History of double-decker cars in Russia. Double-decker train: composition, photos, reviews Where is the restaurant car located on a double-decker train

The first double-decker carriage was made by craftsmen from the Tver Carriage Works in 1905. And 108 years later, in November 2013, a double-decker carriage from the same plant set off on a journey across Russia. What routes do double-decker trains travel in Russia now, what is special about them and what services can be obtained in carriages that are still unusual for us?

Double-decker trains in Russia: where and when did they appear?

The idea of ​​a double-decker train dominated the minds of engineers back in the century before last. The result of the development was a double-decker carriage produced at the Tver Carriage Plant in 1905. It was intended for long-distance transportation, and the first floor was reserved for animals and livestock.

In the USSR, several attempts were made to launch double-decker trains. At first they tried to purchase cars made in the GDR. They operated on some commuter routes. Then there were attempts to create their own versions. The Leningrad plant named after Egorov produced a prototype in which the first floor was sleeping, and the second was with seating. Things didn’t go further than suburban and demonstration launches.

Since 2007, Russian Railways has been working on a project for double-decker trains. We were looking for technologies and placing an order. The same Tver Carriage Plant undertook to produce the double-decker cars; in 2013, the first double-decker car was delivered to the customer. And in the same year, a double-decker train moved along the Moscow-Adler route.

Currently, trains with double-decker cars run on 10 routes. Basically, branded fast trains are double-decker.

• No. 642/641, Rostov-on-Don - Adler;
• No. 003/004, Kislovodsk - Moscow;
• No. 23/24, Moscow - Kazan;
• No. 5/6, Moscow - St. Petersburg;
• No. 7/8, Moscow - St. Petersburg;
• No. 103/104 Moscow - Adler;
• No. 738/737 Moscow - Voronezh;
• No. 49/50 Moscow - Samara;
• No. 35/36 St. Petersburg - Adler;
• No. 740Zh/739Zh Moscow – Voronezh.

According to the Russian Railways rolling stock modernization program, the number of double-decker trains on the routes is planned to gradually increase.

Features of double-decker trains

Unlike the experiments of the last century, full-fledged sleeping compartments in modern carriages are located on both floors. Passengers get to the second one via regular stairs. They are not too wide, but “a picture, a basket, a piece of cardboard” is easy to carry through them.

Many pessimists expected that the compartments on the second floor would have low ceilings; their fears were not justified. The ceiling height is standard and comfortable for passengers on both floors.

There are comfortable “accordion” passages between the cars. The doors between them open automatically after pressing a button. Rattling joints between cars with plates moving apart underfoot are a thing of the past.

Passengers note the comfort, safety and good equipment of double-decker cars. The compartments are locked with an individual magnetic key, which is given to the passenger upon boarding. The carriage has double-glazed windows and energy-saving lamps. Air conditioning and heating systems are installed. The surveillance, control and monitoring system transmits data to the conductor's compartment. Passengers can rest assured about their safety. The compartment also has two sockets for connecting razors and mobile devices.

Comfort comes from the little things. Remember the radio in old carriages, which only the conductor could turn off? In the compartment of a double-decker train, you decide when to listen to music and when not to.

Advantages of double-decker carriages

What other advantages can be noted in double-decker cars, besides the modern design of the compartment and a good level of comfort?

• The number of passengers carried is higher than usual. The new trains have 64 sleeping places per carriage, while the regular trains accommodate 36 people in a compartment carriage.
• The fare on a double-decker train is lower than on a regular compartment because there are more passengers. Compared to fast branded carriages of the same class, tickets are 20–25% cheaper.
• Environmentally friendly. The cars are equipped with energy-saving lamps and heating systems, dry closets, and special containers for separate waste collection.

When purchasing tickets for the branded double-decker train, a dynamic pricing program is available. The earlier you buy tickets, the cheaper they are. As the travel date approaches, the price may increase depending on the demand and congestion of the railway route.

When ordering tickets for a double-decker train, please note that each floor has a separate seating plan.

Services on double-decker trains

For the price of the ticket you will be provided with:

• bed sheets;
• the top seat in the compartment and all seats in the CB will already be made;
• drinking water;
• food (one time);
• sanitary and hygiene supplies;
• Wi-Fi;
• in luxury cars there are plasma screens for watching movies or news channels.

The signature double-decker trains have a dining car. There is a bar and kitchen on the ground floor, and a restaurant hall on the second floor.

The carriages have compartments equipped with a lift and wide shelves for passengers with limited mobility.

