Double-decker trains in Russia: description, route, features and reviews. Double-decker cars of Russian Railways

But Russian Railways is silent about something. New wagons pose a lot of problems. Read more under the cut.

1. Service.

An ordinary compartment carriage has 36 seats. The new two-storey has 64 seats.

You will have to wait longer for service, because there are no more guides. There are still two of them. And there are 28 more passengers in a double-decker carriage. Even more than in a reserved seat carriage with 54 passengers. It means that the tea will be delivered slower than in the reserved seat. You will also have to wait longer for boarding the car. And you pay as for an ordinary one-story compartment car.

We are told that there will be more tickets than regular trains, but this is also not entirely true. Nobody will drive extra wagons, just if there are fewer passengers in some direction, then the number of wagons will be reduced proportionally.

2. Ladders

The elderly and disabled will be especially grateful to Russian Railways for the need to carry suitcases to the second floor. Even from the first floor there will be a small staircase to go to the exit. Only one carriage in the entire train will be single-deck. And of course the places in it will be bought up in the first place.

Speaking of suitcases and bags. The luggage rack above the compartment entrance is no longer there. Neither the first nor the second floor. It is not clear to 4 passengers where to store large luggage. Also, on this shelf, the guides usually placed blankets and pillows so as not to occupy the lower shelves. Now they will get in the way.

4. Ventilation

I often travel in the compartment carriages of branded trains. They are all brand new, but continuous ventilation only works on one trip out of five. Usually the ventilation is turned on in the evening and turned off at night. I'm not talking about air conditioning, but about a banal flow of fresh air. For a long time, sealed non-opening windows have been installed in the compartment, and when 4 passengers are traveling, and the ventilation does not work for several hours in a row, there is simply nothing to breathe. I can't even imagine how asthmatics and heart patients endure such torture. This gross violation of sanitary standards has been getting away with Russian Railways for many years.

In double-deck cars it will be even heavier, because the volume of the compartment has become significantly smaller, due to the lowered level of the ceiling and the lack of space where there was a luggage rack.

You might think that the newest carriages will have ventilation. I doubt it very much, because even on the 01/02 Moscow-Vladivostok branded train, which uses the latest carriages with double toilets at one end of the carriage, ventilation is not turned on at all during the entire trip! I quarreled with the guides many times - they refer to various technical problems. Thus, the risk of literally suffocating when the ventilation is turned off increases even more in a double-decker car.

Many are surprised at how weak they are after a ride on a night train - they wouldn’t have a headache - if there was no ventilation all night and the air did not meet any sanitary standards!

5. Toilets

Look here. An ordinary compartment carriage has 36 seats and 2 toilets. This makes 1 toilet for 18 passengers. The double-decker carriage has 64 seats and 3 toilets - 1 toilet for 21 passengers. Toilets will be 15% more busy. Not the biggest problem, but in this respect it will get a little worse.

6. Tambour and smokers

The tambour on the opposite side of the conductor's compartment was removed altogether. And there is nowhere else to smoke. In theory, this is great. And the new law of the Russian Federation prohibits smoking on trains. I myself do not smoke and cannot stand the tobacco smoke that enters the corridor from the vestibule in ordinary cars.

But the reality in Russia is that many selfish smokers will still want to smoke and will do it in toilets. And everyone will be forced to poison themselves with tobacco smoke when visiting the toilets. And in the vestibule where the entrance to the carriage, the conductors do not allow smoking - they often go there themselves and carry out any maintenance of the carriage systems.

7. Risk of injury

Once again about the stairs. In contrast to Europe, our railway tracks are not so ideally laid and the cars are not so thought out in terms of suspension comfort and the cars shake very much during movement. The risk of injury when going downstairs when you are going to the toilet is very high. Or if you need to bring hot tea or boiling water. Yes, and the second floor will be more powerful.

Outcomes

Do you think the tickets will be cheaper? Nothing of the kind is likely to happen. Double-deck cars are beneficial only for Russian Railways - they will save money due to your comfort and safety.

Yes, in Europe there are also double-decker trains, but mostly we are talking about ordinary electric trains with seating places, their ventilation always works, and such cars are more often put on regional cheap trains, such as RE in Germany. But there are many ordinary single-deck trains, of which the vast majority. In the conditions of Russia, when Russian Railways is clearly going to replace all ordinary single-deck carriages with double-deck ones, a trip on such trains will have no alternative and will actually be equated with torture.

All of the above is my personal opinion.

