Railway Trips

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This Guide informs Muscovites and

guests of Moscow about history of

Russia and of railways, offering an

invitation to participate in interac-

tive programs using retro technical

media.

All tours are conducted by using an

engine as a locomotive on the entire

route or on just its specific parts.

Enroute, you may choose a “stand-

ard” way of travel, with chairs and

foldable tables, an “interior train

car” one, where up to four people

may be seated around one table, a

“coupe +”, for traveling in a com-

partment with two or four people,

or a “luxury” one, traveling in a 1–2

people compartment equipped with

a shower room.

More information about tours and

itineraries, duration and intensity of

programs, class and type of accom-

modation may be obtained from tour

operators listed on the back cover of

this Guide.

Railway TripsRoute 1 • 3 hoursSteam Locomotive Trip

Route 2 • 2 hours 30 minutesThe Little Ring of the Moscow Railway

Route 3 • 3 hours 30 minutesLocomotive Triptych

Route 4 • 1 dayMoscow–Kolomna

Route 5 • 1 dayMoscow–Aleksandrov–Pereslavl-Zalessky

Route 6 • 1 dayLocomotives and the Sky: Moscow–Tsiolkovsky–Monino

Route 7 • 2 days, 1 nightMoscow–Kaluga–Smolensk

Route 8 • 2 days, 1 nightMoscow–Tula–Ryazan

Route 9 • 2 days, 1 nightMoscow–Vladimir–Suzdal– Kostroma–Yaroslavl

Route 10 • 3 days, 2 nightsLocomotive for Seliger: Moscow–Bologoye–Ostashkov–Torzhok

Route 11 • 3 days, 3 nightsTo the Homeland of Ded Moroz: Moscow–Veliky Ustyug

Routes of the Trans-Siberian Railway (12)The “Golden Eagle” train — a flight over rails

Independent Travel

Helpful Information

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MOSCOW • RAILWAY TRIPS

Steam Locomotive TripRoute 1 • 3 hours

“Steam Locomotive Trip” is a unique three-hour ex-cursion on a steam-powered engine in the middle of Moscow, a lively opportunity to touch the olden days, and a participation in the life of the railway of the past. Even a few minutes on a retro train, watching those billowing steam clouds produced by the powerful engine shall become unforget-table. Hear a wonderful, authentic train whistle; admire the living, breathing steam locomotive; learn the most curious facts of Russian railway history; view its most precious masterpieces recreated on a scale of 1:1; visit a real locomotive depot — all of this will become an experience and joy for everyone who will take the trip from the former Vindavsky station in Moscow.It is unique in every respect. The “Locomotive Trip” begins at the Rizhsky Railway Station with a tour of the Railway Equipment History Museum. The story told by the guide will uncover such details which an uninitiated guest could not ever imagine: how locomotives have been fueled by salted dry fish during Civil War; how holes in the locomotive tenders were patched with wooden plugs during Great Patriotic War; why driver’s chest was called the “barrel organ”, and the tail light of the train, the “mother-in-law”; how many square feet of one furnace could be heated manu-ally by one person; how did the VIPs of yester-days feel traveling in those luxurious saloon cars and many, many more such facts, most of which are virtually unknown.

Rizhsky Railway Station (previ-

ously known as Vindavsky, Baltiysky,

Rzhevsky) is one of the most

beautiful and at the same time

best preserved railway buildings

in Moscow. The Station opened on

September 11, 1901. It is a historic

architectural feature. Built upon

design of the architect S. A. Brzho-

zovsky under tutelage of Y. F. Died-

erichs, this beautiful building

combines elements of Art Nouveau

and of the so called “Pseudo-

Russian” style.

The construction of the station has

literally transformed the whole

area of Moscow near the Krestovsky

towers: a square was laid out, along

with waterways and landscaping of

surrounding streets.

Today, the majority of Moscow

locomotive excursions originates

from here.

An annex to the station building

hosts Russia’s largest operating

model railroad, where, like on an

animated map, all types of trans-

port are shown, from the engine to

the aircraft. Also, there is a shop for

Russian and foreign railway models.

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Podmoskovnaya Depot

Some time ago, trains were reach-

ing only as far as Podmoskovnaya

station: the government could

not solve the problem of high cost

of land for laying ways through

Maryina Roshcha and connections

of the Moskovsko-Vindavskaya line

with the station at the gates of

Moscow’s Krestovskaya Zastava.

Near the newly constructed Pod-

moskovnaya station lay an ancient

village of Vsekhsvyatskoye, with

its extended groves, orchards and

fields. One can only marvel at the

aesthetic perfection with which this

lonely place was transformed by the

railway architects creating buildings

of purely technical purpose, such as

the water tower with a pump work,

a fan-shaped building, and the of-

fice of the locomotive depot. Today,

tourists undertaking the “Locomo-

tive Trip” are happy to visit those

fancy buildings, viewing them not

just as hallmarks of engineering but

as marvels of business architecture

as well. By the decision of the Mos-

cow government, Podmoskovnaya

Depot has become protected as a

unique historic feature of the city.

Soon, a real train whistle will notify you that the boarding is about to begin, and the retro train will be eagerly awaiting its passengers. During the trip, the tourists will be offered seats in the 2nd class cars of inter-regional trains, with a refur-bished mid-20th century locomotive engine.Retro train will take you to an old Podmoskovnaya depot, which is of the same age as the Rizhsky Station. This is the very place where, in 2011, the first Russian locomotive repair company was established. You can see with your own eyes how water is poured into steam locomotive tender, watch the maneuvering as well as view several unique buildings awarded the status of historic importance. Along the way, you will be offered hot tea and an opportunity to buy souvenirs pertaining to the locomotive theme.

