The first train in the history of domestic railways that changes gauge in a matter of minutes, practically on the go. I took a ride with my daughter a month ago in it, now I will share my impressions.
In principle, some of you have probably seen such trains. Swifts have been going from Moscow to Nizhny Novgorod, and there are also a number of their routes in Kazakhstan. But such a train with the function of a quick gauge change first appeared in the post-Soviet space. Which, of course, is strange, given the peculiarities of our railway and the desire to integrate it with neighboring countries .. 
Due to the fast border crossing (instead of 3 hours it takes 15 minutes to change the gauge), as well as the acceleration of the schedule for almost the entire route, the route is very fast. Late in the morning at 11 o'clock you land in Moscow, and the next day you arrive early in the morning in Berlin. The train journey takes 22 hours in total. Therefore, by the way, it has some popularity, unlike other similar trains.
The train has three classes of carriages: seat, compartment, luxury. The most popular is, oddly enough, the coupe! Still, it is only a thousand rubles more expensive than a seat, and the comfort is incomparable. As a result, the seat cars and NE are empty, and life is glimmering in the compartment cars.
In fact, you can’t even call it wagons. More like sections. Because they are all connected by open passages, and it is not easy to say where one car begins and another ends. This, of course, is cool - these dumb, ventilated passages between cars in ordinary trains are so scary. 
But there are many complaints about the train. This is narrowness and lowness. 
Here is a corridor. To see what is happening outside the window, you have to hunch over. 
Instead of many folding seats, there is only one at the end of the car, not by the window. 
Our coupe. It's also tight. 
Hooks for outerwear are located at the windows. Which worsens the view. 
Actually, in the previous photos there was a bed in a folded state. This is generally a feature of all such sleeping trains. I remember even in the Argentine SV the same principle was.
After you have eaten, you call the guide (well, it’s true, you can do it yourself here), and he opens a pre-laid sleeping shelf for you from the wall. In general, I can not say that it is convenient. It is, of course, wide and spacious - my daughter and I normally fit together. But constantly closing and opening it on every occasion is not very happy. 
Table for food. What is at the window is not intended for it. If you want to eat like a human - shoot from above luggage compartment a special shelf, insert it into the mounts on the seats, and voila. Anya really liked this process, the only joy. Then you remove the shelf back into a special holder. 
Here's the luggage. (on the left, these removable tables for eating are just visible). Imagine - the three of us were traveling in a compartment: me, Anya and a woman, Anastasia, a Ukrainian from Kharkov, living in Potsdam. 
We are lucky that there was no one else. If on top places there were passengers, I can’t imagine where we would stuff all our things and generally turn around. Under the seats, nothing fits at all - with difficulty they pushed the stroller there. I'm not talking about the fact that when unfolding the top shelf on the bottom, it's even impossible to sit. 
And what seemed like a table is actually a sink. The only joy is that you can not go to brush your teeth at the other end of the car, but do it on the spot. Well, wash all the dishes here too. 
Fortunately, the trip comes with a set of disposable toothbrush and paste, as well as headphones. By the way, in the area of the bed there are buttons with a train radio, which you can listen to through these headphones. But there is not much choice. 
Toilet. Of course bio. For some reason it was made with a twist. This is the first time I've come across such a system. 
Instead of traditional titans, there are neat vending machines with water like in offices. 
You can now pour cold drinking water. My daughter loves these machines very much, she ran all the way here with a glass. 
Everywhere on the train there are inscriptions in three languages. Russian, German, Polish. 
Why, according to this logic, there is no Belarusian and, according to the normal logic, English (in which, by the way, all announcements are duplicated) is not clear. 
And here it is only in Russian. The opinion of foreigners PID is not interested. 
Interestingly, almost all surfaces are decorated with logos of cities passing along the route. 
Even all compartments are also dedicated to some cities along the way. 
For example, we were driving in Minsk. 
Let's walk on the train 
The seating car is almost empty. Well, it's logical: to go for that kind of money in a chair for a whole day - just a perversion. Then you can choose the plane. Although the seats, of course, are comfortable, they cannot be compared with airplane ones. If you go 5-7 hours - you can't imagine better transport. 
Mimino is shown on the train TV channel. "Chita-rita-chita-margarita-la!" 
Restaurant car. Horse prices. 
Better than traditional chicken. Or buy potato pancakes at the station from grandmothers, as I did. 
Unused by anyone SV. 
As the conductor explained to me, there is a family-type compartment right here. Behind the door is another bedroom. Or a shower. Which here, by the way, is available in some suites. 
There is Wi-Fi on the train. Yes Yes! And it works well. The header site, which opens upon connection, shows the characteristics of the train: where exactly we are going, at what speed, what amusing places we are passing. You can watch and read about them. 
Tables with a running line. 
Technical section at the end of the composition. No entry. 
Landing at the Belorussky railway station. From one path, passengers go to Kubinka, and from the other ... a little further. 
The conductors lined up just like in Chinese trains. 
We wave to our mother who sees us off. 
Well, let's move on. Let's wave to the new symbol of Moscow. 
