Questions about the Slovakian CityStar ticket to Russia

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It is available, but only with non-computerized tickets (unless ZSSK stopped issuing those). While with 'standard' ones, system just doesn't allow to choose any point after last real RZD station, at least it used to be like this.

They issue only computerized tickets, at least they told me so one year ago.

...at least they told me so one year ago.

Was it by email? Or you asked in person at the station/service center? Have no idea about current state of affairs, but if it was first, then it might just be 'automatic' answer (like "all our international tickets issued with a help of computer") from an official, who didn't bother/had knowledge about old style option. But if you got it from the station or, for instance, service center in Bratislava, then it's far more trustworthy source, imho.
But does it make that big of a difference in nowadays context? Anyway passenger won't be able to use East-West tariff CityStar along with cheap MPT reservation, so guess it's not that crucial whether it will be 'gr.' or last 'real' station.

I found answer why ZSSK gave me weird price for CityStar for two passengers. Obviously, on UZ part there is no discount for fellow travelers, which can be seen here:

Hmm... strange... It means that in December with UZ part everything was ok, meaning 85+85/2+85/2 etc., but then suddenly it was just 85+85+85 etc., thus resulting in 295,92 EUR for two passengers. Strange especially taking into consideration the fact that in new edition (06.01.2012) of UZ East-West there is specific note regarding CityStar with ZSSK: "у сполученні зі Словаччиною на відстань від 1 до 500 км у вагоні 2-го класу - 21 євро, у вагоні 1-го класу - 33,6 євро; на відстань понад 500 км у вагоні 2-го класу  -  42 євро, у вагоні 1-го класу - 67,2 євро. При цьому  перший  пасажир  повністю  сплачує вищезазначену вартість проїзду, інші дорослі пасажири сплачують половину цієї вартості." Obviously meant UZ-ZSSK, but still.

btw, also interesting that ZSSK part in the above reference is counted using regular tariff (basically a sum) instead of more expensive standard ZSSK part (which would have been applied in case 'Ekonomnye zeny' were issued for like Moscow-Bratislava or so).

btw, also interesting that ZSSK part in the above reference is counted using regular tariff (basically a sum) instead of more expensive standard ZSSK part (which would have been applied in case 'Ekonomnye zeny' were issued for like Moscow-Bratislava or so).

On RZD counters if "normal" price is cheaper than predefined price for City Star (Ekonomnaya cena) for any railway on the route of City Star ticket, "normal" price is calculated. In practice, it's only for stations located really close to border point. I don't know is that rule also valid for other railways issuing City Star tickets.

...don't know is that rule also valid for other railways issuing City Star tickets.

At least for UZ yes: "Якщо вирахувана вартість за цими умовами [CityStar] є вищою від звичайного тарифу (вартості повного квитка), застосовується звичайний тариф"

Interesting also - on RZD counter you can buy City Star to Slovakia via Cadca(Gr), where the RZD, BC, PKP and ZSSK part is calculated as City Star, and gives 50% discount for fellow passenger. and CD part, which is calculated as normal price, without discount for fellow passenger.

By the way, from yesterday ASU PP (UZ) is connected to EPA, so it is now technically possible do electronicaly book UZ domestic and international trans.

By the way, from yesterday ASU PP (UZ) is connected to EPA, so it is now technically possible do electronicaly book UZ domestic and international trans.

Definitely a good news, so let's hope that in real life everything with 'schnittstelle' will be as smooth as in theory 

So, on wednesday evening I'm going to Bratislava (night train to Zagreb, morning train to Vienna) to buy my CityStar ticket Regarding buying reservations, are they connected to a ticket or can I buy them separately i.e. I come to a croatian counter to buy a sleeper reservation from Chop->Moscow but without having the CityStar ticket itself. Is this possible? Or are the reservations for a train only issued for a specific ticket?

Regarding buying reservations, are they connected to a ticket or can I buy them separately

When you buy your reservation in Croatia or Austria or Slovakia etc., you won't be asked to show your ticket (or CityStar), since in all alike countries it's not necessary. But if you buy same sleeper reservation in Ukraine or Russia, then ticket cashier will definitely ask for a ticket, there you can't buy reservations without ticket or at least presentation of such (if bought before).

I come to a croatian counter to buy a sleeper reservation from Chop->Moscow but without having the CityStar ticket itself. Is this possible?

As said above, in theory it's 100% possible, in practice never tried to do it Croatia, but don't think you will have any problems. Anyway, let us know how it goes

I am having huge problems. The clerk was able to make reservations: Chop-Moscow and Vladivostok-Irkutsk, but the main reservation is creating a problem. The reservation system says that the Moscow-Vladivostok train doesn't exist even though the clerk checked Hafas (right in front of me) and there the train exists. Later I checked Poezda and the train exists.

