Train "Arctic": with comfort to Murmansk.

The distance between Moscow and Murmansk is 1949 kilometers. By far the fastest way to travel all the way is an airplane. But there is another way no less comfortable – branded train «Arctic& raquo; No. 016A.

The history of the composition began with the 60s of the last century. And from the first flight, the composition was made branded. But at the end of the 20th century, the level of service dropped sharply, and the cars stopped being updated. And since 1996, the Arctic has become a regular passenger train. By the way, in addition to this train, there is a regular train No. 092A and No. 242. In March 2010, the composition of the train "Arctic" was completely updated, so it managed to regain its status "branded". Therefore, choosing a ticket on this route, you will face a price difference. A regular passenger train will be cheaper than a branded one. The difference in price is not sharp, so many prefer comfort on the trip.

Like any branded train, the Arctic has a convenient schedule. The train departs from Moscow every day at night, while the metro is still operating. In the morning he finds himself in St. Petersburg, so it is convenient to get to the train from any part of the city by any transport. In addition, here is one of the big stops – 38 minutes. Then he passes through the whole of Karelia and arrives in Murmansk closer to noon. On its way, the train makes stops at 28 stations. From Moscow, the route takes 35 hours and 3 minutes. Back – 17 minutes longer. The numbering of the wagons begins with the head of the train in Moscow, in Murmansk - with the tail.

The train runs daily. The exception is January 1 for a train from Moscow and December 31 for a train in the opposite direction. The train consists of 5 compartment cars, 1 compartment car for the disabled and their accompanying persons, a restaurant car, 7 reserved cars, according to certain dates, one sleeping car is included in the composition. The scheme may change depending on the season? Decrease or increase in passenger traffic. But, as a rule, no more than 15 cars run in the train.

The services and amenities include eco-friendly toilets, air conditioning, improved quality bed linen, for an additional fee you can buy confectionery, various drinks, souvenirs and other products from the guides. The food in the restaurant is varied, there is a separate menu for children and dietary dishes. In addition, you can ask the conductor to call the waiter and order food from him from the restaurant with delivery to the compartment.

Sleeping cars are divided into male and female. It consists of 9 double compartments of superior comfort. Additional amenities include a travel kit, an information board indicating the time and temperature, individual lighting fixtures, an outlet and a TV. But compartment cars can be made by gender, and be mixed. They are designed for four passenger seats. The lower sofas are arranged in such a way that they easily fold out into a sleeping place. Moreover, the upper and lower shelves are filled by the conductors themselves. The doors are closed with an electronic key, which is issued by the conductors, wi-fi works. The reserved seat in the Arctic is the most common, but with soft shelves. In addition, there are separate places in the reserved seat where it is allowed to transport small pets. Pay attention to this when buying tickets. Many people note that in this composition the shelves are wide.

There are no restrictions on baggage transportation on the train. But for bulky luggage, a special receipt will be required. Do not forget to arrange it, this primarily applies to bicycles and other sports equipment. Train tickets can be purchased 90 days before the departure date. Moreover, tickets for intermediate stations may not go on sale immediately. Dynamic pricing adopted by Russian Railways is applied to them.

Of course, the Arctic is not the fastest way to get to Murmansk. In addition, it is often used to move between intermediate points. This is not the cheapest train on the route, but it is one of the most comfortable travel options. The compositions are often updated, the quality of services is maintained at the proper level, bed linen has a limited number of washings, so it is as fresh as possible. But the choice of the car is already yours, depending on the budget and your preferences. If you read the reviews on the Internet, in general, you have a positive impression about the composition.