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What is an Open Return ticket?

Open Return tickets allow you to be flexible on the train you decide to travel back on. There are two different ways to buy Open Return tickets.

• If you started your search by selecting Return journey you'll be asked to choose which train you want to return on, even if the ticket you select is an Open Return ticket.
• If you started your search by selecting Open Return then the same ticket will be offered, but you don't need to select the train you want to return on.

The main benefit of booking a Return, instead of an Open Return is the option of reserving a seat. If you'd like to reserve a seat, search for a Return ticket, if you're not fussed about seat reservations and aren't sure when you're returning, pick an Open Return.

Here are the different types of Open Return tickets available –

Anytime Return - the outward portions of Anytime Returns are valid for five days, including the date on the ticket. You must return within one calendar month of the outward travel date specified. For example, if you bought an Anytime Return for 1st Feb you could wait 'til 5th Feb to make your outward journey.

Anytime Day Return - your outbound and return travel can be on any train on the date specified. For example, if you bought an Anytime Day Return for 1st Feb you would have to take your outward and return journey on 1st Feb.   

Off-Peak Return - your outward journey must be on Off-Peak trains on the date specified, and you must return on Off-Peak trains within one calendar month.

Off-Peak Day Return - your outbound and return journey can be on any Off-Peak train on the date specified.   

Super Off-Peak Return - you can return on any Super Off-Peak train within one calendar month.

If you’re unsure about when you can travel, our Train Times page clearly highlights whether a train is Peak, Off-Peak or Super Off-Peak. 

Please note: Your ticket may be valid on specified operators only.

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Taking the train in Ireland – what you need to know

Apr 19, 2024 • 11 min read

A train travels along the Rosslare, Wexford to Dublin line in Ireland © Irish Rail

Traveling by train is one of Ireland ’s great, if under-appreciated, pleasures.

It’s a small island and the rail network is limited, so no journey is especially long – but riding the rails across the country is one of the loveliest ways to enjoy the rolling countryside.

Compared to its European counterparts, Irish trains aren’t especially spectacular, but this is a country that doesn’t need high-speed or sleeper trains: you roll along at a maximum of 160km/h (99mph) and before you know it you’re on the other side of the island.

The particular nature of Irish demographics has shaped train travel in Ireland: with around a quarter of the population clustered in the greater Dublin region, it makes sense that most train journeys begin or end in the capital. In Northern Ireland the same is true of Belfast .

Irish trains might not be especially quick or super luxurious, but they’re an efficient and eco-friendly way of exploring the island – so long as your explorations are focused on the major cities and towns. Here is our essential guide to train travel in Ireland.

The lowdown on rail travel in Ireland

Irish trains are efficient, relatively frequent and usually on time.  Irish Rail/Iarnród Éireann operates the entire network of trains in the Republic, from intercity trains linking the major urban centers to the busy commuter network that services the greater Dublin region.

There are two main lines into the west and three into the south and southwest; spurs off the main lines connect to a host of smaller towns throughout the country. There’s also a line to Belfast, from where  Translink services connect the city with the Antrim Coast and Derry (Londonderry) .

Within the greater Dublin region, a network of commuter services connects the capital with a host of suburbs and dormitory towns in the surrounding counties. Dublin’s coastline between the northside suburbs of Howth and Malahide, and Greystones in County Wicklow is served by DART (Dublin Area Rapid Transport) trains.

There are some notable gaps in the country’s rail network, with no services in counties Donegal , Monaghan and Cavan , and no trains into West Cork . Some towns – like Buttevant in Cork or Annacotty in Limerick – are on the rail line but they’re bypassed as they have no functioning station.

Ireland’s bigger train stations – including Cork , Limerick , Galway , Sligo, Belfast and the two in Dublin – are all pretty well stocked when it comes to picking up supplies and other assorted sundries for your journey. Most other stations will have a small shop.

Train tickets are relatively good value

The good news about traveling by train in Ireland is that it is relatively inexpensive compared to train travel in some places, such as the UK, for example. If you buy it online, a standard one-way fare between Dublin Heuston and Kent Station in Cork costs €30–35, and around €55 in first class.

Online is the best place to buy your tickets for train travel in the Irish Republic. Not only do you get the best fares (with savings of up to 50% compared to buying the ticket at the station), but you can purchase your ticket up to 90 days in advance and reserve a seat when you do.