From Moscow to Smolensk itself, the train does not make any stops. They ate, slept, and waking up, found the junction of a branch from Spas-Demensk to Dukhovskaya, and then - the Bryansk - Roslavl - Smolensk highway. 
Traditional gateway to Europe. It’s hard for me to perceive this glorious city in a different capacity. 
The Smolensk Kremlin looms in the background. 
We only stand 5 minutes. 
Well, another country has begun - Orsha. There is a change of teams, so we stand for a long time - 15 minutes. 
Grandmothers sell potato pancakes and apples from the garden. There is something in this - to ride a fashionable train to bourgeois Europe and buy provisions from grandmothers at the station. By the way, they accept any currency - both euro and Russian rubles. 
Actually, the team is in the process of changing. 
Minsk. Here our wagon has significantly replenished. Still would! This express train is generally very convenient for Minsk residents. Such night Train- at 9 pm you sit down, and at 7 am already in Berlin. 
Wheel change in Brest. A workshop with a traditional train can be seen in the background. Against the background of ours, this hacking with carts already seems to be something so dense and backward. 
Everything was trying to catch the moment of changing the track. They wrote to me that there should be some kind of click. But no - absolutely nothing was heard! We drove into the workshop, walked through it, got up. We stood for 5 minutes. Then we drove another 100-200 m, stood still. And we moved on! There were no sounds or shocks, not even close. So it’s even a little boring - the traditional process of changing gauge looks much more interesting and spectacular (if only when your car is raised in the middle of the night by a locksmith with wrenches on jacks).
Border control at the same time passes quickly and imperceptibly. In Brest, border guards and customs officers enter the station. While the wheels are changing, they quickly go around everyone, check, collect passports, and stamp them. And then, near the border itself, the train stops at the border control, where they get off. In Brest itself, parking is 15 minutes. But on the Polish side in Terespol, everything is already traditional: 40 minutes of parking, during which the border guards pass the train. 
In the morning we woke up when the train was already approaching Frankfurt. Poland slipped just like a whirlwind. I only woke up in the middle of the night for a couple of minutes when we were standing on Warsaw-Vskhodnya. And so, he has another stop in Poznan. It is also interesting that having entered Poland, we briskly rushed, accelerating to 155 km / h, despite the fact that we were driving 110-120 in Russia and Belarus. I wonder why so? Why can't we speed up traffic on the main line to similar speeds?
However, I did not guess to photograph the Frankfurt station, and it was still dark. But very soon we reached Berlin. Treptow Park station, where a giant memorial dedicated to the Second World War is located. 
The main railway station in East Berlin in the past is Lichtenberg. According to the plan, we were not supposed to have a parking lot here, but due to repairs, we stopped by here. At this time, a passenger from a neighboring compartment became ill, and we waited for an ambulance to arrive. We left here in 20 minutes. A neighbor used the parking lot and got out here. She has a direct es-ban from here to Potsdam, and from Ostbahnhof it is very inconvenient to switch to other paths, since there are no elevators and escalators (which we later felt on ourselves). 
And here, here it was. 
General impressions. It's nice to ride once, of course. But no more. The experience of traveling to other-gauge Europe on such a fast train is certainly interesting. But, objectively, it is expensive and cramped, although quite comfortable. By plane, and, moreover, with transfers in Brest or Grodno, it will be much cheaper.
The logistics of it, when you are amazed at how the same cars first travel between the Perervinskaya electric trains and Tatneft tanks, and then rub side by side with the S7 line of the es-ban, after traveling to, is no longer so impressive. Then, whatever you say, it was grandiose.
Nevertheless, I leave plans to run "French" trains from Moscow. 
Well, and, finally, I will answer the question, which, of course, is of interest to everyone.
12700 costs a compartment in this train for the entire route.
The top shelf is 700 rubles cheaper.
The seat costs about 10 thousand,
deluxe - about 18.
A ticket from Minsk will cost from 7 thousand.
In fact, it cost me twice as much. Children under 4(!) years of age ride on Russian Railways' international trains free of charge. A plane ticket would cost almost the full amount. So I took advantage of an elusive opportunity (Already in February, Anya will be 4 years old). 
The high-speed train Strizh was launched on the route Moscow - Nizhny Novgorod from June 1, 2015. "Strizh" runs daily and makes up to 5 flights a day. Train travel time - from 3 hours 35 minutes.
The number of carriages in the Strizh train is 18 passenger and 2 technical.
Train Composition
What cars are there on the Strizh train:
- 1st class carriages with seats - carriage No. 8, No. 9 (No. 10, No. 11) *
- 2nd class carriages with seats - carriages No. 10-No. 18 (No. 12-No. 17) *
- Coupe car with berths - car No. 18*
- SV carriages with berths - carriages No. 1-No. 5
- wagon - restaurant
- carriage - buffet
Comfort on the go
What equipment is in the carriages of the train Strizh Moscow - Nizhny Novgorod:
Air conditioning and heating system
- environmentally friendly toilet complexes
Entertainment and rest on the way
Russian Railways offers the following entertainment for recreation on the road while traveling by train Strizh Moscow - Nizhny Novgorod:
- video monitors
- Wi-Fi throughout the journey (paid service)
- individual audio systems
Meals on the go
Restaurant car on the train Strizh Moscow - Nizhny Novgorod
There is a buffet car on the Strizh train. At your service a wide choice of hot dishes, appetizers, salads, desserts, hot and soft drinks.
