cross country voyager model train

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Class 220 4-Car DEMU 220009 Arriva Cross Country

£399.95

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The Class 220 Voyager is a class of diesel-electric high-speed multiple-unit trains built in Belgium by Bombardier Transportation in 2000 and 2001.

They were introduced in 2001 to replace the 20-year-old InterCity 125 and 30-year-old Class 47-hauled Mark 2 fleets operating on the Cross Country Route, initially for Virgin CrossCountry and since 2007 by CrossCountry, within the Arriva group (now owned by DB). The Class 220s operate in four-coach sets with a top speed of 125 mph (200 km/h) and a maximum range of approximately 1,350 miles between refuelling and servicing.

Because CrossCountry's network has such a wide geographic reach, Class 220 Voyagers can be seen from Aberdeen to Penzance, Manchester to Bournemouth and Newcastle to Reading.  They are most common at Birmingham New Street, which is the hub of the CrossCountry network.  

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KEY : DS or SF suffix = DCC Sound Factory Fitted | DC suffix = DCC Decoder Factory Fitted | [W] suffix = Weathered finish | [PF] suffix = Passenger Figures Fitted | [L] suffix = Supplied with a Wagon Load

ETA : This indicates the release of the product to our network of Retailers and is subject to change without notice. E&OE.  Bachmann do not sell direct to the public, please contact our Stockists to purchase the products we distribute.

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Voyager Advanced 2019

Class 220 (non-tilting) four-car formation:

• DMF (driving vehicle with First Class seating)
• MS (Standard Class seating)
• MSRMB (Standard Class seating with on-board shop)
• DMSL (driving vehicle with Standard Class seating and luggage area)

Class 221 (tilting) five car formation:

LIVERIES Seven liveries are included:

• CrossCountry (current)
• CrossCountry (transitional)
• Virgin Trains 'Flowing Silk' (221101 '101 Squadron')
• Virgin Trains mid-2000s Red with CrossCountry logo
• Virgin Cross Country
• USA fictional
• German fictional
• Super Voyager 221 tilt operation - visible externally and from the cab, based on track curvature and speed
• Bump mapping - gives greater detail on the models
• Cab sway movement - see the movement as you start, stop, corner, accelerate and decelerate
• Windscreen wipers clear rain from driver's front windows
• ActivClag - dynamic exhaust output. See the diesel smoke density vary under load and light grey oil smoke emitted from the exhaust on engine start.
• Animated passenger doors complete with external door interlock light and opening/closing sounds with warning beeper
• Passenger windows rain effect - see the rain on the windows in Passenger view
• Detailed passenger cabin view - with Train Simulator lighting for that 'being there' feeling
• Acceleration and braking physics based on real timings
• Quick Drive capability
• TASS (Tilt Authorisation and Speed Supervision) operation, with Advanced TASS features and ActivWorld TASS markers. TASS demonstration track included
• EPS limit signs
• Throttle/brake with centre detent, hill start and Rail Driver compatibility
• Limited Rail Driver compatibility
• ActivWorld Tilt fail scenario trigger
• Working external and internal door interlock lights
• Working digital destination displays - in driver's windscreen and on the side of the passenger carriages. You can change the destination selection
• Realistic LED marker lights - with Train Simulator lighting effects
• Authentic headlight control - including flashing 'hazard' setting
• Cab Lighting effects
• Cab and gauge lighting - independently controlled main cab lighting and gauge illumination. There is even a separate controlled light to illuminate the driver notes clipboard!
• Working headlights which illuminate the track ahead

DETAILED CABS

• Highly detailed and authentic driver's cabs (different models for the 220 and 221 versions)
• Working driver's Master key - drag the key and place in the lock
• Train Management System (TMS) - partially simulated with boot-up sequence and anomaly warnings
• Working Driver Vigilance Device
• Tilt Isolate switch - operating in the Tilting Super Voyager 221. Activate it and you have no tilt
• Auto slow-speed function - train will drive forward automatically at 3MPH for use in train washes
• AWS self-test - move the reverser the first time and hear the AWS self-test warning
• DSD (Driver's Safety Device) - move the reverser for the first time and hear the DSD self-test sound. The DSD will subsequently sound if you move to forward or reverse after stopping in neutral. Hear the DSD warning as you drive if you have not altered the controls for a set period of time
• Working DRA (Driver's Reminder Appliance) - use the DRA to prevent the throttle from being applied at a station stop
• Switchable externally audible alarms - never miss an AWS caution or DSD reminder when driving from the external view; these sounds can be heard from outside the cab, and this feature can be disabled from the cab.
• NRN Radio - with unique ActivScript coding that gives you a random selection of different voices each time. Press the blue call button on the NRN (National Rail Network) radio to run the test call sequence
• Variable speed windscreen wipers controllable by the Driver with intermittent, slow and fast settings
• Sun blind - lower and raise the driver's sun blind (it actually restricts the sun)
• Engine Start/Stop - start and stop the engine with the individual buttons
• Horn - use the two-tone horn via the Spacebar and B keys
• Guard to Driver signal - sounds after doors close
• Driver to Guard signal - operable

SOUNDS Voyager Advanced 2019 features high quality sounds recorded from real Voyagers. There are separate sound sets for the driver's cab and the exterior view - you can hear the difference. In the driver's cab you can even hear the air conditioning start up and run!

• ActivPax passenger cabin sounds - hear passenger noise and even mobile phones ringing!
• Rheostatic brake sounds on brake application
• Brake squeal sounds
• Track joint sounds

ACTIVWORLD SCENARIO SUPPORT Both the 220 and 221 support the Just Trains ActivWorld scenarios that allow incidents and system failures such as passenger communication, fire alarm, engine failure on any of the units and brake failure. Scenario-based 'cold and dark' start-up mode - turn on the battery isolating switch and watch the systems come to life as they would in the real Voyager!   ADVANCED SCENARIOS Drive the Voyager 220 and Tilting Super Voyager 221 on 13 challenging and scenarios that employ our exclusive ActivWorld scenario technology on both default and add-on routes. Please note that some of the scenarios included with Voyager Advanced 2019 require additional payware items to allow them to run correctly if they are not supplied by default in Train Simulator 2019. Add-ons followed by ‘Steam’ in the scenario description can be purchased from the Steam website:

• London to Brighton route Add-on
• Great Western Main Line Route Add-on
• Class 156 Loco Add-On

If you purchased Train Simulator after 20 September 2012, you will require the European Loco & Asset Pack (available to purchase via Steam) to obtain the following locomotives:

• Black 5 Steam Locomotive

Add-ons followed by ‘JT’ in the scenario description can be purchased from the Just Trains website:

