It seems to many of us that we appeared quite recently, with the launch of the Moscow - Adler route. However, their history in our country goes back more than a century and a half. Let's start with the main features of this updated means of transportation.

Double-decker carriage: key points

Two-tier, - modernization of a conventional passenger carriage for greater passenger capacity. There is a two-level arrangement of salons (one above the other). The most significant examples are TGV Duplex, Shinkansen E4, Shinkansen E1.

Depending on its design, such a carriage can accommodate 40-70% more passengers. Considering that a limited height of the train is required to pass overpasses, tunnels, and electrified sections of the route with an overhead contact network, the designers of such cars use all sorts of tricks: the first floor is lowered as low as possible between the bogies, and the height of both compartments is reduced. In tourist double-decker trains, the lower level serves a technical purpose, which is why its height is small, while the upper level is more spacious, comfortable, often with panoramic glazing. Below is a brief comparative description.

Russian double-decker trains

Are there double-decker trains in Russia? Russian Railways offers passengers four types of such carriages:

• coupe (64 instead of 36 seats);
• NE (30 instead of 18);
• staff compartment car (50 instead of 18-24 seats);
• restaurant (44-48 seats for visitors to the dining area).

Double-decker trains in Russia have a whole list of features:

• climate control - air conditioning and heating;
• sealed and safe inter-car passages;
• energy-saving LED lighting;
• three dry closets that can be used regardless of parking;
• stairs with comfortable handrails;
• The cars are powered only by an electric locomotive;
• GLONASS navigation and satellite communication system in the headquarters car;
• modernized security system - video surveillance, access control and train security.

Coupe in a double-decker carriage

Double-decker trains in Russia (St. Petersburg, Moscow, Samara and other destinations) have the following features of their compartments:

• standard places for rest and sleep, lamps, table, mirror;
• ladders for climbing to the top place;
• shelves for small luggage;
• the ability to access the compartment only with a magnetic individual key;
• two sockets (100 W) for recharging mobile phones, laptops and other electronics;
• made all the beds in the SV and upper compartments;
• individual LCD display for viewing media files for each passenger (SV), headphone output (compartment, SV).

Additionally, passengers are offered the following services: drinking and boiled water throughout the route, sanitary and hygiene supplies, sale of souvenirs, tea and confectionery.

Double-decker trains in Russia: routes

On all routes of two-level trains, Russian Railways guarantees:

• the possibility of a more affordable ticket price due to higher passenger capacity;
• minimal harm to the environment due to the use of new materials and technologies in the manufacture of cars;
• convenient traffic schedules (double-tier trains - ambulances).

Below are the directions where double-decker trains go in Russia.

Positive feedback from passengers

Positive features noted by passengers who tried double-decker trains in Russia:

• coziness, comfort;
• new modern carriages;
• affordable price;
• reduction of travel time;
• polite and friendly staff;
• ease of use of dry toilets;
• compartment access device;
• free WI-FI;
• high quality food in the restaurant;
• safety;
• purity;

• availability of places for disabled people;
• sleeping area pre-made by guides;
• sockets directly in the compartment;
• conductor call button;
• on the top floor there is practically no noise of movement;
• air conditioning system;
• unusual for a Russian traveler.

Negative aspects

The disadvantages of the two-level innovation did not hide from the eyes of passengers:

• Service. If previously there were two conductors per 36-seat carriage, now the same number of workers is provided for 64 passengers.
• Availability of stairs. To get to the second floor, you need to climb some fairly steep steps.
• The upper luggage rack above the entrance has disappeared - luggage can now only be stored in lockers.
• Toilets. Double-decker trains in Russia have only three cabins - one for 21 passengers (instead of 18, as in a regular compartment).
• Strong pitching. Due to the characteristics of Russian railways, there is a high probability of strong motion at the second level. It will be unsafe to be on the stairs during the journey.