Additionally:
Drinking water is provided along the way. At your service in each carriage: coffee, tea and confectionery products, printed editions, souvenirs and other goods (for a fee).
Characteristics of wagons
Here is a description of the carriages of the train "Strizh" Moscow - Nizhny Novgorod
Number of compartments: 5; number of seats: 10.
Each compartment consists of a rest room and a sanitary and hygienic room.
In each compartment:
- 2 berths, lower sleeping place transforms into 2 seats;
- safe, folding table;
- individual bathroom with shower and dry closet;
- TV with movie selection;
- sockets 220V;
- access key cards in the compartment.
Service:
- nutrition;
- a set of bed linen and towels;
1st class car
Passenger seats have:
- audio system;
- socket 220V;
- adjustable headrest;
- adjustable footrest;
Service:
- nutrition;
- plaid;
- sanitary-hygienic set.
2nd class car
Number of seats: 20.
Passenger seats have:
- individual lighting system;
- audio system;
- socket 220V;
- adjustable inclination of a back of a chair;
- individual folding table.
Service:
- food and drinks (can be ordered from the conductor for a fee).
Security
How the Strizh train works in terms of safety:
Security on the train security officers or transport police. The operation of the car equipment is controlled by a satellite security and communication monitoring system. All carriages are equipped with fire alarms.
Transportation of animals
Small animals are free of charge. Large dogs are not allowed.
For the transport of small animals, the ransom of the entire compartment is required. Small animals are free of charge. To transport a large dog, you need to buy the entire compartment. Only one large dog is allowed. Large dogs are free of charge.
Small animals do not need a ransom extra beds. There is a fee for transporting an animal. Large dogs are not allowed.
other information
Attention! We ask passengers of the Strizh train to arrive at the station in advance due to the need to go through security procedures.
The LJ user made a test trip on the new international train of Russian Railways "Strizh", running on the route Moscow - Berlin. What follows is a first-person story.
December 17 Russian Railways launches new train to Berlin. It will go about 4 hours faster than normal. For those who travel frequently to Nizhny Novgorod, the name of the train will seem familiar - it's the Strizh, made by Talgo in Spain and driven by the Russian locomotive EP20. However, the composition for trips to Europe is completely different, it differs both in interior and technical features. I rode a test flight on the Strizh and will tell you all about the pros and cons of this train.
First of all, let me remind you that in order to travel to Europe, Russian trains have to waste a lot of time in Brest, where bogies are changed from our gauge (1520 mm) to the European gauge (1435 mm).
Therefore, back in 2011, when the grass was greener, the euro exchange rate did not exceed 43 rubles, and Russia held the Olympics and life on the planet was calmer, Russian Railways purchased trains with an automatic gauge change system, which made it possible to reduce the time for this procedure from two hours to 20 minutes.
This "Strizh" differs from trains plying to Nizhny Novgorod with a five-class layout that meets European requirements for safety, convenience and comfort. Although, the last two points are more about the mentality - some things on the train were really strange.
On November 15, I set off on a new train for a test run to Brest station (Republic of Belarus) - it is there that the procedure for “re-shoeing” the train to the European gauge takes place.
Operate it like most trains long distance, there will be a "daughter" of Russian Railways - the Federal Passenger Company.
The train has a completely atypical layout and interior design. I would call it "an excessive victory of minimalism in a suitcase interior." Although all the elements are functional, they are in their places, but everything is so unusual.
Coupe key. Inside, in order not to lose, it is inserted into a special pocket on the door.
I had a double coupe. Regularly, two beds (you can’t call it shelves) are removed to the wall and from below we get two chairs. It is unusual that the chair is far from the window and it is difficult to ride, looking out the window - there is nowhere to lean on. Yes, yes, so there is no usual table for everyone, as in a large compartment. Here is the place where the brochures are on the left, not a table at all. But there is a table, you just need to find it first.
The shelves are laid out like this. With my height (176 cm), it was already uncomfortable for me to sit in the chair from below. And if two shelves were laid out, then I didn’t fit there, in a sitting position. On the wall we see a “U”-shaped bracket to prevent our body from falling down and a shelf for small change. It is convenient to put a water bottle, newspapers or magazines in this recess, but there is nowhere to put the phone. Either it falls out or it gets scratched. In general, a shelf with metal sides is not very suitable for storing gadgets. So everything is under the pillow.
Shelf for luggage above the front door. So what do we have here? Yes, those are the tables! At the same time, the volume of the shelf itself is very large and all standard suitcases will fit there. Plus there is legroom.
And that table turned out to be a sink lid. This is a purely European trouble - they are used to having a washbasin in every compartment! You can argue for a long time whether it is convenient or not. We are just not used to it. I think most Russian travelers will fill it up with things and use the washbasins in the toilets. The socket, as you can see, is also present. The train promises free Wi-Fi throughout the route. We, of course, checked it to Brest.
There was also a ladder to the second shelf. I think you have already guessed how it will be used?