• Bristol to Exeter
• Newcastle to York Modern
• Class 153 DMU Advanced

Train Simulator: North Wales Costal: Crewe – Llandudno Route Add-on with Train Simulator: North Wales Costal Route Extension Add-on Please note that both these route add-ons were previously sold via Steam but are currently not available to purchase. JT AD Voyager 1D91 London Euston - Holyhead Good evening driver. Tonight you are to take Virgin Trains 221101 '101 Squadron' to Holyhead. You are due to leave Crewe at 18:57. London to Brighton Route (Steam) Brighton Voyager Farewell Drive the last ever Cross Country service from Brighton to Birmingham using XC's 220 021 on the 14:30 to Birmingham New Street. Freezing February A Voyager that became stranded at Three Bridges due to heavy snow is to be used to work the final train of the night to London Victoria. The usual unit wasn't available and this is expected to be the final service until the early morning. Great Western Main Line (Steam) New Kid on the Block Today you are in control of a brand new Class 220 Voyager delivered earlier this morning. A depot instructor will lead you through the start-up procedure and the various new controls in this unit. We will then go out onto the main line to do some testing between here and Reading. Caught in the Cold This morning you are in charge of one of Arriva Cross Country's Class 220s on the first train of the day from Reading to Manchester. This service normally starts at Southampton but due to the snow it is starting here at Reading today. The train is 1M18 06:11 Reading-Manchester Piccadilly. It's just coming up to 6 AM and we are running late so need to get the unit started and set up ASAP ready to head into Reading with the empty train. Once at Reading we will reverse and head for Oxford where a Manchester driver will take over. It's not all going to plan, however; the weather has caused problems for other services and many are running late so you can expect further delays en-route to Oxford! Cajon Pass route (Note: This was a default route in previous Train Simulator releases. Not available to purchase separately) Across the Pond Drive a Voyager on a tourist trip over the Cajon Pass. The unit is only on here on hire to show what keeps Britain moving - but it has gained a special US livery! Castle Rock Railroad route (Note: This was a default route in previous Train Simulator releases. Not available to purchase separately. The same-named route available from the Steam Workshop does NOT support this scenario) Castle Rock Experience Take the Voyager on an express service along the length of the Castle Rock Railroad - it's rather different to the usual train on this service! Hagen-Siegen route (Note: This was a default route in previous Train Simulator releases. Not available to purchase separately.) German Tourists Take a party of German skiers on a hired Class 221 Voyager from Hagen to Siegen on a very wintry evening. Seebergbahn route (Note: This was a default route in previous Train Simulator releases. Not available to purchase separately. The same-named route available from the Steam Workshop does NOT support this scenario) On Test in Germany On a stunning summer's morning you are assigned to your first day of training on board the British Class 220 Voyager unit. Totham route (JT) Driver Training It's September 2002 and you have just finished with Class 47s on XC services around Britain. Today is your first day back after a two-week break and it's all changed! Gone are the oily, unreliable 40-year-old Brush veterans and in their place brand new Bombardier Voyager units. Mark, your driver instructor, will take you through the start-up procedure before you head out onto the line for an introductory drive. We will also be testing a few of the fault systems today so keep on top of your game at all times! Bristol to Exeter route (JT) Summer Saturday Service It's a summer Saturday and, as always, the holidaymakers are out in force for their annual holiday to Devon. These are the busiest days of the year here on the Bristol to Exeter line and today is no exception. You are in control of two five car Super Voyagers on a new service for the type. These units are currently replacing the Class 47s on the main services and will eventually see off the HSTs too! However, all is not well. One of our engines has failed and the guard in the second unit says that the temperatures on two of the other cars are not looking good. A Class 47 is also struggling on a southbound service and, to top it off, a Black Five is out on a rail tour to Plymouth! These days are sent to test us! Easy Like a Sunday Morning Today your job is easy (just like a Sunday morning, although it's Monday!). You need to get your Class 220 Voyager prepared for service at Barton Hill depot before working a stopping service down to Weston-Super-Mare and returning to Bristol Temple Meads. We are on hire to FGW today. The commuters are getting a change from their usual Class 150! Newcastle to York Modern route (JT) Rush Hour Express Take charge of a XC Voyager on 1S49 11:25 Plymouth-Dundee on a glorious summer evening. You will be in charge from York to Newcastle. Enjoy the trip - you should have no problems today! FREE ROAM SCENARIOS Free Roam scenarios are available for these routes:

• Western Main Line
• Scottish East Coast Main Line x 2

System Requirements:

• Train Simulator 2022 / Train Simulator Classic
• Intel Core-i5 4690 3.50GHz Quad Core or AMD Ryzen 7 1700 3.80GHz Quad Core or better
• 4GB RAM (maximum possible under 32-bit Windows) / 16GB or more for 64-bit Windows
• Windows 10 / 8 / 7
• nVidia GeForce GTX 970 or AMD Radeon RX 480 with 4GB dedicated VRAM or more
• DirectX 9.0c
• Broadband Connection for Train Simulator 2019
• Storage: High Performance SSD recommended
• Sound card: DirectX-compatible audio device
• 590MB hard drive space

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Download size: 149MB

Bachmann Branchline 32-603 Class 220 Voyager 4-car DEMU 220017 in Cross Country livery

This product belongs to the following era(s): Era 9 Initial Privatisation

Bachmann 32-628 Class 221 Arriva Cross Country Super Voyager 5 car DMU

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Bachmann Class 221 Arriva Cross Country 5 car Super Voyager DMU. OO Gauge. The box has a lot of wear (see pictures) but the model itself is in excellent condition. Runs well. All couplings are present and I have included spares as well. The train tilts as it goes round curves and the tilting mechanism is in full working order, along with the directional lighting.

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Category: Collectables:Model Railways and Trains:OO Gauge:Locomotives Location: Norwich

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CrossCountry announces more trains and major refurbishment programme

CrossCountry Trains has announced that it is adding extra trains to its fleet, and that all its existing trains are to undergo a major refurbishment.

An additional 12,000 seats will be available each week from the acquisition of five Voyager trains from rolling stock company Beacon Rail on top of seven extra Voyager trains that it secured last October.

The refurbishment will cover all 58 of CrossCountry's existing Voyager fleet as well as its regional Turbostar trains.

With 12 extra trains totalling 60 additional carriages, CrossCountry's long-distance services will be strengthened from May 2025 by increasing capacity on north-south routes by over 36,000 seats per week.

We're delighted to announce these transformational changes in fleet and on-board experience Julian Edwards and Scott Maynard, CrossCountry's Interim Managing Directors

A new timetable is also planned to apply from May 2025 for more services and longer trains across its network , on CrossCountry's busy corridor between Reading and Newcastle .

The extra trains are being released by Avanti West Coast. They will be progressively introduced into service from June this year, in time to provide an extra 12,000 seats during the busy summer holiday period.

Although the extra trains will be introduced as soon as possible to relieve overcrowding on some long-distance services this summer, a temporary change will be made to the timetable by removing some station stops for the busier trains between June and September.

