Talgo swift train to Berlin. On the wings of a swift. Border crossing. Customs and passport control

MOSCOW/MADRID, December 17 – RIA Novosti/Prime."Federal passenger company" (FPK, a subsidiary of Russian Railways for passenger transportation in long distance) on Saturday, December 17, departs on the first flight from Moscow to Berlin new train, which will run under the Strizh brand, Russian Railways reported.

First passenger train formed from cars equipped with a system for automatically changing the width of wheel pairs. This will reduce the time for transition from the Russian standard gauge of 1520 millimeters to the European standard of 1435 millimeters at the station. Brest (Belarus).

The Strizh train will take about 20 minutes to pass through a specially equipped transfer device, whereas currently changing wheel sets takes about 2 hours. Thus, the train will cover the distance from Moscow to Berlin in 20 hours 14 minutes versus 24 hours 49 minutes at present. From Berlin to Moscow the journey will take 20 hours 35 minutes instead of 25 hours 56 minutes.

The manufacturer of the rolling stock is the Spanish Patentes Talgo. “The chosen name “Strizh” fully corresponds to the characteristics of the train - it is fast and agile,” Talgo told RIA Novosti. The train is capable of speeds of up to 200 km per hour.

"Swifts" flew

The Strizh train will depart on its first trip to Berlin on Saturday from Moscow's Kursky Station at 13.05 Moscow time. The first flight from Berlin will depart on December 18.

Next, the Strizh train will run twice a week, departing from Moscow's Kursky Station on Saturdays and Sundays at 13.05 Moscow time and arriving at Berlin Ostbahnhof station at 07.19 the next day (local time).

From Berlin (Berlin Ostbahnhof station) the train will depart on Sundays and Mondays at 18.50 (local time) and arrive at Moscow's Kursky Station at 17.25 Moscow time.

The train will make stops along the route at the stations of Smolensk, Orsha, Minsk, Brest, Terespol, Warsaw, Poznan, Rzepin, Frankfurt (Oder).

Ticket prices

The Strizh train consists of 20 carriages of different classes with a total capacity of 216 seats.

FPC announced discounts from 20 to 40% for the first flight. According to the company's website, for example, an adult ticket for this flight, depending on the class, costs from 148.6 to 495.5 euros. The price of the same ticket for the Swift from December 18 to January 13 will be from 169.5 to 667.5 euros, respectively, and from January 14 to March 28, 2017 - from 169.5 to 452.5 euros, respectively.

“The fare is indicated one way per passenger in euros. When purchasing a ticket, its cost is recalculated at the current rate and paid in rubles. Current price can be viewed when purchasing tickets on our website or at international box offices. All discounts are provided in addition to the fare," Russian Railways reported.

The first train in the history of Russian railways to change tracks in a matter of minutes, practically on the move. I took a ride in it with my daughter a month ago, and now I’ll share my impressions.

In principle, some of you have probably seen such trains. "Swifts" have been sailing from Moscow to Nizhny Novgorod, and there are also a number of their routes in Kazakhstan. But such a train with a quick gauge change function appeared for the first time in the post-Soviet space. Which, of course, is strange, given the peculiarities of our railway and the desire to integrate it with neighboring countries..

Due to the rapid passage of the border (instead of 3 hours it takes 15 minutes to change the track), as well as the acceleration of the schedule along almost the entire route, the route is very fast. Late in the morning at 11 o'clock you board in Moscow, and the next day early in the morning you arrive in Berlin. The train journey takes 22 hours in total. Therefore, by the way, it has some popularity in contrast to other similar trains.

The train has three classes of carriages: seated, compartment, luxury. The most popular, oddly enough, is the coupe! Of course, it’s only a thousand rubles more expensive than a seat, and the comfort is incomparable. As a result, seated cars and SVs are empty, and in compartment carriages life glimmers.

In fact, you can’t even call it wagons. More like "sections". Because they are all connected by open passages, and where one carriage begins and another ends is not easy to say. This, of course, is cool - these creepy, drafty passages between cars on ordinary trains are so scary.

But there are many complaints about the train. It's cramped and low.

Here, let's say, is a corridor. To see what is happening outside the window, you have to hunch over.

Instead of many folding seats, there is only one at the end of the car, not near the window.

