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anyone know how to bk trains from kiev to moscow..?

  • 06-12-2010 10:04PM
    #1
    katchmoore
    Closed Accounts Posts: 14 ✭


    hi there!

    i need to book the overnight train from kiev to moscow on NYE ... thought you could book through de-bahn but they told me over the phone, that you can't actually book train tickets starting from within the ukraine, outside of the ukraine ie you need to be living there! :confused:

    we'll only have arrived into kiev NYE morning, so leaving the booking till then would scare the bejayzuz out of my itinerary so would prefer not to.

    anyone come across this obstacle before?

    help!


Comments

  • #2
    number10a
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 1,062 ✭✭✭number10a


    Have a look at the how to buy tickets section here:

    http://www.seat61.com/Russia.htm#London%20to%20Moscow%20via%20Kiev

    Looks like you'll need to go through an agency.


  • #3
    katchmoore
    Closed Accounts Posts: 14 ✭katchmoore


    yeah - very familiar with seat61 already, thanks number10a - i had been trying to avoid agencies....perhaps c'est impossible!


  • #4
    Civilian_Target
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 5,618 ✭✭✭Civilian_Target


    It's not quite true - you can book a Ukrainian train ticket from any CIS country - the reservation system is standardized. But yes, you will need to go though an agency, and you'll need to be posted or collect a physical ticket. But if it's 31st December, you'll probably be OK - Russians celebrate on the 7th January.


  • #5
    katchmoore
    Closed Accounts Posts: 14 ✭katchmoore


    ah c-target, we meet again!

    excuse my ignorance but - CIS??

    also, when you say i'll probably be ok given it's the 31st of december - do you mean i'll probably be ok to book in the morning of that day when i get there??

    just got a quote from polrail for the tickets; ph-bloody-ew! 245 yo yos per ticket! cripes!


  • #6
    Civilian_Target
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 5,618 ✭✭✭Civilian_Target


    http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Commonwealth_of_Independent_States

    245 euros (I assume you don't mean glivna) is way over price. I would say the real cost is 80 - 100. Did you negotiate? If not, do, I bet you can get them down to 150 / 160. And btw, personally, I would not give my credit card details to a Ukrainian travel agency, pay by paypal or international wire.

    I think that, if you're not on a very tight schedule, you will be able to find a train to take you where you're going, if you ask in Kiev that day or the day before. But if you absolutely have to get that one train... you should book now and it's going to cost you!


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  • #7
    katchmoore
    Closed Accounts Posts: 14 ✭katchmoore


    ah-ha! thanks for the cis tutorial.

    yep got a response back that they would not divulge their breakdown; but quoted me for a 4 person compartment at half the first quote. i've asked them if they have 3rd class...not sure?

    it's polrail - a polish rail company, quotes its prices in zloty.


  • #8
    Civilian_Target
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 5,618 ✭✭✭Civilian_Target


    Ah yeah, so I was assuming a price for the 2nd class coach, which is the 4 person compartment (otherwise know as Coupé). That's what I would recommend. If they're quoting you 120 zloty for Coupé - well, that's quite reasonable!

    You can also take "Plass Carté" which is 3rd class - that's an open car with beds stacked together in blocks of 6. Recommended if you want a to drink vodka all night and have a bit of a party.


  • #9
    katchmoore
    Closed Accounts Posts: 14 ✭katchmoore


    just to confirm - it's 150 in euro for the 4 person compartment (per person) that they're quoting me, not zloty.

    i'll see what they come back with on the 3rd class price - and hey - it will be new year's eve so perhaps that would be a good option :p

    thanks for all your comments - really helpful - knowledge IS power :cool:


  • #10
    cailinoBAC
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 1,113 ✭✭✭cailinoBAC


    On a side note New Year's is bigger than Christmas in CIS, if Belarus is one to go by. In Belarus they also have both Christmases (25th and 7th) as holidays because there is a sizable Catholic population, it could be similar in Ukraine, and of course with the resurgance of religion these are growing in popularity, but during communism celebrating Christmas would have been discouraged. Then you have 13th January, which is the 'old new year' and 19th, which is the Orthodox epiphany, but these would not be public holidays.

    Anyway, I've mentioned in previous threads that I enjoy platzkartny. Of course the prices have gone up loads since then, but I paid about €15 to go from Minsk to Moscow in 2004 and about €20 to go from Mozyr to Simferopel in Crimea, so the thought of paying €150 from Kiev to Moscow, well, it just seems way too much!


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