: https://www.yaplakal.com/forum2/topic633791.html

The train was impressive. In different ways. Didn't leave indifferent, that's for sure. A kind of armored train made of tin foil and with plastic inside. I would like it to be made more accurately, especially since such a "exhibition" first copy. But maybe everything has its time. And the time for really beautiful and high-quality trains has not come yet. At least, this train is in every sense better than a regular train, with the exception of one important nuance - there is very, very little space for luggage in the compartment. But first things first.

Outwardly, the train looks somewhat gloomy. Gray hopper on wheels.

2.

The maximum speed is 160 km / h. It would be very interesting to ride it at that speed.


3.

The locomotive is ordinary. It is lower than the carriages and it looks unaesthetic (I had no desire to show it somehow on purpose, but you can see this difference a little better).
I think some kind of fairing between the locomotive and the car would improve the look. Anyway, a locomotive is needed to match such a train, at least in color.


4.

Obviously something is missing in the design of the wagons. Yes, it's cheaper, but it still looks ugly.


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Let's climb into the carriage.


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It looks nicer from the inside than from the outside.


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This is a regular coupe. The ceiling is unusually low. And the space under the lower luggage racks is clearly not enough. Only a small photocall would fit there in height, but a large one would not fit. In general, it is designed for travelers with small suitcases. And it is desirable that there be no more than 1 small suitcase for 1 person, otherwise the luggage will have nowhere to put.


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Generally, pretty.


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Let's look at the 2nd floor.


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The compartment is like on the 1st floor.


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Toilet on the 1st floor. Pretty neat, not like the old trains. True, the ventilation there is not very good, and there are no windows. And it's very stuffy. However, the whole car was very stuffy. Maybe the air will be fresher while driving. On the other hand, remembering the old trains, it is impossible not to shudder - there is a gas chamber in summer.


20.

While we were looking at the cars from the inside, the official part of the event took place outside.


21.

Then they began to distribute gift calendars. At first there was just a crush. And then it almost turned into a natural fight. I felt sorry for the worker who was distributing the calendars and ashamed for the people pushing and tearing out the calendars with greed, as if this was an unprecedented value, without which they could not live.


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Here, a little later, it was possible to forge gift commemorative coins.


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The train provided seats for the disabled. More precisely, 1 place for 1 disabled person. But everything seems to be thought out. There is even a lift.


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This is a lift, a view from the carriage.

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A compartment for a disabled person and an accompanying person.


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It is the same, from a different angle.


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The toilet is quite spacious with special handrails.


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There is a shower.


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And this is the compartment of the SV carriage.


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There is even an ironing board. In the background is another shower.

39.

We're in the dining car. On the 1st floor. There is a bar, kitchen and service rooms.


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Let's take a look at the service room in the dining car.


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Refrigerator.


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The restaurant itself is located on the second floor.


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The impression of the train is twofold. It seems that it is clearly better than the old trains. But it does not cause enthusiasm either.

The first double-decker car was made by the craftsmen of the Tver Carriage Works in 1905. And 108 years later - in November 2013, a double-decker car of the same plant set off on a journey across Russia. What routes do double-decker trains travel on 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 owned the minds of engineers as far back as the century before last. The result of the development was a double-deck car, produced at the Tver Carriage Works 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 start up double-decker trains. First, we tried to buy railcars from the GDR. They ran on some commuter routes. Then there were attempts to create their own options. The Egorov Leningrad Plant produced a prototype in which the first floor was sleeping, and the second with seating. It didn't go further than suburban and demonstration launches.

Since 2007, Russian Railways have been working on a double-deck train project. They looked for technologies, formed an order. The same Tver Carriage Works undertook to manufacture double-decker cars, in 2013 the first double-decker car was delivered to the customer. And in the same year, the two-story train set off on the Moscow-Adler route.

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

• 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.

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

Features of double-decker trains

In contrast to the experiments of the last century, full-fledged sleeping compartments in modern carriages are located on both floors. Passengers get to the second one by ordinary stairs. They are not too wide, but it is easy to carry "a picture, a basket, a cardboard" over them.

Many pessimists expected that the coupe on the second floor would have low ceilings, their fears were not justified. 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. The rattling joints between the cars with the plates moving apart under their feet are a thing of the past.