Stopcock, glass breaker, loudspeaker and air conditioning regulator. By the way, I want to note the excellent air conditioning system. I went back in an ordinary compartment train - there was nothing to breathe there. There is a constant change of air. Having installed ventilation and a CO2 monitoring system in your home, you begin to pay attention to it everywhere.
Compared to the usual compartments, here it is a bed, not a shelf. Very comfortable and wide. It is quite possible to accommodate two.
And here the Spanish craftsmen made just a sleeping revolution - they are supposed to sleep with their heads to the aisle, and not to the window! Separately, I want to note the cold light of the night lamp. Was it really that difficult to put in a warmer light bulb? Who rode the Talgo in Spain - also there?
The train will run twice a week, departing from the Kursk railway station in Moscow on Saturdays and Sundays at 13:05 and arriving at the Berlin Ostbahnhof station at 07:19 the next day (local time). From Berlin (Berlin Ostbahnhof station) the train will depart on Sundays and Mondays at 18:50 (local time) and arrive at Moscow's Kursky railway station at 17:25. Customs and border control will start at the Brest station and will take place within 30 minutes while traveling to the border, simultaneously with the change of gauge. Reverse control, respectively, in the gap between the border and Brest station.
And outside the window is the decay of the Russian hinterland ...
And already the rarest round-faced electric trains.
Each train has 20 cars (in addition to the technical cars located at the head and tail, which ensure the functioning of the train's life support systems):
- 5 sleeping cars of the second class (4 four-seater compartments and 1 two-seater compartment - 18 seats in a carriage);
- 4 first class carriages (6 double compartments - 12 seats);
- 3 carriages of the 1st class (2 double VIP-compartments equipped with a shower and a lavatory and a second-class compartment for the passage of passengers with disabilities physical abilities with attendants - 6 seats in the car);
- 2 VIP-class carriages (5 double VIP-compartments equipped with a shower and a bathroom - 10 beds);
- 2 carriages with first class seats (20 seats in each carriage);
- buffet car;
- dining car.
Bar. While it is empty, but for 20 hours of the road its presence is very even.
This is a 4-seater coupe of the second class. The interior is close to our compartment cars, only the table is indecently small.
Yes, because there is a sink! I washed fruits and vegetables, cut up a snack, got vodka and you go.
This is a bathroom from a double VIP compartment.
Entrance hall of the car with a compartment for passengers with disabilities, with accompanying persons.
In the compartment itself, everything is provided for their safe and comfortable travel.
The bathroom for the disabled is very large, with a lot of devices for maximum ease of use.
And this is how first-class carriages with seats look like. They know each other from trips to Nizhny. There is no seated economy.
Very comfortable seats. Each passenger is entitled to their own socket!
You ask - why do we need seats on a 20-hour route? It's simple - they are intended primarily for Europeans - those who will travel between Belarus, Warsaw and Berlin for distances covered in 3-6 hours. That is, this is a way to enter the market of intra-European transportation.
By the way, interesting fact: traditionally, for Russian Railways trains that run to Europe, during the season, expensive coupes, VIP and first class are almost always redeemed in advance. The sitter and a few NEs usually stay. Here are the features.
Service compartment for customs and border guards. MFP, scales, and on the table there will be a machine for reading passports.
The train is certified for 200 km per hour, but on this route it most often travels 140-160. The train will cover the distance from Moscow to Berlin in 20 hours and 14 minutes. (currently - 24 hours 49 minutes), and from Berlin to Moscow - 20 hours 35 minutes. (currently -25 hours 56 minutes). In the future, by upgrading the infrastructure and optimizing the recoupling of locomotives, it will be possible to win a couple more hours. The locomotives on the European side did not go well. Because of, say, political games, the stubbornness of the Poles and their lack of normal locomotives, one has to hitch a Polish locomotive in Brest, which takes them to Warsaw. There he is changed to Siemens, who is already taking him to Berlin. You can't change locomotives at Warsaw Central, but you can't NOT stop there. And at Warsaw-East, it IS NECESSARY to stop to change the locomotive. Warsaw-Western also requires a stop - there is the greatest passenger traffic. Because of this, we have three stops in Warsaw. I hope that it will be possible to optimize it and reduce the time.
And now, the most interesting thing, the heart of the train is a technical car. Here are all the systems that provide life support, safety, communication of this train, etc. Due to the low dimensions of the wagon, it is impossible to squeeze all this economy under the floor of the wagons, so the Spaniards made two technical wagons. It's for the best, in my opinion. Diesel generator straight. Bottom left - air compressor, top - air purifiers and dehumidifiers.
Generator. Both of them work regularly, but in the event of a breakdown, one can easily supply the entire train with electricity. The stock of diesel fuel is enough for 15 hours of work in winter and 30 in summer. The time depends on the outside temperature.
Tanks with water and cylinders of the fire extinguishing system.
Flight mechanic's workplace - management and control of all train systems. Also, all telemetry is transmitted in real time to Talgo.
Phone numbers for the train crew.
Two satellite phones are the consequences of meeting the requirements of all the railroads on which the train travels.
Domestic monitoring system. I think the interface needs more work.
Video surveillance system. We chose a car with two cameras.