Good news for lovers of home-cooked food and parents of small children - microwaves are installed in passenger carriages. You can make a hot sandwich or heat up food taken from home.

Double-decker trains now connect the south and center of Russia. There are routes from Moscow to Kazan, Samara, Voronezh. It is planned that in the future, on most long-distance routes, double-decker cars will completely replace reserved seat cars.

An interesting photo report about a trip on one of the first flights of double-decker trains. Let's look further at how everything is arranged inside such double-decker train cars and read the comments about such a trip further.

The test drive of the train began on November 2 at 07:50 Moscow time from the first platform of the Kazan station of the capital.

Was I scared? Very scary, because... They write such things that sometimes it’s almost creepy.
And I’m not too young for such tests-)

The carriages are Russian and made at the Tver Carriage Plant.
My ticket is on the second floor and, who knew, suddenly while driving I would fall somewhere with my things...

I went in and was stunned! My first thought was that I was on the wrong train.
For a second it seemed that I was in Europe and on the Paris-Nice route, and not Moscow-Adler.
Since when did they start making such cars in Russia?

On the eve of the Olympic Games, Tver Carriage Works purchased
50 double-decker cars: 38 compartment cars, four each of SVs, compartment staff cars and a dining car.
Three trains were formed from them, which will go to Adler with stops in Ryazan,
Voronezh, Rostov, Krasnodar and Sochi.

A ticket to the Coupe cost me 3,206 rubles. Thanks to the increased number of seats
in the carriage it was possible to reduce the cost of travel in compartment and SV carriages.

And here is the coupe in which I have to travel 25 hours and 19 minutes.
It does not have an overhead luggage rack, but my rather large suitcase fit underneath.

The compartment has individual electrical sockets
for charging a mobile phone or laptop. Two pieces!

The fare includes: bed linen, drinking water
along the route, sanitary and hygiene kits and the press.

The whole train is packed to capacity - there are no empty seats. My mischievous neighbor Vova!-)

The car is made to high European standards using new technologies,
equipment and materials - light, clean, comfortable,

Free hygiene kit

You will be surprised, but the ticket price includes packed rations.
I had to “risk” my health and test it. Survived!
Everything turned out to be edible, although I would have replaced the chicken pate-)

Set contents: waffles, crackers, jam, drinking water, pate, mayonnaise, mustard,
sanitary and hygienic set (paper napkin, knife, fork, boat, salt, pepper, sugar, toothpick), sandwich.

And here is the first stop

The train also includes a restaurant car.
On the second floor there is a dining room for 48-50 visitors

The lower tier houses the kitchen and bar.

Have I tested the restaurant's products for myself?

Of course I tested it. For 350 rubles I ordered a business lunch of salad,
first, second, and drink! And most importantly, he survived again!

Let's take a walk on the train

In double compartments (SV), each seat is equipped with an LCD display for viewing video programs.

There is Wi-Fi on the train, but I admit, its speed leaves much to be desired.

You are not blind - separate waste collection is carried out in each carriage!

All carriages are equipped with three dry closets, which can be used during stops.
I read the following statistics from someone. A regular compartment car has 36 seats and 2 toilets.
This turns out to be 1 toilet for 18 passengers. The double-decker carriage has 64 seats and 3 toilets - 1 toilet for 21 passengers.
Allegedly, the toilets will be 15% busier.

I want to object! With three toilets and a full carriage, I never had to wait in line in 25 hours.
There was always one free toilet. The author of the statistics did not take into account that the toilets are open during stops.

Each carriage has a video surveillance system, control system, access control
and security of a passenger train, as well as an air conditioning and heating system,
which provides a comfortable microclimate.

People with disabilities have not been forgotten either.
The train has a special compartment and a wheelchair lift

Landscapes outside the window.

The view is better from the second floor!

The cars have a vibration compensation system,
which will allow passengers not to experience inconvenience when the cars rock.
And photos when moving are clearer)

The sea appeared outside the window - we were approaching Sochi

At each station everyone tries to take a photo as a souvenir with the first double-decker train

Are there any disadvantages? Of course there is, it is the lack of opportunity
regulate the air temperature in a separate compartment
(I saw something similar in Europe in Siemens carriages).

Arrived in Adler. Please note the difference in the height of the carriages.

I was met by a dog-)

Very beautiful station

I'll have to say goodbye to the train and tell you about the station

The construction of the station in Adler was carried out in the image and likeness of the popular
worldwide intermodal passenger transport hubs,
where a passenger can not only make a transfer or leave luggage,
but also receive a wide range of additional services - from purchasing the latest press
to hotel service.