To provide extra capacity for CrossCountry customers making longer journeys, passengers making shorter journeys will be encouraged to switch to other operators by removing station stops at Wakefield Westgate , Chesterfield , Basingstoke , and Winchester .

CrossCountry's Turbostar trains which operate regional services between Cardiff and Nottingham , and Birmingham and Stansted Airport , will all be refurbished by summer 2026.

We're delighted to announce these transformational changes in fleet and on-board experience, which customers will start to benefit from as soon as this summer. Our teams are working hard to ensure the smooth introduction and refurbishment of extra trains and we look forward to working with colleagues at Alstom and Beacon Trains to give the ever-impressive Voyager fleet a new lease of life on the CrossCountry network. Julian Edwards and Scott Maynard, CrossCountry's Interim Managing Directors

More seats, services and refurbished trains will make for a better passenger experience, helping to relieve crowding. As well as benefiting those travelling with CrossCountry, this important investment in upgraded trains also builds on our record of supporting the rail supply chain. Rail Minister, Huw Merriman MP

For more than 20 years, CrossCountry's Voyagers have proudly served towns and cities across Great Britain – travelling millions of miles in the process. We now look forward to giving these iconic Alstom-built trains some well-deserved TLC with a comprehensive overhaul that will include new seats, on-board technology enhancements and an exterior repaint. Not only will the refurbishment delight fare-paying customers with increased levels of comfort and accessibility, the overhaul programme will support UK suppliers and skilled jobs across the country. Peter Broadley, Alstom's Managing Director of Rolling Stock and Services for UK and Ireland

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Plastic bottles ditched by train operator lumo, memorial unveiled for world war 2 police constable in yorkshire, west midlands trains to continue to maintain crosscountry class 170 trains, construction of bridge on new scotland railway line delayed, west coast main line train delays.

It’s about time cross country trains are very over crowded you can never get a seat I’ve often stood from Birmingham to Manchester if you want a seat you can pay £120 first class which is a joke

Why dont you serve a city bigger than Newcastle, Bristol, Coventry,Derby and others? Why not Liverpool? Why is the rail system in the north so Manchester-centric?

I absolutely hate making my monthly work trips to Birmingham from north east. The trains are small, struggle getting a seat, even when booking one, struggle with over crowding and the trains just are not spacious at all. The window seat is almost only half a seat. Give me an LNER azuma to London anyday over this cattle mart journey.

I hope this is true and it does improve and some of the new carriages actually have two decent seats and clear seats reservation lighting etc.

They took 5 (x7 coach) HSTs out of the fleet, these new voyagers only brings capacity back to meet the same fleet size as in 2021. As for refurb it won’t be new seats just the same old rubbishy ones recovered probably with the old virgin moquette used for the last 20 years. AXC is rubbish and should have had it’s franchise stripped years ago.

They were not built by Alstom, they were built by Bombardier, though the traction motors are from Alstom. Alstom have since inherited their builder, but that doesn’t mean they built them.

In the case of the Voyager, you can’t polish a turd.

Any refurb of the awful Voyager is welcome. I miss the comfort and space of the HST.

Removing Basingstoke will not be popular. On a Sunday there is only one train per hour between Reading and Basingstoke and that leaves just before the Cross Country arrives. Anyone would have nearly an hours wait at Reading which wouldn’t be popular unless there is a major timetable change.

The HST’s were power unit at each end, with carriages in between of the style of loco hailed trains. The important thing from the fare paying passenger’s points of view, is that they travelled in spacious seats on trains with enough seats available to make the journey enjoyable. Rail travel has moved away from this simple utopia. I fear it sadly will never return to it.

Reduced intermediate stops to cut journey times has some merit but x is all about connections. Basingstoke is a station with plenty of connections so is not a stop that should be cut out.

More to the point, if you remove Winchester AND Basingstoke there’s nowhere for people coming from Portsmouth/Fareham via Hedge End/Eastleigh to connect with the Cross Country service without changing at Eastleigh for an entirely the wrong direction trip to Southampton Airport Parkway.

That’s in addition to shifting Eastleigh/Shawford/Winchester/Micheldever and Basingstoke customers onto SWR to board the Cross Country at either Southampton Airport or Reading.

Longer trains mean problems at some stations because of short platforms and what about all single lines there will be bottle necks there is not enough railway lines to take any extra trains overcrowding inside and over capacity on the rails too many trains

They’ve spent the last couple of years cutting trains services, we are just going back to the situation pre 2020.

Once a cattle class always a cattle class. No refurb or paint can cover that. Old no longer fit for purpose trains, overcrowded to the point one questions safety

Shame they got rid of there HSTs, which one set set had more seats than 2 voyagers together and had only themselves just been refurbished. I see no new stock or any of the sets West Coast are releasing into storage! Let’s be honest the Voyagers do not have the greatest luggage space and looking at them inside they have the space and comfort as an aeroplane. They very tumbler just like an aeroplane fuselage!

Your description of the 220/221’s are accurate, up here in Scotland and in a couple of rail magazines , there is talk of the class 222 7 car and 5 car meridian trains being sent to Scotrail , however most unusually , EMT is having to pay for a full strip and rebuild of the Class 222 units , that are arguably way superior to the voyagers , I personally travelled on them , twice when they worked with hull trains and elsewhere , fast smooth, comfy and quiet , and even an at seat power point , and at 7 good length vehicles , you had a decent train set . The voyagers however , the 221 is called that to help folk tell the difference, between which is with , eg tilt or not tilt , the 221’s even under cross country, had the tilt system active when the 221’s got cascaded to cross country , from virgin Further the interior , feels quite small as the voyagers are supposed to be just a redesigned version of the larger tilting class 390’s . Which also has what feels like a very ‘ cosy ‘ interior, and while the 390’s are impressive, they missed a trick by not allowing those on the east coast mainline as well ( and yes I’m aware it’s straighter , but by now the refurb on them could be including in cab signalling , to.allow them.to.run full speed between Kings cross or St pancras and Edinburgh/ Stirling , probably at much higher speeds . ( EG-140-160) Mph achieved during testing , had this have occured we would have had a relatively high speed line , if line speeds where maxed at 160mph and stops at only main stations on some services, I’d wager they’d have been faster than a HS2 train. That so far appears to be a development of the regular new HST- the class 800. My question about the new refits , are they going to remove comfy seating which the class 170, and 158’s always had when I tried them in Scotland and the 158 both in Scotland and Yorkshire . A icant speak of the 360, as not heard the experience of them, however looking gat them in my UK 2023-25 rolling stock guide a thick book on different trains , locos ,units , sets etc, those 360’s already look fairly neat inside and a big step up from the aircraft style cabin in a voyager . The person describing these types as aircraft style are spot on. They are exactly that but minus the creature comforts!!. Indeed most aircraft, even the 2+2 Embraer Ejets , are larger in ‘ cabin space ‘ point is , the Voyagers were designed to mimic the Interior of it’s bigger cousin the class 390 pendalino. Those trains are very impressive in terms of acceleration and comfort , or used to be . I’m not sure that the current refur by Avanti is especially a step forward, farther if EMT are being forced to spend millions vastly updating their class 222’s ( which are most likely headed up here to Scotland) -( plus grand union is taking some , for it’s Camerthen – paddington, Stirling – London , Cardiff – Edinburgh ). The reminder most likely 7 car sets if enough left would join the Scotrail fleet , though I guess it’s too much to hope Scotrail .ight start to run down the ECML , from say thurso , Inverness , Perth, Stirling , Edinburgh, Dunbar and Reston , Morpeth, Newcastle , York and or Leeds as well . With any intercity class unit , either HST or Class 222.. If they are to temp folk from cars and back onto the railways we need more new railways or rather reopened railways new or reopened stations , enhanced and extended existing stations , and of course comfortable trains to get around on. XC are not grabbing that they cannot polish a turd, and while there are far worse units than a voyager , it rarely isn’t suitable for the journey lengths it does , I hate to say it but only the class 800 can achieve that ( or the rather excellent Stadler flirt 745 and whatever TfW are calling theirs ) . If XC had the long distance services covered by units built for that kind of service and did like EMT and had regional and connectz the could then shuffle these sets accordingly . Either way as consumers we need choice , XC isn’t giving anywhere near the choice we need . Hopefully.the new open access operators , some have been identified as have their routes , it the rail magazines articles were stating they could not yet reveal ‘ the several other operators ‘, it was implied one wants services that will challenge Cross country . I say about time too.