And the cars were painted ordinary, compartment.
From the rear cab you can look ... back.
On the way, the train will make stops at the stations of Smolensk, Orsha, Minsk, Brest, Terespol, Warsaw, Poznan, Rzepin, Frankfurt (Oder).
Talgo trains have been in operation for several years in Kazakhstan, where winter conditions are more severe than in our central zone. Each trolley is blown with warm air (about 38 degrees) to prevent the formation of ice in the transfer devices. The bogies are also equipped with a magnetic rail brake that works at speeds above 160 kilometers per hour. This was a requirement of the German railways.
The design concept of Talgo trains is largely due to the difficult operating conditions that depend on the topographic features of the Iberian Peninsula. Because of them, the railways of Spain are characterized by a large number of steep gradients and curves of small radius, which makes it difficult to handle trains of great length and mass.
Talgo's proprietary technologies are based on the following principles: short lightweight wagon bodies made primarily from aluminum alloys; articulation of non-separable wagons in trains; support of adjacent cars on common single-axle bogies located under the articulation nodes; independent rotation of wheels on axles or on their own axle shafts; the presence of devices that ensure the optimal position of the wheelsets in the rail track, and, finally, a low height of the bodies to lower the center of gravity. Due to all this, improved running properties of the cars and their optimal “passability” are achieved. All these innovations provide a small impact on the track and the possibility of increasing the speed of trains.
The main feature of the bogies of this rolling stock is two things. First, the wheels on it rotate independently of each other. And the cart itself is fixed in the upper part of the body, which allows the latter, like a cradle, to tilt in curves. All this provides a high speed of passage of complex sections. Secondly, it is a gauge change system. But we will talk about it below.
Let me remind you that the Russian EP20 electric locomotive is a two-system one. Therefore, the train does not need to change the locomotive in Vyazma, where the docking of two current systems is located in contact network: from the west, from the side of Smolensk, the main passage is electrified with a voltage of 25 kV, alternating current; from the east, from Moscow - 3 kV, direct current.
On a test trip, we, of course, had an incomplete composition of flight attendants. Now Russian Railways and FPC are preparing employees to work on this train.
Smolensk station.
Welcome to the Republic of Belarus!
Belarusian Chygunka.
Strizh, of course, looks like an alien train. Very unusual shapes for us.
But I found such an application for the stairs to the second floor. On this "table" you can also place a drink (lower floor) and a snack (upper floor). But remember, drinking alcohol, as well as smoking, is prohibited on FPC trips!
Welcome to Brest!
We arrived on the Warsaw side. Then the train left for the depot, and we, having settled in the hotel, went to look at the traditional change of carts.
And it's time for us to watch the work of a new transfer device for changing the gauge at the Brest Tsentralny station.
Actually, here. I'm on the 1520 side. Behind the device is 1435.
Everything works mechanically. All sections are divided by color: yellow is the hanging of carts for the transfer of wheel blocks. Red - unlocking and locking locks. Green - the movement of wheel blocks.
All contact surfaces are supplied with ordinary water. For lubrication.
The train can pass through the transfer device at a speed of not more than 15 km/h.
Under the axle box there is a “P”-shaped profile of the wheel block lock (a spring is also suitable for it). So it is pulled out by a “T”-shaped profile mounted on a red guide.
Here's another angle.
Under the bogie, converted to 1435. By the way, the brakes are disc, but the pads are pressed on the side (ie, outside and inside the wheel). In the photo, just outside the frame of the electromagnetic brake, the inner pads are visible.
The trolley is equipped with various position and status sensors. But the main defense is the horse mechanic, which is essentially unkillable. After googling and talking with various experts, I have not found examples of cases of destruction or transfer of a node on the go.
Control station for the test period.
Sliding trolley along the guides.
Actually, everything.
The security system, in addition to sensors on the trolley, is represented by sensors on the device itself. These limit switches will work if the mechanical locks are left open.
And if the wheelset does not translate, then it will demolish this sensor, causing a circuit break and an alarm.
Many thanks to Russian Railways, FPC and Talgo specialists for an interesting trip and a story about this system.
Let's summarize briefly. pros
- This is the fastest train to Europe, and it costs not much more than a regular RIC.
- Comfortable and wide beds.
- Sockets everywhere.
- Excellent air conditioning system.
- All conditions for people with disabilities.
- An ingenious mechanism for changing shoes for carts.
- Lots of discounts. For example, you can go to a birthday party for 35% cheaper. Youth and people over 60 - 30% discount. Almost certainly, if you are not traveling alone, you can get into one of a dozen discounts.
- Minuses
- Controversial, too utilitarian interior design. True, the FPC promises to design different cars in the style of different cities along the route, but so far we have what we have.
- "Cold" individual lighting in SV.
- The tables are very unusual.
- You can't lean against the window.
- Expensive relative to the aircraft. It is unlikely that there will be problems with occupancy (the first flights have already been taken apart), but this is not the most cheap way get to Berlin. A round-trip trip without discounts in a compartment will cost no less than 18 thousand rubles (the price is tied to the current euro exchange rate and changes every day).
* In parentheses are the numbers of trains used on railways Germany.
