Why don't they sell train tickets? January without a reserved seat: Russian Railways suspended the sale of several categories of tickets. Passengers stood up for reserved seats
Russian Railways has suspended the sale of tickets for reserved seat and general carriages long distance for 2018. Sales will resume only when there is a decision from the Federal Antimonopoly Service (FAS) on tariffs for transportation in these cars. It is expected next week.
Once the decision is made, the demand for transportation in reserved seat carriages V New Year holidays will be satisfied in full, Russian Railways notes. In the meantime, you can buy tickets for compartments and SV carriages for 2018.
The decision to suspend the sale of tickets for reserved seats and general carriages more than 45 days in advance was not made by chance. If in past years the FAS decided to index the cost of travel in this segment to the level of inflation (in 2018 by 3.9 percent, based on the inflation forecast), now it proposes to reduce fares by 10 percent compared to 2017. And it turns out that those who bought reserved seat tickets at the beginning of 2018 60 days in advance, until Russian Railways suspended sales, bought them at a higher price than at the rate offered by the FAS. Previously, passengers, on the contrary, won by buying tickets at the old price.
Since December 2016, Russian Railways has opened sales 60 days in advance. But by order of the Ministry of Transport, the decision must be made before November 17. The agency set such deadlines, focusing on the fact that ticket sales for long-distance trains open 45 days before departure, and not 60. FAS was also guided by the same period.
In the future, Russian Railways plans to open ticket sales 120 days before train departure
And in the future, Russian Railways plans to open ticket sales 120 days before the train’s departure. It turns out that either the order of the Ministry of Transport will have to be revised, or reserved seat tickets will be sold for the first days of next year only 45 days in advance.
The FAS proposed to reduce the cost of tickets itself, focusing on the aviation market, where prices fell by 10 percent this year. However, there are no regulated tariffs in the airline market; other pricing laws apply there. And the cost of an air ticket has been marking time for many years (on average for the year), experts say. Now it is six thousand rubles, Oleg Panteleev, executive director of the AviaPort industry agency, noted in an interview with Rossiyskaya Gazeta.
This figure is unlikely to change before the end of this year. The highest prices for air tickets traditionally occur in August. And if you compare the cost of a flight in the winter vacation with August, it will be lower. If in November, when there is a lull, then higher. During these winter holidays, airlines may start dumping, the source said." Russian newspaper". After the collapse of Transaero, they acquired a large number of aircraft. Now there is something to fill them with in the summer (flights to Turkey), but there is no way to use them in the winter (flights to Egypt have not opened). Therefore, it turns out that in November the cost of air tickets drops significantly .
According to the head of the Ministry of Transport, Maxim Sokolov, we can talk about reducing the cost of reserved seat tickets by 10 percent if a mechanism is found that will allow the company not to lose money. Previously, a cross-subsidization model was in effect, when profits from freight transportation were used to cover losses incurred when transporting passengers. But the government decided to abandon it. And now passenger transportation should not be unprofitable either. Experts fear that the carrier will then compensate for the low cost of reserved seats and general carriages by paying more high prices for tickets in compartment and SV.
By the way, according to Russian Railways, 97.85 million passengers were transported in October 2017, which is 3.9 percent more than in October 2016. Of these in commuter service 89.96 million passengers were sent (plus 3.8 percent), in long-distance transportation - 7.9 million (plus five percent).
Russian Railways (RZD) announced the suspension of the sale of tickets for reserved seat and general carriages of long-distance trains departing from January 1, 2018. At the same time, as noted in the company’s press service, the suspension of sales will not affect high speed trains and "Sapsanov". Why Russian Railways took such a step is in the RT material.
On November 3, Russian Railways temporarily stopped selling tickets for reserved seat and general carriages of long-distance trains of the Federal Passenger Company departing from January 1, 2018. This is stated in a message published on the organization’s website. The exception will be high-speed trains.
“From November 3, the sale of travel documents for reserved seat and general carriages on trains formed by FPC JSC (Federal Passenger Company JSC) has been closed. RT), traveling in domestic traffic, starting from the departure date from the starting points of 01/01/2018 (with the exception of trains of the “high-speed” category), ”Russian Railways reported.
