of the corridor. In
the day most people stay on the lower levels, reading, chatting or
dozing but as night draws in, its time to get out the bedding rolls
provided for each passenger. These contain a small mattress, a
sheet and a pillow which make the bunks more comfortable. Each
carriage is looked after by its own "Provodnitsa" who keeps a
samovar of hot water available at all times. You can buy hot drinks
from her or simply make your own if you take a few teabags or some
coffee and a cup. You'll find a toilet, washing facilities and a
rubbish bin at the end of each carriage but be aware that the
toilets are locked an hour before arriving at your
destination.
During your journey the train makes a few longer stops and often
the local inhabitants will come to the station to sell freshly
cooked food, souvenirs or locally produced goods. After one of
these stops it's not unusual to see people getting back on the
train with last minute gifts for the family, glassware, tea sets,
soft toys, you name it! Traveling by train here is a unique
experience and drifting off to sleep to the hypnotic sound of the
clickety-clack of the train on the tracks is not to be missed.
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