Communication with stations is available: Berlin, Frankfurt an der Oder, Erfurt, Frankfurt am Main, Karlsruhe.
You can find out the timetable, fare and availability in the "" section. To do this, specify the station of departure and destination, as well as the date of travel.
Information for passengers
Discounts for individual passengers
- 5% for the upper shelves at the points of sale of Russian Railways (not applicable in compartments of the "Single" category);
- 10% for all seats subject to reservation of seats from 60 to 45 days before the train departure.
These discounts do not apply when issuing travel documents for group fares and the special "Voyage" fare.
Travel for children
A child under the age of 4 travels with an adult passenger without a separate seat - free of charge. If desired, you can issue a paid child ticket with a place.
A passenger who has booked a ride in a deluxe class (business) carriage at the Adult-Single fare has the right to carry with him no more than two children under 12 years of age free of charge (until the day they reach this age, in carriages of train No. 13/14 Moscow - Berlin "Strizh" - no more than one child under the age of 12), on which Russian Federation non-monetary travel documents are issued. Outside the Russian Federation, non-monetary travel documents for the transport of children are not required.
In a compartment of the Double category, travel in a "Luxe" (business) class carriage is issued at a special rate "Adult "Family" for two co-following adult passengers who have the right to carry with them no more than two children under 4 years old or one child under 12 years old free of charge years (until the day of reaching this age, in the carriages of the train No. 13/14 Moscow - Berlin "Strizh" - no more than two children under the age of 4 years)). Outside the Russian Federation, non-monetary travel documents for the transport of children are not required.
Transportation of pets and hand luggage
Transportation of dogs, other small pets and birds is allowed in any class, subject to payment for all seats in the compartment. Small (pet) pets and birds are transported in cages, baskets, etc. It is allowed to carry no more than one dog or no more than one cage per compartment.
An additional fee for the transportation of dogs, small (pet) pets and birds is not charged.
The passenger can carry easily portable items (hand luggage) free of charge, if this does not contradict the customs or administrative rules. The total size of one piece of hand luggage in the sum of three dimensions must not exceed 200 cm, while one of the sides must not exceed 55 cm.
Passengers are allowed to carry with them free of charge:
- in sleeping cars of the first class, including cars of the "Lux" class (business), in a compartment of the Single category - no more than 100 kg of hand luggage per compartment (in the cars of the train No. 13/14 Moscow - Berlin "Strizh" - no more than 50 kg of hand luggage put on one passenger);
- in sleeping cars of the first class, including cars of class "Lux" (business), in compartments of category Double - no more than 50 kg for each travel document with a seat (in cars of train No. 13/14 Moscow - Berlin "Strizh" - no more than 50 kg hand luggage per passenger);
- in sleeping cars of the second class and cars with seats for an adult passenger no more than 36 kg and for a child under 12 years old (until the day of reaching this age) - no more than 15 kg for each travel document with a seat (in the cars of train No. 13/14 Moscow - Berlin "Strizh" - per passenger).
Buying tickets
Registration of travel documents is carried out on one form. Tickets can be purchased at international railway ticket offices along the train route (Russia (RZD), Poland (PKP SA), Czech Republic (CD), Austria (ÖBB), Germany (DB) France (SNCF)).
Electronic tickets can be purchased on the "Passengers" website.
Service on trains electronic registration.
To board the train on the entire route, the passenger must present to the conductor of the car an electronic ticket (boarding pass) printed on paper (A4 format), or its image on the screen of a mobile device, as well as a document proving the identity of the passenger, which is indicated in the electronic ticket.
Electronic registration is performed:
- during the procedure for ordering electronic tickets after the "Payment" step simultaneously for all passengers specified in the order;
- repeatedly at any other time in the "Personal Account";
- both simultaneously for all passengers specified in the order, and for individual e-tickets in order.
Cancellation of the service (refusal) of electronic registration is carried out no later than 1 hour before the departure of the train from the starting station of the route:
- on the site in the "Personal account";
- by obtaining a boarding pass (travel document) at ticket office or self-service terminal on the territory of the Russian Federation.
Travel document refund policy
Tickets are refunded at the place of purchase.
For individual rates:
- more than 6 hours before the departure of the train, 100% of the fare is refunded, less than 6 hours before the departure of the train, the fare is not refunded.
For group rates:
- from 60 to 15 days before the train departure 100% of the fare is refunded, from 14 to 8 days before the train departure 50% of the fare is refunded, less than 8 days before the train departure the fare is not refunded.
In the Russian Federation, a fee of 10 euros is charged for the return of an unused ticket.
Many do not understand why buy train tickets to Berlin and spend 20 hours on the road, when you can fly to the German capital in about 2.5-3 hours by plane for the same money. I'll try to explain.
1. December 17, Russian Railways launched Express train Strizh on the route Moscow - Berlin. The translation of the name was done simply - in Russia it is "Strizh", abroad - Strizh. The composition looks the same as the one that now goes to Nizhny Novgorod. But this is only at first glance.
2. Alas, one cannot be happy for the Russian manufacturer and say that Strizh is the brainchild of the Tver Carriage Works or the Ural locomotives. The train is adapted to Russian climatic conditions project of the Spanish Talgo 250, which is successfully used on the railways of Europe, and even in Kazakhstan. The more I studied the train, the more I realized how different it was from our classic long-distance trains.
