Russia by Rail

[Susita 175]

I thought some of you RUBbers or your spouses may enjoy this piece. I've been listening to this report for the past two days on NPR, it's very well done and very interesting. The photos are beautiful as well. Audio isn't available yet, but I assume it should be shortly.

Nearly 6,000 miles of railroad separate Russia's capital city of Moscow from Vladivostok, on the Pacific Ocean. While crossing the world's largest country and bridging two continents, NPR's David Greene reports on how Russia's history has shaped its people and, where, 20 years after the collapse of the Soviet Union, Russians want their country to go.

Russia by Rail

[Bad_Daddy 2,209]

I thought some of you RUBbers or your spouses may enjoy this piece. I've been listening to this report for the past two days on NPR, it's very well done and very interesting. The photos are beautiful as well. Audio isn't available yet, but I assume it should be shortly.

Russia by Rail

Interesting piece. Nice pics in that link. After watching Transsiberian with Woody Harrelson, I always thought it would be interesting to take that trip.

[Gary and Alla 3,694]

I thought some of you RUBbers or your spouses may enjoy this piece. I've been listening to this report for the past two days on NPR, it's very well done and very interesting. The photos are beautiful as well. Audio isn't available yet, but I assume it should be shortly.

Russia by Rail

I think before embarking one should also watch the short video once prsented here in this forum called "I am the Superstar from Ukraine" it was also about train travel. If someone has this, please post it.

[slim 1,514]

Interesting piece. Nice pics in that link. After watching Transsiberian with Woody Harrelson, I always thought it would be interesting to take that trip.

My wife had a cameo in that movie. She's the tea lady. "I am the f'kin tea lady! How dare you ask me for anything but tea. What the f'k is your problem? Can't you see I'm the tea lady? Shut the f'k up, stupid man. Get the f'k out of here."

When I went to see my wife (back when she was just my girlfriend) I was debating whether to meet her in her home city and then take the train to Moscow or vice versa. In the end, I decided against an "adventure" in Russia. After watching Transsiberian, I'm glad I did.

[Bad_Daddy 2,209]

I think before embarking one should also watch the short video once prsented here in this forum called "I am the Superstar from Ukraine" it was also about train travel. If someone has this, please post it.

I remember that vid....I'm trying to find it on youtube right now but no luck so far.

My wife had a cameo in that movie. She's the tea lady. "I am the f'kin tea lady! How dare you ask me for anything but tea. What the f'k is your problem? Can't you see I'm the tea lady? Shut the f'k up, stupid man. Get the f'k out of here."

When I went to see my wife (back when she was just my girlfriend) I was debating whether to meet her in her home city and then take the train to Moscow or vice versa. In the end, I decided against an "adventure" in Russia. After watching Transsiberian, I'm glad I did.

[visaveteran1 33]

One reason I'd never ride a Russian train. BATHROOMS! Not even Lysol couldn't make a dent in those "mobile outhouses."

[TBoneTX 44,674]

One reason I'd never ride a Russian train. BATHROOMS! Not even Lysol couldn't make a dent in those "mobile outhouses."

Well, THAT really stinks, pee man.

[SMR 368]

Well, THAT really stinks, pee man.

Train travel isn't really that bad. If you're worried, you can just buy out the kupay and you'll basically be on your own (but that isn't much fun and gets expensive). It's like a small hotel room that rocks back and forth and has no running water. On the other had, for added enjoyment I recommend platzkart. You don't get a door but you do get to talk to your neighbors. Just make sure to sleep with your valuables somewhere where no one can get to them without you noticing.

And I wouldn't say the bathrooms stink; everything falls onto the tracks below right away. It's just that it's hard to think of them as clean.

[ONA 133]

Bathrooms in new trains are pretty clean. That's what it looked like on the train from my city to Moscow when I went there for the interview:

The new trains still have kupay and platzkart, but they also have carts with just seats in them.

And they are faster. A trip from my city to Moscow used to take about 11 hours, now it takes about 7 hours. They are cheaper too.

Also, me and my husband used to ride "CB" - they are more expensive, but they really look like a hotel room. My husband liked it, especially the tea-glasses

Edited January 12, 2012 by ONA

[Gary and Alla 3,694]

Train travel isn't really that bad. If you're worried, you can just buy out the kupay and you'll basically be on your own (but that isn't much fun and gets expensive). It's like a small hotel room that rocks back and forth and has no running water. On the other had, for added enjoyment I recommend platzkart. You don't get a door but you do get to talk to your neighbors. Just make sure to sleep with your valuables somewhere where no one can get to them without you noticing.

And I wouldn't say the bathrooms stink; everything falls onto the tracks below right away. It's just that it's hard to think of them as clean.

The last two times we rode the train from Kiev to Donetsk we did this, buy out the couper, and since we had three of us it was not so bad to only buy one more ticket. But the last two times we have been there we flew from Kiev (last winter) and Moscow (this last summer) and it was only slightly more expensive, much faster, and much less stressful.

Alla's tolerance for the type of travel she used to do routinely has declined greatly. I think you would have to knock her unconcious to get her on a bus anymore, unless it is very necessary and very temporary.

[SMR 368]

Bathrooms in new trains are pretty clean. That's what it looked like on the train from my city to Moscow when I went there for the interview:

The new trains still have kupay and platzkart, but they also have carts with just seats in them.

And they are faster. A trip from my city to Moscow used to take about 11 hours, now it takes about 7 hours. They are cheaper too.

Also, me and my husband used to ride "CB" - they are more expensive, but they really look like a hotel room. My husband liked it, especially the tea-glasses

Maybe some of the trains. But there are still a lot of old ones clinking around. I've been on trains in Russia as recently as a couple months ago and never seen anything remotely close to being that nice.

[Bad_Daddy 2,209]

Bathrooms in new trains are pretty clean. That's what it looked like on the train from my city to Moscow when I went there for the interview:

The new trains still have kupay and platzkart, but they also have carts with just seats in them.

And they are faster. A trip from my city to Moscow used to take about 11 hours, now it takes about 7 hours. They are cheaper too.

Also, me and my husband used to ride "CB" - they are more expensive, but they really look like a hotel room. My husband liked it, especially the tea-glasses

You sure you didn't get that pic off an Amtrak site ONA?

[visaveteran1 33]

Well, THAT really stinks, pee man.

Somebody said the Russian trains stink. I answered back: "Like sh!t they do!"

[ONA 133]

Maybe some of the trains. But there are still a lot of old ones clinking around. I've been on trains in Russia as recently as a couple months ago and never seen anything remotely close to being that nice.

Yea, it's just the new "skoriy" trains. The trains that are called "firmenniy" usually look nice too.

You sure you didn't get that pic off an Amtrak site ONA?

No, it's from vokzal.ru.

Here are the train reviews and more pics:

http://www.mza.ru/forum/viewtopic.php?f=9&t=9128

It's al in Russian though.