Moscow–Berlin Swift Train will Take Its First Trip December 17

It is the first passenger train made up of cars equipped with a system to automatically change the width of its wheel sets. This will reduce the time it takes to transition between Russian standard gauge (1520 mm) and European gauge (1435 mm) at Brest (Belarus). It will take the Swift about twenty minutes to go through a specially equipped device to change gauge, whereas at present it takes about two hours.
Thus, the distance from Moscow to Berlin will take twenty hours and fourteen minutes (currently twenty-four hours and forty-nine minutes), and from Berlin to Moscow it will take twenty hours and thirty-five minutes (up from twenty-five hours and fifty-six minutes).
The cars for the trains are manufactured by Patentes Talgo S.L. (Spain).

The Swift will run twice a week, starting at the Kursky station in Moscow on Saturdays and Sundays at 13:05 and arriving at Berlin Ostbahnhof station at 07:19 the following day (local time). From Berlin (Berlin Ostbahnhof) the train will depart on Sundays and Mondays at 18:50 (local time) and arrive at Kursky station in Moscow at 17:25.

The route will include stops at stations in Smolensk, Orsha, Minsk, Brest, Terespol, Warsaw, Poznan, Rzepin, and Frankfurt (Oder).

Each train has twenty cars:
– five second-class sleeper cars (four four-person compartments and one two-person compartment: 18 places in all);
– four first-class cars (six compartments: twelve seats);
– three 1 Class cars (two double VIP compartments equipped with showers and baths and a second-class compartment for passengers with reduced mobility and people accompanying them: six places);
– two VIP-class cars (five double VIP compartments equipped with showers and toilets: ten places);
– two cars with first-class seats (twenty seats in each car);
– Buffet car;
– Dining car.

The train (head and tail) also includes technical cars providing life-support systems.
Tickets for the new long-distance Swift passenger train no. 13/14 Moscow–Berlin are already on sale.

They can be purchased on the official website of JSC Russian Railways and at international railway ticket offices. Electronic registration is carried out throughout the route and is available no later than one hour before the departure time. Sales begin no earlier than 60 days before the date of departure.

Swift passengers are offered a number of tariff plans similar to other trains of JSC FPK traveling to European countries. Therefore, when buying a ticket for all types of cars from 60 to 45 days before departure, there is a discount of 10% and, for travel on the top bunk, 5%. Special rates are provided for passengers of different age groups: 12 to 26 years old and over the age of 60. Passengers reserve the right to bring one child under the age of 4 at no cost, and children under the age of 12 can purchase with a children’s fare discount.

Passengers who have purchased a ticket in a Luxury Class car jointly with another adult in the same compartment (Family tariff), seven days before or after their birthday (Party tariff), up to 30 days after their wedding (Wedding tariff), and mini-groups of passengers of between 2 to 5 people also receive discounts. More information about timetables and fares can be found at the official website of JSC Russian Railways in the Passengers section.