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The Little Ring of the Moscow RailwayRoute 2 • 2 hours 30 minutes

The Moscow Ring Railway was opened to train traffic in 1908. Its purpose was to connect all nine directions of the rail lines converging in Moscow. It was built under direction of the engineer and architect P. I. Rashevsky. In common parlance, it is called the Little Ring, although its form is closer to that of an oval. In the north-west of Moscow it reaches the length of 12 kilom-eters, and in the south, it runs just 5 kilometers away from the Kremlin. From 1917 to 1960, i. e., before the appearance of the Moscow Beltway, it was the official boundary of the city of Moscow. Despite its short length of only 54 kilometers, not counting the branches, the Little Ring of the Moscow Railway is a unique engineering construction with nothing like it in the entire world. Along with its scientific value, its cultural role is not to be underestimated. The builders of the future Ring were of the opinion that one day, the garden city will reach all the way to here, to the suburban forest trees, alleys, vacant lots, and in some places to landfills, and even to the areas of public cemeteries, and here shall continue the grand and incredible Moscow of the future! This is why everything here was built responsibly and very beautifully. It is interesting to mention that until the 1930s, traveling along the Little Ring were not just passenger trains (however,

Bridges of the Moscow Ring

Railway across the Moskva River

are a special poetic page in the

history of Moscow. The author

of the three bridges, including

Sergievsky (presently Anrdeevs-

ky), the Bridge of the Emperor

Nicholas II (presently Luzhnetsky,

previously Krasnoluzhsky), and

Dorogomilovsky, is a famous Rus-

sian architect L. D. Proskuryakov,

with artistic design provided by

Professor A. N. Pomerantsev.

The author of the Danilovsky

(formerly Alexeevsky) Bridge is

an equally outstanding architect,

N. A. Belelyubsky, with participa-

tion of N. A. Boguslavsky. Their

bridges serve as beautiful decora-

tions of Moscow in the areas of

Vorobievy Gory, Novodevichy and

St. Andrew Convents, and Kutu-

zovsky Prospekt. During recon-

struction of 2001, the old spans

of Krasnoluzhsky and Andreevsky

bridges were shifted and turned

into pedestrian bridges.

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even this fact is by now completely forgotten), but tourist ones as well. Attentive visitors were rewarded by unusual features along the road as well as by Moscow landscapes opening from this original angle. Alas, passenger traffic along the Little Ring is still not resumed, and so little is known about the Ring itself! Our tour aims to fill this unfortunate gap. The train shall cross the Moskva River four times, each time going through some famous bridge. The passengers will be able to view the most strikingly beautiful panorama of the city, with its embankments, avenues and parks. Ancient times will reappear in all their living grandess when viewing the Novodevichy Convent, and the youngest history will make itself visible in the skyscrapers of Moscow City.Presently, the Little Ring has 12 operating sta-tions which adjoin 131 connecting track of 159 industrial enterprises in Moscow.Retro train locomotive shall be a real steam engine from the middle of 20th century, which is heated by coal. Tourists are invited to watch the maneuvers of the engine and to take a picture of this magnificent spectacle.Tourists are placed in 2nd class train cars produced in the 1980s of the 20th century, with soft chairs and folding tables or in the “interior train cars”. You will be offered delicious smoky-flavored tea and souvenirs pertaining to the locomotive theme. In addition, you may also view the photo exhibition “Industrial Antiquity”.

The style of the Moscow Ring

Railway

This road has a lot of paradoxical

features, and one of the para-

doxes is its unheard-of quality and

aesthetics considering its location

being far away from the center of

Moscow. When the road was con-

structed, in several places it passed

through some real thick forest, as,

for example, around the Belokamen-

naya Station along Losiny Ostrov;

somewhere else, it went through

the industrial outskirts; and in the

area of Kanatchikova Dacha, it even

went across former burial grounds.

What was it, then, that allowed the

road designers, P. I. Rashevsky and

A. P. Pomerantsev, create such beau-

tiful-looking, unique, and strong

structures of a uniform style? Their

vision! They imagined that, with

time, this road shall become a

boundary of a future garden city,

thus its beauty was aimed at their

distant descendants. In addition,

it embodied the idea of the great

stately power which was reflected in

the names of its majestic bridges.

This road was built entirely of

domestic materials.

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Locomotive TriptychRoute 3 • 3 hours 30 minutes

The “Locomotive Triptych” is an opportunity to visit the exhibition of two museums at once: the Railway Equipment Museum at the Rizhsky train station, and Moscow Railway Museum at Paveletsky station, and to drive through the most picturesque places of the Little Ring of Moscow Railway.The “Locomotive Triptych” begins at the Rizh-sky train station, by visiting the open-air mu-seum of natural exhibits, i. e., locomotives and cars. Then, by the retro train, you will embark on an exciting journey along the Little Ring of Moscow railway to Paveletsky station. This is the most beautiful and fascinating part of the Little Ring, with its famous bridges over the Moskva River. The city of Moscow, appearing in the window of a steam-driven train rolling along this mysterious, unknown to many, road, will leave you with an impression to last for a long time.Upon arrival at the Paveletsky station, the tour will continue at the updated Railroad Equipment Museum belonging to Moscow Railway. Here, you can see the funeral train of V. I. Lenin, with its unique locomotive and train car, antique railroad uniform, and mannequins (whose faces resemble characters from popular movies) in train interiors. Many

Paveletsky Railway Station (previ-

ously known as Saratovsky) opened

in 1900. Its architect is J. F. Dieder-

ichs. Initially, its trains ran only to

the city of Venev, but soon, the way

was extended as far as Astrakhan.

The Station is known for its restora-

tion in the 1980s, for it was the

first time in the Soviet era station

building history that a method of

preserving ancient appearance has

been partially implemented here.

Frankly, the Station deserves it: its

massive building with elements of

pseudo-Russian style has some time

ago transformed the remote Moscow

Zatsepa square, which was often

flooded in the spring. The history

of the station is intertwined with

one of the largest and most original

railways in Russia, the Ryazansko-

Uralskaya. In 1924, the funeral

train carrying the body of V. I. Lenin

arrived at this station. It is known

for being a connection pathway to

Russian grain-producing South, with

its massive warehouses and eleva-

tors reminiscent of this fact. Before

the October Revolution, this station

was the main warehouse depot to

the largest trading companies in

Moscow.