You have the option of collecting your bought ticket from a machine at the station as you’re boarding, or downloading a QR code at the point of purchase. If you wait to buy your ticket at the station, you’ll pay significantly more and have to get there early to queue up at the ticket kiosk.

For travel in Northern Ireland, you’re better off buying the ticket at the station as only a limited number of tickets are available online. Show up a short time before your intended departure time and just buy your ticket there.

Only a handful of services offer first class, but upgrading is relatively inexpensive. On average, expect to pay around €20–25 more to sit in first. There are three kinds of first class service on Irish trains. CityGold is on direct Dublin to Cork services, and includes an onboard host and a complimentary newspaper on selected early morning services. The Enterprise service between Dublin and Belfast offers the same, plus a fine breakfast. Premier Class is similar, but is only available on direct services between Dublin and Tralee and some Dublin to Cork trains.

Some discounts and offers apply

There are discounted fares for children and young adults aged between 19 and 25, as long as they have a valid discount card. Under fives and those aged 66 and over travel for free.

The commuter network in the Greater Dublin area has a fare cap of €6 for travel between the capital and a host of towns in the surrounding counties.

There are two rail passes aimed at visitors. The Trekker Four Day (€88) offers unlimited travel for adults on all Irish Rail services on four consecutive days from the date of issue. The Explorer (adult/child €128/64) provides five days of travel on all services in a 15-day window.

However, before investing in either, be sure that you plan on making the most out of it. The limited rail network means that connections are limited and traveling between some destinations involves backtracking: Cork and Waterford are both on the south coast, but to get from one to the other means travelling to Limerick, while Sligo and Westport are only 140km (87 miles) apart along the west coast, but to go between them by train you’ll have to travel through Dublin – which is on the other side of the country.

In Northern Ireland, the Sunday Fun Day Tracker ticket gives passengers unlimited train travel on a Sunday for £9 (£4.50 for children). Tickets are available from all ticket offices, the mLink ticketing app and from the conductor on the train.

These are the busiest times to travel by train

Unsurprisingly, peak times for train travel coincide with busy rush hour periods. Early morning services to Dublin from cities including Cork, Galway and Limerick can be busy, especially if the train is due to arrive in Dublin around the start of the working day. Friday evening trains departing Dublin can also be quite busy. However, as online bookings also include the option of booking a seat, you’ll never have to stand.

The commuter network is busiest on weekdays from 7am to 9am and from 4:30pm to 6:30pm as thousands of people travel in and out of work. You can’t prebook seats on these services, so plenty of people do end up standing. Keep an eye out on changing schedules, especially for weekend and holiday travel, as frequencies diminish.

The train network is limited, but it has some benefits over road travel

There are no rail links to any Irish airport, which means you’re relying on taxis, private cars or buses once you arrive in the country. Irish ferry ports are better connected to rail lines, however, and you can catch trains in Rosslare, Dublin and Larne; there is no rail link to Belfast Port.

If you want to reach the more remote corners of the island, then the Irish rail network is quite limited, and a car will give you the flexibility you need. However, rental fees can be very expensive and fuel is another considerable cost, with the price of unleaded and diesel hovering between €1.75 and €2 a liter. Parking is also pricey in all urban centers, especially Dublin.

Traveling by bus is the cheapest way to get around, but it can be a slow business, as most make lots of stops along the way. There are some direct express services, but they are at the mercy of traffic, which can also add considerable time to a journey compared to traveling by train. Plus, buses don’t have bathrooms, with those traveling longer distances relying entirely on rest stops.

On board facilities vary depending on the type of train

There are two kinds of Irish trains: InterCity and commuter. InterCity trains are all the same – relatively modern with comfortable seats in standard class and fancier recliners in first – and they travel at speeds of up to 160km/h (99mph). There’s no journey in Ireland that is longer than 2½ to 3 hours. Commuter trains are slightly older, with less comfortable seats; older trains are used on some small-distance spur lines in rural areas and are very basic (facilities include seats and a toilet).

While Ireland’s flagship service is the one between Dublin and Cork, the fanciest train is the Enterprise service between Dublin Connolly and Belfast Lanyon Place, which is a joint venture between Irish Rail and Translink. This train is on a par with most services you’ll find in mainland Europe and first class is the most luxurious of any in the country.