As the company's press service told RIA Novosti, the decision was due to the fact that the Federal Antimonopoly Service (FAS) did not make a decision on passenger transportation tariffs for 2018.
Russian Railways promised to resume ticket sales as soon as the FAS decides on tariffs.
- Russian Railways
It is noted that if they differ from the previous ones, passengers will be compensated for the difference in price or will be offered to return their tickets without penalties.
FAS proposals
Previously, the FAS proposed reducing railway tariffs for long-distance passenger transportation in reserved seat and general carriages by 10%.
Deputy head of the department Alexander Redko explained this proposal by “creating economic incentives for the population.”
The corresponding issue, according to him, was discussed at a meeting of the department’s board on Tuesday, October 31.
“Raising prices based on cost logic is wrong. We must focus on the state of competition and the income of the population. Air carriers reduce the cost of their transportation by 10%, and all customers with railways are leaving for aviation,” Interfax quotes the official as saying.
At the same time, JSC FPC, a subsidiary of Russian Railways, which is engaged in transportation on long-distance trains, expects regulated tariffs to be indexed in 2018 by 3.9%.
- Russian Railways
Officials consider it inappropriate to raise ticket prices for a company that is experiencing a decline in passenger traffic.
“The carrying capacity of Pobeda is 94%, in the reserved seat class of the FPC it is 74%, in general carriages it is less than 50%. Here is the reserve, the trains are running half empty. What's the point of raising prices for half-empty trains? It is necessary to solve the problem of the quality of rolling stock,” Redko emphasized.
However, as it became known, the Ministry of Transport and the Ministry of Economic Development opposed the reduction of tariffs.
Freight transportation
As for freight railway tariffs, the antimonopoly service did not rule out the possibility of indexing the cost of transporting oil cargo on an equal basis with all others.
- Russian Railways
“FAS believes that oil transportation can be indexed like all cargo, without exceptions. At the same time, targeted discounts of up to 50% are possible for certain projects: in the oil industry, also, for example, on fertilizers and metals. We have submitted such a proposal to the draft government resolution,” Redko also reported.
At the same time, the head of the FAS, Igor Artemyev, noted that the indexation of the Russian Railways freight tariff in 2018 will be lower than inflation - within 3.9-4%.
“Inflation minus”, that is, 4%, is the maximum possible, that is, either 4% or 3.9%. The forecast was lowered, but this is only if the government officially revises the socio-economic forecast,” TASS quotes Artemyev.
According to him, when the government revises the inflation forecast, for example, at 3.2%, Russian Railways' indexation will be within 3.2%.
Passenger fares in 2017
In 2017, the indexation of passenger railway tariffs for transportation in reserved seat and general carriages of long-distance trains amounted to 3.9%; in compartments, SVs and suites of trains not included in the dynamic pricing system - 5%.
The cost of services provided to passengers of long-distance trains and included in the ticket price (bed linen, meals, hygiene kits) increased by an average of 5%.
Let us remind you that passenger transportation on long-distance trains is carried out by a subsidiary of Russian Railways, Federal Passenger Company JSC. The tariff for reserved seat and general carriages for it is determined by the FAS. Tariffs for transportation in SV, compartments and suites are set by FPC in agreement with the FAS.
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Have you ever traveled on Russian Railways trains?
Have you bought train tickets?
Have you ever asked at the ticket office (or through the Russian Railways website) for a ticket for the desired date and found no seats on the train? Or discover that there are only reserved seats left near the toilet?
Prudent people buy tickets in advance - several weeks in advance. But when they discover such a situation, they usually begin to panic.
I will tell you one secret that will make your travel on Russian Railways trains more comfortable.
How do different people buy tickets?
Let's consider 3 scenarios:
1. Alarmists.
Train tickets go on sale 45 days before departure.
BUT! A very small number of tickets go on sale within 45 days. These tickets are usually some of the worst. And yet, they are all immediately snapped up by panickers who see that there are few tickets left on sale. As a result, the alarmists are happy - they grabbed the penultimate ticket in the reserved seat on the side.
2. Ordinary people.
An ordinary citizen realizes that it is time to buy a ticket a couple of weeks before the trip. He goes to the ticket office, goes to the Russian Railways website and sees that the most bad places: reserved seat near the toilet or higher-priced compartment. Not wanting to drive near the toilet, he buys a higher-priced coupe. And I’m happy that, although I overpaid, I will travel in comfort. Promising himself that next time he will take care of buying a ticket in advance. However, this promise will certainly be forgotten.
