Last friday, after my diploma ceremony, i departed. The train Budapest-Moscow leaves at 18:35 from Budapest Keleti, only Kupe category cabins do all the way. But that's usually much more expensive then platskart (in a kupe there are 2-3-4 strangers in 1 closeable cabin, on platskart there are 54 strangers in the whole wagon without any separation). So i wanted to buy ticket for the platskart wagons which start after crossing the Hungarian Ukrainian border (in order that at least their weels need no change). But that's of course only possible in Ukraine or online, and online it did not accept my card. So my solution was then to buy ticket to the kupe wagon from the last Hungarian station. Because as i got to know, the most expensive is the Hungarian part of the trip. So if i reduce it to 5 kms, then the ticket should be cheap. And that was the case, i saved 25 euros by taking a seat to the last hungarian station and then get on the kupe wagon, just change wagons on the same train, after 4 hours of travel. All together to Moscow i paid 25000 forints, which is approx. 85 euros. From moscow i had online ticket, i just had to pick it up at the automat, surprisingly the automat spoke english and was very user friendly.

My kupe to moscow was quite modern, there was tap and a bus-seat inside, and also a small table. There were 3 beds, over each other, until Vinnica (Ukraine, 3 hours before Kiev) there was a guy who came back from medical conference in Pecs (southern Hungary), then nobody. So it was quite comfortable, i just needed to open the door and sit up in my bed when the border control came. And fill out the stupid migration card with my fake data specified in my visa.

 

From Moscow i had platskart, the train was full, so it was quite crowded. And as it departed at 13h, i was quite bored, i am used to that the train ride begins with sleeping. But after the night, and a long sleep in the territory of Tatarstan and Udmurt Republic, most passangers left (Tatars? :) ), so i just made teas one after one, and watched the Beryoza trees in the window as we were approaching the Urals (the region, not the mountains ... the mountains probably don't even exist ...).

 

So i completed the longest train ride in my life so far, 38 hours to Moscow, 2 hours the change in Moscow (different station), and 28 hours to Ekaterinburg. All together 68 hours, almost 3 days. I arrived Monday evening. The main conclusions of the trip are:

1. It's good to copy more then 1 film to the netbook before such trip.

2. As in most of the way there is no good radio accessibility, also mp3-s to the phone are needed.

3. Be careful not to sweat, coz u can't have shower on most trains, just in first class. So if it is warm, put clothes off. Of course up to some limit.

4. Don't let such people put their stuff under your bed, who will get off in the middle of the night.

5. At kransnoufimsk, look left after the station.

6. This kind of journey is good for sleeping as much in 68 hours as i usually do in a week.

 

Next post will be about my first week in Ekaterinburg.