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Railway Equipment Museum at the Rizhsky Railway Station is one of the most unique museums in Moscow, the long-awaited dream come true for fans of the railroad history. It was opened in 2004. This museum con-tains more than 60 locomotives and train cars, some of them belonging to the golden collection of Russian railway equipment. Walking inside this museum, you will be paging through the live book of “Chugunka” road history: here are the “Ovechka” (“Lambsy”) locomotives built in 1903, the German military “Frau”, the domestic “Victory” and “the most of the most”— the most popular passenger locomotive of Su series, the most powerful European locomotive “Felix Dzerzhinsky”, the largest, even registered in the Guinness Book of Records, legendary “Emka”, and the most economical steam locomotive of LP series. The museum also hosts the “Teplushka” car with a real wood-burning “burhzuika” stove, along with electric trains from the hub of Moscow built around 1940–1970’s, diesel locomotives, electric locomo-tives, enormous track machines that resemble dinosaurs, and even a for-mer saloon car used for government’s top officials.

unique photos shall tell you about the glorious past of the Moscow railway. At the head of the funeral train is one of the most valuable structures in the Russian technology history, the engine U127. It does not possess any outstanding performance features, but it is the only preserved example (out of thousands!) of a passenger locomotive train with a special arrangement of the wheels. In addition, this train remained virtually untouched, and since 1959, it stays inside. However, the value of this stunning monument is always somewhat overshadowed by another, equally outstanding, rarity, which is represented in the museum, namely, a baggage car from the early twentieth century, hitched to the engine, which is also the only remaining train car of this type.

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Moscow–KolomnaRoute 4 • 1 day

Kolomna, one of the most historically important cities around Moscow, this ancient gem at the confluence of the Moskva River and Oka River, is located 114 km to the south of Moscow. This is a unique city with well-preserved historic center.When approaching Kolomna, in the picturesque smoke clouds billowing from locomotive engine, to the right of the train, after passing the bridge over the Moscow River, a grand panorama of the old town with the onion domes of churches towering over the quiet streets, and with majestic cathedrals of Kolomna Kremlin will present itself to your admiring gaze.The panoramic view of the ancient Bobrenev monastery among vast fields in the floodplain of the Moskva River will become the beginning of a silent tale about famous events and landmarks of the glorious past embodied in the monuments of Kolomna. During the tour, please do not forget to take a walk to this monastery by crossing the Moskva River on the pontoon bridge, and enjoy the stunning look of the city from the other side of the river. And then, after bowing to the large icon of the Mother of God, embedded over the ancient gate, enter the old Kolomna through Marinkina Tower, where, at least according to the legend, Marina Mnishek was imprisoned. You will never forget what you will see there! A real olden-days city policeman will be standing near a genuine striped booth, guarding the entrance to the fairy

Kazansky Railway Station (previ-ously known as Ryazansky) is an architectural hallmark of Moscow. Its first building, opened in 1864, it was not only tiny but also highly inconvenient, to such an extent that by the end of the nineteenth cen-tury it became an object of ridicule for Moscow’s newspaper columnists. The flow of passengers has soon grown so quickly that it became necessary to build a comletely new station. Its cornerstone was laid in 1913, based on the grand design of the famous architect A. V. Shchusev. The project impressed the Musco-vites and was destined to become the largest railway station in Russia, but the World War I intervened, and the idea, conceived by the entre-preneur N. K. von Meck of a railway station as a special marvel was only partially realized. Participat-ing in the design of this building were such artists as N. K. Roerich, E. E. Lanceray, B. M. Kustodiev, and Z. E. Serebryakova. The contem-porary appearance of the station was developed only in the 1990s. The central building of the station mimicks the shape of the Söyembikä Tower from the Kazan Kremlin.

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tale known as the Old Kolomna. One-story houses from the past two centuries will greet you with memorial plaques announcing that such writers as I. I. Lazhechnikov and B. A. Pilnyak were once living there, or with emblems of Russian insurance companies from the last century. It is impossible to visit all Kolomna temples in just one day, but their onion domes appearing here and there above the roofs of old houses will be remembered forever. A special poetry is concealed in ancient streets of Kolomna, with their wood carvings on window frames and chimneys. There are actually very few places in the vicinity of Moscow where such a complete image of a real sub-Moscow district city would be preserved just as lovingly.The program for travelers called “Kolomna, my lovely old city” is extremely diverse: it includes a walking tour through the territory of Kolomna Kremlin, visiting several mansions of nobility and merchants as well as Blyudechko (“Little Saucer”), the confluence place of the Kolomenka and Moskva river; going by the Sobornaya (“Cathedral”) Square, visiting the revived from nonexistence Novo-Go-lutvin monastery, the residence of the Metropolitan of Krutitsy and Kolomna, admiring Pyatnitsky gates and monuments of Dmitry Donskoy and Cyril and Methodius, viewing the wonderful church of St. Nicholas-on-Posad, enjoying delicious marshmal-low-like sweets in Kolomna Museum of Pastila (with samples and tea provided), and shopping at the “Golden Hive” store where you can buy unique honey-based drinks for yourself and your loved ones as a gift.

The Kolomna Factory was founded

in 1863 near the town of Kolomna,

by a military engineer, A. E. Struve.

The first products of this fac-

tory were bridge structures for

the bridge across the Oka River in

Kolomna. The factory produced

a phenomenally diverse range

of equipment, from the steam

threshers and bridges to locomo-

tives, ships and even submarines.

Kolomzavod is a special branch of

engineering in the national history

of heavy machinery. In 1869, the

first steam locomotive was built

there; in 1907, the first ship in the

world boasting a diesel engine;

after the revolution, the first line

of Soviet locomotive EL, as well as

electric locomotives VL19. In 1956,

Kolomna became the resting place

of the last Soviet passenger steam

locomotive P36, recognized as the

best domestic locomotive. Then,

passenger locomotives TEP60 and

TEP70 were mass-produced here; to-

day, it produces the most advanced

diesel engines TEP70BS and electric

locomotives EP2K, and it is quite

possible that the engine that will

bring tourists to Kolomna has been

built here as well.

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Moscow–Aleksandrov– Pereslavl-ZalesskyRoute 5 • 1 day

Going through Sergiev Posad, the retro train will arrive in Alexandrov. Near the station, in accordance with the pre-revolutionary traditions of railways, a beautiful temple was recently built, and the station itself is an ar-chitectural monument. There will be a visit to the Alexandrov settlement, in which you can see an amazing architectural ensemble, the palace houses and even the dining menu from the table of Ivan the Terrible, including “pike heads with garlic”, view Pokrovsky temple with its bell tower, and listen to the choir.Then the train will bring the tourists to Pereslavl-Zalessky, which offers a beauti-ful view from the high mountain above the Pleshcheevo Lake. Next, a tour with a visit to Red Square and the Spaso-Preobrazhensky (“The Holy Transfiguration”) Cathedral (the oldest monument of Vladimir-Suzdal archi-tecture), the ancient city walls with a story about the life of St. Alexander Nevsky, the Nikitsky monastery and St. Nicholas Convent. If weather permits, you can visit the unique Pereslavl Museum of narrow gauge railways, which is located near the town in a pine forest, and the Museum of Clothes Irons and Museum of Samovars.

