There are different ways you can book your tickets in Russian Railways. It is either online or right at the counters in the railway stations. Some people get it done through travel agents. I personally felt booking online was the easiest one. Here are the steps to book your tickets online:

  • To book online go to https://pass.rzd.ru/main-pass/public/en.
  • Type the Departure and Arrival station and the date of the journey. You can check the availability and fare for the class you select.
  • Once you have decided, create an account and register
  • Select the seats and pay using any international credit card. I used SBI Credit card. It worked great.

Some useful tips while booking

  • Check for the facilities on that particular train. There will be signs for wifi, bio-toilet, air conditioner, meals etc.
  • From my observation, train numbers with lesser digits have better facilities. Usually, premium trains have numbers like 1, 2, 16 ….
  • If you are allergic to certain pets, then look out for that sign if pets are allowed in that coach.
  • Some cabins are for females only, some are mixed and some for men. If there is a green sign for the seat number, you can assign a gender for that cabin, Red is for mixed(male or female can book that seat)
  • E-tickets are accepted, if they are not, then it will be specified.
  • Time zones may vary. So make sure to check your arrival city’s local time. Departure time is Moscow time

Another way to book online is by using https://www.tutu.ru/ and is much easier to navigate but they charge a nominal amount towards service fee. I tried that website first but had issues with my Indian credit card. I prefer the government website https://pass.rzd.ru/main-pass/public/en.

Suitcases vs Backpacks for train journeys

There is enough space for a suitcase and a trolley or a big sized backpack on the train. Moscow and Murmansk did not have stairs to climb. So, suitcases were fine and easy to carry. Irkutsk station has some stairs to climb. Luckily, I had requested for a pickup. So, the driver helped me with my luggage. It still wouldn’t have been a big problem to carry a suitcase.

That was my experience booking with Russian railways. I hope you all have a great experience too.

I had a wonderful trip. If you would like to know the details, read my posts  3 days in Trans-Siberian railways as a solo traveller  and  Murmansk, a city beyond the Arctic circle