Our compartment. It's also a bit cramped.

Hooks for coats are located near the windows. Which impairs the view.

Actually, in the previous photos there was a bed in a folded state. This is generally a feature of all such sleeper trains. I remember even in the Argentine SV there was the same principle.
After you’ve eaten, you call a guide (well, really, here you can do it yourself), and he opens a pre-made sleeping shelf for you from the wall. In general, I can’t say that it’s convenient. It is, of course, wide and spacious - my daughter and I fit well together. But constantly closing and opening it for every reason is not very happy.

Table for food. What is by the window is not intended for it. If you want to eat like a human being, remove the special shelf from above from the luggage compartment, insert it into the fastenings on the seats, and voila. Anya really enjoyed this process, it was her only joy. Then you put the shelf back into a special holder.

Here's the luggage. (on the left you can just see these removable tables for eating). Imagine - there were three of us traveling in a compartment: me and Anya and the woman Anastasia - a Ukrainian from Kharkov living in Potsdam.

We were lucky that there was no one else. If there were passengers in the upper seats, I can’t imagine where we would have shoved all our things and generally turned around. Nothing fits under the seats at all - it was difficult to push the stroller there. Not to mention that when the top shelf is folded out, it is no longer even possible to sit on the bottom one.

And what seemed like a table was actually a sink. The only joy is that you don’t have to go to the other end of the carriage to brush your teeth, but do it on the spot. Well, all the dishes can be washed here too.

Fortunately, the trip comes with a set of disposable toothbrush and toothpaste, as well as headphones. By the way, in the bed area there are buttons with a train radio, which you can listen to through these headphones. But there is not a lot of choice there.

Toilet. Bio, of course. For some reason it was made with a twist. This is the first time I have come across such a system.

Instead of traditional titans, there are neat water dispensers like in offices.

Now you can pour some cold drinking water. My daughter loves these machines very much, she ran with a glass all the way here.

Everywhere on the train there are signs in three languages. Russian, German, Polish.

Why, according to this logic, there is no Belarusian and according to the normal logic of English (in which, by the way, all advertisements are duplicated) is not clear.

But here it’s only in Russian. PID is not interested in the opinions of foreigners.

Interestingly, almost all surfaces are decorated with logos of cities passed along the route.

Even all the compartments are also dedicated to some cities along the route.

For example, we were traveling in Minsk.

Let's walk along the train

The seating carriage is almost empty. Well, it’s logical: riding for that kind of money in a chair for a whole day is definitely a perversion. Then you can choose the plane. Although the seats are, of course, comfortable, they cannot be compared with airplane ones. If you drive for 5-7 hours, you can’t think of better transport.

The train TV channel shows Mimino. "Chita-rita-chita-margarita-la!"

Dining car. Prices are outrageous.

Better than traditional chicken. Or buy potato pancakes from grandmothers at the station, as I did.

Unused SV.

As the conductor explained to me, this is a family-type compartment. Behind the door is another bedroom. Or a shower. Which, by the way, is available in some suites.

There is Wi-Fi on the train. Yes Yes! And it works well. The header site, which opens when connected, shows the characteristics of the train: where exactly we are going, at what speed, what interesting places we are passing. You can watch and read about them.

Tables with a running line.

Technical section at the end of the lineup. No entry.

Landing at the Belorussky railway station. From one route passengers go to Kubinka, and from the other... a little further.

The conductors lined up just like on Chinese trains.

We wave to our mother, who is seeing us off.

Well, let's get going. Let's wave to the new symbol of Moscow.

The train does not make stops from Moscow to Smolensk. They ate, slept, and woke up to find the junction of the branch from Spas-Demensk to Dukhovskoy, and then the Bryansk-Roslavl-Smolensk highway.

Traditional gateway to Europe. It’s really difficult for me to perceive this glorious city in any other capacity.

The Smolensk Kremlin looms in the background.

We only stand for 5 minutes.

Well, another country has begun - Orsha. There is a change of crews, so we stand for a long time - 15 minutes.

Grandmothers sell potato pancakes and apples from the garden. There is something about it - traveling on a fashionable train to bourgeois Europe and buying provisions from the grandmothers at the station. By the way, they accept any currency - both euros and Russian rubles.

