Online travel service UFS.Travel conducted a study and named the most popular destinations among Russian tourists for the New Year, and also found out how much tickets cost on the eve of the holidays.
St. Petersburg was the most popular destination for New Year's. Tickets to the northern capital start at 997 rubles in a general carriage, 1,794 rubles in a reserved seat carriage, and 3,124 rubles in a compartment. Krasnodar, with an average ticket price of 1,062 rubles, and Nizhny Novgorod, with a one-way ticket price of 1,944 rubles, also rounded out the top three New Year's destinations.
Russians are also heading home for the New Year holidays: to Yekaterinburg, Tyumen, and Kazan—ticket prices to these destinations have dropped by an average of 6-9% compared to last year. Adler, one of Russia's most popular resorts for active recreation, remained in the top ten despite a sharp price jump of 21%. Sochi also maintained its high position. However, Petrozavodsk, popular last year, dropped out of the top ten.
Helsinki consistently tops the international city rankings, with approximately 451,000 international train tickets booked there. Minsk was the second most popular international city. According to experts, the key factor in choosing this destination was the affordable ticket price—starting from 2,616 rubles for a reserved seat.
UFS.Travel specialists note that in 2017, Russian tourists actively chose trains over planes for long-distance travel: demand for train tickets has grown not only on domestic but also international routes. This is due to several factors. Firstly, train ticket prices can seriously compete with air travel. Secondly, the quality of service on trains is improving thanks to ongoing training and professional development for conductors—the staff has become more open and friendly. Thirdly, train travel is now more comfortable: passengers can enjoy air conditioning, a TV, a power outlet, and free Wi-Fi en route. Moreover, approximately 451,000 passengers traveling by train purchase tickets online.
Passengers who didn't manage to purchase tickets in advance shouldn't be disappointed. Experts say you can still find a good deal on tickets even before the holidays.
"Passengers need to carefully analyze ticket prices for higher classes. Right now, despite the general price hikes on many destinations, you can get a significant discount on New Year's Eve travel thanks to special fares and promotions from carriers," says Alexey Astanin, CEO of UFS.Travel.
For travel from December 22 to January 15, a discount of 50% applies to upper berths in compartments. And on New Year's Eve, you can travel for half price in a reserved seat carriage. Attractive holiday prices are also available for Sapsan passengers across all travel classes, starting at 1,505.6 rubles. This promotion is only valid for tickets purchased for December 31 and January 1.
Source: trn-news.ru