As you, dear and respected readers, may have noticed from my previous posts, not so long ago (a month ago) I returned from a trip to our northern neighbor, the Republic of Belarus. About cities, their appearance, attractions, etc. I told you. And now I would like to tell you about an integral part and one of the integral symbols of any civilized state - the Belarusian railway, especially the passenger transportation system.
Although the Belarusian Railway (hereinafter referred to as BC, abbreviated from the official name BZD-Belarusian Chygunka) some 25 years ago was part of the same huge railway transport system as the railways of Ukraine (hereinafter referred to as UZ, abbreviated from the official name Ukrzaliznytsia ), during this period, many differences formed between them, which will mainly be discussed. So, the first and most important difference lies in the classification of railway transportation. In the vastness of Uzbekistan, a more “soviet” system of dividing trains into suburban and night trains has been preserved passenger (fast, passenger and express) and day passenger (Intercity, regional express and regional train), of which during independence only such a thing as a day passenger train appeared." In Soviet times, trains of this format ran as local ones. In Belarus During the period of independence, the train classification system has changed dramatically, becoming more modern and European. The former commuter trains changed their name to regional economy class trains, passenger trains began to be divided into interregional economy class, business class and international trains. Also such concepts as trains of urban and commercial lines appeared. Each of these subtypes of trains began to have its own markings and colors, the symbols of these subtypes were the types of flowers growing on the territory of Belarus 
Now let's move on to such an important factor as the quality of service and service at stations, stations and inside trains. In this regard, important advantages of BC in relation to UZ are a much higher degree of modernization of the country's main stations (interactive electronic displays, better and more modern finishing of ticket offices halls and waiting rooms), the absence of division into suburban, intercity and international ticket offices, the ability to buy a train ticket using a payment card of international systems, the presence of self-service ticket machines at the largest train stations (however, only the owner of a national payment system card can buy a ticket from such a machine , Belkart", which I managed to get burned on once.) The photo below shows the waiting room and ticket office of one of these modernized train stations - the Grodno station.
Most of the largest Ukrainian train stations, reconstructed during the 2000s and 2010s, do not look like after a nuclear war, but clearly do not reach the level of modern ones. Let's just say that such a reconstruction could have been considered ideal in the 70s and 80s last century, but not now
Another important factor in railway transportation is the frequency of trains. In this regard, BC is also significantly ahead of UZ trains, which run at Soviet frequency, there are a large number of direct cars, since Soviet times, not on any branch, not counting some sections on the border with other states, the movement was not cancelled.
The third factor by which UZ and BC can be compared is the condition of the rolling stock. It is also worth noting the advantage of BC - the majority of the rolling stock on interregional and international lines is either new or new. It was a shock for me to see a modern carriage with a vacuum toilet and an electronic display, next in general mode on a regular train. The rolling stock of regional business class lines and city lines consists entirely of modern Swiss-made trains, the so-called Stadler Flirt. By the way, these trains have recently been produced on
territory of Belarus, in the suburb of Minsk Fanipol
On regional economy class lines, just like our suburban lines, there are mostly good old electric or diesel trains produced by the Riga Carriage Works, although there are also newer examples, such as DP1 (620M) or modernized DR1B 
But we also have such examples, so 
What can we say that in terms of suburban MVPS, UZ is approximately on the same level as BC. Although this statement is debatable, because Belarusian rolling stock is much better looked after than Ukrainian. The photo below shows a typical electric train of the only depot serving Belarusian electric trains-Minsk PM-9 
Another factor by which our railways can be compared are tariffs. We can say with confidence that in Belarus they are quite cheap, more expensive than in Ukraine, but quite adequate to the income of the local population. For 100 km of travel on regional economy class lines BC you will pay 16,800 Belarusian rubles (21.84 UAH, 60.66 rubles), while in Ukraine (in the vastness of, for example, the Lvov railway) it will cost 15 hryvnia (11,538 Belarusian rubles, 41.6 rubles).