Sergiev Posad

The first railway line from Moscow

to Sergiev Posad was by no

coincidence a symbolic blessing for

the future Trans-Siberian Railway.

The Trinity St. Sergius Lavra is a

great Russian sanctuary and at the

same time a fortress spared by the

Lord during tragic times. It was

founded by St. Sergius of Radonezh,

a great saint of the Russian land.

St. Sergius Lavra has always been a

bulwark of national independence,

lest we forget its heroic defense

during the Polish intervention

in the early 17th century. Even in

Soviet times, spiritual life never

ceased here; although officially

closed, Lavra was converted

into a museum, with only its

seminary being opened. Today, it

is a major center of pilgrimage,

which attracts the entire Russia,

the most important spiritual

stronghold, keeper of orthodox

traditions, including church music,

and also one of the most beautiful

monasteries in our country. The

view of the Lavra from the railway is

completely unique.

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Museum of the Air Forces in

Monino

Locomotives are beautiful, but no

less beautiful are airplanes. The

Monino Museum hosts a world-

famous, unique collection of

aircraft. The Museum is located

38 km to the East of Moscow, in

one of the most beautiful places

of the capital, the Chkalovsky

airfield. The Museum was created

by the Air Force Academy named

after Yuri Gagarin, on November

28, 1958, based on aircraft repair

workshops. On February 23, 1960,

the Museum greeted its first

visitors. It has 586 storage units,

including such airplanes as «Ilya

Muromets», «Voisin», Su-35, Tu-95,

Po-2, Pe-2, Tu-2, DB-3, SB, IL-10,

Tu-114, Tu-144, and M-3, which

are completely unique. All leading

aviation powers consider it one of

the largest aviation museums in

the world, and find its collection of

aircraft fantastic. This collection

allows us to trace the development

of aviation from the first aircraft

and helicopters. An absolutely

incredible experience!

Locomotives and the Sky: Moscow–Tsiolkovsky–MoninoRoute 6 • 1 day

Early in the morning, the train with a real locomotive will go to the probably most at-tractive and “space-related” city of Russia, the Star City. It is located just one hour away from Moscow. It was virtually impossible to get there until recently. And even now it has a strict permit system, so that the tour is your only chance to see the legendary Cosmonaut Training Center. On the way to Star City, the guides will provide a narrative, dedicated to the “History of Space and Locomotives during 1954–1961.”Strictly according to schedule, the train will arrive at the Star City. During the tour, you can learn about the history of the Cosmonaut Training Center named after Yuri Gagarin, and about the appearance of Star City, as well as become acquainted with everyday life of the cosmonauts orbiting the Earth. Here is the world’s largest space centrifuge and the working neutral buoyancy facility — a huge swimming pool with a mockup of Space Sta-tion module where the cosmonauts can work on EVA. Only for the passengers of the retro train, the planetarium will be opened. You will be able to see the night sky at an altitude of 500 km above the Earth, and about 9000 stars, and never forget this sight.

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Moscow–Kaluga–SmolenskRoute 7 • 2 days, 1 night

Just three hours of a romantic way accompanied by the sound of locomotive whistles and frequent steam engine exhausts, and the retro train shall arrive in Kaluga. In the morning, sightseeing bus tour will open to you the world of an authentic ancient Russian town: the Church of St. George “Upon the Ravine”, the Chambers of Korobov family, the Stone Bridge over Berezuysky Ravine, the ensemble of olden-day Public offices, Gostinyi Dvor, Trinity Cathedral, and much more. A lasting impression will be left by one special place, the virtually untouched world of an ancient provincial city on Voskresenskaja Street. Kaluga is the city of K. E. Tsiolkovsky. Visiting the National Museum of the History of Cosmonautics named after this great thinker and scientist, and, of course, its planetarium will become a special highlight of your Kaluga experience. Here you can see the burnt space vehicle in which Yuri Gagarin returned to Earth.The former city mansion of Zolotarev which survived during the war is presently home to the local history museum where much can be learned about the heroic past of the Kaluga region and its people, bravely guarding the frontiers of the south-western approaches to Moscow from Tatar hordes, and much later, from Hitler’s troops.In the evening, the retro train will continue its voyage to Smolensk. Spending the night in a train

Kievsky Railway Station (previ-

ously known as Bryansky) is one of

the most beautiful train stations

of Moscow. Its first (not preserved)

building was built in 1899. This

inconvenient building, which was

illuminated by kerosene, was a

constant target of cartoonists.

Nevertheless, the appearance of

the railway station literally trans-

formed the place in the Dorogomi-

lovo region of Moscow known as

Berezhkovskie Ogorody that turned

from the “empty land” into a large

construction site on the banks of

the Moskva River. The Board of the

Moscow-Kiev-Voronezh road, tired

of being a permanent butt of jokes,

evidently decided to impress all

one and a half decades later, with

a principally different building.

Built in the neo-classical style

with elements of Empire style,

this new building of the architect

I. M. Rerberg, with its famous

canopy over the apron, deco-

rated with figures of eagles and a

51 meter high tower with clocks

remaining, until recently, mechani-

cal, became a real tribute not just

for architecture, but for the art of

engineering as well.

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Belorussky Railway Station (previ-

ously known as Smolensky, Brestsky,

Alexandrovsky, and Belorussko-

Baltiysky)

The first building of the Smolensk

station, built in 1870 near Tverskaya

Zastava and several Yamskaya

streets of Moscow was, in the opinion

of the contemporary press, “quite

pretty”, but not very large. Shortly

after the extension of the railway

up to Brest, the old building stopped

being sufficient for the needs of

passenger service. In 1896, on the

occasion of Nicholas II arriving to

Moscow for his coronation, the royal

pavilion was built near Brestsky

station; presently, the metro station

“Belorusskaja Radialnaya” has been

built in its place. Only in 1912, com-

memorating the 100th anniversary

of the Battle of Borodino, a great

and very origial building was erected

here by the architect I. I. Strukov.

