The best and worst trains in terms of comfort

Traveling by train can be a romantic adventure or the worst of nightmares. It all depends on which car you had to go in. And if it is impossible to predict what kind of neighbors will be, then it is easy to determine the conditions and comfort level, knowing the type, class of service and what is provided.

Features of the trip in shared cars

They boldly lead the anti-rating in terms of comfort. In the common cars there are reserved compartments, seats are located on the lower shelves. There are no free services on such trains, there may be no toilet and air conditioning.

When buying a ticket for such transport, you can see the marking 3O or 3B. These are the service classes. If the ticket is marked 3O, then the passenger has the right to carry small animals, but he cannot choose a seat. Minor changes are expected for those who bought a travel ticket for a trip in car 3B. There the passenger can choose a place for himself, but entry even with small animals is prohibited.

Conditions for passengers in carriages with seats

This option is a little more comfortable. Here, each passenger is allocated a separate seat. In such cars, it is mandatory to provide a bathroom and air conditioning. There are two classes of comfort. The first is indicated by the marking 1P or 1B in the travel document. 

The ticket entitles you to expect to receive:

• food according to the approved menu (it includes cold snacks and some popular drinks);
• traveler's kit (it consists of hygiene products);
• warm blanket, fresh newspapers (these services are not provided in the trains "Swift").

Passengers with 1B tickets have a little more privileges. They can carry small animals with them, but only if all seats in the compartment are redeemed.

Note that in the first and second class cars there is a significant difference in the placement of seats. If there are three rows in the first, then there are four in the second. There are separate cars in which you can take animals with you. Usually there is an air conditioner and a bathroom, but this is not a mandatory requirement. 

Reserved seat: service classes and their features

In such cars, compartments are open sections, that is, without doors. They are connected by a long corridor. Each reserved compartment accommodates 9 beds. There are separate places for things and luggage. They are located under the lower shelves and above the second. Passengers are not provided with any free services. 

It is worth checking in advance whether there is a toilet and air conditioning in your car. They may not be in the reserved seat. These amenities are definitely available in cars marked 3E. In reserved seats with the designation 3T and 3D, there should be air conditioning, but there is not always a bathroom, the most uncomfortable class of service is 3L, where there are often no amenities at all.

Important! In the reserved seat, cats and small dogs can be transported only in cars marked 3D and 3U. Keep in mind that there may not be an air conditioner and a bathroom in the reserved seat with these designations.

Conditions in the compartment car

This is a new level of comfort when traveling by rail. There are only 4 people in one compartment, which is a closed section with a door. According to the rules, there are two bathrooms for each such car. This is quite convenient, considering that the maximum number of passengers is 36. The compartment must have the following things, in addition to sleeping places:

• table;
• night light;
• hooks for clothes;
• socket;
• bed linen. 

Moreover, in some classes of service there are additional free services. For example, in 2E, 2B and 2T these are drinks, food, newspapers and hygiene products. In cars with service classes 2K, 2U, 2H, 2T, passengers are provided with only bed linen. No additional services are provided.

Important! In a special car for tourists, which is marked 2T, there may not be a bathroom and air conditioning. 

Increased comfort in SV

There are only two berths in the closed section of the car, so the risk of traveling in the company of strangers is significantly reduced. The comfort level in the SV car is an order of magnitude higher than in the options described earlier.

The passenger can buy two seats in the car himself. There are several classes of service. So, tickets marked 1B and 1E indicate a car with air conditioning and a bathroom. Passengers can use such additional services that are already included in the ticket price:

• traveler's kit;
• newspapers;
• snacks and drinks.

In SV, all passengers are also given free bed linen. This is the only additional service that travelers who have bought tickets marked 1U, 1L and 1D can count on.

Important! In this type of car, everyone can transport animals, except for tourist passengers. They will have 1D marking in their ticket. The restriction applies to those who travel abroad.

The most comfortable cars are considered to be RIC. They are on trains operating international flights. Passengers can count on improved sleeping places, similar to sofas, air conditioning and television. They have a special button to call the conductor in the compartment. Passengers who have purchased tickets to the RIC cars can count on meals without extra charges and receive a traveler's kit. 

Features of the trip in VIP cars

This is the most expensive and comfortable offer in the arsenal of services of "Russian Railways". The list of privileges differs for different trains. However, there are general details:

• single or double compartment;
• more comfortable sleeping places;
• the presence of air conditioning in the compartment;
• shower and washbasin;
• comfortable table;
• television;
• toilet;
• fresh press;
• individual set of hygiene products;
• hot meals with drinks;
• bed linen.

It is also important that dogs, cats and more exotic pets are allowed to be transported in VIP cars. In addition to the above, there are a number of privileges in electric trains «Sapsan». For example, in the 1st grade and the housekeeper there is access to Wi-Fi. There are even more privileges in the "business": a socket at each seat, special offers for passengers with children.

In addition to the services typical for VIP-cars, there is also an opportunity to use a safe on the "Swift" trains. A great option for passengers who are carrying a large amount of money or important documents with them.

The best and worst Russian Railways trains according to passenger reviews

Everything affects the quality of travel by rail: the condition of the car, the availability of additional services, the courtesy of the conductors. The most comfortable Russian Railways trains, according to the passengers themselves, were "Swallows". They took the first three lines of the rating. High-speed electric trains appeared in Russia in 2014, but have already become "favorites". Russian Railways passengers note that the most comfortable for them are "Swallows", which serve the following destinations:

• Rostov-on-Don ― Novorossiysk;
• Ekaterinburg ― Kurgan;  
• Petersburg ― Bologoe.

Note that the electric trains "Swallow" were delivered to the first two directions only a few years ago, namely in 2020. Therefore, there is a possibility that passengers simply did not have time to get used to this level of comfort, and therefore significantly overestimate the estimates. But in any case, these trains are in the top leaders. 

The new transport easily moved the wagons that have become a legend. We are talking about the "Red Arrow" and the "Nevsky Express" connecting St. Petersburg and Moscow. However, they confidently occupy the 4th and 5th place of the rating. 

There is no rating of the worst Russian Railways trains, but you can read a lot of negative reviews about one of them on the Network. It's about the Neryungri message — Khabarovsk (325). Passengers who boarded the train at the station in Tynda complained that they could not get into the car for a long time. There is a long stop in this locality, almost an hour and a half. However, passengers are allowed inside only 30 minutes before departure. And this despite the fact that the specified train arrives in Tynda in the dead of night. 

However, inside is no better: it is not always clean, there is no air conditioning, it is often noisy. Companies of shift workers regularly travel on this train, who return home and try to pass the time on the way by drinking alcoholic beverages in the company. Fights and loud conflicts are not uncommon. Passengers complain that the conductors do not react to this in any way. 

So, the level of comfort on trains depends on many factors. These are the conditions in the car, cleanliness, courtesy of the conductor, the availability of additional services. When buying a ticket, it is especially important to clarify whether it is possible to transport animals, so as not to get into a mess before boarding.