The train is 2MJ Rossija from Moscow Iar. to Vladivostok departing Aug 1st at 23:45.

She tried all sorts of combinations 2, 02, 002, 0002, 00002 but it didn't work. She can't input letters in the train number. This is a big deal for me because now I have to either shorten my stay in St. Petersburg by one day and spend an extra day in Vladivostok (train 240 on Aug 1st) or loose 2 days (train 918 on Jul 30th).

Can anyone check what the hell is going on? If Hafas sees the train and Poezda sees it too, why doesn't the Croatian system see it? What am I doing wrong?

 

Hello tut,
Hello rasha-
Hello to all the others:


here is a short update:
I bought tickets online with the bookinkg.uz.gov.ua from Uzhgorod - Kiev (168,82 Hrywna)  Kiev- Moscow (473,82 Hrywna) Thats  for 2 Persons about 134 euro.

Yesterday I tried to make reaservations at the cologne main station.
Sleeper in T4 from Moscow to Kazan in Train # 050M was 84 euros (2 Persons).

Then the clerk told me that he is unable to make reservation for the train with the numbers 307C and 340/350 Ч
He said, that there is no need for making reservation for such a train. Is he right?


My route is finally planned:
Viienna - Bratislava py bus.
Bratislava- Michalovce R615 23:40- 07:09 Buying on board
Going to Chop by Bus/Taxi
Chop - Kiev 082 Л    allready booked with bookinkg.uz.gov.ua
Kiev- Moskow 022K  allready booked with bookinkg.uz.gov.ua
Moskow - Kazan  050M Reservation 84 Euro

Kazan - Yekaterinburg (no reservation needed?)
Yekaterinburg - Ishim ( no reservation needed?)
Ishim - Vladivostok 240 Э (reservation on the 29.06)
and back Vladivostok - Nizny Nowgorod with the Rossija (reservation end of next week)


What is cheaper: Buying city star ticket in Michalovce > 1500 km for two or is there the possibility to buy the tickets at the counter in Russia?

many thanks
Kimski

Then the clerk told me that he is unable to make reservation for the train with the numbers 307C and 340/350 Ч. He said, that there is no need for making reservation for such a train. Is he right?

Well, that is a mistake. Reservation is necessary for all the Russian long-distance sleeper trains (which 307 and 350 are). Maybe the clerk had some troubles with letter indexes used for those trains? It is usually the case with Russian (and other exUSSR countries) trains, since if you get the index wrong it won't show up. For instance in hafas train #307 Kislovodsk-Ekaterinburg Pass. is shown as 307SJ, #350 is 350CH etc.

Going to Chop by Bus/Taxi

Bus from Michalovce goes only till Uzghorod, taxi will also probably go via Uzghorod. To cross the border directly to Chop is possible only twice a day with Cierna-Chop train

What is cheaper: Buying city star ticket in Michalovce > 1500 km for two or is there the possibility to buy the tickets at the counter in Russia?

RZD won't sell you in Russia East-West tickets for domestic routes (they only sell East-West reservations), so it's either CityStar or you just buy regular East-West tariff tickets (what can be done even in Germany), the later will be obviously more expensive since you travel there and back and there is 2 passengers traveling.

HI,

I am trying to buy a ticket from Moscow to Ulan Bator with several stops on the way: Nishny Novgorod, Omsk, Novosibirsk (or Krasnoyark) and Irkutsk.
In principle I wanted to buy the City Star ticket and just use the Russian part plus buy a ticket from the Russian border to UlanBator, but they just told me 1. It is too late to order the ticket (I am not in Slovakia and they were going to ship it to Germany, but I am leaving on Saturday 14th) and 2. It is cheaper to buy a MPT ticket anyway and add all the reservations for the stopovers.
Now, in order to get this done asap (many trains are already booked up) I was asking for quotes for a MPT ticket to different train agencies, but they all seem to just send me the quotes for the individual domestic tickets for each segment (plus their comission, of course). If that is all, I can buy the domestic tickets online myself on the russian website.

But, I would be really grateful if someone could tell me:
1. If the price for the MPT ticket would be considerably less. If that is so, I could try to buy it myself once I am there (does anyone know how complicated this can be?), but in order to avoid not having any ticket left (although I am actually flexible on dates), maybe it is better 2 (below)
2. Does anyone know some agency that would issue the MPT ticket and the reservations? I could pick up the ticket next Monday in Moscow.

Currently, the qoutes for the itinerary above that I am getting are around 650 eur, which seems pretty high to me.

Thanks a lot!!!

Is it true, that the Slovakia-Russia City-Star ticket will cease to exist in 2013?