Tallinn-Moscow train is back. With changes

Photo: Eero Vabamägi / Postimees

At 1:38 pm this Saturday, a train from Moscow again rolled into The Baltic Station – Balti jaam – in Tallinn. The connection had been cut about two months ago.   

As explained to Vikerraadio morning news by Estonian Railways CEO Toomas Virro, the relaunched train no longer goes straight from Tallinn to Moscow but will essentially merge two earlier lines and pass through St Petersburg. The solution allows for cheaper tickets to those travelling to Moscow.

While last year the former operator GoRail lowered ticket prices by 60 percent to €43 in seating wagon, €64 in square card wagon and €82 and upwards in coupe wagon, the new version is cheaper yet. In coupe wagon, one may take the Tallinn-Moscow trip for €72; square card comes at €61 and seating wagon €50. A ticket to St Petersburg sets you back by €33, €27 and €21 respectively.

«This allows for effective use of train driver resource which is a major cost. The infrastructure fees will come down, and naturally the combined lines will have an increased number of passengers,» said Mr Virro, adding that the Russian side also features a third business direction along the same route i.e. traffic between St Petersburg and Moscow.

«During the difficult times behind us we found ourselves in a situation where we did not succeed in continuing Tallinn-Moscow train connection, and in the spring season it did halt for a time, but in good cooperation with our Russian partner Russian Railways and their subsidiary FPK we attempted to revive it and today, as you can see, the first train from Moscow has arrived,» Estonian Railways chairman Raivo Vare said at the reopening of the line.

Estonian Railways press representative said that the negotiations mainly centred on finding an optimal travel schedule and the trajectory logistically optimal and most convenient for passengers. Despite the delay, they succeeded in restoring the historic connection in a relatively short time while considering the effective aspects of earlier system.

The first Moscow-Tallinn train departed at 9:20 pm on Friday and stopped on its way in St Petersburg early Saturday morning. As compared to the earlier GoRail connection, travel times have changed as well. «[The departure times] have been made more convenient for passengers – the border crossing, which used to take place at an inconvenient time for the passengers, has now been solved by this schedule,» noted Mr Vare.

The train departs from both ends, daily. From Tallinn, it departs at 3:20 and reaches Moscow at 9:32 in the morning after. «Today we may safely say that an individual who boards the train in the evening reaches city centre in the morning,» said Mr Vare. The quality of the trains is improved as well – the carriages are more modern, all equipped with air conditioning and vacuum toilet and featuring special seats for passengers with mobility disability.

Estonian Railways made the proposal to Russian Railways to assume operation of the Moscow lines this spring after announcement by GoRail about termination of transport of passengers along said line. The last Moscow train by GoRail departed from Tallinn on May 18th.

According to Tiit Pruuli, board member of GoRail responsible for Tallinn-Moscow train connection for the past 15 years, said he was happy the train was rolling again while sorry that they had to lay off 200 of staff in the spring as the line was closed, these jobs now located in Russia.