Its unique design has two wings

converging not directly, but at an

angle. Belorussky Railway Station is

covered with memorial glory as well:

the first performance of the “Holy

War” song, the battlehymn of Rus-

sians during the Great Patriotic War,

took place here in 1941.

and being lulled to sleep by the busy chattering of train wheels — oh, what a romantic touch!In the morning, there will be a sightseeing bus tour of Smolensk. Afterwards, the tourists would definitely want to visit the Kremlin of Smolensk, the Assumption Cathedral where services are held on a regular basis, and the Memorial Square dedicated to heroes performing brave deeds for this much-suffering land. There will be a tour of the architectural ensemble of Soborny (“Cathe-dral”) Hill offering a magnificent panorama of the city and the flood plain of the Dnieper, as well as of the monuments commemorating the War of 1812 and the Great Patriotic War, reminiscent of the heroic defense of Smolensk. But Smolensk is not just a place of never-ending wars. The monu-ment of Mikhail Glinka will remind you of the beautiful melodies created by this great Russian composer, and the museum of “Northern Silk” “The Flax of Smolensk” will offer real homespun products which can be bought as a souvenir. After lunch, a sightseeing bus tour will be conducted, showcasing such “pre-Mongol churches” as the ancient temples of Sts. Peter and Paul, St. John the Apostle, and Michael the Archangel. Their holy grandeur will remain forever in the memory of travelers. Getting to know the city shall be complete upon taking a walk through its central Street of Lenin. In the evening, the train will ar-rive at the Belorussky Railway Station.

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Moscow–Tula–RyazanRoute 8 • 2 days, 1 night

It is not an everyday routine to ride in a train ac-companied by authentic whistle signals and train windows bathed in lacy smoke clouds. The train, headed by the handsome steam locomotive, will travel from the Kursky station of the capital on a road that has become the way of fate for many Russian literary classics. Outside the window, the panorama of contemporary Moscow will become briefly visible, giving way to the majestic view of Serpukhov with its monasteries, and then to the bridge across the Oka River with the vast expanse of the surrounding landscape. Finally, the train will arrive in Tula, an ancient Russian city fanned by military and labor glory. Its unique world is eagerly awaiting tourists, with its ancient streets reminiscent of the bygone life of artisans.From the 16th century, Tula remains the forge of Russian arms.Here, you will get acquainted with the Tula Kremlin and weapon museum hosted there, the oldest one in the country. And naturally, there will be visits to the Museums of Gingerbread and of Samovars.A special and unforgettable page of this trip will be the visit to the old Kozlova Zaseka station, a unique example of a historically properly restored railway construction in Russia. Today, it looks just like during times of Leo Tolstoy. The station has a small railway museum. Five kilometers away

Kursky Railway StationDespite the advanced age of the

Moscow-Kursk railway, its starting

point — the Kursky Station — is

relatively young. Its old aristocratic

building was built in 1896. Prior to

that, the station serving Kursk and

Nizhny Novgorod directions was

located by the Pokrovskaya (now

Abelmanovskaya) Zastava (gate)

of Moscow, behind the Kamer-

Kollegsky Val, i. e., outside the

city limits. Today, in place of this

railway station, pictures of which,

alas, have not been preserved, lay

urban neighborhoods. The emer-

gence of a new station and plat-

form at Kurskaya-Tovarnaya station

near the Rogozhskaya Zastava gave

City Council the reason to pave all

streets in the district. Unfortu-

nately, the historic building of the

Kurskaya station which remembers

the comings and goings of Leo

Tolstoy has been absorbed by the

newly constructed building during

major repairs of 1972. Parts of its

old walls are still visible from the

platform, and inside, some of its

interiors with noble moldings and

décor have been preserved as well.

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Moskovsko–Kurskaya and Mosko-

vsko–Ryazanskaya railways

Railroad construction for Kursk

direction began in 1866. By ac-

complishing it, the First Minister

of Railways, P. P. Melnikov proved

the possibility of constructing

railways in Russia only on state

funds. It is truly a way of Russian

writers: it was taken by A. P. Chek-

hov (the Lopasnya station was

later renamed in his honor),

L. N. Tolstoy, I. S. Turgenev,

I. A. Bunin. This is also the most

famous resort road in the country

that goes to the Crimea and the

Caucasus. Its large stations have

locomotives put on pedestals. The

Moskovsko-Ryazanskaya railway,

built at the initiative of two

prominent businessmen, K. F. von

Meck (his wife, N. F. von Meck was

a patron of the great composer

P. I. Tchaikovsky), and P. G. von

Derwies, is also famous for being

the only part of Russian railways

with left-hand traffic.

from Kozlova Zaseka is the world-famous estate of Yasnaya Polyana, by visiting which each traveler will be able to pay tribute to the great person as well as great Russian culture. A special impression will be left by the walk in the estate park, offer-ing a chance for quiet meditation and carefree, relaxed stay.But now, the road is calling again! A powerful trill of the train whistle announces to the tourists that the retro train is about to depart to Ryazan.In the morning, you shall arrive in the glorious ancient Ryazan. You will be probably not able to withstand the charm of the wonderful city center with its temples, monastery, and monument to the great Russian poet Sergei Esenin. You will see the first layout of the Ryazan Kremlin, which was heroically withstood the invasion of the Mongol-Tatars. Then, you will transfer by bus to the village of Konstantinovo, home of S. A. Es-enin. In addition to the impressions left by his parents’ home, the estate landowner Kashina, and the Literature Museum, incredible views of the Oka River from the height of the coastal hills will remain in your memory. Tourists will be starting their way back to Moscow from the Divovo sta-tion. S. A. Esenin would often travel by train to this station, and then walk on foot to Konstan-tinovo for 12 miles, as he had no money to pay cabbies demanding too much. A monument to the poet is standing at the station. In the evening, the train will arrive in Moscow at the Kazansky railway station.