All InterCity trains have three-pin sockets at every row where you can plug in a charger or a laptop. Most commuter trains in the greater Dublin area also have sockets. All trains have toilets and there is a cross-network wi-fi service operated by Irish Rail, but it is patchy and inconsistent. Translink has its own wi-fi network, which is accessible on all bus and rail services in the north, but, like in the Republic, you’re at the mercy of signal strength and contention levels.

Food options are pretty limited. There is a trolley service on the Dublin to Cork service, while the Enterprise between Dublin and Belfast operates a full service menu in a dedicated dining car; first class passengers also get a pretty good breakfast as part of their ticket.

Some trains on the Dublin to Cork route have a “quiet carriage” (usually Carriage G, marked in purple when booking) where the use of phones is prohibited and passengers are encouraged to keep noise levels down.

You can bring a bike on any Irish Rail train for free, although there are some restrictions during busy periods (such as sporting fixtures and concerts). The Dublin to Cork line is the only one to have a dedicated bike storage area; all other InterCity trains have (very) limited bicycle spaces within the passenger compartment – it’s not unusual for only two bikes to be allowed into the compartment, so be sure to book in advance. Bikes are not allowed on commuter and DART services during peak hours – before 10am and from 3:30pm to 7pm Monday to Friday.

There are many scenic train routes: here are the best

No matter where you are in Ireland you’re going to find a beautiful landscape or two, but some journeys are worth keeping your eyes wide open for.

Dublin to Sligo

Once you’ve gone past the huge suburban sprawl of the greater Dublin area, the landscapes get quite gentle; beyond Mullingar the train skirts alongside the edge of beautiful Lough Owel. For the best views, sit on the left-hand side of the train.

Dublin to Belfast

The Enterprise service is the best in the country, with the most comfortable seats and the best food options – especially in first class. The train skirts alongside the Irish Sea between Malahide and Balbriggan, so be sure to sit on that side as you travel (on the right-hand side if you’re traveling to Belfast).

Derry (Londonderry) to Coleraine

The Translink service between Northern Ireland’s second city and Coleraine is a stunner, a 40-minute journey along the Causeway Coast that comes with beautiful beaches, huge cliffs and unimpeded views out over the North Sea.

Downpatrick to Inch Abbey

It’s only a 10-minute journey, but the trip from Downpatrick in County Down to the monastic ruins of Inch Abbey takes place in a vintage steam train (or a 1960s diesel train) that chugs its way along the line, over the River Quoile and past the drumlin-specked landscape.

Cork to Cobh

One of Ireland’s most scenic trips is the 25-minute trip from Cork City to the seaside town of Cobh , which takes you along the river (sit on the right for the best views), past marshy Harper’s Island and over the bridges on Lough Mahon and the Slatty Water. You can always stop off at Fota and visit the  wildlife park  there.

Book in advance for wheelchair access to trains

All InterCity services are nominally accessible, but if you do need assistance you will need to book it in advance so that suitable arrangements can be made. This usually means that a conductor will have a ramp ready for wheelchair access, but we have also heard plenty of anecdotal evidence of staff simply lifting a wheelchair onto a train, which depending on the individual can either be a help or an annoying hindrance. Whatever you do, make sure to communicate your requirements before you travel as assistance is not guaranteed otherwise.

For passengers with learning difficulties or any issue where there may be a challenge with communication (such as autism) Irish Rail staff are trained to recognize visual cue cards such as the  JAM card , which inform the interlocutor of the holder’s condition. JAM cards are available online or at mainline train stations in Dublin, Cork, Galway, Limerick, Waterford and Sligo.

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How to Travel Through Europe by Train Like a Pro

Last Updated on June 8, 2023

Traveling through Europe by train is a wonderful experience that offers a unique and authentic way to explore the continent. It is a cost-effective and sustainable way to travel that gives you a chance to see the breathtaking scenery of Europe. 

However, train travel can also be overwhelming for first-timers. That’s why we’ve put together this guide on traveling through Europe by train like a pro.

Make an Itinerary

The first step to traveling through Europe by train like a pro is to plan ahead. Research your destinations and create a rough itinerary of the places you want to visit, as well as the duration of your stay. You can use websites such as Rail Europe or Eurail to plan your train journeys and book tickets in advance. This can save you money, time, and heartache on your adventure!