Also among the shortcomings, passengers note low ceilings, unregulated climate control, an unpleasant smell in the carriages, unfriendly conductors, narrow places to sleep, poor location of windows (too low), interruptions in WI-FI, inflated prices for food, poor quality, tasteless food in rations for SV.

History of double-decker cars in Russia

On October 30, 2013, a double-decker train of 15 cars departed from Adler to Moscow. Before this, in August, the first Russian depot for double-decker trains was opened in Mineralnye Vody. But the listed events are by no means the beginning of the history of double-decker trains in our country - the first such cars were built back in 1864 at the Kolomensky plant. “Cuckoo” (the train was so nicknamed because of the unofficial call “cuckoo”, which the driver used to signal the start of the train’s movement) ran between Peterhof and Oranienbaum, a section of the track in a densely populated dacha area.

In 1905, two-level cars were produced at the Tver carriage building. They were put into operation again only 50 years later - cars produced in the GDR ran between Belgorod and Kharkov, Kovel and Lvov. In their likeness, the Leningrad Carriage Works created a domestic model of a double-decker carriage in the 70s. On the first floor there were sleeping compartments, and the second floor was a tourist floor, an observation floor - there were only places for sitting. Their release was limited - only 16 models. At this point, the history of double-tier trains was interrupted again to begin its new page in our days.

Private trains

Speaking about innovations on domestic railways, it should be noted that the first private trains in Russia recently began running:

• Electric train "Transexpress" direction Moscow - Kaluga. Its owner is TransGroup AS, which cost $2 million to produce this vehicle at the Dimikha Machine-Building Plant. There are conductors and guards in each of the carriages, so there is no littering, no drinking or smoking, no selling or begging. One minus: all carriages are of the same class - third.
• The private luxury train "Grand Express" runs on the route Moscow - St. Petersburg. The composition is considered the most comfortable in the Russian Federation. Among its services: eco-toilets with heated floors, showers, WI-FI, media player, microclimate system, remote control for lighting control, electronic locks with a magnetic key, a button to call the conductor, and security service.

• 4. Electric train "Severstalrels", Moscow - St. Petersburg. A comfortable electric train consisting of 1st and 2nd class carriages and two bar cars. The composition meets all European requirements for comfort and safety, and is equipped with a climate control system.

Russian Railways and private operators

The appearance of private trains does not in any way abolish the monopoly of Russian Railways. The owners simply own the rolling stock or even rent it. At the same time, they pay for the provision of railway tracks, dispatch services, and locomotive traction. As for preferential travel for citizens, the new operators have not yet canceled it. So far there is a tendency that Russian Railways is putting the most profitable routes into the hands of private owners, but management hopes that in the future non-state trains will also transform unclaimed routes. Recently, a number of innovations can be seen on Russian railways - private trains, two-level carriages. Of course, shortcomings can be found in everything, but such progress in the modernization of one of the oldest types of transport in our country cannot but rejoice.

I have already shown an aerial photo from and, and now it’s the turn of the double-decker carriage with which I returned from the Kuban borders. A very interesting experience that I deliberately asked for. So, for the return trip, I took a ticket for the bottom berth in the second floor compartment, seat 109. The train goes very quickly, less than 19 hours from Krasnodar to Moscow. But his passage there is very inconvenient - around four in the morning. However, what can’t you do for the sake of an interesting experiment! :)

Below is a story not about the path, but about the two-story building itself and its passenger properties.
Let's look at what's good about it and what's inconvenient, and what the overall balance is.

Double-decker train No. 104 at Liski station

2. 04.10 am. We are waiting for our train on the platform of the Krasnodar station, it has already been announced. Now Anapa, the usual one, will come to the neighboring track, and in five minutes our One Hundred and Fourth will come.

I have already published a video of his arrival, but I will repeat it here again:

3. The carriage is tall, unusual for our region. If I understand correctly, it remains 75 cm from the top point to the contact network. The first floor is below the usual level, the second is much higher.