3. The first thing that catches your eye is that the cars are much shorter and lower. The length of one carriage is only 13 meters: two times less than our native Russian one.
4. All equipment for the operation of the train is not hidden under the floor, as is usually the case, but in two technical wagons. They are at the beginning and at the end of the train. Short, lightweight wagon bodies, made primarily from aluminum alloys, lower the center of gravity. There are no familiar wheeled carts here either. For the entire train of 20 cars, there are 21 wheeled bogies, with independent rotation of the wheels on their own axle shafts. That is, each car has only 1 (one, Karl!) wheelset.
5. Wheeled bogies are located under the car articulations. It turns out that on the one hand the car rests on its wheelset, and on the other hand, on the wheelset of the next car. Due to all this, the cars can go through difficult sections and curves faster, and the impact on the track is much less than with conventional bogies.
An ingenious linkage system turns the bogie around in corners. This minimizes side loads on the wheels and reduces wear on the flange against the rails.
6. To avoid ice in the conditions of the Russian climate, the wheels are blown with warm air (about 38 degrees).
7. During the reconstruction of the Moscow-Kievskaya depot, three separate tracks were equipped specifically for servicing the Swifts. In the photo - a turning device that allows you to repair wheels without dismantling the bogies.
This is the first train in Russia equipped with a system for automatically changing the width of wheelsets. A transfer device was created especially for this train in Brest. Thus, Strizh will switch from the Russian standard gauge of 1520 millimeters to the European 1435 millimeters in just 20 minutes. Previously, this procedure took about two hours.
8. By the way, there is a widespread opinion that when choosing the gauge in Russia, the military aspect also played a role - a gauge different from the European one would make it difficult for a hypothetical enemy to supply troops in the event of an invasion of Russia.
In fact, most likely they didn’t seriously think about anything like that from the very beginning, but simply chose one of the models that existed in those years, which was then popular in the USA. The military significance of the gauge difference today is not very large - already in the middle of the 20th century, railway troops could easily change from 10 to 30 kilometers of road per day. The width of the track was not of particular importance, and because the retreating troops since the First World War often destroyed the tracks behind them. To supply the advancing troops on enemy territory, special temporary narrow-gauge railways were often built.
The photo shows that the Strizh cars are almost a third lower than our two-system electric locomotive EP20. The height of the platform for the Swift is two times less than the standard ones. The first and last carriages of the train are technical - there are no passengers in them, only equipment.
9. In technical wagons there are all systems that provide life support, safety and fire fighting, communication of this train, and so on. A diesel generator, an air compressor, air purification and heating systems are installed here. Two generators operate regularly, but in the event of a breakdown, even one will be able to supply the entire train with electricity. The stock of diesel fuel is enough for up to 15 hours of operation in winter and up to 30 in summer. It all depends on the outside temperature. It looks very neat and even somewhat futuristic.
10. Passenger cars look no less cosmic.
11. The entire train has a through passage, while the euro size imposes its own restrictions - all the corridors are narrower than those of “us”, and it will be difficult for two full people to disperse. In the photo at the end of the corridor there is a folding chair and a table. Yes, this is the conductor's seat. He no longer has his compartment, where he could always buy a chocolate bar "Alenka" and order tea.
12. Standard coupe. Recumbent shelves are hidden in the niches of the walls. To the right in the background is a ladder to climb up. On the shelf above - folding tables for each chair. Tickets in such a compartment cost from 10,000 rubles.
13. View from the other side.
14. If in the unfolded state of the shelves such a compartment resembles ours Russian trains, then the similarity ends there.
15. Instead of the usual table - a sink with a tap!
16. Sitting car, the most cheap option travel - from 9000 rubles per seat. Pull-out tables from the armrest, individual sockets, normal distance between the seats, footrests, coat hooks - the equipment is excellent.
17. The seats are comfortable, like business class on a plane, but sitting for 20 hours is cool. In fact, these places are intended primarily for those who will travel between Belarus, Warsaw and Berlin for distances covered in 3-6 hours.
18. Double SV. It was in this "number" that I rode all the way to Berlin. The ticket cost 17,000 rubles - both places are redeemed for this money at once, and you travel alone. Traveling with a neighbor costs about 13,000 rubles per seat.
19. NE also has its own sink.
20. Option with unfolded beds. Interesting feature: if everyone can lay out the bed, then only an athlete can slam the shelf back into the wall. It takes a lot of effort to crumple the pillow with the blanket, and the shelf went into place. But it's a perfect bed. Wide and long, moderately hard, just the way I like it. With my height of 178, my legs and arms did not rest on anything.
But it turned out to be cramped to ride sitting with the beds unfolded - the head rests on the top shelf. Therefore, either lie on the beds, or fold the shelves and ride while sitting in chairs. I used a folding ladder as a table for a laptop.
21. And this is a family coupe, with a rather strange layout solution. These are two standard SVs, with an additional common door (on the right in the photo).