Buy a Rail Pass

If you plan to take multiple train journeys during your trip, buying a rail pass is worth considering. A rail pass allows you to travel on most trains in Europe without purchasing individual tickets for each journey. Different types of rail passes are available, depending on the length of your trip and the countries you want to visit.

Utilize Nearby Luggage Storage

When traveling through Europe by train, you may find yourself in a situation where you need to store your luggage temporarily. This can happen if you arrive at your destination before your hotel check-in time or want to explore a city without carrying heavy bags.

Fortunately, many train stations in Europe offer luggage storage facilities. For example, if you’re spending the day in St. Pancras, simply look for luggage storage in St. Pancras . Now, you can explore the city with peace of mind — and no heavy bags weighing you down.

Choose Your Train

When traveling through Europe by train , you can take high-speed trains, regional trains, or overnight trains. High-speed trains, such as the Eurostar or TGV, are faster and more expensive than regional trains. However, they are a smart option for longer journeys or days you want to travel between two distant cities in a short amount of time.

Regional trains, on the other hand, are slower but cheaper. They are an option if you want to explore smaller towns and villages along your route. Overnight trains, such as the Nightjet, allow you to save time and money by combining transportation and accommodation.

One of the advantages of traveling through Europe by train is the ability to easily move from one place to another. However, this can be difficult if you are carrying a heavy suitcase. Therefore, it is important to pack light and only bring the essentials. A backpack or a small suitcase is ideal for train travel.

Arrive Early

You should arrive at the train station at least 30 minutes before your train departure time. This allows you to find your platform, check the train timetable, and board the train stress-free. After all, when a train says it leaves at 10:00, you best believe it’ll be on the move promptly at 10:00.

Additionally, arriving early can give you time to grab a coffee or a snack from one of the many cafes at the train station.

Validate Your Ticket

If you have purchased individual train tickets, don’t forget to validate them before boarding the train. You can do this at the yellow validation machines located at the train station. Failure to validate your ticket can result in a fine if you are caught by a ticket inspector on the train.

Keep Your Ticket Handy

Once you have boarded the train, it is important to keep your ticket handy. Ticket inspectors may ask to see your ticket any time during the journey, so it is best to have it easily accessible. Additionally, some trains have a designated area for luggage storage, so be sure to keep your bags in the appropriate area.

Bring Your Own Food

While some trains have dining cars or food carts, it is always a good idea to bring your own food and snacks for the journey. This can save you money and ensure that you have something to eat if the train has no food options or limited options.

Enjoy the Scenery

Last but not least, one of the most important things to remember when traveling through Europe by train is to take the time to enjoy the scenery. Europe is home to some of the world’s most beautiful landscapes and architecture, and traveling by train allows you to see it all from a unique perspective.

Happy Travels!

Traveling through Europe by train is a fantastic experience that offers a unique and authentic way to explore the continent. With these tips, you can travel like a pro and make the most of your journey. Remember to plan ahead, pack light, and most importantly, enjoy the beautiful scenery along the way.

Related posts:

• Why you should travel by train in Europe (and how to book tickets)
• Exploring France by train: Our top five train rides in France
• How to Travel around Europe on the Cheap
• Things to Know Before You Board a Train from Vienna to Prague

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How to use the Moscow Metro (PHOTOS+INFOGRAPHICS)

It’s really convenient to use the Moscow Metro and city trains. They operate from 5:30 in the morning to 1:00 at night and you can pay for them with the same ‘Troika’ ticket card. Indeed, the map of the subway looks complex. But that’s only at first glance.

For starters, let’s separate the underground metro from surface city trains. The underground map is marked by bright solid lines, while the lines of surface routes are marked by two parallel lines with a white gap in between.

Underground metro system

It has two ring lines – the brown Koltsevaya, or Circle line (5) and the new Bolshaya Koltsevaya line (Big Circle Line) colored turquoise (number 11). These rings cross all other underground metro lines, so if you need to reach another line from the outskirts – it’s convenient to use one of the ring lines.

Circle Line

We can consider that the center of the city is inside of the ring line (5). Also there’s a multitude of transfers from one line to another within the brown ring. The record holder is Biblioteka Imeni Lenina – Arbatskaya – Alexandrovsky Sad – Borovitskaya. These whole four lines crossed in one place (right next to the Moscow Kremlin). Also, you can reach the Kremlin quickly and conveniently from stations Okhotny Ryad – Teatralnaya – Ploshchad Revolyutsii, which also have transfers between each other.