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Moscow–Vladimir–Suzdal– Kostroma–YaroslavlRoute 9 • 2 days, 1 night

Early in the morning, surprising the Muscovites by a beautiful locomotive whistle, the retro train will depart from the Kursky railway sta-tion to Vladimir. Upon arrival, passengers will go to the ancient city of imperishable beauty and originality called Suzdal. A city tour will make you acquainted with its history, with the architecture of Suzdal’s Kremlin, the Krestovaja (“Cross”) Chamber and the Cathedral of the Nativity — the oldest surviving monuments in Suzdal’s gray antiquity. A lasting impression will be left by touring the Spaso-Evfimiev mon-astery-fortress. In the Spaso-Preobrazhensky (Transfiguration) Cathedral you shall see the frescoes of the great artists of the 17th century, Gury Nikitin and Sila Savin. The real event is a concert of bells. Equally unforgettable will be-come the panorama of the Pokrovsky Convent, the legendary place of lifelong imprisonment of women from Russian aristocratic families.After lunch, the group will return to Vladimir, an ancient Russian city, and the pearl of the Russian Golden Ring, founded in 1108. The tourists will always remember the wonderful panorama of the city on the hill with a lot of churches, and boundless expanse of Klyazma floodplain with monuments of 12th century, the Uspensky (“Assumption”) and Dmitrievsky Ca-thedrals. A typical street of the old provincial

Yaroslavsky Railway Station (previously known as Severny [Northern]) was built in 1862, when the grand opening of Trinity Road, with prayer and champagne, took place. The road was nicknamed as pious by the Muscovites, because it led to St. Sergius Lavra. Following the extension of the road to Yaroslavl and Kostroma, and also because of expansive growth of factory and country homes construction near Moscow, capacities of the old station became clearly insufficient. A prominent businessman, S. I. Mamontov, involved in the design work for a fundamentally new station a very talented architect, F. O. Shechtel, who succeeded in creating a masterpiece of a new building for the Yaroslavsky railway station. It combines features of modern and ancient Russian styles. Through S. I. Mamontov’s efforts, an outstanding artist, K. A. Korovin, participated in the painting of the station. Unfortunately, not all design ideas were embodied at the station, but its façade is still reminiscent of the great times and grand ways of the Russian North.

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The Road and the Glory of Ma-montovsIn the early 1860s, an entrepreneur,

I. F. Mamontov, would repeatedly

send his workers, and even his own

children to Krestovskaya Zastava for

counting pedestrians and carts go-

ing from Moscow to Trinity-Sergiev

and back. Among those “statisti-

cians” was the son of Mamontov,

Savva Ivanovich (pictured), later

nicknamed the Magnificent for

his accomplishments in the areas

of Russian culture and industry.

According to the results of data

gathered from those counts it was

decided to invest in the construc-

tion of the railway from Moscow

to the Trinity (1862), and then

to Yaroslavl (1870). Thus began

a glorious history of the future

Moskovsko–Yaroslavsko–Arkhangel-

skaya (and later Northern) Railway,

which, in the course of centuries,

came to Vorkuta and marked the

beginning of the Trans-Siberian

Railway. This road is famous for its

remarkable wooden architecture. As

Savva the Magnificent used to say,

“the railroad is not only a means of

transportation, but also a means of

enlightenment of the people.”

town will lead you to its famous Golden Gate, and in old public offices you will see the local folklore exposition of “Russian House”.After dinner, you will depart by train to Kos-troma. In the morning, there will be a bus tour of Kostroma, showcasing the round central square, nicknamed “frying pan” by the locals, with the ancient buildings of the last century and a fire watchtower; Art and Local History (formerly Romanovsky) museums; a unique, well-preserved Shopping Arcade; a gazebo of the writer A. N. Ostrovsky; a quiet Molochnaja Gora street, descending slowly to the Volga River, as if emerging from the plays of this great Russian playwright; and a wonderful Temple of the Resurrection-on-Debr. Definitely, there will be time for visiting the famous Rus-sian sacred place, the Ipatiev monastery, with its architectural ensemble, chambers of the Ro-manov family, Trinity Church, and the museum of wooden architecture containing genuine old cottages and towers.After dinner, you will move to Yaroslavl and then transfer to a bus for a city tour and visit to the Spaso-Preobrazhensky (Holy Transfigura-tion) Monastery, Church of Elijah the Prophet, an art gallery in the Governor’s House, and the Museum of Icons in the Metropolitan’s Chambers.In the evening, you will depart to Moscow and arrive at the Yaroslavsky Railway Station.

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Leningradsky Railway Station

(previously known as Peterburgsky,

Nicholaevsky, and Oktyabrsky)

is one of the earliest surviving

railway buildings in Russia. It was

opened in 1851, together with

the first Russian railroad between

St. Petersburg and Moscow, and

built by the design of the architect

K. A. Ton. This station is an almost

exact copy of the Moskovsky

Railway Station in St. Petersburg.

Initially, it was planned to build

a station in the very heart of

Moscow, but then, everyone agreed

to put it at the empty Kalanchevs-

kaya field. The building exhibits

signs of statehood era of Nicholas

I (with its characteristic turret and

flagpole), as well as features of the

Russian–Byzantine and Venetian

styles. Its façade facing the square

with the monument dedicated to

the road builder P. P. Melnikov,

symbolically embodies the glori-

ous history of Russian railways.

The station underwent massive

reconstruction during the period of

1934–2012’s; an entirely new pas-

senger room was built there, but its

front portion remains unchanged.

Locomotive for Seliger: Moscow–Bologoye–Ostashkov–TorzhokRoute 10 • 3 days, 2 nights

Departing by an evening train from the Lenin-gradsky Station of Moscow, after a few hours, at Bologoye station, the travelers will see clouds of steam billowing behind train windows, and hear the hot breath of an engine: a real steam engine would be attached to the train, and the retro voyage will start! The train will arrive at the Kuzhenkino station, an architectural monument of the early twentieth century. There will be a walk-ing tour of “A Journey into the History of Chu-gunka”. You will see a unique architectural service complex: a sandy-surfaced platform station, a wooden house with mezzanine from the stories of A. P. Chekhov, residential quarters and a linear track building, a beautiful water tower, reminis-cent of ancient Roman monument, and a kerosene cellar. Some lucky visitors even get to move the real manual railroad point. But soon, the whistle will call everyone back on voyage. In the morning, the train will arrive in Ostashkov. There will be a sightseeing bus tour of Ostashkov, the capital of Seliger region. The trip will definitely include a visit to the local history museum with its bell tower offering a beautiful view of the city. And then, there will be a great journey — a trip on Lake Seliger to the Stolbny island, where a functioning monastery, the Nilova Pystyn, is located, founded in 1594, which, in the early twentieth century, became the most visited holy

