New Classes On The Sapsan Train

Photo by RZD

After 10 years of service, the Sapsan train - a high speed train that covers the distance between St. Petersburg and Moscow in roughly 4 hours - is being modernized. Above all, this means the introduction of three new service classes: a suite cabin, a family class, and a comfort class. Tickets for this novel train are already being sold. The first one to make the journey departs on Dec. 18, 2019 at 9.20 from Moscow in the direction of St. Petersburg. The Russian railway service RZD says, it wants all 16 Sapsan trains to be fully modernized in the next two years. Until then, the remodeled trains follow a specific schedule. Let’s have a look at what this is all about.

The Suite Cabin (1Ж)

The suite cabin is the fanciest of the newly introduced classes. It’s a private cabin with two seats facing each other and a table in the middle. Amenities include a hot meal, internet access, a media entertainment center and the day’s newspaper. On top of that, you can call a steward to order food and drinks from the bistro car. Parents traveling with their children receive a play set with their ticket. If you get sleepy during your journey, you can use the blanket and pillow provided to cuddle up in your seat and go to bed. To help you fall into slumber, you can individually adjust the lighting to your personal preferences.
Every train has one car with two suite cabins. Tickets cost around ₽13.000 ($203).

Family Class (2Ю)

Photo by RZD

The family class is more a remodeling than actually a new class. Before, you had to know about the family compartment in car 10 and hope you could get a seat there. Now, you can simply book a family class ticket (and still be located in car 10). Seats are equipped with charging ports. The car itself has a shoe cleaning machine, and you can order the stewards to bring you food and drinks from the bistro. You’ll also have access to the internet and a media entertainment center. While you’re sipping on your cocktail and watching a film, the kids can play in the children’s zone — a little playground on the train, with toys, books and cartoons.
Tickets cost about ₽3000 ($47). The family class can be accessed through car 10. The other half of this car is occupied by the comfort class.

Comfort Class (2Я)

Photo by RZD

As indicated in the previous paragraph, the comfort class is located in the same car as the family class. There are no sliding doors or anything to separate the two classes, so if you book a ticket in this class you have to be fine with the noise of playing children. Besides that, comfort class tickets come with a meal, access to the internet and the media entertainment center and charging ports for your mobile devices.
In addition, all new classes come with a list of convenient extra services. You can ask the staff to book excursions for you as well as train and flight tickets or let them order a taxi to the station. Last but not least, you’ll also be able to shop until you drop in the SapsanShop — like a little store onboard a plane, they carry things like make up, watches, Sapsan merchandise, perfume and so on.
Despite the new classes, the whole train will receive a fresh new look. This includes a different outfit for the seats and the installation of more power outlets and USB charging ports in the basic and economy classes. Furthermore, the lighting will now be automatically customized to the time of day and you will be able to grab a cool glass of water from one of the novel coolers.

Summary

After 10 years of dutiful service, the Sapsan changes its look - and its classes. Introduced are the family class, suite cabin and comfort class. The suite cabin provides you with the most private travel experience you can wish for: two seats in a secluded cabin, plus an extra high level of comfort. The family class is the way to go when traveling with children, keeping them occupied with a play zone while you’re surfing the internet or finally giving your shoes the cleaning they deserve. The last new class is called comfort class. Located in the same car as the family class, comfort class tickets are only for those with a high tolerance for children. The definite upgrade compared to the economy and basic classes is the internet access. All new classes come with a meal and extra booking services for flights, planes, taxis and excursions. However, for the moment, patience is key. As of now there are only few trains traveling between St. Petersburg, Moscow and Nizhny Novgorod. If you want to make sure to get a seat in one of the new Sapsans, you still have to do a little bit of research in advance.