The train has arrived, I get on. Seven more people sit down, despite the night. Behind me is a mini-scandal: the next passenger’s conductor does not allow the person seeing him through, who wanted to carry a heavy suitcase upstairs. According to the instructions, the conductor is right - the parking time is less than 7 minutes, but dragging a suitcase up the steep stairs to the second floor is also not a fountain. She didn’t let me in.

4. And here is the passage of the second tier, in the light of the lamps. The windows are unusually low, at stomach level; Below there will be a daytime photo with people, you can see it more clearly there. This photo clearly shows the emergency exit of the 2nd floor from the passage side. By the way, it’s interesting: the passage of the 2nd floor is located above the compartment of the 1st floor. So, when they walk and sit down at the stations, the stomping is heard by those riding on the first tier.

5. Early in the morning we drove through Rostov-Glavny. Those leaving and entering are filmed en masse “against the background” - the train is perceived as very unusual, after six months they have not gotten used to it.

6. Here's more :) And even on the stages, people look at the train with curiosity, or even take out their phones to take pictures.

Well, now let's look at the coupe.

7. The very first thing the eye falls on are the sockets. Yes, there are two of them per compartment, at the head of the compartment by the window! And this is very good. Finally the energy is with us! But the window became noticeably smaller. It’s good that the light panels were placed not on the side, but directly along the lying course - now the light does not fall on the opposite passenger. But... The curtains have completely disappeared - which the FPC apparently recognized as an unnecessary rudiment. So now you won’t be able to shield yourself from the sun - only if you lower the thick visor and plunge into the darkness.

8. The most radical change is that the space on the top shelf has decreased. And strongly. Although, to be fair, on the first floor of the carriage there is more space for the “upper” ones. But here, on the second - very little. Now it’s no longer possible to even sit on top. Just lie down, or stand up, but remain in a half-bent position. However, a 7-9 year old child can sit down, but not an adult.

9. Tea is served in glass holders, honoring traditions. For the first time, I came across not just a standard Russian Railways cup holder, but also one with an overprint below “JSC FPK”. The tea they give is Greenfield mesh tea, not trashy. This is good. A glass with tea leaves - 20 rubles, with sugar-lemon - 30 rubles. The ticket also includes meal kits, they are located further by the window. Water 0.25, mini pate, two biscuits, waffles, jam, plastic cutlery and something else.

10. The required set includes a press (pictured). We traveled on May 4, the press was for April 29-30. Second freshness, frankly speaking;)

11. Linen included, hygiene kit (brush, toothpaste, napkins).

12. The train is positioned with wi-fi. In the corridor there is a coverage map showing solid speed values.

13. In real life, everything is much more prosaic: the network is taken from MegaFon’s 3G traffic, so where it is - that is (10-15% of the travel time), and where it is not - don’t blame me. There are at large stations, in some places closer to Moscow after Ryazan, near Rostov and its satellite cities... perhaps that’s all. The routers are located right next to the passages down the stairs; my Wi-Fi connection in the carriage was excellent. But this, as you understand, is not identical to the presence of the Internet.

14. The overhead storage bins, of course, have disappeared. On the first floor too. Now the passenger in the top bunk can only place his luggage at the bottom, sharing space with the “lower” ones. That is, relative to a regular compartment car, the luggage space for 4 passengers has decreased by approximately 2.2 times - taking into account the slightly reduced distance under the bottom bunk.

15. However, the most important ambush for the “summer” passengers became clear already in the middle of the day, in the Michurinsk area. It turned out that the car's designers placed the air conditioning not only at the top, from the roof, but also at the bottom under the window, shown by the arrow. And if, God forbid, you lay down to rest your head against the window on a pillow, then the air will blow right into your ear. In general, a sure way to get ear infections and colds on the way to the resort. We, of course, did not expect such an ambush - upon arriving home, I had to suppress the creeping cold with a heavy dose of vitamin C.