So, it is logical that having discussed all the advantages of the Belarusian Railway, we can calmly move on to its disadvantages. The first and most important of them is the high degree of negligence of the control workers; on the evening train to Minsk there may be no controllers or conductors at all. Or they may simply sit in the carriage and never once during the entire trip go to check or sell tickets. None of the Belarusian stations are ticketed, none have such a thing as platform control of passengers. Also not a very pleasant fact is the absence of glasses in the cup holders in most carriages and the absence of many types of social benefits in a state that declares itself social.
But in general terms, we can say with confidence that warhead is still constantly progressing, it has a more or less bright present and a good and clear future, which, alas, cannot be said about its native UZ.
Indicate the route and date. In response, we will find information from Russian Railways about the availability of tickets and their cost. Choose the appropriate train and place. Pay for your ticket using one of the suggested methods. Payment information will be instantly transmitted to Russian Railways and your ticket will be issued.
How to return a purchased train ticket?
Is it possible to pay for a ticket by card? Is it safe?
Yes, sure. Payment occurs through the payment gateway of the Gateline.net processing center. All data is transmitted over a secure channel.The Gateline.net gateway was developed in accordance with the requirements of the international security standard PCI DSS. The gateway software has successfully passed the audit according to version 3.1.The Gateline.net system allows you to accept payments with Visa and MasterCard cards, including using 3D-Secure: Verified by Visa and MasterCard SecureCode.The Gateline.net payment form is optimized for various browsers and platforms, including mobile devices.Almost all railway agencies on the Internet work through this gateway.
What is an electronic ticket and electronic registration?
Purchasing an electronic ticket on the website is a modern and fast way to issue a travel document without the participation of a cashier or operator.When purchasing an electronic train ticket, seats are redeemed immediately at the time of payment.After payment, to board the train you need to either register electronically or print a ticket at the station.Electronic registration Not available for all orders. If registration is available, you can complete it by clicking on the appropriate button on our website. You will see this button immediately after payment. You will then need your original ID and a printout of your boarding pass to board the train. Some conductors do not require a printout, but it is better not to risk it.Print e-ticket You can do so at any time before the train departs at the ticket office at the station or at the self-registration terminal. To do this, you need a 14-digit order code (you will receive it via SMS after payment) and an original ID.
The Belarusian Railway (Belarusian Chygunka) is a state association subordinate to the Ministry of Transport and Communications of the Republic of Belarus. It includes 66 organizations with legal entity status, as well as three representative offices.
The Office of the Belarusian Railway is considered to be the apparatus of the warhead. BC is also connected with the railways of some countries (Latvia, Lithuania, Poland, Russian Federation, Ukraine).
Contact information of Belorussian Railway:
- Address: Minsk city st. Lenin 17.
- Phone number: +375 17 225-63-10 (Inquiry).
- Fax: +375 17 227-56-48.
- Official website www.rw.by.
- Opening hours: the help desk is open 24 hours a day, seven days a week.
Belorusskaya Railway
The railway provides moving services not only to any point in the country, but also in an international format.
Belarusian cast iron: official website of the company
The website contains an online train schedule for the Belarusian Railway:
Helpful information: Belarusian Chygunka suggests visiting the website, which is quite modern and easy to use. Here you will find all the necessary information. The site also has a line that makes it easier to find information, and a personal account for the Belarusian Chygunka.
Moreover, the site is constantly updated, so it is convenient to follow railway news and find out innovations, changes in train service and ticket prices.
Promotions, discounts, special offers
The Belarusian Railway takes care of its passengers, providing them with various amenities in the form of a system of special offers.
Current bonuses when purchasing Belarusian railway tickets at the link:
Discounts on travel in the direction Belarus-Russia
They depend on the timing of the sale of tickets to the total cost of travel on the territory of the Russian and Belarusian Railways for passengers when purchasing compartment and SV cars.
