Yearly Archives: 2014

Exploring Saint Petersburg’s abandoned Varshavsky station

During my stay in Saint Petersburg, I tried to visit the collection of Russian trains at the Oktyabrskaya Railway Museum, but it was closed for the New Year holiday. However my venture to the outskirts of the city was not in vain, as the unguarded remains of Varshavsky vokzal (Varshavsky station) was still there to explore.

Looking down the abandoned platforms to the main station building Continue reading

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Confused by Saint Petersburg’s many railway museums

On my visit to Saint Petersburg a visit to the local railway museum was on my itinerary, but the city doesn’t make it easy – there are three separate museums, each catering to a difference facet of Russia’s railways. So how do you tell them apart?

Collection of locomotives at the south end of the museum Continue reading

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Flying out of Domodedovo – not your average airport!

When I departed Russia I flew out of Moscow’s Domodedovo Airport, and like the rest of the country, it was a little peculiar.

Why is there a 'Foster's Bar' at a Russian airport? Continue reading

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Stationmasters on guard across Romania

As I travelled by train across Romania, one thing stood out to me – the stationmaster on guard as we rolled through each station.

Stationmaster at Curtici watches our train depart Continue reading

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Ventilation shafts of the Saint Petersburg Metro

The Saint Petersburg Metro is located deep underground – so how do the 2.15 million passengers per day who use it get fresh air?

Escalators down to platform level at Nevsky Prospekt (Не́вский проспе́кт) station on Line 2 Continue reading

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Russian payday lenders and clever advertisements

Continuing on my theme of Russian retailers listing their nearest metro station in their advertising, when riding the Nizhny Novgorod Metro I found another interesting advertisement – this time for a payday lender called «Нано-Финанс» (Nano Finance).

Advertisement for a payday lender on the Nizhny Novgorod Metro Continue reading

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Ukrainian Railways and bomb threats

Given all of the civil unrest currently going on in Ukraine, you might expect that railway operations aren’t running as smoothly as they used to.

електри́чка (suburban electrical multiple unit) train outside the city of Ясинувата (Yasynuvata) Continue reading

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Frankfurt to Vienna by train

My journey across Europe started in the German city of Frankfurt am Main, and my second stop was the Austrian capital of Vienna, with a seven hour long train trip between the two.

ICE 3 arrives into Frankfurt am Main Hauptbahnhof Continue reading

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Admiralteyskaya – Saint Petersburg’s deepest metro station

Continuing on my theme of the world’s deepest metro stations, this time I visit the second place holder at 86 metres below ground – Admiralteyskaya in Saint Petersburg.

Mural at platform level at Admiralteyskaya (Адмиралте́йская) station on Line 5 Continue reading

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Ukrainian Railways clearing the snow

Ukraine has bitterly cold winters, so keeping snow off the railway tracks is a big job.

Yet another snow clearing crew at work on the Ukrainian Railways Continue reading

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