Railway tourism has recently been gaining momentum at full speed; tickets for several directions are sold out already at the start of sales. The other day, one of the main tourism events of the Volga Federal District took place in Tolyatti – the railway conference “PRO//Movement.Tourism”. And at the city station they presented several of the most interesting tourist carriages in Russia among those that travel across the expanses of the country. Their doors were open to everyone: come in, look, take notes, buy vouchers and explore the natural beauty and attractions of your native country. Among the guests was a journalist from Samara Gazeta. Information from experts
The conference brought together experts of the highest level. As part of the business program, current information was presented by Deputy General Director of Russian Railways Ivan Kolesnikov, General Director of the Federal Passenger Company Vladimir Pyastolov, Head of the Kuibyshev Railway Vyacheslav Dmitriev, Minister of Tourism of the Samara Region Artur Abdrashitov, representatives of the Agency for Strategic Initiatives, regional authorities, travel companies and associations of more than ten regions of Russia.
They talked about promising areas of tourism and, in particular, about specially designed railway routes. Here’s what the experts provided useful information for potential travelers.
“A new trend in recent years is a sincere desire to consider our country,” noted Ivan Kolesnikov. — Over the past year, about a million people used the services of tourist trains. But the interest is such that in the next two years we predict a triple growth of this indicator. We offer dozens of routes to a variety of destinations and regions. New types of comfortable carriages are being created for this rapidly developing type of tourism, and excursion programs are being supplemented. There is also an interesting trend: the train is becoming a space for communication between like-minded people. And we already see that people, having met on our routes, are participating in other projects together.
Vyacheslav Dmitriev spoke about the tourist trains of the Kuibyshev Railway. Thus, one runs as part of the “Bright Weekend” project from Samara to Tolyatti and Syzran, with a rich excursion program in these cities. The other, “Legends of the Urals,” runs along the recently very popular route Ufa – Inzer – Aigir – Ufa. Another – “Tarkhany. Museum-estate M.Yu. Lermontov” The fourth tourist train is the “Grushinsky Express”, already well known to us Samara residents, running between Samara and Togliatti through the platform named after Valery Grushin and the viewing platform “Volga Pearl”. The immediate prospects are to supplement the program of the route Ufa – Inzer – Aigir with a small water rafting along the Ural river Maly Inzer, along the valley of which the railway line runs.
Arthur Abdrashitov said that now the relevant departments of the Samara and Ulyanovsk regions are working on a joint route, taking into account the new bridge that is being built across the Volga in the Klimovka area. Most likely, in the end it will be an excursion program “Samara – Ulyanovsk – Kazan”.
The Federal Passenger Company reported: in 2023, it launched 27 tourist trains across the country, and plans 32 trains this year. You travel along the route in comfortable carriages with meals, excursions at stopping places, and often with thematic programs along the way.
“The Pearl of the Caucasus train has become our flagship,” said Vladimir Pyastolov. — Last year we organized 26 flights compared to ten the year before, because the demand is very high. This year’s program starts on April 26, but tickets are already almost all sold out until the end of the season. We have prepared new carriages with a themed design and more comfortable SV carriages. There will even be a SPA car with a sauna. While the hotel base in the Caucasus is still catching up with the growing influx of tourists, we, railway workers, are filling the niche. On this train, the menu is prepared from Caucasian dishes and corresponding souvenirs.
General Director of the Russian Railways Tour company, Roman Barakovskikh, gave the following information: a joint project of Russian Railways and the Russian Ministry of Defense “We will not abandon our own!” is being implemented. It is aimed at participants of a special military operation and their family members. 23 flights have already been organized for them; 5,500 people have traveled by train. And this year the company offers new tourist products: “Winter Tale” (Moscow – Veliky Ustyug – Kirov), “Volga Voyage” (to cities on the Volga) and “Malachite” (to the cities of the Urals).
Exhibition at the station
After the conference, its participants went to the Tolyatti railway station. An unusual exhibition was organized there. Several of the most interesting tourist carriages in Russia were waiting for the guests: the themed “Orenburg Region”, “Zhiguli in the Avant-Garde”, “Discover Your Tolyatti” and others. Parents and children enjoyed exploring the colorful carriage – the Santa Claus Train puppet theater with a stage inside, seats for spectators and all sorts of fairy-tale paraphernalia. But the greatest interest was aroused by the closed and open carriages of the Ruskeala Express, which runs in Karelia along the route Sortavala – the Ruskeala mountain park. Guests were greeted by conductors in uniforms from the early 20th century. By the way, Samara Gazeta recently talked about this route as part of the “My Big Country” project (in the issue dated March 28). Our colleague, SG designer Alexander Khokhlov, drove through it last season and shared his impressions on the pages of the publication.