This offer includes:
- 20% discount on the total fare, subject to sale within the period from 60 to 30 days before the departure of the required train.
- 15% discount on the total cost when selling a ticket from 30 to 21 days before train departure.
- 0% discount on ticket purchases from 20 to 11 days before train departure.
- When traveling in CB class carriages, as well as compartment carriages of Belarusian Railways trains on some routes, a discount rate of 10% of the total cost is also applied when purchasing a travel document in round trip directions.
- 5% surcharge when selling a ticket for 10 days or more.
When purchasing a ticket for a reserved seat category of a carriage, there is a 10% discount on side seats.
Note! The discount is valid when purchasing tickets at the ticket office at the railway station.
When purchasing tickets for a group to the CIS countries, Lithuania, Latvia, Estonia, a discount is provided:
- 20% of the fare for a group of adults (10 – 24 people).
- 30% of the cost for a group of adults (starting from 25 persons).
Discounts on travel between Belarus and Lithuania
Passengers purchasing a ticket on the Minsk-Vilnius route are given a 10% discount upon presentation of travel documents at the Lithuanian Railway ticket office.
Express program
It determines the procedure for calculating and paying money for the purchase of tickets by program participants using plastic cards and non-cash purchase of tickets issued on the official website of the BC.
Note! Such a program must be monitored on the website of the BC and the bank.
The Belarusian Chygunka is developing the freight transportation infrastructure in every possible way and offers for transportation:
- Large luggage.
- Long cargo.
- Heavy loads.
Freight transportation
All this is included in the special composition of railway transporters, divided into types:
- Articulated - designed for heavy transformers and other large loads weighing up to 5000 tons.
- Transport couplings are used when transporting long loads.
- Well - intended for loads weighing up to 120 tons. Such loads have a large height or diameter.
- Flatbeds are ideal for transporting heavy equipment.
- Platform ones are used for transporting large luggage with a total weight of up to 120 tons.
Belarusian Railways carries out transportation of goods and luggage in accordance with:
- Instructions for the transportation of oversized and heavy cargo on the railways of the CIS member states, the Republic of Latvia, the Republic of Lithuania, the Republic of Estonia DC-1835.
- Resolution of the Ministry of Antimonopoly Regulation and Trade of the Republic of Belarus No. 8 dated January 22, 2018.
- Rules for the carriage of goods.
- Standards for the transportation of dangerous goods by rail.
- Rules for the transportation of liquid cargo in bulk in tank cars and bunker cars for the transportation of oil bitumen.
- Tariff policy.
Note! The Belarusian Railway is being improved and strives to meet all modern requirements. This desire set her the task of opening Electronic Transportation. In such a system it is proposed to place an order for cargo transportation, as well as additional services and obtain all the necessary information.
The operation is carried out directly through the official website, through interaction with employees.
Classes of service
Various trains travel along the Belarusian Railway.
One of the new and most comfortable types is the electric train.
Its advantages include:
- Covering a distance of 300 km in 3 hours.
- Modern interior.
- The presence of two classes, on which the cost of the ticket depends.
All electric train cars are distinguished by spacious seats for passengers and comfortable seats, the ability to charge a phone and luggage racks. There is a buffet on the train premises.
New train
Fast trains also pass through the territory of the Belarusian Chygunaks according to the following routes:
- Minsk – Moscow “Belarus”
- Polotsk - Moscow "Dvina".
- Branded group of cars Minsk - St. Petersburg as part of fast train No. 52/51 Brest - St. Petersburg
- Coffee, tea, other drinks.
- Confectionery.
- Personal hygiene items.
- Bed sheets.
- Board games.
- First aid.
- Seat belts.
- Additional information including stops at Belarusian railway stations.
All you need to do is choose the most suitable option in terms of convenience and pricing.
Nutrition
The Belorusskaya Chygunka trains provide a range of both free and paid services.
The most popular service is meals on trains.