Will the seats line up with the windows, or, more likelely, the same cramped claustrophobic interiors will remain.? Train travel should be an enjoyable experience, not the unpleasant conditions as exist currently.

Ideally a big train and not very often or little trains very often The trouble with XC it’s a little train and not very often as in 1 per hour with just 4 coaches …

The trains are always packed out, especially on Sundays, when a lot of people are going home or travelling to an event. No extra carriages are put on and it’s not right especially the fares you have to pay.

Or very often, two coaches on the busy Stanstead-Birmingham route.

Basically it looks like a reduced offer unless you live in a major town/city v

The Voyager units were a poorer quality, lower capacity offering, when they were first introduced under the disastrous ‘Operation Princess’. The noisy ride and cramped 3rd rate airline seating also must be improved. I fear it will not be.

Be nice to have better cleaner toilets that actually work and and makeing for the is more wheelchair friendly to and hopefully this will help others to who have hinded disability to

Totally agree with previous comments. However the Voyager units were a poorer quality lower capacity when they first replaced existing loco hauled trains – under the disastrous Virgin XCountry ‘Operation Princess’. The noisy ride and cramped 3rd rate airline seating needs to be improved. Will it be? I fear not.

‘Proudly serving towns and cities across the UK for over 20 years?’ What a joke! The ‘iconic’ Voyagers are hardly the last word in comfort. Every coach is noisy, cramped and smells of toilets and hot brake linings. The seats are almost bolt upright and cause backache on any journey over an hour. I once had the misfortune to travel from Bournemouth to Derby on one once and vowed never to do it again in one of these vile trains. Overcrowding is common and late running is an everyday occurrence on Cross Country. Now they tell us that these trains are going to be overhauled and refurbished. The phrase ‘You can’t make a silk purse out of a sow’s ear’ comes to mind.

More nonsense from XC. This will not provide extra carriages and seats as they have recently withdrawn their entire HST fleet. There wasn’t any reason for this apart from cost cutting. Consequently many of their HST turns are currently running with significantly few seats and carriages. Prior to covid XC were running hourly trains trains on the Newcastle to reading axis. Almost every one has been withdrawn. As a regular traveller on XC my advance first class tickets have increased by almost 300% since covid. Now they have the audacity to say they will running trains with extra seats and carriages. How do rail companies get with running the network as if it was Hornby?

Bring back the smooth comfortable Hsts

Spot on …… their trains are now very old and clapped out i know i`ve used them a number of time …. not out of choice but their is`nt another operator.

The.voyagers are more reliable than the HSTs, so 12 sets replacing 5 HSTs WILL increase capacity. Will have to wait and see what happens with the refurbishment. Yes of course there are lots of issues, but at least this is a start

Restore some cycle rack storage please!

When will there be more trains stopping at Worcestershire Park way?

Hope that the luggage racks are improved to fit thicker luggage and not just laptops. So much for clean energy, more diesel pollution when they are under the wires Time for a major change to the voyagers.

Any refurbishment needs to ensure more legroom and more comfy seats than the current seats used today. This will probably mean less seats in each coach but the cross country trains need a product worthy of the distances they cover. Over the last 20 years there has been suffering by the fare paying customer.

At the very least, they ought to make the four car sets into five. And how about trying to address the noise problem?Or will they blow their money on a new paint job? I could say it would be polishing a t**d but I won’t. 🙂

They could even have or inherit the Class 222 Meridians that are to be replaced by the Class 810 IETs used on EMR Intercity services to & from London St. Pancras International to Nottingham, Leicester, Derby and Sheffield. But good to see CrossCountry using the former Avanti West Coast Club 221 Voyagers.

Perhaps someone, somewhere, in the rail hierarchy will also realise that the concept of running shorter trains but with more frequency was doomed to be an abject failure from the get go. Passengers are encouraged to turn up at their respective stations in good time to get their train – in reality this meant that they boarded a late running train – normally of four coaches – instead of the one that they had intended catching – resulting in rampant overcrowding. It also made the practice of reservation an impossible task – did one let a late running train go through in the hope that the train with your seat on it would turn up. I am old enough to remember trains consisting of 12 coaches – but you could get a seat! Passengers are more interested in seats and trains turning up than saving a couple of minutes on the timetabled length of their journey. I hope that the refurbishment of the Voyager sets will increase passenger comfort and capacity but I am not holding my breath.

The East Mids 222s are incompatible with the 220/221s so can’t be used by XC.

So true. Perhaps the Class 222s should go to ScotRail or South Western Railway.

WSMR are having several 5 and 7 car sets from later this year for their new services beginning next year.

Same here with regard to 12 carriages. That was the standard formation back in the day. Eight carriages was a short formation. Today’s it’s a long train. I also remember relief trains, Saturday seaside trains that ran packed out almost every weekend. Scarborough station had 13 platforms and massive sidings that were full of rolling stock. Etc etc. Today we have a publicly funded rail network that exists simply to transfer money from the public to private sector. Companies first priority is to their shareholders. Thats fine for private company’s. But these companies are being funded by the taxpayer. Yet we’ve got no say or control. You can’t have social sector run for profit as there’s no profit in it. Not unless the taxpayer pays for it. What a mess. It’s going to be almost impossible to disentangle this mess as it’s set up that way. Same as all the other privately own utilities.