22. For all the listed classes, there is one bathroom in each carriage. It is quite enough, because the cars are small, there are not many people. Especially since everyone has their own shells. But that is not all. There are even cooler places - these are luxury cars, where each "room" has its own toilet and shower!
23. Voila. No wonder a ticket in a suite costs the same as a business class flight to Berlin: 30,000 per person or 50,000 for the entire compartment.
24. In addition to a separate cabin with a shower, the suite differs from the SV in the presence of a TV and a safe. There is also a small table here. Just a table, not a sink.
25. Let's look at the details a little. Stopcock, glass breaker, loudspeaker and air conditioning regulator. It is worth noting that on this train I completely forgot about the word “stuffy”. The air exchange system worked perfectly, so I slept well at night.
26. The sink, although small, is enough to wash, wash fruits / vegetables.
27. Hidden under the sink was a microtrash bin the size of three volumes of War and Peace.
28. Side niche with 4 hangers for outerwear and a spacious luggage rack, in the corner of which there are folding tables.
29. The decision is controversial, since with the table installed, it will not work to get up or sit in a chair. Personally, I took it out only to take a photo.
30. It looks like a spacious compartment for passengers with disabilities.
31. Behind the door is a giant bathroom with a shower, sink and toilet.
32. And finally, the main party places of the train are the dining car and the bar car)
33. In one car there are seats with tables, in the other there is a kitchen and a bar counter.
34. The train will run twice a week, departing from the Kursk station in Moscow on Saturdays and Sundays at 13:05 and arriving at the Berlin Ostbahnhof station at 07:19 the next day local time.
I listened for a long time to the speech of the reporter, but he kept getting lost and talking some kind of nonsense. Then it turned out that he spoke Polish)
35. Now a few words about the trip itself and its rationality. Why take a train to Berlin for 20 hours, when for the same money you can fly by plane many times faster? The question is good, but in fact, a situation can easily arise when such a trip is justified. Imagine that I am once again going to shoot the Innotrans railway exhibition in Germany. Getting up at 3 am, going to the airport, flying somewhere and then shooting for another whole day - thanks, no need, I've been through this more than once. In order to be ready for work in the morning and come to Messe Berlin with full strength, you need to arrive on an evening flight, check into a hotel, and sleep.
I usually get to the airport about two hours and try to arrive two hours before departure. The flight itself lasts 2.5 hours. All together, with the passage of customs control, the receipt of luggage from home to the hotel leaves at 7-8 o'clock stably. That is, in order to sleep in Berlin at midnight and go to work in the morning, you need to leave the house at 5-6 pm.
Personally, my journey from home to my compartment took 29 minutes. I left at 12:30. At the same time, there were no procedures for baggage check-in, screening, a sterile zone, waiting for boarding, and so on. I got into the car, sat down and drove off. It turns out that the loss in time is not so big, only five hours. But what goodies! And you don't have to pay for an extra night in a hotel in Berlin)
36. And in terms of comfort, a modern train is much better than a plane, there is nothing to say. And there are no endless airport queues. Those who flew from Berlin or Frankfurt to Moscow will understand me.
37. Even a short flight cannot be compared in terms of the amount of running around and fuss for a minute.
39. We talked: “We are always in a hurry somewhere, we are running. We do not allow ourselves pauses. We do not have time to be alone with ourselves, with our loved one. Sit in silence, think about something. Look out the window. Flying on an airplane is more like teleportation, and often the flight itself takes less time than pre-flight procedures, and a train ride is a real journey. And we also ordered a kitchen service in Germany, in Moscow it costs 6 times more. Here's how you can bring home the service safely, if not by train?
40. The restaurant car was not empty the whole trip. At the same time, the audience was completely different. From businessmen with expensive watches to guys in flip flops and sleeping pajamas. I asked several visitors why they chose the train. Someone wanted to relax on the road, getting to Berlin without the fuss of airports. Someone had to carry a lot of luggage. Two said they always traveled by train and saw no reason to change their habits. The first flight was full to capacity - all tickets were bought out a couple of weeks before departure.
I have tasted several times local cuisine and stayed in full of delight. The only nuance of the first train was that the restaurant did not have time to debug the card payment system. I had only 500 rubles, which I exchanged for borscht. And then I had to look for kind people who changed 50 euros for me for rubles. Otherwise, I would have to starve to Berlin, or look for homeless packages in stalls at short stops in Orsha or Brest)
41. During the inspection of the train, dinner and conversations, the time flew by quickly. In the evening we were already at the Minsk railway station. The claimed Wi-Fi worked, but did not let the Internet. There was another reason to take a break from work and the network.
42. Of the shortcomings of the trip, I would like to note the slow passage Polish border. The Byelorussians let us through quickly, while the Poles stumbled and delayed the train for an hour. In the end, I managed to go to bed only after passport control at 2 nights. Due to a delay in Berlin, we arrived 30 minutes late. It is clear that with the running of the train, these processes will be debugged, optimized and improved. And I didn’t even notice the process of changing the gauge.
At 7:40 on Sunday I was standing on the platform of the Ostbahnhov station. A reagent with marble chips was scattered underfoot. The police escorted away the foul-smelling and staggering bum. Some gopniks with broken and drunken faces tried to talk to me. As if he never left Moscow)
