Trains in Russia

[MrFSS]

This web site will allow you to check schedules and book tickets for travel in and to Russia.

Russia Train Site

 

[Green Maned Lion]

Riding the trans-siberian is something I've always wanted to do.

 

[jackal]

Riding the trans-siberian is something I've always wanted to do.

Me too! That and the Indian Pacific and Ghan in Australia. I'm going to hit at least one of the latter two this fall...

 

[WhoozOn1st]

I think Russian trains operate on a 5-foot gauge, and if memory serves this really slowed down the Germans in WW II. Aside from the Soviet scorched earth retreat, any rail lines captured intact had to be laboriously rebuilt to accommodate standard-gauge German trains in order to bring up equipment and supplies.

 

[transit54]

I recently used the above site to book some tickets and wanted to point out that the prices listed there are not the prices that are currently charged. I booked a ticket on a train between St Petersburg and Moscow. It was listed as $65, but when I spoke with the agency that would handle the booking, they told me that the prices listed were 2006 prices, and that the cost would be $125.

 

[Green Maned Lion]

Fast inflation.

 

[darien-l]

This web site will allow you to check schedules and book tickets for travel in and to Russia.
Russia Train Site

I recommend avoiding sites like these -- it's basically an advertising site that makes money from commissions from travel agents. What happens is that you place your ticket order with them, they refer it to some travel agency, the travel agency will then contact you for verification and payment information, you'll probably have to fax a copy of your credit card and a verification form over to them, and they will eventually mail the tickets over to you. The whole process is lengthy, complicated, and expensive -- you will pay a bundle in service fees and shipping costs.

Instead, simply buy your ticket in real time on the Russian Railways website -- I did that a few months ago and it worked like a charm. Then you just pick up your tickets at the train station (at a window marked "internet tickets pickup," in Russian, usually) and off you go. The only thing is, the ticket booking website (http://www.ticket.rzd.ru) is still Russian-only, but it's not to hard to figure out (register, log in, select your date and arrival and departure stations, view availability, select accomodations, enter some personal and payment information, and you're done. No cyrillic keyboard required).

By the way, timetables are now available in English on the Russian Railways website: http://eng.rzd.ru/wps/portal/rzdeng/express?STRUCTURE_ID=46