Will wait and see if the regular over crowding where people are treated as cattle will stop. Considering the price of rail travel this practice should have stopped in the 19th century Unfortunately , profits and bonuses usually come before the customer when it comes to the British rail system.

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Extra Voyagers in new CrossCountry contract

CrossCountry will augment its fleet with additional Voyagers, refurbish its fleets and introduce a new direct service between Cardiff and Edinburgh as part of a new National Rail Contract, agreed between the Department for Transport and Arriva Group.

The NRC will start on 15 October and will run for up to eight years, with a guaranteed core term of four years to 2027. Arriva has operated CrossCountry since November 2007, and following an initial long contract has operated services under a series of shorter deals, most recently a three-year Operating Contract Franchise Agreement which began in October 2020.

Following the withdrawal of its HSTs, CrossCountry is to take on seven additional Class 221s released by Avanti West Coast following the arrival of new Hitachi trains there, adding to the 58-strong fleet of Class 220s and Class 221s CrossCountry already operates. The last regular service run for an HST with CrossCountry was on 18 September from Plymouth to Leeds, with a farewell tour from Leeds to Swanage to follow on 26 September.

A full fleet refurbishment is planned for both the Voyagers and the 29 Class 170 Turbostars. Arriva says this will include fitting CCTV, automatic passenger counting equipment, new carpets and LED lighting, although it is understood the final scope of the refurbishment is yet to be agreed. Owner Beacon Rail is to appoint a contractor for the Voyager refurbishment, while CrossCountry has been working with Porterbrook to develop the scope of an upgrade for the ‘170s’.

Timetable enhancements are also planned, building on the May 2023 timetable, which included a step-up in CrossCountry services on long-distance routes. A new daily direct service between Cardiff and Edinburgh is to be introduced in December 2024, with the aim of strengthening connections across Britain. Also planned is the restoration of an hourly service to and from Stansted Airport, while CrossCountry is to study future opportunities for its regional routes operated by Class 170s.

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Originally published in Modern Railways Online

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Voyager transfer anticipated as CrossCountry gets National Rail Contract

By Rail Business UK 2023-09-20T04:00:00+01:00

UK: The Department for Transport has directly awarded Arriva  UK Trains a National Rail Contract to continue to operate CrossCountry long-distance passenger services.

The contract announced on September 19 succeeds a unique Operating Cost Franchise Agreement which DfT entered into in October 2020 during the pandemic.

The NRC will run for a core term of four years from the expire of the current contract on October 15, and up to a maximum of eight years. It can be terminated by the Secretary of State with three months’ notice at any point after the first four years.

The new agreement will enable CrossCountry to undertake a full fleet refurbishment of its Voyager and Turbostar diesel multiple-unit fleets; the first major refurbishment of the Voyagers in 20 years is much needed after repeated refusals by DfT to allow work to be undertaken.

The refurbishments will include fitting CCTV, automatic passenger counting equipment, new carpets and LED lighting which CrossCountry says ‘are all designed to tackle long-standing pain points for our customers’.

There will also be enhancements to the timetable, building on the May 2023 changes. This will include a daily direct service between Cardiff and Edinburgh from December 2024, and exploring the reintroduction of services between Cambridge and Stansted Airport.

Concerns had been raised about a loss of capacity across the operator’s geographically spread network following the widely expected withdrawal of its small ex-British Rail IC125 HST fleet on September 18. It is understood that the new contract will allow CrossCountry to take on seven more Class 221 Voyager DEMUs when these are released by Avanti West Coast as its new Hitachi trains enter service.

While this suggests no additional capacity is being added in real terms, insiders have told Rail Business UK that DfT was initially reluctant to agree to any additional trains, despite regular reports of trains being full and standing on CrossCountry’s core network.

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CrossCountry gets more Voyagers as refurbishment plan agreed

2024-04-03T14:39:00Z By Rail Business UK

UK: CrossCountry has selected Alstom as preferred bidder to refurbish its fleet of Voyager DMUs over a broadly two-year period as part of an investment package aimed at increasing capacity on its network by up to 25%. The national long-distance operator also announced on March 25 ...

CrossCountry Managing Director leaves

2024-02-16T12:28:00Z By Rail Business UK

UK: Managing Director Tom Joyner left CrossCountry with immediate effect on February 15.

CrossCountry train services agreement extended

2023-11-02T11:57:00Z By Rail Business UK

UK: Alstom is to continue to service and maintain the CrossCountry Voyager and Super Voyager trainsets until 2031 under a €950m eight-year extension to its existing train services agreement. The extension announced on November 2 covers 34 Class 220 Voyager and 24 Class 221 Super Voyager ...

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Journey on the Trans-Siberian: Moscow to Yekaterinburg

This is the second part of a series about my trip across Russia on the Trans-Siberian Railway in the summer of 2018. I’ll cover the overnight ride from St Petersburg to Moscow, the 16 hours I spent in the Russian capital, and the two-day ride from Moscow to Yekaterinburg.

After a few days in St Petersburg I boarded the overnight train to Moscow. The sleeper train “Red Arrow” departs at 11:55pm. I read (but didn’t confirm) the departure time was set in Soviet times to leave before midnight so travelers could get reimbursed for two working days.

There were three people already in the cabin when I walked in: In one of the top bunks was a girl who looked 20-something, and on the two bottom bunks, two Brazilian men who looked like soccer fans. (It was World Cup summer.)

We exchanged muted hello’s and filled out our breakfast order forms. Without wasting time I followed the process of settling into an overnight cabin:

• Examine and unpack the supplied bedding.
• Make the bed.
• If foreigners are in the cabin, motion to them to follow your lead.
• Exit the cabin to give others room to make their bed and, if they wish, to change into sleeping attire.
• Return when appropriate, and begin smalltalk to spark a deep and cross-cultural conversation that’ll grow richer and bring you closer together with every mile of track until the morning golden hour.

Except the Brazilian men didn’t speak English, and the girl, probably on-guard, remained silent. I went to sleep.

It wasn’t the rocking that stirred me awake every hour, but the impressive guttural symphony coming from the man below me. The snores came in different tones and rhythms, transforming mid-breath with no particular pattern, which made them difficult to ignore. (A few days later, Tatiana, another cabin-mate, refuted my story by telling me sound doesn’t travel upwards. “Then he cheated physics,” I said.) I forced my earplugs deeper and felt relief that this is only a seven-hour trip.

By morning the Brazilians still didn’t speak English but the girl was more inviting. She’s a mother of two—which surprised me—and was headed to Moscow for a meditation seminar. I made whatever smalltalk I could fit between bites of fried cheese fritters until we arrived in Moscow.

It was early morning, and my first objective was to find a quiet part of the city where I can rest until some nearby coffeeshop opens. I took the metro to the nearest patch of green on Google Maps—a park called “Clean Ponds.”

