This year, spring break for most schoolchildren will last only seven days—from March 25 to 31—rather than the nine days it did in 2018. The online travel service UFS.Travel analyzed how the shortened weekends affected travel demand among students and their parents. and what destinations they choose for a week-long vacation.
As the company told TRN, the most active air travelers among schoolchildren during spring break are 7th-graders. Moreover, compared to last year, the age of children flying has decreased from 15 to 13. Popular air travel destinations from March 25 to 31 include Sochi, Ufa, and St. Petersburg. Thanks to its warm weather and proximity to the sea, the Krasnodar Krai is even more popular this year than last year's leader, St. Petersburg. The average price for a flight to Sochi was 10,432 rubles, while to Ufa it was 11,873 rubles.
"Although most Russians prefer domestic destinations during spring break, some students fly to Europe with their families. Tivat is particularly popular. A flight to Montenegro at the end of March is one of the most affordable resort destinations, with an average price of 8,066 rubles. The beach season and influx of tourists are not expected to begin until April, so the end of March is ideal for a budget-friendly and relaxing vacation on the coast without the crowds," explained UFS.Travel.
They also noted that train travel is popular among schoolchildren aged 10-11 and high school students aged 16-17. Among elementary school students, 8- and 9-year-olds are the most likely to travel with their parents. Moscow students and their families will travel to St. Petersburg to explore museums and visit historical sites, as well as to Nizhny Novgorod. The capital is especially popular during spring break among residents of Kazan, Voronezh, and Krasnodar.
"This year, families with schoolchildren are primarily choosing reserved seat carriages for short trips. They're attracted not only by the competitive price, but also by the updated carriages, which have already begun operating on some routes: sofas with headrests, USB ports, water filters, individual lighting, and much more. It's also interesting that, despite the significant price difference, compartment tickets have become more popular than seats this year," UFS.Travel explained.
It's worth noting that, according to the company, the average ticket price for both air and train travel has increased compared to last year. In 2018, the average ticket price for train travel was 4,114 rubles, while this year it's 5,071. For air travel, the average ticket price has increased from 10,892 to 13,182 rubles.
Most students are looking to extend their trip and will depart this weekend, March 24–25, purchasing return tickets for March 29 and 30 to prepare for classes.
Source: trn-news.ru