Russia is a vast country which often requires many days of travel on local trains simply to get anywhere. Sometimes this can be a wonderful experience, other times it can be a nightmare.
We posted recently about the horrors of traveling across Russia in third class carriages. I’ve often traveled in second class and quite enjoy it. Of course, one must consider that I am a male when I make such a comment. There is quite a bit of drinking on such journeys and it is not always the most wonderful of places for female travelers who must share a four-berth cabin with total strangers–many of which are men.
Women have complained over the years, and now their voices have been heard. Russia Railways has started selling tickets on eight long-distance trains whose compartments are designated as male only, female only, or mixed.
Currently, the gender-based tickets are on a trial basis and if the reaction proves positive–which I’m sure it will–Russian Railways is expected to expand the service.