Actually, the brigade is in the process of changing.

Minsk. Here our carriage has been significantly replenished. Still would! This express is generally very convenient for Minsk residents. Such night Train- at 9 pm you sit down, and at 7 am you are already in Berlin.

Changing tires in Brest. A workshop with a traditional train can be seen in the background. Compared to ours, this fumbling around with carts already seems like something so dense and backward.

I kept trying to catch the moment of changing the track. They wrote to me that there should be some kind of click. But no - absolutely nothing was heard! We drove into the workshop, walked through it, and stood up. We stood there for 5 minutes. Then we drove another 100-200 m and stood. And let's move on! There were no sounds or shocks even close. So it’s even somewhat boring - the traditional process of changing gauge looks much more interesting and spectacular (even if your car is lifted on jacks by a mechanic with wrenches in the middle of the night).

Border control is quick and unnoticeable. In Brest, border guards and customs officers enter the station. While the wheels are being changed, they quickly go around everyone, check them, collect passports, and stamp them. And then, near the border itself, the train stops at the border control office, where they get off. In Brest itself, parking is 15 minutes. But on the Polish side in Terespol everything is already traditional: a 40-minute stop, during which the border guards pass the train.

In the morning we woke up when the train was already approaching Frankfurt. We just passed through Poland like a whirlwind. I just woke up in the middle of the night for a couple of minutes when we were standing on Warsaw-Wschodnia. And so, he still has a stop in Poznan. It’s also interesting that when we entered Poland, we rushed briskly, accelerating to 155 km/h, despite the fact that in Russia and Belarus we were driving 110-120. I wonder why this is so? Why can’t we speed up traffic on the main line to similar speeds?

However, I didn’t think of taking a photo of the Frankfurt station, and it was still dark. But very soon we reached Berlin. Treptow-Park station, where a giant memorial dedicated to the Second World War is located.

The main station in East Berlin in the past is Lichtenberg. According to the plan, we were not supposed to have a parking lot here, but due to repairs we stopped here. At this time, a passenger from the next compartment became ill, and we waited for the ambulance to arrive. We left here about 20 minutes later. A neighbor used the parking lot and got off here. From here it is a direct link to Potsdam, and from Ostbahnhof it is very inconvenient to move to other routes, since there are no elevators or escalators (which we later experienced).

And here, there it was.

General impressions. It's fun to go for a ride, of course. But nothing more. The experience of traveling to non-Russian Europe on such fast train certainly interesting. But, objectively, it is a little expensive and cramped, although it is quite comfortable. By plane, and especially with transfers in Brest or Grodno, it will be much cheaper.
The logistics of it, when you are amazed at how the same cars first travel between Pererva electric trains and Tatneft tanks, and then rub side by side with the S7 line of the es-bahn, after traveling on , are no longer so impressive. Then, whatever you say, it was huge.
However, I still plan to test “French” trains from Moscow.

Well, and finally, I’ll answer a question that, of course, interests everyone.
12700 costs a compartment on this train for the entire route.
The top shelf is 700 rubles cheaper.
A sitter costs about 10 thousand,
luxury - about 18.
A ticket from Minsk will cost from 7 thousand.
In fact, it cost me twice as much. Children under 4(!) years old travel on international Russian Railways trains for free. A plane ticket would cost almost the full amount. So I took advantage of the elusive opportunity (Anya will be 4 years old in February).

On December 17, 2016, a new one set off on its first flight. high-speed train"Strizh" on the Moscow-Berlin route.
This is the first Russian international train in Western Europe passing from the Russian gauge 1520 to the European gauge 1435 without rearranging wheel sets through an automatic transfer device in Brest.

The train departed from the Kursk station in Moscow

On the first flight the passengers were very interested and free seats there was practically no one on the train


The head of the train reports on his readiness to depart on the first flight to the Minister of Transport of the Russian Federation and the President of Russian Railways

Twins were traveling on the train)

Thanks to critical comments from readers about the dullness of the drab interiors, a touch of color was introduced into the train. The interiors have become more interesting.


But there are practically no places for conductors on this train and it is very difficult to work here.
We observe a working moment - the head of the train gives instructions to the conductor.