Tea on the train
The conductor can prepare and serve the passenger coffee, tea, and other drinks that do not contain alcohol free of charge, if they are included in the cost of the travel document.
The following are available for a fee:
Additional free services include:
The Belarusian railway is considered the most comfortable and clean, and the service staff is pleasant and polite.
Gomel is connected by long-distance railway routes with many cities in Belarus, Ukraine, and Russia. The city has the Gomel-Passenger station. The station belongs to the Belarusian Railway. The Gomel branch of the Belarusian Railways is located at the most important strategic crossroads that connects the eastern routes with the west. The station also includes two platforms - Gomel odd and Gomel even. The suburban station was built as a separate building. The boarding platforms and the station are connected by an underground passage - a tunnel. The last reconstruction was carried out in 2003. The station has seven tracks and four platforms. The trains are operated by the Belaruskaya Chygunka company, which compiles the timetable. Tickets for long-distance trains are sold at terminal equipment. The station has introduced an electronic check-in service for international trains.
International trains connect the city directly with Moscow and St. Petersburg and Russian cities in the popular southern direction: Anapa, Adler (via Voronezh), Novorossiysk, Mineralnye Vody, Saratov. The capital of Russia can be reached from here via Bryansk and Smolensk by branded trains. The branded train "SOZH" serves the direction Gomel - Mogilev - Moscow (including trailer groups Soligorsk - Moscow). The station is located on the line connecting the capital of Ukraine and Belarus. From here you can get to the southern Ukrainian Simferopol, Evpatoria, Kherson, Feodosia and Odessa, as well as Mariupol, Chernigov, Shchors, Dnepropetrovsk. Direct carriages go to Adler (via Kharkov), Murmansk, Kazakh Karaganda, Arkhangelsk, and the capital of Bulgaria - Sofia. The Moscow-Brest trailer group of cars serves routes to Nice and Paris.
Long-distance trains run to Minsk, Polotsk (via Vitebsk, Mogilev), Baranovichi, Brest, Svetlogorsk, Grodno. Suburban railway communication occurs within the Gomel region in five directions.
Towards Kalinkovichi you can get to Rechitsa, Yelsk, Kalinkovichi, Mulyarovka, Vasilevichi, Khoiniki. There is a circular commuter route to Zhlobin. Express trains go to Mogilev and Svetlogorsk. In the direction of Terekhovka, commuter trains go to Krugovets and Kutok. Several pairs of daily commuter trains go to Kravtsovka. There is one diesel train in the Novozybkovsky direction on weekends and several daily pairs to Dobrush.
Information on train and train schedules at Gomel station:
The schedule of trains and electric trains at the Gomel station today includes 94 long-distance trains, commuter trains and electric trains (including diesel engines) - 80, 66 of them passing and 108 starting or ending their journey in this locality. Most trains arrive in the morning. The first, according to the schedule, departs at 00:04 in the direction of the Minsk-Pass station, and the last arrives at 23:52. The average parking time on the platform is 0:16.
Some trains passing through Gomel station do not run every day (they have a special schedule).
The train and train schedule for the Gomel station presented on this page takes into account seasonal changes, that is, winter and summer schedule options are always available.
Tickets for trains and commuter trains at Gomel station can be purchased online or at the ticket office.
Passengers and luggage by public railway transport in the Republic of Belarus (as amended by resolutions of the Ministry of Transport dated 08/25/2009 N 77, dated 01/18/2010 N 4, dated 10/25/2012 N 49):
An electronic travel document is issued by an individual independently through the Internet resource www.poezd.rw.by on the official website of the Belarusian Railway on the global computer network Internet.
electronic travel document- an electronic document confirming the conclusion of a contract for the carriage of a passenger, in which information about the carriage of a passenger is presented in electronic digital form and stored in an electronic database using intersystem interaction.
After reviewing the proposed conditions on the official website of the Belarusian Railway on the global computer network Internet and agreeing with them, an individual submits an order to purchase an electronic travel document. If the order is successfully completed, the passenger receives a notification. If the notification is not received, the electronic travel document is considered unissued.
