Questions about the Slovakian CityStar ticket to Russia

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

Well, there are rumors (=non-official level, but rather trusted source) about "cease to exist" coming from the Russian side, while on the contrary ZSSK in a more or less official reply says that CityStar will still be available in 2013. Apparently somebody is wrong, but it is a bit difficult to say now which side 

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

Well, there are rumors (=non-official level, but rather trusted source) about "cease to exist" coming from the Russian side, while on the contrary ZSSK in a more or less official reply says that CityStar will still be available in 2013. Apparently somebody is wrong, but it is a bit difficult to say now which side 

It's not the first time ZSSK gives the wrong information. I have experience getting totally different answers on last day of old timetable, and first day of new timetable. According to other sources the will be no City-Star RZD-ZSSK via UZ (via BC/PKP unknown), no RZD-ZS and no RZD-ZCG. RZD-BDZ is unknown.

UZ East-west tariff for 2012/2013 is published: http://zakon1.rada.gov.ua/laws/show/z1834-12

Also RZD reservation list for 2012/2013 is published: http://www.uic.org/IMG/pdf/information_rzd_2012-2013_stand_09_12_12_.pdf

Interesting is that all Sapsans, and lot of other domestic RZD trains become Global price (including 1/2 "Rossiya" Moskva - Vladivostok, 9/10 "Baikal" Sankt Peterburg - Irkutsk, 7/8 Novosibirsk - Vladivostok, 1/2 "Premium" Moskva - Kazan, 15/16 "Premium" Moskva - Yekaterinburg, and others). It will be interesting to see prices in western Europe for them, although I suspect they will be expensive...

It's not the first time ZSSK gives the wrong information. I have experience getting totally different answers on last day of old timetable, and first day of new timetable

It might be that we just need to wait another 10 days to find out definitely 

UZ East-west tariff for 2012/2013 is published

Hmm, quite essential rise (as for the UZ), both CityStar leg and regular tariff. Also presence of CityStar у сполученні зі Словаччиною might not be the proof that UZ-ZSSK/ZSSK-UZ CityStars survive, since judging from the other info in this (and old published docs) people from UZ insert everything they can there (like Тересва - Сігет, Хирів - Ясло), kind of just in case thing.
Btw, kind of strange to see widened category of trains with seating accommodation (table V on page 3), especially Вартість плацкарти для поїздів, що курсують у прикордонному сполученні and Вартість плацкарти на швидкісні поїзди Інтерсіті+ (ІС+). With IC it's way long shot, doubt they will cross western border any time soon (plus if we remember correctly UZ in a new categorization had a separate EC category), but with short cross-border trains (like Chop-Zahony) it seems like passengers might experience paying for reservation already any time soon (at least if to believe the new tariff)

Interesting is that all Sapsans, and lot of other domestic RZD trains become Global price

Doesn't sound like a good news, RZD already for a while had intentions to introduce as much as possible globalpreise on international routes (Italy, France, Finland, Germany), but application to domestic trains 
Though it might be not about reservation getting even more expensive, maybe it's a sort of simplification for foreigners, meaning that RZD will just make a unified globalpreise grids for every train, so that any ticket cashier (somewhere in Berlin, Zurich etc.) won't need to deal with separate ticket and looking for reservation, at least list of trains suggests that RZD introducing globalpreise on most popular trains among foreign tourists (maybe with exception of something like 087NJ/088NJ Novosibirsk-Omsk =)

Hm..

Tried today at ŽS agency to see the global price for Sapsan Moskva - Sankt Peterburg, and for "Rossiya" Moskva - Vladivostok, for 13th December, but it gives reservation only for the same prices as before. Maybe selling of global prices will be implemented from 9th December.   

My question to Kontaktne centrum ŽSSK:

Dear,

please tell me the prices for return City Star tickets for 1 person
and 2 persons from Bratislava to:

-Lvov
-Kiev
-Moskva (via UZ and via PKP/BC)
-Minsk (via UZ and via PKP/BC)
-Vladivostok (via UZ and via PKP/BC)

Answer:

Price of the return ticket Bratislava – Lvov – Bratislava is 86,16 € for an adult.

Price of the City Star ticket Bratislava – Lvov – Bratislava  is 94,80 € for 2 passengers.

It is necessary to buy also a bed to the direct sleeping car. The price of the one bed is 12 € for one person and one way.

 

Price of the return ticket Bratislava – Moskva – Bratislava is 129,36 € for an adult. (they probably thought Kiev)

Price of the City Star ticket Bratislava – Lvov – Bratislava  is 132,60 € for 2 passengers. (they probably thought Kiev)

The price of the one bed is 20 € for one person and one way.

 

Price of the City Star ticket Bratislava – Moskva – Bratislava via UZ is 98,40 for an adult and 147,60 € for 2 passengers.

The price of the one bed is 29 € for one person and one way.

 

Price of the City Star ticket Bratislava – Minsk – Bratislava via UZ is 184,80 for an adult and 320,60 € for 2 passengers.

 

Price of the City Star ticket Bratislava – Vladivostok – Bratislava via UZ is 134,40 for an adult and 201,60 € for 2 passengers.

The price of the one bed Bratislava – Moskva is 29 € for one person and one way.

The price of the one bed Moskva - Vladivostok is about 231 € for one person and one way.

 

The CityStar ticket to RZD and BC via PKP/BC have cannot be purchased since 9.12.2012.

Rasha, thanks for the information, it is very helpful. Apparently rumors turned to be half true 
ZSSK answer also seems to indirectly point that East-West reservations for RZD domestic connections stay the same price

So, definitely..

Only Citystar ZSSK-UZ-RŽD remains. All other Citystars to and from Russia (Serbia, Montenegro, Bulgaria) are gone.

P.S. Some examples of global prices introduced:

Sapsan Moskva - St. Peterburg arround 86 EUR (2nd class)
Rossiya Moskva - Vladivostok 638 EUR (T4) 

Rossiya Moskva - Vladivostok 638 EUR (T4) 

Crazy russians... no other words )))

Hello,

I just read the news on this website that from 2013/14 SCIC-EWT tickets will be valid for only 15 days!!!

Does this effect the validity period of the City-Star?

Does this effect the validity period of the City-Star?

For the definite answer we'll have to wait until December, but our guess - probably yes. Doubt RZD will make any exceptions 

All SCIC-EWT tickets are now valid 15 days, except City Star Slovakia-Russia and Russia-Slovakia which are valid for one month. SCIC-SET tickets are valid 15 days in one direction and one return tickets one month. SCIC-SET return tickets bought in Turkey are valid 15 days.