For access to luxury compartments (with shower and toilet), passengers are issued key cards


The compartment for disabled people has a door twice as wide) Two cities fit in

And here is a restaurant, you can eat.

There are always a lot of people in the bistro car and I didn’t really want to shine the light on the faces of the passengers.

But in the carriage with seats there is plenty of space for children to run around.
This carriage was appreciated by passengers from Belarus because... it is very convenient for them to move to Poland and Germany

In the meantime, we'll have dinner.
Are we going to Germany?)))
Knuckle)

Dining car

Landing in Brest last passengers and... border.
The border from Belarus/Russian Federation is crossed on the move while the gauge changer is operating, and border and customs control does not take extra time

There were clearly more people even in the sitting area. Most of the passengers are from Belarus.
And there are simply no places in the compartments for a long time. Everything has been purchased.

Well, here comes Warsaw.

We dozed off and Berlin.
People meet and smile
Morning.

Official photo for representatives of the first flight - Russia, Germany, Spain.

As I said earlier and showed to some “railroad workers” with telescopic glasses, the train is driven to Germany by a Polish “Taurus”

Berlin - Ostbahnhoff

First flight crew.

Then the train leaves for maintenance at the Talgo depot.
Berlin

In the depot everything is almost like in Moscow, but a little older.

Here the conductors put the carriages in order for passengers traveling to Moscow

At 18:50 pm the train leaves Berlin Ostbanhoff for Moscow

There are many passengers to Moscow


And what beautiful conductors are on this train) There are no such conductors in Germany)

Interestingly, in border Frankfurt, many passengers gathered to board.

And outside there was the usual winter fog

Warsaw.
And again there are a lot of passengers hurrying home.

Now some impressions about the train:

Firstly, he can go faster and will obviously go faster over time. And there is a basis both in increasing the speed in Poland, and in the fact that now almost an hour is left in the schedule for the work of the Polish border guards and the parking lot in Terespol is unreasonably large, although on this flight they did not fit in it either - they slowly came to the train, then found fault with the passengers scanning fingerprints and eventually delayed the train 20 minutes from schedule.
The maximum recorded speed in Poland was 153 km/h, in Belarus - 135 km/h

Secondly, the Internet was previously promised to be free for passengers, but is currently paid, and costs from 250 rubles for 4 hours to 990 rubles for 24 hours

Thirdly, seat cars are very popular among citizens of Belarus. Half of the journey is covered sitting quite comfortably, but the entire journey from Moscow to Berlin is quite difficult.

Distribution of materials and reposts with indication of the source are welcome.

Online purchase in 4 minutes

Online returns
skip-the-line tickets
to the cashier

Choosing your favorite places on car diagrams

SMS support before boarding the train

Detailed answers to questions about your trip or purchase

Registration without registration on the site

FAQ

  • How to buy a train ticket?

    • Indicate the route and date. In response, we will find information from Russian Railways about the availability of tickets and their cost.
    • Choose the appropriate train and place.
    • Pay for your ticket using one of the suggested methods.
    • Payment information will be instantly transmitted to Russian Railways and your ticket will be issued.

  • How to return a purchased train ticket?

  • Is it possible to pay for a ticket by card? Is it safe?

    Yes, sure. Payment occurs through the payment gateway of the Gateline.net processing center. All data is transmitted over a secure channel.

    The Gateline.net gateway was developed in accordance with the requirements of the international security standard PCI DSS. Software The gateway has successfully passed the audit according to version 3.1.

    The Gateline.net system allows you to accept payments with Visa and MasterCard cards, including using 3D-Secure: Verified by Visa and MasterCard SecureCode.

    The Gateline.net payment form is optimized for various browsers and platforms, including mobile devices.

    Almost all railway agencies on the Internet work through this gateway.

  • What is an electronic ticket and electronic registration?

    Buying an electronic ticket to the site is modern and quick way issuing a travel document without the participation of a cashier or operator.

    When purchasing an electronic train ticket, seats are redeemed immediately at the time of payment.

    The Strizh train is a Talgo Intercity high-speed train, acquired by Russian Railways and adapted for Russian and European railways. Talgo Intercity trains are actively used by European railway companies. Meets all modern requirements for trains, has high speed, comfortable carriages.