239. A passenger who has paid for travel through an online resource can board the train and travel, having previously completed, in the manner prescribed by these Rules, electronic registration or issuance of a travel document (ticket) on a strict reporting form at the ticket office of the Belarusian Railway organization.
At the same time, all travel documents (tickets) specified in the order form must be issued, partial registration is not allowed. Change of personal data passengers when issuing travel documents (tickets) at the ticket office of the Belarusian Railway not allowed.
Re-issuance of travel documents (tickets) ordered and paid via the Internet at the ticket office of the Belarusian Railway not produced.
In accordance with Instructions for registration of travel and transportation documents with payment by bank plastic cards and via the Internet on the Belarusian Railway:
17. An individual may purchase no more than 4 travel documents. Each document is issued for 1 person indicating information about the passenger.
19. Not produced registration of travel via the Internet for citizens:
19.1. enjoying the right to preferential travel in accordance with the law;
19.2. traveling for military, transport or other types of requirements;
19.3. organized groups of passengers.
20. To issue travel documents, the passenger or his authorized representative presents the travel order form to the ticket agent (or provides the Internet order number - 14 digits).
21. Additionally, to issue travel documents, the passenger or his authorized representative presents to the ticket cashier an identification document (passport of a citizen of the Republic of Belarus, residence permit in the Republic of Belarus, refugee certificate), a military ID, or another document containing a photograph certified by a seal.
3. Return of unused electronic travel documents
- when traveling through the territory of Belarus:
Return of electronic tickets with electronic registration carried out after their registration on a strict reporting form, i.e. no later than 1 hour before the train departs from the initial station of its route. To get a refund, you must issue a travel document at the ticket office based on the order number (14 digits) and return it on a general basis.
- for international passenger trains running between the Republic of Belarus and the Russian Federation:
According to Chapter 10 REGULATIONS for interaction in organizing electronic registration of passengers on international passenger trains running between the Republic of Belarus and the Russian Federation:
10.1. In case of refusal to travel using an electronic ticket with electronic registration, the passenger must either refuse electronic registration in the manner provided for in the web systems of BC and JSC Russian Railways, or receive a travel document on the established form at the ticket office or TTS, TTR no later than one hour before the departure of a direct train/car from the station at the beginning of its route on the territory of the state through whose web system the electronic travel document with electronic registration was purchased. Cancellation of the electronic registration service in the web systems of BC and JSC Russian Railways is carried out no later than one hour before the departure of a direct train/car from the station where its route begins.
10.2. The return of an unused travel document issued on the prescribed form is made at the ticket office in accordance with the SMPS OP.
10.3. Through the web system of JSC Russian Railways, electronic travel documents previously purchased through it are returned:
with electronic registration - no later than one hour before the departure of a direct train/car from the station of the beginning of its route;
without electronic registration - at any time before the train departs from the passenger boarding station.
10.4. Return of an unused electronic travel document with electronic registration in less than one hour not produced.
- for international passenger trains running between the Republic of Belarus and the Republic of Latvia:
According to chapter 7 REGULATIONS for interaction in organizing electronic registration of passengers for international passenger trains/cars of direct service running between the Republic of Belarus and the Republic of Latvia:
7.1. In case of refusal to travel using an electronic travel document with electronic registration, the passenger must either refuse electronic registration in the manner provided for in the web systems of BC and State Joint-Stock Company "LDZ", or receive a travel document on a standard form at a ticket office in the state, via the web - the system of which an electronic travel document with electronic registration was purchased, no later than one hour before the departure of the direct train/car from the station of the beginning of its route.
7.2. The return of an unused travel document issued on a standard form is made at the ticket office in accordance with the SMPS OP.
7.3. Return of an unused electronic travel document with electronic registration in less than one hour before the train departs from the starting station of the train route not produced.
