RUSSIA | Railways

[Alexriga]

I liek those stealth design trains from page 87.

[Sputnik2012]

I am a frequent passenger of Moscow Aeroexpress. Checking the website I found they buy new trains: http://www.aeroexpress.ru/files/doc/...4_otbor_en.pdf
do we now also get new Desiros? does anybody has an idea what we will get and when?

[AlekseyVT]

Originally Posted by Sputnik2012

I am a frequent passenger of Moscow Aeroexpress. Checking the website I found they buy new trains: http://www.aeroexpress.ru/files/doc/...4_otbor_en.pdf
do we now also get new Desiros? does anybody has an idea what we will get and when?

These Desiro trains will be operate by Moscow Aeroexpress only after using for the Kazan Summer Universiade 2013 and Sochi Winter Olympics 2014.

[Sputnik2012]

Originally Posted by AlekseyVT

These Desiro trains will be operate by Moscow Aeroexpress only after using for the Kazan Summer Universiade 2013 and Sochi Winter Olympics 2014.

Thanks, but then why they want to buy new trains now, if they can take the one from Kazan later.

[lazany]

[Pansori]

I have a question for my dear Russian railfans. I am planning a trip Moscow-Beijing via the trans-Siberian railway next year and was wondering one simple thing... is there wi-fi internet service in the train? That may sound like a somewhat trivial thing but being on a train for 6 nights is a rather challenging experience and this is where internet connectivity plays a very important role in helping not to go insane of boredom and to stay updated with what's going on.

If no, then is there mobile GSM/UMTS connectivity along the route? In that case a prepaid SIM card with internet option could come to help.

I'd be thankful for the information.

[yaohua2000]

Originally Posted by Pansori

I have a question for my dear Russian railfans. I am planning a trip Moscow-Beijing via the trans-Siberian railway next year and was wondering one simple thing... is there wi-fi internet service in the train? That may sound like a somewhat trivial thing but being on a train for 6 nights is a rather challenging experience and this is where internet connectivity plays a very important role in helping not to go insane of boredom and to stay updated with what's going on.

If no, then is there mobile GSM/UMTS connectivity along the route? In that case a prepaid SIM card with internet option could come to help.

I'd be thankful for the information.

The train cars are nearly 30 years old. Don't expect such a thing. 3G is available for most part of the route. Be prepare for international roaming in Mongolia and China if you only have Russian prepaid card. (I did this this January.)

[void0]

I never understood the fun of 6 days railroad traveling...

[KVentz]

Originally Posted by Pansori

is there wi-fi internet service in the train?

90 % — no.

If no, then is there mobile GSM/UMTS connectivity along the route?

In the European part of Russia —*definitely no. GSM coverage exists only around the cities and towns and along automobile roads. I think the same is in Siberia.

[yaohua2000]

Originally Posted by KVentz

90 % — no.

I can confirm there was no WiFi onboard — 100%

Originally Posted by KVentz

In the European part of Russia —*definitely no. GSM coverage exists only around the cities and towns and along automobile roads. I think the same is in Siberia.

The coverage is pretty nice actually. I did tweet and weibo my journey onboard. MTS is the best. But I suggest you have more than one SIM card from different carriers. Beeline doesn't work beyond Lake Baikal.

[Pansori]

Originally Posted by void0

I never understood the fun of 6 days railroad traveling...

Who said It's fun? I guess I'll just have to find out what it is.
Anyway I love Russian trains. Brings back some childhood memories.

[Pansori]

And thanks for the answers. Much appreciated.

[void0]

From the article (18.04.2010)

Так же ведутся работы по установке интернет сети

http://mow-china.com/archives/905

[MarcVD]

Originally Posted by void0

I never understood the fun of 6 days railroad traveling...

I did it last summer. It was fun, actually. Like to be on a cruise.
But it's certainly not a good idea to do it in one go. We stopped
in Ekaterinebourg, Baikal lake, and Ulan-Bator. Took us 3 weeks
to arrive in Beijing... As far as I could see, the trains are packed
with tourists during summer.

[Suburbanist]

I think you also need to stop on many places to break the trip because, AFAIK, those trains don't have showers and thus a person travelling all the way would arrive smelling like a street beggar or so.

[XAN_]

Originally Posted by Suburbanist

I think you also need to stop on many places to break the trip because, AFAIK, those trains don't have showers and thus a person travelling all the way would arrive smelling like a street beggar or so.

Well, some have, some not. AFAIK most 1st and 2nd class carriages of "firmeniy" (=premium) class trains have 1 or 2 showers per carriage.
Also, if one have some brain to apply to surrounding reality, you can maintain hygiene without shower. It's just a bit more time consuming than a regular quick shower, but you are on a trip anyway.

[Stainless]

Originally Posted by Suburbanist

I think you also need to stop on many places to break the trip because, AFAIK, those trains don't have showers and thus a person travelling all the way would arrive smelling like a street beggar or so.

The toilet cubicles are quite large, you just need a flask of hot water from the samovar and a cup to mix it with the cold from the tap. That and a flannel with some soap would do fine, it is not like you end up smelling that bad anyway if you are not doing anything.

The longest I did was 30 hours so I just had a shower when leaving the hostel or couchsurfing host at one end, then another on arrival at the next place. I cannot think of a better way of travelling.

[Donodöner]

I remember a Belgian couple I met last year on the Belorussian railway station.
They were so naive to travel from Beijing to Moscow only speaking french and english.

For all trans-sibirian fans : Don't miss the Baikal lake or better "sea".
You will never see such a impressing thing ever again.

[Stainless]

Originally Posted by Donodöner

I remember a Belgian couple I met last year on the Belorussian railway station.
They were so naive to travel from Beijing to Moscow only speaking french and english.

For all trans-sibirian fans : Don't miss the Baikal lake or better "sea".
You will never see such a impressing thing ever again.

I have travelled the world with only English and pointing I saw the Lake last year around May, so it was still icy, then a snowstorm blew the ice away from the shore. I would love to go back in winter and go out on the ice.

I wish I was good at languages, and do try to learn a bit as I go along, before anyone accuses me of being an arrogant Englishman.

[MarcVD]

Originally Posted by Donodöner

I remember a Belgian couple I met last year on the Belorussian railway station.
They were so naive to travel from Beijing to Moscow only speaking french and english.

When we decided to embark on this trip, we all took a year of Russian language
evening course. But Russian is so complex that after one year, we were not
fluent at all yet. Still, being able to read signs in cyrillic, count, and pronounce a
few words, has been a real plus. We tend to believe in western Europe that
english can bring you anywhere you want, but there are parts of the world
where it is not true at all. Russia is one of those places. Fluency in English
wasn't worth a penny over there...