The total area of ​​the seven levels of the terminal is almost 30 thousand square meters. m,
capacity exceeds 15 thousand people per hour.

Everything sparkles inside

When will such stations be in Moscow?

The station can accommodate about 2 thousand passengers at a time

The new terminal can serve 56 pairs of long-distance and suburban trains per day,
and on top of that, four Aeroexpress trains can depart and arrive from here every hour.

The station building consists of three parts: parking for 555 cars,
the sea and city parts of the building, as well as the concourse connecting them (the square where several streets converge)

So Yakunin coped with his task on the roads to the Olympics.

The other day I was traveling from Moscow to Kazan on a new double-decker train. Russian Railways has several such trains. They mainly run between Moscow and Sochi, but they also go to Kazan. It was interesting to ride. By the way, the price is cheaper than a regular coupe.

So, in this composition there is no reserved seat. Only coupe and St. Since the carriages are double-decker, it is logical that there are more passenger seats in one carriage than in a regular single-decker. Accordingly, the price should be lower. Let's see.

1. Russian Railways now has a new pricing system. If, for example, you look at tickets for this train, then on Friday it will be more expensive than on Monday or another weekday:

2. This is what the diagram of a double-decker carriage looks like on the Russian Railways website. You can choose your seat when purchasing a ticket:

3. On the platform of the Kazan station, the train looks, to put it mildly, unusual. In aviation parlance, this train wears Olympic livery. They launched it for the Olympic Games in Sochi:

4. We go into the carriage:

5. Workspace for conductors. Here, as in the old carriages, there is boiling water. There is no boiling water on the second floor:

7. At the entrance on the left there is a staircase leading to the second floor, exactly the same on the other side of the car. Just below the first floor compartment.

8. Since my ticket was on the second floor, the photos will mostly be from there. The first one is exactly the same. We go up to the second floor. A mirror has been installed to prevent collisions with other passengers. Under the mirror there is a trash drawer:

9. Second floor corridor. There are no sockets in the corridor, because... There are two of them in each compartment:

10. Compartments are opened using magnetic cards. For some reason, these cards were not distributed in our carriage. Perhaps because the travel time to Kazan is only 1 night:

11. I was traveling in the last compartment on the second floor. One:

12. The compartment is a little cramped. This is felt due to the fact that the distance between the top shelf and the ceiling is almost the same as in a reserved seat between the passenger shelf and the luggage rack. Well, maybe a little more:

13. Because downstairs everything is like in a regular compartment. Same volume. Not at all cramped. Sockets on each bottom shelf, very convenient:

14. Probably the biggest disadvantage of double-decker cars is the lack of an upper luggage rack as in a regular compartment. There simply wasn't enough space. All luggage must be placed under the lower shelves:

15. There is also not much space below. There was also some kind of metal casing in my compartment. I suspect that not all compartments have it and, accordingly, there is more space for luggage:

16. One of the advantages is the mattress recessed into the shelf. Now you don’t need to constantly adjust your bed, which treacherously rolled out of its place in the old compartments:

17. There is a mirror on the inside of the door, as before:

18. Electronic lock. There is also a regular, mechanical one:

19. Let's go down to the first floor and look at the toilets:

20. Bio toilets. Does not close at stations. There are 3 of them per car and located in only one place. They are located at the opposite end of the car from the conductor.

21. The toilet itself. Everything is clean, still new and nice:

23. This is what the vestibule with toilets and staircase on the second floor looks like:

22. And this is the conductor’s compartment. By the way, you probably know that smoking on trains is now prohibited. Conductors legally sell electronic cigarettes for 250 rubles/piece. You can smoke with them right in the corridor:

23. If in old carriages the space between carriages was closed and air circulated there, then in new carriages it is practically airtight. You can't smoke on the sly here anymore. In addition, the doors open automatically when you press the button and you cannot close them from the inside:

24. This is already a platform in Kazan:

That's all for now. See my next one. It is also two-story.

It is noteworthy that just a few days ago I had the pleasure of the famous which runs from London. The contrast is very great, I hope you will appreciate it soon. I'm still working on the footage.

Double decker buses or double deckers are the hallmark of London and those who have never even been to the capital of Foggy Albion know about them. What is known about double-decker trains? They can be found on the railways of most countries, and in Russia such transport was put into operation on the eve of the Sochi Olympics. The first one was launched on the Moscow-Adler route, since then there have been more of them, they are mainly occupied on long-distance routes.