The only available bench was next to a group of Russian men still drinking from the night before. One of the men was slumped over, another was drying in the sun after taking a dip in the pond, another was throwing fists at the wet one, and the rest were fighting to stay upright—only because it’s easier to keep drinking when upright. I decided against napping, and instead enjoyed the scene unfolding to my left.

A woman approached and sat next to me, holding her small dog, and complained about the park’s occupants. Following a light conversation, she lit a cigarette, told me about her (deceased) husband’s medical invention, and proposed I introduce the product to the US market in return for a cut of the profits. She did this while parrying advances from one of the men. (“I have a job and own an apartment in a good location, behind the McDonald’s,” he said.) She gave me her phone number before leaving, probably dreaming of business ventures in America that will not happen.

When the woman left, the party group noticed me. “Where the f— did you come from?!” one of them said. I was prepared to give (and take) a few hits and run, but managed to ease the tension with some jokes and handshakes.

I gave up on rest and went in search of coffee and breakfast.

Irina and Red Square

Irina is a lawyer living in Moscow who’s trying to improve her English. We met on a language-learning website, and arranged to meet in person to walk through the Red Square and practice English/Russian.

The Red Square was staged for the World Cup and crowded with tourists. It felt like the Russian version of Times Square, which I found intolerable. I snapped some shots and hurried us to lunch.

We found a Georgian restaurant just off the main boulevard and spent the next hour chatting about Russia’s legal system, language exams, graduate school, and how long could it possibly take to cook chicken.

In 2007 I was supposed to visit St Petersburg aboard my college’s training ship. My cousin warned me I should brush up on my Russian: “We have smart relatives there, don’t embarrass yourself.” I searched for Russians to chat with online and found Polina.

We spoke every other day in the months leading up to my voyage that summer. I started to like her. We made unrealistic plans for her to travel from Moscow to St Petersburg to meet me for the few days I’d be there. It never happened. Just days before my ship’s scheduled arrival, the captain diverted us to Estonia after failing to get the proper docking permits or visas for Russia. Polina and I exchanged only a few emails over the next decade.

This time, the plan worked.

We met and crisscrossed the Moskva river over bridges as we spoke of life in Russia, her newborn son, traveling, her dreams of returning to freelancing, the things we still do and those we don’t… I don’t remember where we walked or what we passed.

Is this what Captain Smith made me miss? I imagined myself at 19, and Polina getting permission from her mom to take the overnight train to St Petersburg, and my needing to return to the ship by midnight, and maybe ending up like my shipmate and the Croatian girl he fell in love with on the first day in port in Dubrovnik…

The thought made me happy but also underscored the passage of time. We were far from 19, and we both found love on native soil, and she became a mom, and I had to catch the train to Yekaterinburg before midnight.

After saying goodbye to Polina, it was time for the next segment of the Trans-Siberian Railway: A one-and-a-half-day ride to Yekaterinburg. I stocked up on ramen noodles and tea, and made my way to the train.

Riding the Trans-Siberian Railway is interesting for two reasons: The train itself, and the people on it. Life aboard the train doesn’t differ much from one segment to another, so I will write a separate article of observations and survival tips learned throughout the entire trip.

The people, however, did change with each segment. On this segment from Moscow to Yekaterinburg, as urban sprawl gave way to dense forests and wooden villages, I got to know a family from the Far North.

Tatiana, Nastia, and Sasha

My roommates for the 27-hour trip from Moscow to Yekaterinburg were Tatiana and her two children, Nastia and Sasha.

Within minutes of departure I took off my shoes to get comfortable and waited for the hallway activity to calm down before preparing for bed. Tatiana, somehow sensing my inexperience with long-distance train travel, pointed at the blue disposable slippers that came with the provided bedding and gently suggested I put them on. I thought they were silly and not for someone who’s used to rough traveling, so I responded that I’m alright in my socks. She tried to convince me a bit longer before giving up.

Moments later, I went to the bathroom—there’s one at each end of every car—and learned they’re just like airplane bathrooms: small and wet, and you don’t know from what . I returned to the cabin, changed my socks, and donned the blue disposable slippers. Tatiana looked on with approval.

They were traveling from their small military town near the Russia-Finland border (where her husband is stationed) to Novosibirsk — over 3,000 miles away — to visit her parents, as they do every summer. Airfare would cost them three months’ worth of income (by my own calculation), so they took the train, like many Russian families traveling to or from Siberia.

Our conversations spanned life in Russia, life in the US, Nastia’s college ambitions (she’s undecided between medicine and chemistry), traveling (because of the husband’s position in the military, the family is not allowed to travel outside of Russia), drawing, Russian literature, and more… We talked without end for two days while sharing food and drinking tea by the liter.

Tatiana teaches literature and Russian at their local school. She told me about life inside the arctic circle and showed me photos of polar lights, fields of flowers, her shirtless husband stepping out of a bania (a Russian sauna) and jumping into the snow, and other everyday scenes. She worried about what will happen after her husband’s military contract ends next year. She’ll miss Nastia when she stays behind in Novosibirsk for one final year of school and then university.

Tatiana also worried about my safety. She advised me to tell people I’m a local: “Your Russian is good enough,” she said, “that people will believe you and assume that your slight accent and slower pace is due to—” and she raised her fingers to her temple and did a twisting gesture. I nodded, thought for a moment, and decided that was a compliment.

Nastia is a straight-A student interested in chemistry and medicine. She’s not sure which of the two she’ll study in university, but she has another year to decide. She’ll stay with her grandparents in a small village outside of the city for another year until it’s time to attend Novosibirsk University. Although she studied english in school for several years, she never felt comfortable enough to speak it. (The faculty at their local school is made up of military spouses with little or no teaching experience.)

Nastia earns money on the side by painting custom designs on her clients’ nails. Her designs—from cartoon characters to landscapes to sunsets, all painted on half-inch-wide keratin canvases—are remarkable and belong in high-end nail salons of New York. I offered her some advice based on my consulting experience (she should charge more for more the elaborate designs). Her entrepreneurial spirit made me happy for her, maybe because it reminded me of my teenage years when I drew cartoons for money.

Sasha is just beginning to learn English, and this was his first encounter with a native speaker. He was nowhere near conversational English, so he engaged the only way he could: shouting out Russian words from his language workbook to see if I could respond with the right translation. “How do you say, um, ‘lion?’” he asked, and looked at me with a wide smile and alert eyes, waiting to hear a word that matched his notes. “Give Greg a break,” Tatiana said, more than once, after many animals were correctly translated, but I gave Sasha an approving smile to signal it’s alright. “Crocodile!?” he continued…

The next day, as the train approached Yekaterinburg in the early morning, I nudged Tatiana and Nastia awake to say “goodbye,” as they requested the night before, when we exchanged longer goodbyes and I told them how wonderful it was to meet and spend time with them. “Goodbye, Greg,” they replied, and both gave me a smile that I didn’t expect from anyone whose sleep was interrupted, who’s been on the road for weeks, who wouldn’t see her daughter (or mother) for a year, whose future was so uncertain… And still they smiled in the way that only good people do.

