European Railroad Discussion > Russia, May 2018 - Part 1 of 7

My first trip to Russia was this May. A 15-day solo trip, I visited Moscow, Saint Petersburg, and Volgograd (ex-Stalingrad). It wasn't a "railfan" focus trip so I didn't go out of my way to photograph trains, but I managed to snap quite a few trams & Metro stations, with a few passenger and freight. Almost all through freight bypasses Moscow & StP. I'll post my photos and comments in a series of about 10 linked threads.

You should also check out CNStratford's nice TrainOrders series documenting his Helsinki-Vladivostok trip of May 2017. His StP & Moscow posts are parts 6 thru 11: https://www.trainorders.com/discussion/read.php?17,4444783,4445104#msg-4445104

With the anti-Russian rhetoric reaching a fever pitch (from both Rs & Ds, albeit for different reasons) this spring, I figured it was time to make the trip. May provided for long days, great weather, not too many tourists, and it allowed me to see the big 9 May Victory Day celebrations. And the World Cup crowds were still a few weeks off.

Getting a Russian visa was not that difficult, if anyone wants to know how, PM me. If you like LOTS of passenger trains and trams, Russia is the place to visit. Inexpensive and safe, I had a good time. Most of what you hear & see in the US & British media does not reflect what I experienced first-hand, aka fake news. Plus the food was good.

I flew Aeroflot non-stop LAX to Moscow Sheremetyevo. About 12 hours nonstop. AeroExpress trains run every 30 minutes, providing a non-stop 35-minute trip to Belorussky Station, which is less than two miles from Red Square and connects with Metro lines 2 and 5.

1) Belorussky Station, Moscow, 11pm. This station, built in 1870, is where many trains to/from the west terminate (Moscow has eight intercity passenger stations).
2) Kievskaya Metro. Clean, quite. Most Metro trains are on 1.75 to 3-minute headways most of the day & evening, not just during peak periods.
3) Studencheskaya station. Overhead and 3rd rail commuter trains.



Edited 5 time(s). Last edit at 08/10/19 14:18 by Duna.

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4) Interior of a Metro line 14 car. This line is a bi-directional loop around the city and is operated by RZD (Russian Railways) instead of Moscow Transit. It connects with most of the other radial Metro lines. A schematic of the Moscow Metro can be found at http://www.urbanrail.net/eu/ru/mos/moskva.htm There's also a link to the extensive tram system. Google Maps shows Metro lines, but it's missing some recently opened lines (click on "transit" in the menu).

5) Drop bottom gondolas. These, along with tank cars, are very common in Russia. Typically 83-ton, 3100+- cuft capy.

6) Aviapark mall. Yes it has a Starbucks. One of the reasons for my trip was to get a first-hand look at the consumer retail situation. This mall is not unique (tho the big aquarium is).

Link to part 2 https://www.trainorders.com/discussion/read.php?17,4637353,4637362



Edited 2 time(s). Last edit at 09/22/18 18:48 by Duna.

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Looking forward to seeing more of your travels. By my count, Moscow has eight large railway terminals, each with great architecture. Kazanski Station with it's large tower is my favorite. It's located on Station Square with two others. It's ironic that on my trip across Russia in 2011 I was only once told not to phonograph trains. And that was because of tripod use. Sadly that isn't always the case here. As with most countries, it's not the people who are bad, just their governments.

Very interesting photos and narratives.
ALLEN