    On November 17, the Strizh train was launched in the Moscow-Berlin direction. The train has 20 cars, of which 18 are passenger cars. Track gauge in the Russian Federation and European countries differs, therefore, during the border crossing in Brest, the train undergoes an automated shift to the European gauge. The total procedure is only 30

    Train route. Travel time.

    The train departs from Moscow-Kurskaya station twice a week. Travel time is 20 hours 14 minutes. In the future, it is planned to reduce the travel time to 16 hours. "Strizh" passes Smolensk, Minsk, Brest and Warsaw, the final station is Berlin East Station. The length of the route is 1896 km.

    Despite the speed of air travel from Moscow to Berlin, many people prefer to travel by train. This comes with many advantages. By train, customs control is faster, which takes place right on the way. Passengers have the opportunity to relax in comfortable compartments, sleep en route, and dine in the dining car. Another important plus is the ability to transport hand luggage.

    Strizh train schedule

    "Strizh" departs from Moscow Kurskaya station on Saturdays and Sundays at 13:05. The train arrives in Berlin at 7:19 on Sunday and Monday respectively.

    In Berlin, departures are at 18:50 on Sunday and Monday. Arrival at Moscow Kurskaya station occurs at 17:25 on Monday and Tuesday. The train route goes like this: does not cross the borders of Ukraine.

    The train passes through the stations of Smolensk, Orsha, Minsk, Brest, Terespol, Warsaw, Poznan, Rzepin, Frankfurt on the Oder. Customs and border control carried out in Brest and Terespol.

    Car layout

    The Moscow-Berlin Strizh train has 18 passenger carriages, which can accommodate 216 people. This:

    • buffet;
    • restaurant;
    • five 2nd class carriages equipped with sleeping berths;
    • two 1st class carriages, seats;
    • four 1st class SVs equipped with berths;
    • two luxury class carriages with sleeping places, toilet, shower;
    • three luxury class carriages equipped with compartments for the passage of people with disabilities.

    All carriages have environmentally friendly bathrooms, video monitors and audio systems. For an additional fee, you can access the Internet via Wi-Fi.

    Numbering when traveling from Moscow is from the head of the train. From Berlin - from the tail.

    Luxury carriage

    In each compartment:

    • 2 sleeping places;
    • table;
    • sockets;
    • safe.

    Luxury carriage with seats for disabled people

    Hot food, a set of towels, bed sheets, a blanket and a hygiene kit are included in the price.

    In each compartment:

    • 2 sleeping places;
    • personal bathroom with shower, washbasin and toilet;
    • TV with a choice of films;
    • table;
    • sockets;
    • safe.

    SV carriage, 1st class

    Consists of 6 double compartments. Hot food, a set of towels, bed sheets, a blanket and a hygiene kit are included in the price.

    In each compartment:

    • 2 sleeping places;
    • TV with a choice of films;
    • table;
    • sockets;
    • safe.

    1st class carriage with seats

    Hot meals, blankets, hygiene kits are provided free of charge

    Each place is equipped with:

    • adjustable headrest, backrest and footrest;
    • folding table;
    • lighting system;
    • audio system;
    • socket.

    2nd class carriage with sleeping berths

    Consists of 4 four-seater compartments and one two-seater. Food, drinks, printed publications are provided for a fee.

    Each compartment contains:

    • lighting systems (general and personal);
    • table;
    • audio system;
    • sockets;
    • air conditioning system.

    Additionally, the train includes a restaurant car with 30 seats and a buffet car. Passengers can order hot dishes, salads, snacks, desserts and drinks.

    Buy a ticket to Russian Railways.

    The cost of train travel depends on the chosen location and time of travel. The cost is estimated in Euros, converted into rubles at the current exchange rate when purchasing a ticket.

    The price of a standard adult ticket without discounts and special offers is (in euros):

    • 323.50 for a seat in a Suite;
    • 227.92 for a place in the NE;
    • 155.04 per seat in 1st class;
    • 177 for a seat in a 2nd class carriage.

    The cost of a ticket for a child in each case is half that of an adult.

    Compartments in Luxury 1st class carriages can be purchased in full with a small extra charge:

    • 353.50 for Lux;
    • 266.50 for a 1st class compartment.