Previous chapter: St Petersburg Next chapter: Yekaterinburg

Trans-Siberian Railway Prices

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Home » Prices and Trans-Siberian Tickets » Trans-Siberian Railway Prices

Ticket prices for the Trans-Siberian Railway also depend on the current ruble exchange rate.

Is the Trans-Siberian Railway expensive?

Before starting on your Trans-Siberian Railway adventure you naturally want to know what the entire trip will cost. Although this sounds like a simple question, it is pretty difficult to answer. The Trans-Siberian Railway price of travel depends on the following factors:

• Which travel class do I want to use? The price for a first class ticket is about three times the price of a 3rd class ticket
• Am I willing to buy the tickets myself and assume responsibility for the organisation of the trip?
• How many stopovers do I want to make? The more breaks, the higher the total price.
• What sort of accommodation do I want? Will it be a luxury hotel or will a hostel dormitory be sufficient?
• What tours and excursions would I like to go on?
• What is the current exchange rate for rubles?

Basically, everything from a luxury to a budget holiday is available. If you buy yourself a 3rd Class nonstop ticket at the counter, a few hundred Euros will cover the price. All you will experience is a week on the Trans-Siberian train and will see nothing of the cities on the way. There is, however, any amount of room for upward expansion. Everyone makes different choices about which aspects they are willing to spend money on. I personally prefer to save money on accommodation and railcar class, visit as many cities and do as many trips as possible. To enable better classification of your travel expenses I have contrasted two typical traveler types. In the third column you can calculate the total cost of your own journey on the Trans-Siberian Railway. Please keep in mind that these are only rough estimations and not exact prices.

The all-in costs seem fairly high at first. However, they cover everything and it is quite a long journey taking four weeks. Many people forget to consider that when looking at the list. We should also deduct the running costs for food and leisure at home. I think most visitors to this page will classify themselves somewhere between the two categories, that is around the € 2,000 – € 2,500 range. When comparing these prices with other travel packages, you get the impression that it is hardly worthwhile travelling individually on the Trans-Siberian Railway. Please keep in mind that most packages last no more than 14 days and you are herded like cattle through the most beautiful locations.

If you spend less time on the Trans-Siberian Railway you will, of course, pay less. I chose this particular travel length because I prefer not to do things by halves. If you fulfill your dream of travelling on the Trans-Siberian Railway, enjoy it and don’t rush things. But it’s up to you, of course. Try playing around with the form a bit to find the appropriate price for your trip.

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• Regent Seven Seas Cruises

Best of Moscow by high speed train

By shuguley , February 15, 2014 in Regent Seven Seas Cruises

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Sure would appreciate someone who has taken "Best of Moscow by high speed train" from St. Petersburg could please share their impressions of this shore excursion. From the description this sounds like a very long day.

Wondering how the 4 hour train trip was in terms of accommodations, etc. Also what time did you leave the ship and what time at night did you return? Were both legs of the trip on the high speed rail (I read that slower trains also travel the same tracks)?

My wife and I are considering this excursion. We thought that if we are making all the effort to go to Russia then how could we pass up going to Moscow, walking in Red Square, seeing St. Basil, etc.

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If you are considering this on the 2015 June Baltic cruise on Voyager; my suggestion is don't. There is so much to do in St. Petersburg and although a train is one of my favorite ways to travel the time would be far better spent in St. P.

Thanks for the advice. Yes, this would be on the Voyager during the 2015 season but not yet sure exactly which cruise.

We did the Moscow excursion "on a different luxury line", but from your brief description it sounds very much like the same trip, so I will operate on that assumption. It is a VERY long day! We left the ship at 5:30 AM and returned at 12:30 AM. The highspeed train trip is comfortable, and while they call it "Business Class" it does not compare well to the equivalent class on say Rail Europe. When we did it in 2011, we did have highspeed both ways, and the trip back seemed much longer as the adrenaline and excitement had worn off!:D

Moscow itself is not that terribly different from any other big city in the world, but this Cold War kid never thought he would ever stand in Red Square, never mind walk the grounds of The Kremlin, or tour The Kremlin Palace, or see (but not visit) Lenin's Tomb, or visit The Armoury. But he did, and he loved every minute of it! Yes, it is a long day, and you barely scratch a scratch on the surface, but it is worth it. There is a tremendous amount to see in St. Petersburg, but every Baltic cruise goes to St. Petersburg, so you can go back if you choose to. Not every cruiseline offers you the chance to see Moscow.

I have not personally done this tour, but our last time in St Petersburg, the private guide that we hired for a day was leading the regent tour to Moscow on the high speed train the next day. He said it was way better than the previous alternative, which was flying to Moscow and back. He said that you actually got to Moscow faster because you didn't have to deal with airline checkin etc. it did seem like a very long day to me, and there is so much to see and do in st. Petersburg that I didn't consider doing it.

countflorida

We toured to Moscow from St. Petersburg via the hi-speed SAPSAN train last September, from a Baltic cruise on the Oceania Marina. You need to have a two-night, three day port call in St. Petersburg to take this tour because the tour typically leaves the ship around 5:00 - 5:30 AM and doesn't return until after midnight the next day. We didn't take the ship's tour; we made private arrangements with TravelAllRussia for three days of touring, the first and third days in St. Petersburg and the second day the tour to Moscow by train. Our cost for the private tour for three days was about the same as what the ship charged for the excursion to Moscow alone. There are a number of private tour agencies that operate in St. Petersburg and offer the Moscow train tours; we would strongly recommend them over the ship's tours.

All three days had private guides with car and driver. The second day, the driver picked us up at the ship and took us to the train, but we were alone on the train, and met in Moscow by the guide on the station platform. After our tour and dinner, we were brought back to the train and after the return train trip met by the driver and taken back to the ship. Because you are alone on the train you must have your own Russian visas.

If this is your first visit to St. Petersburg, I would agree there is much more to see there. We found Moscow somewhat a disappointment, particularly Red Square. The Kremlin and the cathedral in Red Square were also worth seeing. But the best thing we saw was the Moscow subway! I worked for the Washington Metro system back in the 1980s as it grew from 40 to 80 miles and although I was in the computer area, I learned a lot about the challenges of running a subway system. We used the Moscow system to get across the city from where we had dinner to the train station, and I was amazed at the cleanliness', speed of operation, the short headways maintained, and the courtesy of everyone involved. A very impressive experience!