Passengers note the comfort, safety and good equipment of double-deck cars. The compartments are closed with an individual magnetic key, which is given to the passenger at the time of boarding. The car has double-glazed windows, energy-saving lamps. Installed air conditioning and heating systems. The surveillance, control and monitoring system transmits data to the conductor's compartment. Passengers can rest assured of their safety. The compartment also has two sockets for connecting shaving devices and mobile devices.

Comfort is made up of little things. Remember the radio in the old cars, 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.

Advantages of double-decker cars

In addition to the modern design of the compartment and the good level of comfort, what other advantages can be noted in the double-deck cars?

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

When buying tickets for a branded double-decker train, a dynamic pricing program is in effect. The earlier you pick up your tickets, the cheaper they are. As the travel date approaches, the price may increase depending on the demand and congestion of the railway direction.

When booking tickets for a double-decker train, please note that there is a separate seating layout for each floor.

Services on double-decker trains

For the ticket price you will be provided with:

• linens;
• the upper seat in the compartment and all seats in the NE will be already covered;
• drinking water;
• meals (once);
• sanitary and hygienic supplies;
• Wi-Fi;
• in luxury cars - plasma screens for watching movies or news channels.

The branded double-decker trains have a dining car. On the first floor there is a bar and a kitchen, on the second there is a restaurant hall.

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

Good news for lovers of homemade food and parents of small children - there are microwave ovens in passenger cars. You can make a hot sandwich or reheat food taken from home.

Double-decker trains now link 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-deck cars will completely replace reserved seats.

Double-decker carriages of the Russian railway are part of the Moscow-Adler train. Russian Railways plans to release trains with double-decker carriages with seats on the routes Moscow - Smolensk and Moscow - Belgorod, Moscow - Saratov. Double-deck cars are manufactured as a compartment (64 seats), SV (30 seats), a dining car, business class seating cars (58 seats), economy class seating cars (104 seats). There are 48 seats in the dining room of the double-deck dining car and six in the bar. The length of the double-deck car is almost the same as that of the usual one (the double-deck version is 70 centimeters longer), and the height of the car is 5.25 meters.

The main difference between a double-decker compartment and a conventional compartment is the absence of overhead luggage niches and the height of the ceiling. Instead of 2.5 meters in a regular carriage, in a double-deck carriage, the ceiling height is 2.1 meters. The designers of the double-deck car were given the task of "squeezing" into the dimensions of an ordinary car. This is achieved by placing the compartment on the ground floor between the wheeled carts. Now, in order to pass into the compartment of the first floor, passengers will need to go down the stairs, and respectively go up to the second floor. The entrance to the carriage, the conductor's compartment, toilets are located on the "middle" level.

On the diagram of a double-deck car, the numbers indicate:
1 - vestibule
2 - service room
3 - conductor compartment
4 - ladder of the brake end of the car
5 - first floor passenger compartment
6 - ladder of the non-braking end of the car
7, 8, 9 - toilets
10 - utility room
11 - corridor of the non-braking end of the car
12 - large corridor of the 1st floor
13 - corridor of the brake end of the car
14 - a large corridor on the second floor
15 - second floor passenger compartment.
The compartment numbers are marked in red from 1 to 16. In the four-seater version of the compartment, the seats are located (odd seats - lower seats, even seats - upper seats):

First floor:
compartment No. 1 - 1st, 2nd, 3rd and 4th seats,
compartment No. 2 - 5th, 6th, 7th and 8th seats,
compartment number 3 - 9th, 10th, 11th and 12th places,
compartment No. 4 - seats 13, 14, 15 and 16,
compartment No. 5 - 17th, 18th, 19th and 20th seats,
compartment number 6 - 21, 22, 23 and 24 seats,
compartment number 7 - 25, 26, 27 and 28 seats,
compartment number 8 - 29th, 30th, 31st and 32nd seats.

Second floor:
compartment number 9 - 81, 82, 83 and 84 seats,
compartment number 10 - 85, 86, 87 and 88 seats,
compartment number 11 - 89, 90, 91 and 92 seats,
compartment No. 12 - 93, 94, 95 and 96 seats,
compartment No. 13 - 97, 98, 99 and 100 seats,
compartment No. 14 - seats 101, 102, 103 and 104,
compartment No. 15 - seats 105, 106, 107 and 108,
compartment number 16 - 109, 110, 111 and 112 seats.

Numbering of a double-deck carriage of class SV:
First floor
compartment No. 1 - 1st, 2nd place,
compartment No. 2 - 3rd, 4th place,
compartment No. 3 - 5th, 6th place,
compartment No. 4 - 7th, 8th place,
compartment No. 5 - 9th, 10th place,
compartment number 6 - 11, 12th place,
compartment number 7 - 13, 14th place,
compartment number 8 - 15, 16th place.

