American Journey to Sochi, Part 2: Train Ride from Moscow to Adler

[peacetraveler22]

Comments

[rider3099]

Shannon, you are my hero! The longest train rider for me was 18 hours from Kiev to Ivano-Frankovsk (Western Ukraine)

[peacetraveler22]

How are the Ukrainian trains? What cabin were you in - the dormitory style or more private?

[rider3099]

They are the same as Russian. I always were in private with 2 places for sleeping.
You know, I’m like a child - I like to drink tea with lemon in train. It seems to me very tasty :)

[3as7]

I rode once on an overnight train from Voronezh to Rostov in Russia. And since there were no tickets available, I had to take the "dormitory style" 3rd class. Our beds were the best - at the restroom side of the car, next to the door. You could smell the smoke, the restroom, and people were constantly waking me up when they opened or closed the door.

[stein002]

Actually Sochi is one of the priority destinations (regardless of the Olympics) so Russian Railways try to offer better service and I didn't see anything extraordinary in their effort as described in you post. Just normal Sochi train service.

However choosing other destinations in the middle of nowhere might lead to older vans, cheaper linen etc

And there are different train classes of course. The faster it travels, the better the service. Pricing is slightly different also.

[peacetraveler22]

Well, I have nothing to compare it to except the Sapsan, which is an entirely different route and train. I've never been on other Russian trains, but this one was comfortable. Of course, Russian Railways used the best trains on this route in an effort to create a favorable impression for foreigners like me.

It's hard to predict train quality :)

[xpo_xpo_xpo]

I traveled to Izhevsk by train number five-hundred-something-like-this (so it was the lowest priority train) but even in Platzkarte (3rd class in terms above) there was a mat in relatively good condition in a hallway and attendant cleaned everything twice a day.

On the other hand, train "Zhiguli", 2nd class in terms above had nothing bad except for attendant: quite likely she was a daughter of train director as she worked alone (so she got double money) and she preferred not to work but to sleep.

[girlspell]

Nice entry and I like the photographs. Trains and Russia are inseparable, LOL...

[peacetraveler22]

I'm not so good at photography, still trying to learn. :) Btw, I attended the men's free skate in Sochi. It was awesome, and I'll share a few photos tomorrow. I remember you also like figure skating.

[vpotemkin]

Nice entry, thanks!
Btw, the new double-decker train is exactly the same as that one, except the second floor )

[peacetraveler22]

Yes, but second floor is cool and the windows appear larger so it's easier to take photos of the scenery. Maybe next time I'll take a ride on the double-decker, when demand is down and tickets are easier to get.

[vpotemkin]

Window at second floor is lower, so you must duck to make a photo or or admire the view

[peacetraveler22]

You rode the new double decker? If so, how was it?

[novikovski]

What were you doing in Sochi? This is the same garbage))

[peacetraveler22]

I attended the Olympics for a few days. :)

[novikovski]

Don't tell anyone about it))

[peacetraveler22]

Tomorrow will be a big post about it. :) I'm not always so kind to Russia, but for the Olympics the experience was mostly good.