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place in all Russia. The tourists will never forget the onion domes coming slowly into view from behind the coastal forests of the islands. There will be a picnic at the lake with the famous fish soup and special Seliger pastries, accompanied by Russian accordion music. Bus tour to the source of the Volga river will provide an opportunity to see where this great Russian river starts. In the evening, with everyone back on board, the train will go to Torzhok.As once recommended by the great Russian poet A. S. Pushkin, “you shall dine by Pozharsky in Torzhok, and taste the fried meatballs”. There is a good chance those meatballs would be served as breakfast. And then, there will be a tour of the city. Torzhok has over than 20 well-preserved churches, temples, cathedrals and monaster-ies. The most famous of them are the Spaso-Preobrazhensky (Transfiguration) Cathedral as well as Borisoglebsky and Voskresensky monasteries. A walking tour on the embankment of the Tvertsa river is also included as mandatory part of the program. Then, in the village of Prutnya, you can visit the grave of A. P. Kern, the lady to whom the famous poem “I remember a wonderful moment” was dedicated by A. S. Pushkin. You will also create some lasting memories by touring the ar-chitectural and ethnographic open-air museum in the village of Vasilyevo. Of particular interest will be the Valunny or, as the locals call it, the Devil’s Bridge. After lunch, you will board the train, and very late in the evening, you shall arrive in Moscow at Rizhsky railway station.

Bologoye–Polotskaya is the most

historically unique, miraculously

preserved railway line in central

Russia. Traveling it is interesting in

every way, though, at first glance, it

seems not so remarkable. However,

its age creates a sense of some old

historic charm.

Regular traffic on this road was

opened in 1907. Since then, its ap-

pearance was changed not as much

as anywhere else in Russia. Here,

you can see building complexes and

travel stations built in the early

20th century in the same architec-

tural style, and almost untouched

by time. At railway stations and

along the way there are monuments

to World War II. On this line, sema-

phores and manual railway switch

points from the middle of last

century are still used, and platforms

of some stations have kept their

sandy surface. Shrouded in vast and

endless forests, accompanied by the

train whistle, a trip along this line

will lull you into forgetting about

living in the 21st century.

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To the Homeland of Ded Moroz: Moscow–Veliky UstyugRoute 11 • 3 days, 3 nights

The “Winter Express” awaits you at the Yaroslavs-ky Railway Station. It will carry its passengers all the way to meet Ded Moroz himself! On the road, the passengers will not be bored: they decorate a Christmas tree on the train, prepare gifts to the winter wizard, such as New Year pictures and Christmas wishes, and even write poems and songs. The next day, the express will reach Veliky Ustyug. But Ded Moroz (Grandpa Frost) will not yet meet the passengers by himself, he will send over his assistants. Those will take the dear guests on a tour — oh, this wonderful city has a lot to show! Here are an ancient settlement, the old merchants’ houses on Embankment Street, the ancient Sobornoye Dvorishshe, the Cathedral of St. Procopius the Righteous, and a beautiful white-stone church of the Assumption built in the 17th century. And after this marvelous trip, walk-ing along the embankment of the Sukhona river

Veliky Ustyug is an ancient Russian

city on the river Sukhona at the

origins of the Northern Dvina River

in the north-eastern edge of the Vo-

logda region. It was first mentioned

in sources around 1207. Over time,

this famous jewel of the Russian

North has unexpectedly become

like a special extension of Moscow;

it happened in 1999, when the

Government of the capital began to

implement the project called “Veliky

Ustyug is Homeland of Ded Moroz”.

It is small wonder, then, that Ustyug

is flooded with tourist trains in

winter, at the pinnacle of the tourist

time. But Ustyug is beautiful in any

season. Today, it is one of the most

unique cities in Russia, with its

well-preserved ancient architectural

appearance. The city completed res-

toration work and restored several

temples of the two dozen churches

in existence here. In addition to its

antiquity and beauty of its land-

scape, Veliky Ustyug is well-known

for its crafts, such as lace, carving

on birch bark and blackened silver

jewelry of the world famous works

“The Northern Niello”.

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The Trans-Siberian Railway,

known as the Great Siberian Way,

or, briefly, Transsib, is the longest

railway in the world. In Moscow,

on the Yaroslavsky station, stands

a memorial, which is an exact

replica of a cast iron milepost from

the beginning of the twentieth

century, with the numbers “0” and

“9298”, indicating the beginning

(zero) kilometer of the road, and its

length. The Trans-Siberian Railway

runs through two continents and

seven time zones, connecting 87

cities in Russia. Its main part was

built from 1891 to 1916. Approach-

ing Lake Baikal from the east and

from Moscow, the railway connects

at the most difficult and most

beautiful place — the Circum-Baikal

area, called the “Golden Buckle”.

Historically, several parallel paths

of this road have been developed,

and this is why trains depart from

Moscow to the Transsib also from

Kursky Station, via Vladimir, and

from Kazansky Station, via Kazan

and Chelyabinsk.

The “Golden Eagle” train — a flight over railsRoutes of the Trans-Siberian Railway Such a train trip, by the level of comfort and convenience provided, revives the tradition of the famous Orient Express from the beginning of the twentieth century, when the Trans-Siberian Railway was built and the trains began moving from Europe all the way to Asia. Most impor-tantly, this unique tour will allow you to look at Russia through the train window, and at the same time introduces it with the help of tour guides at train stops. Be it the famous Kazan Kremlin with its Söyembikä Tower; Yekaterinburg, the capital of the Urals treasures and tragedies; the grand Ob River in Novosibirsk; or, finally, the pearl of Siberia, Lake Baikal, and the Mongolian steppe behind Hamar-Daban mountain range,— all this luxury will be unfolding before your very eyes as the ultra-comfortable train covers approximately one-sixth of the Earth territory. Everything shall culminate in Vladivostok, a city so far away and yet so close to the capital, thanks to the railway! In all the cities, very interesting excursions are awaiting you, while the railway journey itself rep-resents the highest level of comfort and service. Even the ambiance of this road, so endless and quite inexhaustible for impressions and land-scapes along the way, so rough yet so gentle, will remain a treasured memory for each passenger of the “Golden Eagle”.

and trough the revived old merchant center, the guests and hosts will set the festive table togeth-er. And only then, after a meal, our dear guests will visit both urban and suburban residences of Ded Moroz. And wonderful craftswomen of Ust-yug, all of them as pretty as a picture, will show you the basics of Vologda lacemaking, amazing Shemogodskaya bark carving and northern-style painting. Now, here is real fun with purpose!