3. Lucky
Some lucky people remember that they need to travel in a couple of days. And some are determined right on the day of departure - for example, when the boss allows you to take a day off. They fly to the station like a bullet and calmly buy their own essentials without waiting in line. the best place: either a good inexpensive coupe or a high-quality reserved seat in the trump spot. Sometimes they are still surprised that such places have not been sold out before them. But they explain this to themselves by the fact that they are always lucky in life anyway.
Tickets do not go on sale immediately, but in small portions. Portions go on sale for a certain amount of time: 45, 30, 15, 10, 7, 3 and 1 days and another portion an hour before departure!
The first tickets go on sale 45 days in advance. And this, as I wrote above, is only a small part of the places and, indeed, these are the worst places.
There is no need to rush to buy them.
The largest releases of tickets on sale occur 10 days in advance and in the morning on the day of departure (or 24 hours). Then you need to buy tickets.
Plus, the release that occurs over 3 days is sometimes also large, because... It is during this period that it is decided whether to include additional cars in the train.
In general, the correct algorithm is:
- having realized in a couple of weeks that it’s time for you to buy tickets, focus on the above ticket sales periods and periodically (once a day, for example) monitor tickets on the RZD.RU website. If there are no tickets you need right now, then just WAIT QUIETLY.
- when tickets that suit you appear, buy them directly on the website.
PS/FYI:
- I knew and used the idea before, and I found the timing for the release of tickets
And one more useful link with information about how the sale of tickets for trains passing through territories belonging to different railway departments works (for example, the Moscow-Kyiv train).
Conclusion from there:
You shouldn’t buy tickets at a regular box office with a stupid cashier (which is the majority), but you need to buy tickets via the Internet or at a service center.
It is difficult to find a person who has never traveled by rail. Everyone has had to buy train tickets at least once. Often trips are planned in advance and many people try to purchase travel documents in advance in order to choose better places. How surprised will you be if, buying a ticket for 3-4 weeks, you find that there are only seats left near the toilet. Can this happen and is it worth panicking? Let’s find out further.
How do different people purchase tickets?
Each person has his own principles and algorithms, how and when to purchase tickets and what to do if the right places it didn't turn out. But all people can be divided into several main categories.
Alarmists
Sales of travel documents start 45 days before the train departure day. Very prudent people rush to buy tickets from the first days of sales, but find that there are only seats left near the toilets. In a panic, they buy what they have and are very pleased with what they managed to snatch last places. Although in reality the picture is far from the truth.
The fact is that at the start (45 days in advance) the worst tickets go on sale, for example, near the toilets, and even then in small quantities, which is why you get the feeling that the tickets have all been sold out.
Ordinary people
Most people usually purchase their travel documents a couple of weeks in advance. Having looked on the Russian Railways website or going to the ticket office at the station, they may find that there are only bad seats near the toilet, or expensive comfortable compartment seats. If funds allow, a person chooses a compartment and is very pleased that he managed to buy a ticket. Next time he vows to be sure to purchase travel documents in advance, but this is quickly forgotten.
Lucky ones
This category includes people who remember in just a couple of days that they need to travel, or people who make unplanned trips. At the first opportunity, for example, on a sudden day off, they run to the station to buy tickets, and sometimes make a purchase on the day of departure. They are always lucky and can buy comfortable places in a reserved seat or affordable tickets in a compartment.
A few secrets
Not all people know that tickets do not go on sale all at once, but in small portions. Typically, emissions occur in 45, 30, 15, 10.7, 3 and 1 days. But first they sell the worst seats near the toilet, and closer to the time of departure affordable and comfortable tickets become available.
The largest receipts occur within 10 days and 24 hours, so this is the most optimal period for purchasing travel documents. Also in 3 days a large selection may be available. During this period, the need for additional cars is usually determined.
If you want to purchase a ticket for a specific place and date, do not rush to do so. Monitor the availability of travel documents online on our website and buy the options you like. In addition, by making purchases online, you can save your time and sometimes money (when you pay online, you sometimes get a discount).