Travelling in Russian: tickets, trains and the way there
Russia is a country of long train journeys and enormous stations. This guide covers getting around, buying tickets, asking the way and checking in, plus the one grammar point travellers need most: на по́езде, “on the train”.
A1–A212 min read60+words and phrases
Every Russian train ticket shows these five fields. Long-distance trains are boarded by carriage, so ваго́н is the number to look for on the platform.
To say how you travel, use на plus the prepositional case (the “location” form, usually ending in -е): на по́езде, “on the train”. The verb also matters: е́хать for any vehicle on land, лете́ть for flying, идти́ only on foot.
Transport
By … (на + prep.)
Example
по́ездPO-yisttrain
на по́ездеna PO-yiz-dye
Мы е́дем на по́езде.▸my YE-dim na PO-yiz-dyeМыweе́демtravelнаbyпо́ездеtrainWe’re going by train.
самолётsa-ma-LYOTplane
на самолётеna sa-ma-LYO-tye
Я лечу́ на самолёте.▸ya li-CHU na sa-ma-LYO-tyeЯIлечу́flyнаbyсамолётеplaneI’m flying.
авто́бусaf-TO-busbus
на авто́бусеna af-TO-bu-sye
Она́ е́дет на авто́бусе.▸a-NA YE-dit na af-TO-bu-syeОна́sheе́детgoesнаbyавто́бусеbusShe’s going by bus.
метро́mit-ROmetro
на метро́na mit-RO
Быстре́е на метро́.▸byst-RYE-ye na mit-ROБыстре́еfasterнаbyметро́metroIt’s quicker by metro.
маши́наma-SHEE-nacar
на маши́неna ma-SHEE-nye
Он е́здит на маши́не.▸on YEZ-dit na ma-SHEE-nyeОнheе́здитgoesнаbyмаши́неcarHe drives (goes by car).
такси́tak-SEEtaxi
на такси́na tak-SEE
Пое́дем на такси́!▸pa-YE-dim na tak-SEEПое́демlet’s goнаbyтакси́taxiLet’s take a taxi!
трамва́йtram-VAYtram
на трамва́еna tram-VA-ye
Я е́ду на трамва́е.▸ya YE-du na tram-VA-yeЯIе́дуgoнаbyтрамва́еtramI’m going by tram.
электри́чкаe-lik-TREECH-kasuburban train
на электри́чкеna e-lik-TREECH-kye
На да́чу на электри́чке.▸na DA-chu na e-lik-TREECH-kyeНаtoда́чуdachaнаbyэлектри́чкеlocal trainTo the dacha by local train.
метро́ and такси́ never change their form (they are borrowed words), so на метро́, на такси́. On foot is пешко́м (pish-KOM).
At the station and the airport
A big city has a separate railway station for each direction, named after where its trains go: in Moscow, trains to St Petersburg leave from Ленингра́дский вокза́л. вокза́л is a mainline station; a metro station is ста́нция.
вокза́лrailway station
аэропо́ртairport
Buying a ticket: a conversation
At the ка́сса (ticket office). Tap any line to hear it.
туда́ и обра́тно (tu-DA i ab-RAT-na; туда́ = there, и = and, обра́тно = back): a return ticket. A one-way ticket is в оди́н коне́ц (v a-DEEN ka-NYETS; в = to, оди́н = one, коне́ц = end).
Asking the way
Start with Извини́те (excuse me). Russians give directions with three words, and you only need to catch these:
At the hotel
A hotel is a гости́ница or, for a modern one, оте́ль. Your room is a но́мер (literally “number”), not a ко́мната.
Signs you will see
Signs are written in capitals and without stress marks. Here they are as you’ll meet them, then with stress and meaning.