About double-decker trains

A double-decker passenger car is not an invention of the future, since they were invented at the beginning of the 20th century. at the Tver Carriage Works. They were intended to transport passengers to the Far East, but only the 2nd floor was used for people, and livestock was transported on the 1st. They were not in operation for long and for a whole 50 years they forgot about multi-storey railway transport.

Khrushchev repeatedly tried to revive the 2-story train during Soviet times. These attempts were unsuccessful and such cars were not used en masse. Only with the advent of the 21st century. In Russia, they began producing double-decker railway trains, which were developed and produced at the same Tver Carriage Works.

A trip in such a carriage is almost no different from a trip in an ordinary single-decker, and the level of safety meets the required standards. Although some countries have abandoned the use of multi-story passenger cars, since they are technically difficult to maintain.

Double-decker train - general view

Characteristics of double-decker trains

A double-decker long-distance train consists of the following elements:

• compartment cars with a capacity of 64 people each;
• one SV car with 30 seats;
• staff car with 50 seats;
• dining car for 44 people (1st floor – bar, 2nd floor – dining room).

The development of domestic double deckers was carried out with the involvement of French specialists, and the assembly is carried out entirely at the Tver plant. The trains are capable of accelerating to a maximum of 160 km/h, and are driven by the EP20 electric locomotive. Designed specifically as a locomotive for multi-deck carriages, running on direct or alternating current.

If you compare the dimensions of a regular and a 2-story carriage, it turns out that the latter is not much different from its “younger brother”: the new carriage is only half a meter higher and weighs 8 tons more. These are not such big numbers, considering that a double-decker passenger train is almost 2 times more spacious. The task of the designers was to create a “train of the future” for large passenger traffic, and at the same time it had to move without problems along existing railway lines. What was done for this? The center beam was modernized, making it more compact. In addition, we had to sacrifice the upper niches for luggage. Stabilizers protect against pitching in the upper carriage.

Diagram of a double-decker compartment car of Russian Railways

Russian double-decker trains

Russian Railways put the first double-decker cars into circulation in 2013; by 2020, it is planned to provide all routes with the highest loads with branded double-decker cars. What know-how is used in such cars? Here are the most basic ones that cannot be found in ordinary carriages:

• You can only get into the compartment using a magnetic card, which is issued to each passenger individually. This guarantees the safety of luggage if a person needs to leave for a while.
• Each carriage has two sockets.
• The entrance to the carriage is automated and opens using a button.
• Each carriage has three dry closets, which are open throughout the journey. And they differ in the level of comfort, inside there is an outlet, disposable toilet covers, a large mirror, liquid soap, paper towels and toilet paper.
• The carriages are equipped with a unified climate control and air conditioning system.
• The staircase to the second floor is equipped with lighting and observation glass to see those who are climbing.
• Car crossings are completely sealed.
• For people with limited mobility there is a compartment (in the staff car), a lift for boarding the transport and a toilet.
• The headquarters car is equipped with a GLONASS system, thanks to which satellite Internet is available along the entire route.
• The train is equipped with a special control system, which is carried out from the headquarters car.
• Each carriage has an electronic display with general information (car number, time, temperature, etc.).
• The carriages are equipped with a small utility room with a water cooler, coffee machine, and microwave. In some NE carriages you can even find a shower and an iron and ironing board.
• Separate waste receptacle for glass, plastic and food waste.

Boarding a disabled person into a carriage

Additional Information! The price standard includes Russian Railways branded bed linen and hot water for tea. You also receive a packed lunch (muffin, bun, nutrition bar, tea bags and water bottle) and a hygiene pack (wet wipe, toothbrush, hygiene products, disposable slippers). These sets may differ slightly on different routes. But the cost of travel on futuristic trains differs, and significantly. The earlier the ticket is booked, the cheaper it will cost. If you need to travel on holidays or weekends, you will have to pay more.

Coupe

At first glance, the compartment in such a train looks like an ordinary one, and only upon detailed study does it become clear that there are differences. The distance to the ceiling on the upper shelves has become smaller, but this is not felt during sleep. But for the upper passengers, they added a couple of details that will make their trip easier: a limiter on the edge of the bed and a retractable step-ladder to make it easier to climb up.

Previously, all people, without exception, were annoyed by the radio point, which could not be turned off; on double-decker Russian Railways trains, each passenger can turn off the radio broadcast for himself. Each shelf also has hooks and hangers for clothes, a shelf for personal items, and individual adjustable lighting.