We had been to St. Petersburg before, and so had the time to take a day and go to Moscow. Also, I really like trains, and the SAPSAN is a German train set running on Russian rails. Seats are like first class domestic air, spacious but not too plush or comfortable, but with enough room. Not too much recline, and almost 8 hours on the train in two shots is a lot for an old man. They come through and sell drinks, candy, etc. but the sellers don't speak English and no one around us helped, so we had just poor coffee once coming, and brought stuff with us for the trip back. Not too much to see from the train either, particularly on the return when it is night the whole way.

If you decide to go, take a private tour and avoid the overly expensive ship's tour. I'm glad we did it, but wouldn't bother to repeat the tour; we've seen Moscow.

Thanks so much to all of you for the thorough and thought insight. Yhe information you have provided is most helpful.

countflorida: Your detailed post is very helpful. We are not quite ready for a Baltic cruise but should do so within a year. Time enough to do our pre travel research, bookings and visa gathering.:) Thank you!

Emperor Norton

Sure would appreciate someone who has taken "Best of Moscow by high speed train" from St. Petersburg could please share their impressions of this shore excursion. From the description this sounds like a very long day.   Wondering how the 4 hour train trip was in terms of accommodations, etc. Also what time did you leave the ship and what time at night did you return? Were both legs of the trip on the high speed rail (I read that slower trains also travel the same tracks)?   My wife and I are considering this excursion. We thought that if we are making all the effort to go to Russia then how could we pass up going to Moscow, walking in Red Square, seeing St. Basil, etc.

I did this on Seabourn. IMO DONT. Take Aeroflop (er Aeroflot). The train has non folding seats where you are literally knee to knee with your fellow passenger (facing each other). Further they don't believe in air conditioning. It's also the worlds slowed bullet train. I think I would have found more enjoyment wandering around the St. Petersburg and Moscow airports.

Countflorida,

This is a little off topic,, however we had planned a river cruise in Russia but decided we would rather stay on land and have booked about two weeks with Travel-All-Russia using the private guide and driver. I'm curious as to how you found them as a tour company.

The guides they provided were fine. We had a different guide each of the days in St. Petersburg, but both were flexible, pleasant, knowledgeable and spoke English very well, as did the guide in Moscow, incidentally. She was a bit aloof, distant, not too friendly, but otherwise fine. In fact, she was the one who suggested taking the Metro, which unexpectedly became one of the highlights of the Moscow excursion. If I have a complaint with AllTravelRussia, it is with their plan and its execution (more later).

I had requested emphasis on World War II (in Russia, the Great Patriotic War) sites and info. In scheduling us, they weren't careful about dates and a couple of the sites we wanted to see were scheduled on the third day, after we'd been to Moscow. But both sites were closed that day of the week, and that info was readily available, right on web sites describing them. Also, the included meals (lunches in St. Pete, dinner in Moscow) were not what we asked for: light meals with some choices, so we could avoid things we didn't like and choose things we did like. My request was ignored; we were given full Russian meals with a fixed menu, no choice. On the first day, a fish dish was the entre, but I am allergic to fish. Fortunately, I had the e-mail I'd sent with me and showed it to the guide, and she was able to change my entre to chicken, which was very good actually. But we didn't want a 3-4 course lunches or dinner (in Moscow). We had the guide drop the lunch the third day, although we never got any credit or refund. But, particularly in contrast to the ship's tours, the prices were so reasonable we didn't worry too much about it.

The people who were on the ship's tour to Moscow saw us boarding the same train for which they were forced to queue up and wait on the way back, and asked us what we had done. I was candid and open so they were not happy when I explained what we had arranged and particularly what it had cost. Also, when we returned to the ship, we found they had laid on a late supper for those who had gone to Moscow, so up we went and had something. Well, it turns out the late supper was supposed to be just for those on the ship's tour, but we and others on 'independent' tours, there were a dozen or more of us, crashed the party, actually got there first, and they didn't realize it until the larger group arrived and there weren't enough tables/places set. By that time, the 'independents' had all gotten served and were eating; what could they do?

A couple from the larger group sat down with us and asked us about our tour, and they were the ones I told about our arrangement and its cost. They turned to others who’d been with them and announced the details, loudly enough so the whole room heard, which started a lot of bitching and complaining. I gathered they weren't very happy with the ship's tour to begin with, and this was the straw that broke the camel's back. We finished up and beat it out of there, but overheard later that one of the excursion staff came to check on something and ran into a real mess. I caught a cold on the trip, which forced me to bed the second day following in Tallinn, so by the time we reappeared we heard about the contretemps' but apparently no one recalled who started it, thankfully.

Because of what happened to us, I would probably not use AllTravelRussia if I were to go again, or if I did, I would be sure to get confirmation of every detail of the tour. They do have good reviews generally, and we were certainly helped by their visa department and liked the guides and drivers. Their weakness, I say now with full 20:20 hindsight, is that once the sales person who plans the tour, sells it to you and collects your money, he (or she) transfers the plan to their Russia office for implementation; there is no follow-up to make sure it gets done right. And that is where our problems arose; we paid for a custom tour but got a standard package with a few destinations switched, and no one checked them out, even to see when they were open the day we were scheduled to go. If you check every detail that’s important to you, it should be OK, but that’s a hell of a way to have to do business, in my opinion.

Thank you for the 20/20 hindsight observation on your Russian tour operator, and better priced than the ship's excursion cost.

Thanks very much for the feedback.

We had the same experience as you so far as price. We originally booked a Viking Cruise but, hearing some things about the river cruises that made us unhappy, looked into other options. T-A-R cost the same or less than a cruise and had us in hotels for 11 days. We opted for the private tour. They have three tour levels, based on hotels. We originally opted for the four star as it did not cost much more than the three star hotels. Finally we decided to throw it all in and upgraded to five star. In Moscow we will be at the newly opened Kempinsky which is two blocks from Red Square. In St. Petersburg it is the Grand Hotel Europe, one of the most vaunted luxury hotels in Russia. Location is important for us as the tours use up only part of the day so being in the center of everything for our independent touring is important. As with many other cities, the less you pay, the farther out of the center of town you are.

We have been working with our salesman in D.C. and he seems to get back to us with the changes we want. He recently returned from Russia so is up on everything. When I asked they said they paid the full TA commission if I wanted so I got my usual TA on board so he is watching our back and giving us that extra level of comfort. He also set up our air, which I know pays him little or nothing, and got us business class for much less than T-A-R wanted for economy, though it took working for a while with a consolidator. He's happy to get his 10 percent on this trip without having booked it. He also took care of the trip insurance. We've been doing a lot of research on the CC sister site Trip Advisor and will write a report there. We will, I guess, become a source of info for CC members after having spent 5 days in Moscow and 6 in SP.

• 4 months later...

scubacruiserx2

Anybody considering a day trip to Moscow from St. Petersburg on the Sapsan may want to look at our travelogue filled with pictures.

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=1927687

Very informative. Thanks dor sharing. Jeff

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