In January-June 2016, passenger numbers on international and long distance services amounted to over 284,000, an increase of 3.5% compared to the same period last year.
The biggest increase was on the international routes Russia – Italy (+ 36%), Russia – Germany (+ 28%), Russia – Czech Republic (+ 21%), Russia – Austria (+ 4%), Russia – France (+ 58%), Russia – China (+ 6.3%) and Russia – Poland (+ 5%).
The increases were due to new routes and timetable changes. The 2015/2016 passenger train timetable of the Federal Passenger Company, a subsidiary of Russian Railways, re-established services with the individual countries of Europe which were interrupted in 2014.
Thus, train number 9/10 Moscow – Warsaw Polonaise now includes direct carriages to Moscow – Sofia and Moscow – Budapest. As part of this train, direct carriages will operate as part of the connection to the cities of Varna and Burgas in Bulgaria and Bar in Montenegro from June to September 2016.
In December 2015, train number 23/24 Moscow – Berlin – Paris began running three times a week instead of just twice.
In addition, the timetable of train numbers 17/18 Moscow – Nice and 23/24 Moscow – Berlin – Paris now includes new stops at the resort towns of Zell am See in Austria and Epernay in France from the beginning of the 2016 summer season.
The Russian Raiways has introduced new, comfortable sleeping cars during the last years. Picture below from Berlin with the train from Paris til Moscow.