The content of the article
- Can I book train tickets in advance
- Reservation Methods
- How long is an unpaid reservation
- How to book a train ticket for Russian Railways online
- How many days can I book
- Reservation by telephone hotline
- How to pay and where to pick up a ticket
Citizens traveling by train can reserve seats in the car via the Internet, at railway ticket offices, using the call center operator. It is important to know how the booking process takes place, after what time you should pay for the ticket so that the order is not canceled.
Can I book train tickets in advance
Passengers can reserve seats in a compartment or reserved seat in advance. Reservation of train tickets is carried out upon advance payment, with the payment made a few minutes after the purchase of the document or other options.
Often there are situations when you need to reserve a place on a fast or passenger long-distance or short-distance train urgently, but there is no remote access to an electronic wallet or card. Sometimes a person does not know the exact date of the upcoming trip and cannot immediately make a payment. In such situations, you can reserve a seat on the train without immediate payment:
- There are two ways to defer payment for a trip: you can call the telephone number of the Russian Railways hotline or go to the cash desk of the Moscow Service Center of the railway agency and reserve the required seats.
- You will have to tell the cashier or operator the personal data of all individuals who intend to travel.
- Reservation of Russian Railways tickets without prepayment is valid for 1-3 days, depending on the order method. If the citizen has not paid the fare, the reservation is canceled, the travel document is returned to the public.
Reservation Methods
Russian Railways provides traveling Russians with several options to quickly and comfortably book a travel ticket. You can use the following methods when buying tickets:
- Order through the box office railway stations in person. The advantage of this method is direct control over the issuance of a ticket and the opportunity to get advice on the desired route, other nuances from an employee of Russian Railways. The disadvantages of personal presence at the ticket office of the railway station include the need to stand in long lines to book a ticket.
- On the Russian Railways website or on the pages of partner companies. This method allows you to quickly book a compartment or reserved seat without wasting time and nerves. The negative aspects of this method of remote reservation include the fact that the departing citizen is deprived of the opportunity to postpone payment of the ticket for 1-3 days, cannot immediately consult with a specialist on important issues.
- Acquisition of a seat on the train using the organization’s call center, calling a hotline. This ticket reservation option is convenient for people who do not have remote access to the Internet. In addition, a call to the operator can be used by persons who cannot immediately make a payment for the fare. The disadvantage of this type of booking is the need to know the phone number of the service operators and spend time trying to dial.
How long is an unpaid reservation
Russian Railways, like other carriers, is reluctant to provide customers with the opportunity to reserve a seat without paying a ticket in advance. It is likely that the traveler will not use the reservation, will refuse to travel. At the same time, a person who really needs to leave in the right direction will not be able to go on a trip, since the travel document was not in the public domain.
Limited time available. If the traveler does not make a payment, the reservation of Russian Railways tickets is canceled, the coupon automatically becomes public.
The validity period of the unpaid reservation is set depending on the method of ordering the ticket:
| Type of reservation | Reservation Validity |
| Internet resources of Russian Railways and partners | 15 minutes |
| Railway hotline | 1 day |
| Ticket offices of the Moscow service center of the railway agency | 3 days |
How to book a train ticket for Russian Railways online
To order a ticket remotely, you need to proceed in the following sequence:
- Decide on travel time and route.
- Go to the website of Russian Railways or a service selling tickets online.
- Find the ticket booking tab in the online menu, click on it.
- Go to the reservation page, log in to your personal account, indicate the required information: place of departure and arrival, date of trip. After entering the data, a window opens with all available routes.
- Choose a train, guided by your own preferences: price, travel time, route.
- Choose a car class, indicate the right places.
- Fill out the form, upon registration, indicating information about future passengers (passport details, other ID cards for adult travelers, information from the birth certificate for minors traveling).
- Write email address.
- Receive a booking notification by mail.
- Pay travel papers on time, print the form.
- At the appointed time to appear at the railway station, present the documents to the conductor, take the train, make the trip.
How many days can I book
Reservation of travel documents depends on the direction of the train route:
| Direction of travel | Duration of reservation, days |
| Russian routes | 43 |
| Abkhazia, Baltic countries, CIS countries | 45 |
| International routes | 58 |
Reservation by telephone hotline
Russian Railways has its own telephone service where you can reserve a seat in advance. To use the service, you should follow this algorithm:
- Call the toll-free number +7 (800) 775-00-00, wait for the connection with the service operator.
- Inform about the intention to book a document, indicate the following information: place of departure and arrival, date of trip, passport data, current mobile number, email address.
- Consult all necessary questions, confirm the order.
- Receive Email Reservation Notice.
- Pay for your reservation on time. Some services charge a fee for deferred payments and travel documents.
- Print ticket, show guide at boarding.
How to pay and where to pick up a ticket
The railway organization provides customers with a choice of several payment methods:
- debit and credit bank cards of the MIR, Visa, Mastercard, Maestro systems;
- Paypal, Qiwi services;
- electronic wallets Yandex.Money, Webmoney;
- Euroset self-service terminals.
To get an electronic ticket, you can use the following methods:
- receive a document from the cashier of the railway station before the departure of the train;
- print the form using the self-service terminal at the station;
- pass electronic registration along the route and make the trip without printing a document;
- order courier delivery home.
What are the steps involved in booking a train ticket via phone or online? Can you please clarify the different payment methods available for purchasing train tickets?
To book a train ticket via phone or online, first, you need to visit a trusted railway website or call the railway helpline. Next, search for the desired train by entering the departure and arrival stations, along with the preferred date and time. Compare the available train options and select the most suitable one. Provide necessary passenger details like name, age, and gender. Afterward, choose a seat preference if available.
For payment methods, online train ticket booking platforms usually offer various options. The most common methods include credit or debit card payments, net banking, mobile wallets, or UPI (Unified Payments Interface). Some platforms also allow cash on delivery or payment at the station counter. Payment through online platforms requires entering card details or logging in to the respective payment account. Once the payment is successful, you will receive a confirmation message or email with your e-ticket or booking reference number. Make sure to carry a valid ID while traveling, as it may be required during ticket verification.
Can you please provide some guidance on how to book a train ticket either by phone or online? Also, I would appreciate information on the available payment methods. Thank you!