The three of us were traveling in a compartment; a neighbor with her 9-year-old son also got in at night in Krasnodar. Interestingly, she also took a ticket to the second floor, partly out of curiosity to try it. Partly because of the speed, the train goes very quickly and arrives in Moscow at 11 pm. In general, along the way, she and I discussed what was good there and what was not.
Then I also got into a conversation with the conductor - a Krasnodar Armenian woman of about fifty. She was such a talkative person, friendly, but corrosive. I ask:
- And there are only two of you left for the carriage, after all, there are 2 floors?
- Yes, it remains that way...
- Is it hard to constantly climb stairs back and forth, from floor to floor?
- Well, bear with us... we’re used to it... but it’s difficult to go down after a while, you get tired. Going up is not nearly as tiring as going down often. Especially with tea or laundry in hand.

16. The conductor was so imbued with my interest in the carriage that she opened an unoccupied compartment and gave me the opportunity to take pictures. General view of the shelves and space.

And the shelves here were put in place, short ones... Not transformers.
- Yes, I can see it.

17. The shelves are really short, reserved seat. And tougher than in the new Tver coupes. I found it uncomfortable to lie down. The general feeling is “clean, but poor.” A sort of coupe-light. The most unpleasant thing is that they were shortened not only in length, but also in width - they became narrower. Not much, 2-3 centimeters - but you can really feel it!

18. The door on the inside is completely mirrored.

19. Another serious minus - now you can’t just move the pillow to the other side and lay your head down on the aisle, as in Ammendorf (if, for example, air conditioning is blowing into your head or the sun is shining directly in your face, without curtains). There is a big gap and the pillow falls down. Pichalka. The shelves are short...

20. We were not given cards from the compartment. But there is a technical possibility.

21. A big plus of the bottom shelf of the second floor is an ideal high view of the area. In addition, the glass on the second floor has fewer contamination factors, so it is clean and good to look at. But if you were unlucky and took a ticket to the top, then alas. You can’t look from there, or look in the aisle - you have to bend double.

22. This is what ordinary trains look like if you look at them from our level.

Now let's get out of the compartment and walk around the carriage.

23. Here you can estimate the height of the second floor corridor and the level of the windows. The windows are good for a child 6-9 years old, and in the aisle tall men, somewhere from 180, are forced to bend down.

24. Let's go to the first level. A ladder with a mirror - you can see if anyone is coming from below. A wi-fi router is also visible. Under the mirror is a trash can.

25. Let's go down...

26. And here it is, the first floor.

27. He is, of course, freer than the second. The distance to the ceiling is higher, the windows are at a comfortable level for an adult. In general, driving here is noticeably more comfortable. I didn’t dare rent the inside of the compartment with other people, but it was clear that the top bunk had more space on top. The windows do not open anywhere - only air conditioning. If he’s not there, the air feels a little stale.

28. At the non-working end there are three toilets. They are united on 2 floors. Previously there were 2 toilets with 36 seats, here there are 3 with 64 seats.

I also took off the toilets, remembering the blogger law “there is no successful trip without photographing the glasses,” but they were very smudged, as luck would have it. So, just take my word for it - narrow, but very clean. Everything is inside, from wipes to moisturizer and liquid soap. Bio toilets also work at stations.

31. Passage from carriage to carriage. Here you need to press a button, and not open it mechanically with a handle. The door slides back if not blocked.

32. View from the toilets to the first floor from the compartment.

33. In the working side of the car there is a service compartment for conductors and a working compartment.

34. There is a mini-buffet right there, you can buy sweets, water, and chewing gum. An unpleasant change - the titanium with boiling water was halved and hidden by the conductor. Now you can no longer just walk up to him and get some boiling water at any time, even at the station, even when the conductor has left or is sleeping. Only when it is there:(((

35. We go up again. The tour of the carriage is completed. As a reminder, the 2nd floor is 81-112 seats, the 1st floor is 1-32 seats.

And some views from the platform. Filmed in Liski, where we stood for 15 minutes.