Grushinsky Express program
On the same day, conference participants had the opportunity to take a short train trip around the Samara region on the “Grushinsky Express” (Tolyatti – observation deck “Volzhskaya Zhemchuzhina” – platform named after Valery Grushin), the carriages of which, as you know, are decorated in the style of the famous bard song festival. In one of them there was a theatrical performance, where Stepan Razin himself was in charge.
On the platform “Volga pearl“Passengers were greeted with bread and salt and a folklore program. Further, to the platform named after Valery Grushin, one after another they went and “Grushinsky Express“, and an open, antique-decorated carriage “Ruskeala Express” In the Bard’s glade, everyone went for a walk to the viewpoint above the festival mountain, then songs with a guitar began to sound on the mini-stage. The treat was Volga fish soup. This is how travel on tourist trains goes: a route plus service and thematic content.
Where to go?
So, which tourist trains can you use to travel around the country?
As is known, the composition of “Pearl of the Caucasus» . It follows the route Moscow – Rostov-on-Don – Maykop – Vladikavkaz – Grozny – Derbent – Nalchik – Moscow. Seven days on the road. In addition to the ticket, you can purchase a comprehensive tourist program with visits to the sights of North Ossetia, Ingushetia and Dagestan.
Cruise train “Blooming Steppe” goes from Moscow to Rostov-on-Don and the capital of Kalmykia, Elista. Four days on the road. Travelers will see endless steppes, Buddhist temples and pagodas. City tours can be purchased from guides along the way.
“Silver Route” for two days it takes passengers from Moscow to Veliky Novgorod and Pskov. They will see the ancient city of Izborsk, the Pskov and Novgorod Kremlin, the Yaroslavl courtyard – a complex of buildings of the 12th-18th centuries, the Vitoslavlitsy museum of wooden architecture, on the territory of which there are ancient buildings with authentic interiors and household items.
Train “Baikal Fairy Tale” on the road for a week. It goes from Moscow to Perm, then to Yekaterinburg, Novosibirsk, Krasnoyarsk, Irkutsk and then passes along the shore of Lake Baikal. The last section is completely unique, inimitable. It is called the Circum-Baikal Railway and was built at the end of the 19th century. But when the water level in the Angara rose due to the construction of dams, a piece of the road was cut off from the main route. Nowadays, only local trains, which residents of Baikal villages call “matanya,” and steam-powered tourist trains travel along it. The path from Slyudyanka station to Port Baikal is laid along the very shore of the lake – through 38 tunnels, 15 stone galleries, 248 bridges. Half-hour stops are planned for photo sessions in the most beautiful places.
The same outstanding road follows “Baikal Express” (Irkutsk – Slyudyanka – Baikal – Irkutsk). His program lasts one day.
Train “Winter’s Tale» carries travelers from Moscow to St. Petersburg, and then to Veliky Ustyug, Kostroma, Vologda. The main attractions along the way are, of course, the estate of Father Frost in Veliky Ustyug. And Kostroma is considered the patrimony of the Snow Maiden.
Journey “To the Northern Lights” designed for five days. The route is as follows: Moscow – Petrozavodsk – Murmansk – Vologda – Moscow. The road through Karelia and the Kola Peninsula is one of the most picturesque in the country: a mass of lakes and rivers, dense dark coniferous forests, spurs of the Khibiny mountain system. In Murmansk you can visit on board the legendary icebreaker “Lenin”, and if you have planned a voyage for autumn or winter, meeting the northern lights is quite possible. In Vologda, the majority of travelers strive to get to the museum of world-famous lace.
Train “To the vineyards by the sea” will carry passengers from Moscow to Taman and Novorossiysk. The journey is also five days. The main theme of the excursions is grape cultivation and the secrets of winemaking.
The route is designed for six days “Russian North” : Moscow – Veliky Ustyug – Arkhangelsk – Murmansk – Petrozavodsk – Sortavala – Vyborg – Moscow. The excursion program includes the wonderful open-air museum of wooden architecture “Malye Karely”, the famous village of Teriberka on the shores of the Barents Sea, and the mountain park “Ruskeala“, medieval castle of Vyborg. Well, outside the train window the nature will be simply magnificent.
A train takes tourists to the Volga delta “To the Valley of Lotuses” . It goes from Moscow to the salt lake Baskunchak, then to Astrakhan. Four days on the road. There will be an opportunity to see one of the main “salt shakers” of our country, and the white stone Kremlin of Astrakhan, and an amazing natural phenomenon – lotus blossoms. And also try a variety of different varieties of famous Astrakhan watermelons.
There is also a classic route – “Along the Golden Ring” : Moscow – Yaroslavl – Ivanovo – Vladimir with excursions to Suzdal and Murom. Many monuments of history, culture, architecture. Shrines of the Russian land. Products of folk crafts. Tasting traditional dishes, recipes for which have come down to us from past centuries. A ready-made travel package can be purchased in addition to the ticket. Or plan your own excursion program depending on the train stop times.
Photos by the author
Author: Irina Shabalina
Tags: directions presentation tourist trains place Samara region Samara
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