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Siemens Velaro RUS train

Luxury Trains

If you care for comfort, consider taking luxury trains, which include Compart-ment, sleeper and VIP cars. In terms of comfort, these trains are up to a par with many modern prestigious hotels.More on www.rzd.ru

Long distance trains

Departing from Moscow to some distant cities, most likely you will use long-distance trains. Here, passengers may choose from luxury cars and the most common compartments for 2 or 4 people, as well as open-plane wagons. In all classes, bed linens and hot tea are offered. Most trains include a dining car as well. You may obtain your tickets at the ticket offices, at station termi-nals, or online at www.rzd.ru

SaintPetersburg

Chudovo

Okulovka

Bologoe Tver

Moscow

Vladimir

Dzerzhinsk

NizhnyNovgorod

Leningradsky Railway Station

Kursky Railway Station

VyshnyVolochok

High Speed Trains

Getting to St. Petersburg and Nizhny Novgorod, as well as to many other remote cities, you may favor night trains. If you wish to save travel time, take advantage of “Sapsan” high-speed trains which will take you there in 4 hours. Get more information about this and purchase your tickets at www.rzd.ru

Long distance trains connect Moscow with a lot of cities from Paris to Beijing, and the time spent on the road can be up to one full week.

Independent travel

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Aeroexpress

Do not risk being late for your plane by getting stuck in a traffic jam on a taxi cab — use high-speed trains “Aeroexpress” to all three airports in Moscow: Belorussky Station to Sheremetyevo Airport, Kievsky Station to Vnukovo Airport, and Paveletsky Station to Domodedovo Airport. Express trains are departing every hour; their travel time is about 35–45 minutes.The airport trains have their own entrances at every train station.For schedule updates and ad-ditional services, visit the site www.aeroexpress.ru

Express trains

To reach several cities located within 200 km from Moscow, you would prob-ably want to choose the fast express trains. Without extra stops, you can get to many major cities and centers of adjacent areas within three hours.See schedules on websitewww.rzd.ru, www.rex-express.ru

For the nearest departure time of the Aeroexpresses, send the following SMS from your mobile phone to the number 3115:«ae v» — for Vnukovo«ae s» — for Sheremetyevo,«ae d» — for Domodedovo

Moscow Railway Stations:1. Leningradsky2. Rizhsky3. Savyolovsky4. Yaroslavsky 5. Kazansky6. Paveletsky7. Kievsky8. Belorussky9. Kursky

VladimirVyazmaMozhaisk

Gagarin87

Tula Ozherelye

Kashira

Ryazan

YaroslavlDubna

Bolshaya Volga

Dmitrov

Rostov

Аlexandrov

Sergiev Posad

Tarusskaya

SerpukhovObninskoeGolutvin (Kolomna)

Lukhovitsy

Rybnoye

88 km (Voskresensk)

Kryukovo (Zelenograd)

Podsolnechnaya (Solnechnogorsk)

LikhoslavlTver

Klin

Torzhok Volokolamsk

Chismena

Maloyaroslavets

Balabanovo

Petushki1 2 3 4

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9

Kaluga

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Museum of the Moscow State Technical University named after N. E. Bauman2nd Baumanskaya st., 5, building 1,Metro “Baumanskaya”. Tel.: +7 (499) 263-63-86. Mon.-Fri. from 10:00 to 17:00. By appointment only.www.museum.ru/M1743

National Museum of Wagon Depot “Moskva” of the North-West Branch of JSC “Federal Passenger Company”Komsomolskaya Square., 3/32,Metro “Komsomolskaya”, entrance from the side of the building with a wheel-and-roller production facility of the depot. Tel.: +7 (499) 260-27-48.Mon. from 11:00 to 15:00. By preliminary appointment only. www.museum.ru/M1736

National Museum of the Moscow Metro HistoryKhamovnichesky Val Street, 36,Metro “Sportivnaya”, the south vestibule.Tel.: +7 (495) 622-73-09.Mon. from 10:00 to 16:30;Tue.–Thu. from 9:00 to 16:30;Fri. from 9:00 to 15:00;except the last Monday of each month. Advanced registration necessary for tours.www.museum.ru/M375www.mosmetro.ru/about/history/museum/

Polytechnical MuseumNovaya Ploshshad’, 3/4, entrance number 1,metro “Lubyanka”, “Kitay Gorod”.Tel.: +7 (495) 625-06-14.Tue.–Sun. from 10:00 to 18:00 (admission until 17:00), except the last Friday of the month.www.polymus.ru

Railroad Museum of the Moscow RailwayKozhevnicheskaya Street, 2,Metro “Paveletskaya”. Tel.: +7 (499) 623-39-78.Wed.–Sat. from 10:00 to 19:00;Sun. from 10:00 to 17:45. Entrance only with a guided tour.

Museum of Railway Equipment at Rizhsky Station of the Moscow RailwayRizhsky Station Square, 1,Metro “Rizhskaya”. Tel.: +7 (499) 266-82-08, 266-82-21.Wed.–Sun. from 10:00 to 16:00.More information about the museums of Moscow Railways at www.mzd.rzd.ru


Helpful Information

Technical Museums

The Operators of Tours on Railway Transport

GC “Project Retro Train.” Tel.: +7 (495) 608-01-58. www.retropoezd.ru

“Otechestvo” Travel Company Tel.: +7 (495) 518-36-42. www.homeland-tour.ru

GC “The Trans-Siberian Express.” Tel.: +7 (495) 680-33-32, 266-57-64. www.transsib-express.ru

LLC “SBE “Orpheus” Tel.: +7 (495) 925-51-25. www.orfey.net

JSC “Ded Moroz”. Tel.: +7 (81738) 2-66-73, 2-23-04. www.oao-dedmoroz.ru

Documents

Railway Trips