36. Comparative view of a 2-story carriage and a tall covered carriage on the other side.

37. Exit from the carriage. Yes, the doors are now only with one sides.

38. The height of the car in comparison with the locomotive (driven by the newest EP20).

39. ...and arrival under the arches of the Kazansky railway station in Moscow. End of the road.

Overall balance: on the ground floor - closer to a normal compartment and more comfortable; on the second - it’s cramped and worse in size than the reserved seat.
The view at the top is perfect, good. Carrying things around is hard. Space for things has been reduced by more than half.
You can drive it just for fun, but in general it’s better to drive in a regular, simple coupe.

Then I’ll try to tell you more

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 Plant.

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 twice as 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 upstairs.

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?

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 further comments about such a trip.

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 compartments, four each of SVs, compartment staff cars and a dining car.
Of these, three trains were formed that 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 cars).

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 first double-decker cars in Russia were created at the Tver Carriage Works back in 1905.
The history of modern Russian double-decker cars began on June 16, 2009. It was then that Russian Railways OJSC approved the technical specifications for the model range of locomotive-hauled double-decker passenger cars - compartment, SV and staff. The project is being implemented by the Tver Carriage Works.

Serial production of double-decker passenger cars began at TVZ in 2011.

At the moment, double-decker cars run on the following routes:

1. Moscow - Kazan as part of the branded train No. 23/24 - launch date - June 1, 2015.
2. Moscow - St. Petersburg as part of the branded train No. 5/6 - launch date - February 1, 2015.
3. Moscow - St. Petersburg as part of the branded train No. 7/8 - launch date - February 1, 2016.
4. Moscow - Adler as part of the branded train No. 103/104 - launch date - October 30, 2013.
5. Moscow - Voronezh as part of the branded train No. 45/46 - launch date - July 31, 2015.
6. Moscow - Samara as part of passenger train No. 49/50 - launch date - December 3, 2015.
7. St. Petersburg - Adler as part of the branded train No. 35/36 - launch date - May 28, 2016.
8. Moscow-Yaroslavl - planned to launch in 2016.

Characteristics of 2-decker cars

Compartment carriage: 64 berths (instead of 36).

SV carriage: 30 seats (instead of 18).

Staff compartment car: 50 seats (instead of 18-24).

Dining car: 44-48 people in the dining room.

The carriages consist of 4-seater or 2-seater insulated compartments located on 2 floors.

Each compartment has: a table, places to lie, stairs for climbing to the top place, mirrors, lamps, shelves for small things. The compartments are glazed with double-glazed windows.

The compartments are equipped with 2 sockets for connecting electric shavers, mobile and other devices with a power of no more than 100 W.

In 2-seater compartments (SV), each seat is equipped with an LCD display for viewing video programs.

Access to compartments is based on individual magnetic key cards.

All carriages are equipped with:

• three dry closets that can be used during stops;
• air conditioning and heating systems, which ensure a comfortable microclimate;
• energy-saving LED lamps;
• comfortable stairs with handrails;
• compartment for people with disabilities and a wheelchair lift (in the staff car);
• rigid sealed inter-car passages;
• video surveillance system, control system, access control and security of a passenger train.

The energy supply is provided by an electric locomotive, which ensures that the train is environmentally friendly.
The staff car is equipped with satellite communications and navigation equipment (GLONASS).

Advantages of 2-decker cars

• Reducing the cost of travel in compartment and SV carriages by increasing the number of seats in the carriage.
• convenient schedule and shortest travel time for a larger number of passengers;
• environmentally friendly operation (cars are created using new technologies, equipment and materials).
• The composition has become more comfortable for people with disabilities. They have a number of amenities that are not available on regular trains.
• Each compartment is equipped with electrical outlets (two per compartment).

Disadvantages of 2-decker cars

• no luggage rack
• The ceiling height in the compartment of a double-decker car is lower than in a single-decker, so you won’t even be able to sit on the top bunk.

Double decker train photos