Coupe. Inside view

Staff carriage

The headquarters compartment car contains the train director's compartment, a control room, and a control panel for security and climate control systems. In addition, this carriage is equipped with a compartment for wheelchair users. Its area is larger than that of a regular coupe; inside there are: a lower shelf with an adjustable backrest, an upper shelf for an accompanying person, a place for a wheelchair, a table, and a folding seat.

On a note! To make traveling on the train easier for people with disabilities, the carriage is conveniently located with an automated lift, a toilet for passengers in a wheelchair, and the compartment has a button to call the conductor. All inscriptions are duplicated in Braille (for the blind).

SV-car

Like many trains, the 2-story branded train has a high-comfort SV car. The price of a ticket in such a carriage is much higher, but the passenger receives the following advantages: in each compartment there are only two lower passenger seats, and in addition to a food ration, the ticket price includes two meals a day.

Dining car

The “restaurant on wheels” is located in car No. 8, so passengers who want to have lunch during the trip need to buy tickets closer to this car in order to make fewer transitions. On the ground floor there is a kitchen, utility rooms and a small bar, but on the second floor there is the restaurant itself, designed for 44 visitors.

Dining car

The color scheme of the interior of the dining car is designed in blue and pastel colors, in accordance with the general color scheme of the entire train. The pleasant thing is a decent menu, freshly prepared food and quite affordable prices for a dining car.

Double deck train routes

By 2018, the Russian Railways branded double-decker train was launched on the following routes:

• Rostov - Adler No. 642/641: departure from Rostov at 20:55, arrival in Adler at 8:21. Travel time: 11 hours 26 minutes.
• Moscow – Kislovodsk No. 003/004: departure from Moscow 08:22, arrival in Kislovodsk at 08:28. Travel time: 23 hours 54 minutes.
• Moscow - Kazan No. 23/24: departure from Moscow at 23:08, arrival in Kazan at 10:45. Travel time: 11 hours 35 minutes.
• Moscow - St. Petersburg No. 5/6, No. 7/8: departure of train No. 5/6 from Moscow at 22:50, arrival in St. Petersburg at 6:47; departure of train No. 7/8 from Moscow at 21:50, arrival in St. Petersburg at 6:06. On average the journey takes about 7 hours.
• Moscow – Adler No. 103/104: departure from Moscow at 10:00, arrives in Adler 24 hours later.
• Moscow - Voronezh No. 738/737 (with seats): departure from Moscow at 16:52, arrival in Voronezh at 23:12. Travel time 6 hours 30 minutes.
• Moscow - Samara No. 49/50: departure from Moscow at 18:10, arrival in Samara at 9:45. Travel time: 15 hours 35 minutes.
• St. Petersburg - Adler No. 35/36: departure from St. Petersburg at 20:27, arrival Adler at 10:11. Travel time 37 hours 44 minutes.
• Moscow – Voronezh No. 740Zh/739Zh: departure from Moscow at 8:14, arrival in Voronezh at 14:34. Travel time 6 hours 20 minutes.

The train schedule and directions are given for informational purposes, as changes may be made to them, so you should find out current information on the official website of Russian Railways.

Train on the way

Features of double-decker trains: pros and cons

Thousands of Russians and tourists have already taken the opportunity to ride on a double-decker train, and they have appreciated the advantages of such a trip from their own experience. Mostly almost everyone highlighted the following advantages:

• unusual and interesting appearance;
• convenient carriage layout;
• comfort and cleanliness;
• sockets, WI-FI, magnetic key cards;
• reduction of travel time;
• increased sound insulation and absence of “shaking” on the second floor;
• dry closets that the conductor does not close in the sanitary zone.

Although there are some shortcomings, these include the following:

• too few conductors - two for 64 passengers;
• the steps are steep, making it difficult to lift luggage;
• the overhead luggage rack disappeared;
• there are few toilets - one for 21 people, in regular ones one for 18 people;
• motion is felt on the second floor;
• low ceilings;
• windows are inconveniently located;
• lack of satellite internet.

Boarding the train

All reviews are contradictory and in order to form your own opinion about Russian double-deckers, you need to “know the whole kitchen from the inside,” that is, choose one of the routes and ride this miracle of the 21st century yourself.

Double-decker trains are slowly becoming a familiar part of the interior of railway stations and are no longer surprising passengers. However, perhaps the day is not far off when the Russian Railways will decide to surprise once again and put a three-story train on the rails?