Upgraded double-decker Aurora train to run between Moscow and St. Petersburg

The new Aurora train, presented at the St. Petersburg International Economic Forum (SPIEF), will be launched between St. Petersburg and Moscow on December 19, 2024. The train will make two trips per day, The Russian Railways said.

The Aurora train, named so after the cruiser of the same name, ran between Moscow and St. Petersburg from 1963 to 2010. The Federal Passenger Company (FPC, a subsidiary of Russian Railways) announced plans to bring the train back to the route in an upgraded double-decker version with seats.

The train will be able to carry more than 1,000 passengers at a time.

The train will consist of 15 modern double-decker carriages with standard and improved seating, a staff carriage with seats for passengers with disabilities, a deluxe sleeper, and a bistro carriage. All carriages will be equipped with climate control systems, bio-toilets, and additional space for luggage and belongings. Interiors will be made using eco-leather in calm blue, gray, and beige tones.

Passenger seats will feature individual sockets, USB and Type-C ports for charging mobile devices, as well as folding tables and footrests.

In carriages with improved seating, passengers will additionally be able to rotate their seats 180 degrees and adjust the angle of the backrest. The train will also have two-seater compartments with a TV.

The travel time on the route will amount to 5.5 hours.

Details

Russian Railways is a Russian fully state-owned vertically integrated railway company, both managing infrastructure and operating freight and passenger train services. The company was established on 18 September 2003, when a decree was passed to separate the upkeep and operation of the railways from the Ministry of Railways of the Russian Federation. RZhD is based in Moscow at Novaya Basmannaya str., 2. The operating units of the central part of the staff are at Kalanchevskaya str., 35. Railways in the Russian-occupied region of Crimea are controlled by Crimea Railway, a separate company.