Second floor
compartment number 9 - 81, 82 seats,
compartment No. 10 - 83rd, 84th seat,
compartment No. 11 - 85, 86th seat,
compartment number 12 - 87th, 88th seat,
compartment number 13 - 89, 90th place,
compartment No. 14 - 91, 92 seats,
compartment No. 15 - 93, 94th place,
compartment number 16 - 95, 96 seats.

The double-decker carriage can have 64-seater and 30-seater variants. The 64-seater carriage has four-seater compartments, and the 30-seater carriage has two-seater compartments.
The passenger compartments of the Russian Railways double-deck carriage are equipped with: two lower seats and two upper ones (no 30 seats), the double compartment has shelves for small things, under the window table, a ladder and a handrail for climbing into the upper berths (in the double version - absent ), clothes hooks and a mirror on the door.

Double-deck carriage with seating

The economy class double-decker carriage will accommodate 104 seats. The business class carriage on each floor will have 29 luxury seats. Business class seats can be rotated in the direction of the train movement, or the interlocutors can turn the seats towards each other. All double-decker cars are equipped with air conditioning and Wi-Fi with Internet.

According to the plans of Russian Railways, by 2020, almost all long-distance train carriages will be replaced by double-deck ones. Their advantages for the only Russian company carrying out passenger rail transportation are obvious. Double-decker cars are almost 2 times more spacious than ordinary cars, and this allows you to get much more money for one trip. And for the passengers themselves, the new unusual mobile homes will certainly seem quite comfortable.

A bit of history

Currently, only two double-decker trains run on the country's roads: Moscow-Adler and Moscow-St. Petersburg. The cars for both trains were assembled at the Tver plant. This design is by no means a modern invention. Such cars were plying on the roads of our country back in 1905. They were produced, by the way, by the same Tver plant. A century later, the management of this enterprise decided to revive the old project. Of course, the new double-decker cars of Russian Railways have little resemblance to their counterparts of the last century. They are made of modern materials and have a more perfect shape. And, of course, there can be no comparison between these two models in terms of the degree of technical equipment.

Differences from conventional wagons

The new trains traveling from Moscow to Adler and St. Petersburg have one more interesting feature. The types of passenger cars of Russian Railways are different - these are reserved seats, general, SV, KB, etc. Double-deck cars are classified as compartments. There is no reserved seat or SV here. Tickets for such a carriage are not too expensive. You will have to pay a little more for the trip than for a reserved seat on a regular train.

The unusual features of double-deck cars for domestic travelers include the presence of compartments and toilets intended for disabled people, a bar (in addition to a restaurant), magnetic cards for opening / closing compartments. Those who like to spend their free time on the Internet will surely like the availability of free Wi-Fi and 220 V sockets near each lower berth on the trains. The double-decker cars of Russian Railways look very modern and quite stylish inside.

Conductor's compartment

In addition to the standard sink, there is a microwave oven, a thermopot and a coffee machine. If you wish, you can ask the guide to warm up the food you have taken with you or order coffee. The remote control no longer blinks with multicolored incomprehensible lights. In double-decker cars, it is more similar to those found in the steward's cabin on an airplane. The conductor can regulate the climate in compartments and corridors, as well as administer magnetic access systems. The same control panel is used to control the power system of the car. Among other things, the conductor's room is equipped with a video surveillance screen. The cameras themselves are installed in the corridors of both floors.

Passenger compartment

In addition to sockets, there is a radio point here. Unlike conventional trains, you can catch your favorite channels on your own. In each compartment, as in the usual train, there is a folding table and four berths. The new double-deck carriages of Russian Railways have been equipped quite well. However, their passengers will have to experience some inconveniences. For example, there are no third luggage compartments in the compartment. All suitcases and large bags will have to be placed under the lower berth. Of course, due to the design of the carriages, the ceilings in the compartment are much lower.

The bunk beds in double-decker trains are quite long, but still somewhat less comfortable than in conventional trains. Firstly, the windows in the compartment of the double-decker train are very low. Therefore, it will not be possible to lie down, admiring the landscapes passing by. Secondly, due to the low ceilings, there is very little free space on the upper shelves. Sitting with your legs hanging down will not work in any case.