    Discounts on the Strizh train

    It is possible to purchase a ticket for the Swift train at a good discount using one of the current offers. Discounts are provided in the following cases:

    • 30% when purchasing a compartment by 2 passengers;
    • 30% for persons over 60 and from 12 to 25 years old;
    • 40% when purchasing tickets for 6 passengers;
    • 50-40% when purchasing tickets for children in a group;
    • 20% for groups of 2-5 people;
    • 35% discount on birthday +/-7 days;
    • 35% discount within a month after the wedding;
    • 5% on all top shelves;
    • 10% when purchasing a ticket 60-45 days in advance.

    Discounts on tickets are not cumulative and are applied sequentially.

    Boarding and traveling on the train

    Passengers are advised to arrive at the station in advance to board the Swift. The passenger must present the conductor with a foreign passport and ticket. It is recommended to read in advance customs regulations, rules for transporting animals, in order to avoid problems.

    Rules for traveling with children

    All passengers have the opportunity to free transportation 1 child under 4 years old, without extra bed. It is advisable to buy a coupe for a trip with a small child, for greater comfort. Children are not allowed to travel unless accompanied by an adult. Animals must have an electronic ID.

    Rules for traveling with animals

    Carriage of small domestic animals and birds is allowed in the amount of no more than 2 per place. The passenger must have an international passport for the animal being transported. Passengers are required to comply with all necessary sanitation and hygiene rules when traveling with pets.

    Disabled spaces

    The train has special carriages with compartments for disabled people and their accompanying persons. The disabled compartment is different big amount space, enlarged bathroom.

    How to buy a ticket for the Strizh train?

    Purchasing tickets for the Moscow-Berlin Strizh train is available a maximum of 60 days before boarding. Buy travel document You can directly through the Russian Railways website, or through any other convenient service. You can also buy a ticket directly at the box office. Electronic ticket sales stop one hour before the departure of the train.

    Electronic registration is carried out along the entire route and is available within a period of no more than 1 hour after departure from the first station of the route.

    Border crossing.Customs and passport control

    When crossing the border, all passengers undergo mandatory customs and passport control. Passengers are required to present a passport and a valid visa. The inspection takes place while the train is moving.

    To cross the border of the Russian Federation, foreign citizens are required to fill out a customs declaration and a migration card.

    Baggage on the train

    Passengers have the right to carry hand luggage. Hand luggage must not contain prohibited products or goods in excess of permitted customs standards.

    Goods worth 1,500 Euros and weighing over 50 kg, jewelry, securities, weapons, over 3 liters of alcohol, narcotic substances, etc. are required to be declared.

    If you need to issue a VAT refund for goods purchased in EU countries, you must prepare them for inspection. You must also attach the sales receipt, and Tax Free form.

    Answers to frequently asked questions

    How to purchase a ticket?

    To do this, follow these steps on our website:

    • set a route, select a suitable date in the section;
    • find the corresponding train and carriage;
    • choose a place;
    • enter your details;
    • check the entered information, pay by credit card;
    • receive a ticket by email, print it or save it on your mobile device;
    • When boarding, present your ticket along with your foreign passport.

    Is it possible to purchase a ticket for the Swift Moscow-Berlin with a Russian passport?

    It is forbidden. Passengers cross state borders, so purchasing tickets is only available with a foreign passport or other document permitting travel outside the country.

    What documents are needed?

    The main document is a passport. All passengers are also required to fill out a migration form indicating their full name, citizenship and purpose of travel.

    Do you need a visa?

    Do Russians need a visa, definitely yes. This is a mandatory condition for crossing the Russian state border. Here's to buy international ticket a visa is not required, your passport data is enough, however, when traveling to cross the border with another state, a visa is required.

    How to register electronically for Swift?

    If, when issuing a ticket for the Strizh train, the passenger did not uncheck the “pass electronic registration", then it will be carried out automatically. If such registration is not required, you can uncheck the box. When checking in automatically, the passenger only needs to present a ticket and an international passport.

    How to return a train ticket?

    All purchased e-tickets for the “Strizh” composition, you can easily return it online by clicking on the link that was sent by mail or via SMS message.

    Paid fees are not refundable, Russian Railways additionally charges a commission, fee and penalty for the return. The amount of fees, commissions and fines depends on the remaining time before departure.

     

    It might be useful to read: