Moscow news
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29-Nov-2007
Moscow-Paris for Romantics
Starting on December 11, it will be possible to hop onto a train at Belorussky Vokzal from the heart of Moscow, pass through Berlin and arrive in Paris 50 hours later. The Moscow-Paris train, which has made a comeback after 13 years in hiatus, will be leaving Moscow twice a week in winter (three times a week in summer) at 8 a.m. It will arrive two days later at the Gare du Nord in Paris at 9 a.m. after a 12-hour stop in Berlin. Presently, the train consists of a single car, which for the first leg of the journey is linked up to the Moscow-Berlin train and is then switched to the Berlin-Paris train.
"The Moscow-Paris train stopped running in 1994 because of low demand and the country's economic situation at the time," says Russian Railways (RZhD) spokesman Sergei Sloutskov. "Since 2000, requests for the Moscow-Paris train have increased considerably. For the moment only one wagon will be making the journey, whether we add more depends on demand."
"I think the Moscow-Paris train is a great idea," says Julie, a native of France who works in Moscow. "But I think that it is mainly designed for tourists. My days of leave are numbered at work, so I'd sooner fly direct to France."
Obviously, the 50-hour trip is not intended for businessmen travelling to urgent meetings. "The clientele we are looking at are mainly tourists, students or families with small children who are not comfortable taking a plane," says Sloutskov. "Passengers get a whole day in Berlin, and have an opportunity to stretch their legs after a whole day in the train. They can relax, visit the town, have a meal in a restaurant and then return to their cabins, having left all their belongings inside."
Although some fans of the "Real Russia" may mourn the absence of platzkartny (second class, more like a large dormitory) - wagons usually found in the typical Russian trains - the compartments promise to be very comfortable, and come with tea sets, brochures and even televisions (upon request).
The maximum number of people to a cabin is three. A one-way single second-class ticket (in a 3-berth compartment) costs 333 euros; a first-class spot costs 497 euros, while a one-berth compartment is 545 euros.
"It would definitely appeal to me as it passes through much of Eastern Europe and the landscape must be quite stunning," says Gilles Bortuzzo, from Luxemburg, who studies Russian at the Moscow State University. Indeed the train passes through Minsk, the capital of Belarus as well as Warsaw and Frankfurt. No visas are needed to cross these borders, assures Sloutskov.
"I think it is great for organized groups going on a one week trip visiting three of Europe's most important capitals," says Gilles.
"Tourist companies such as RZhD-Tour (a subsidiary of RZhD) are preparing programs in Berlin specifically for this train journey," says Sloutskov.
"The price looks reasonable," continues Gilles, "considering it is quite hard to find cheap plane tickets to and from Russia. I don't think that the travelling time is a constraint as the same journey would need two flights, and airport check-ins, which can be very tedious. Expenses for hotel rooms are saved as well. I would go for it!"
Tickets can be bought at railway stations and any ticket offices selling international train tickets.
By Nathalie Cooper
The Moscow News