In addition to Wi-Fi and radio, the double-decker compartments are equipped with climate control systems. The doors are equipped with magnetic locks. You can open / close them using a special card. Of course, there is also individual lighting in the passenger compartment.

Corridors

A passenger who has just entered the double-decker carriage will not see anything particularly new (except for the stairs leading up). Externally, the corridors are very similar to those that everyone is used to seeing on long-distance trains. There are dry closets on both sides, and a carpet runner is spread on the floor. The only difference is in the location of the windows (almost at the floor) and lower ceilings. There is a mirror on the second floor in the hallway. It is necessary so that people going up and down the stairs can see each other in order to avoid collisions. On the lower and upper floors, the corridors are made from different sides. Therefore, the double-decker passenger cars of Russian Railways are quite convenient in terms of observing landscapes sweeping by as they move.

Tambours

It is safer and less frightening to cross from carriage to carriage in a double-deck train as in a regular train. Passengers will not hear anything rumbling and clanking here. The doors of the vestibule also do not slam, but close and open automatically by means of a special button. Smoking on double-decker trains is strictly prohibited. Therefore, there are no ashtrays in the vestibules. It is unlikely that you will be able to smoke in the toilet. Control systems are installed here. Smoking passengers can relax with a cigarette only after getting off the train at the stations.

Toilets

Many passengers consider the double-decker cars of Russian Railways quite comfortable for the presence of new, modern bathrooms. In appearance and functionality, they are more like aircraft toilets. Stops are not closed on time, which is certainly good news. Each toilet has a comfortable toilet, a tidy sink, mirror and hand dryer. There is no trash can that opens from above under the window opposite the bathroom in double-decker trains. Several containers are installed instead. Garbage in them is sorted by type.

Restaurant car

Of course, the passengers of the double-decker train have the opportunity to have a delicious lunch on the road. Actually, the restaurant hall itself with tables and comfortable sofas is located on the second floor of the carriage. The first one contains only the kitchen and the bar. Dishes are prepared by highly qualified chefs. They are served upstairs on a special mini-elevator. The second one is exactly the same designed for lowering dirty dishes. The cost of food in the dining car of a double-decker train is quite acceptable for people of average income. For soup or borscht, for example, you will have to pay about 250 rubles. Soft drinks are available at the bar.

Service

Thus, we have found out what is the difference between a double-decker passenger train carriage and an ordinary one. Next, let's see how the service in such trains differs from the service in the usual ones. So, the ticket price on a double-decker train includes:

• linens;
• dry ration, which includes yogurt, sausage, tea bag, bun and mineral water;
• magazines, newspapers.

Ticket price

The price of a travel document depends on the time of purchase. The less space is left in the carriages, the higher the cost of tickets. The road from Moscow to St. Petersburg when buying a travel document the day before the train departure will cost about 3,500 rubles.

Places for the disabled

The designers who developed the double-deck cars of Russian Railways took care of people with disabilities. You can get into the carriage, if necessary, without getting up from the sidecar. For this, a special platform is provided at the entrance. A disabled person in a wheelchair just drives on her, and she picks him up in the carriage. In addition to special compartments, special wide toilets are also provided for people with disabilities.

Double-decker cars of Russian Railways: reviews

As you can see, a trip in such a train will cost a little less than traveling in a compartment of a regular train. In this aspect, passenger reviews of double-decker trains are enthusiastic. Many also like the introduced technical improvements. Although Wi-Fi does not catch in many places along the route, it is still available in the carriages. The ability to listen to your favorite music on the radio is also good news. In general, Russian Railways' double-deck cars are equipped better than even some of the old branded ones.

However, reviews of new formulations are not always so rosy. Of course, double-deck cars also have some disadvantages. These passengers include, first of all:

• Service. Since there are more people in a double-decker car than in an ordinary car, and the number of conductors has not changed, for example, it will take longer to wait for tea.
• The risk of injury. When moving, the double-decker train sways very strongly. The stairs in the carriages are quite steep.
• The workload of the toilets. In a regular compartment car there are 2 of them for 36 seats (one for 18 people), in a two-deck carriage - 3 for 64 (1 for 21 people).
• The absence of third shelves, of course, also does not add convenience to the cars.

As you can see, on the one hand, double-deck cars are beneficial to the Russian Railways company and are quite convenient for passengers. You will have to pay less for a trip with such a train. However, the passengers of the new trains will still have to experience some discomfort, primarily associated with the cramped conditions. For clarity, a little higher in the article, a diagram of a double-decker car of Russian Railways is presented to your attention.