Big Circle Line

You can also reach the Vnukovo Airport right by metro! The corresponding station of the Solntsevskaya Line (8A) was opened in September 2023.

How does the underground metro operate?

Pykhtino metro station, opened in 2023

The intervals between trains are really small – on average about 2 minutes; during rush hour, they run even more often. So you don’t need to run and squeeze yourself into closing doors (that’s also dangerous). Just wait for the next train, it’ll arrive quickly. Unlike the subway systems of other cities – the trains run along single lines, without branching away. So you can just board the train in the required direction without worrying that you will go somewhere you didn’t intend to.

There are only two exceptions:

• From Alexandrovsky Sad Station of the light-blue line trains run either to Mezhdunarodnaya Station (where Moscow City is located, where a lot of businessmen go) or to Pionerskaya.
• Bolshaya Koltsevaya line also has the so-called fork branching: from Savelovskaya Station to the Business Center (also to Moscow City).

Sometimes you can hear an announcement ‘This train runs to the station…’ If you need to go further, you simply need to get off at the station the train is bound for, and wait for the next train. Perhaps, this train just needs to go to the depot.

Surface routes:

Apart from the underground metro itself, the new map marks suburban trains. You can tell them apart immediately – these lines are indicated with two parallel lines with a white gap in between.

1) MCC: Moscow Central Circle (14)

Moscow Central Circle (MCC)

Let’s take a look at the map again and find a red circle, situated between the underground Koltsevaya (5) and Bolshaya Koltsevaya (11) lines. This is the Moscow Central Circle (14) or simply MCC.

This is a surface urban train that circles around the city. There are stations from where you can transfer to the underground metro. However, these transfers usually are not as short as between subway stations. Sometimes you’ll need about 10 minutes of walking to transfer.

So we don’t recommend you to use MCC purely as a transfer route. In addition, the interval between trains on MCC is longer than in the metro, and can reach 4-8 minutes, depending on the time of day.

However, a big advantage of the MCC is that it has a lot of stations that are far removed from the metro, and which are most conveniently reached specifically by the MCC.

2) Moscow Central Diameters (MCD)

Moscow Central Diameters (MCD)

Moscow diameters on the metro map are the longest lines that cross the entire city (hence, they are called diameters). They are reminiscent of urban trains, like S-Bahn in Berlin or Vienna or RER in Paris.

Those are suburban train lines that run from suburbs (from the Moscow Region, marked as a green shadow on the map) and, crossing the entire city, are bound for suburbs on the other side of the city. At some of the stations of a diameter you can get off and transfer to the metro or the MCC. During rush hour, MCD trains run with an interval of 5-7 minutes.

D1 – Belorussko-Savyolovsky Yellow Diameter runs from Odintsovo Station south-west from Moscow through Moscow City and Belorussky railway station to Sheremetyevo Airport and to Lobnya Station in the north.

D2 – Kursko-Rizhsky Pink Diameter runs from the Moscow Region city of Podolsk in the south through Kursky railway station, Three Station Square (Leningradsky, Kazansky, Yaroslavsky), and Rizhsky railway station to the village of Nakhabino in the north-west.

D3 – Leningradsko-Kazansky Orange Diameter runs from Ippodrom Station in the south-east (the city of Ramenskoye) to Zelenograd in the north.

D4 – Kaluzhsko-Nizhegorodsky Green Diameter runs from the city of Aprelevka in the south-west through Moscow City, Belorussky, Savelovsky, and Kursky railway stations, as well as through Three Station Square (Leningradsky, Kazansky, Yaroslavsky) to Zheleznodorozhnaya Station in the city of Balashikha in the east.

A fifth MCD line is also projected, which is promised to be finished by 2028. It will connect the south (Domodedovo) and the north (Pushkino).

3) Moscow Monorail

Moscow Monorail (highlighted above) and Light metro (bottom)

Look for the only monorail line in Russia to the north from the center of Moscow. It’s not just a surface line, it’s an elevated line that stands on piles. It’s a short line (13) that operates in an excursion mode – from it, you can get a beautiful view of the Ostankino TV Tower, for example.

Once per half an hour, the train runs from Timiryazevskaya Station (which is near the station of the same name on the Serpukhovsko-Timiryazevskaya (9) line, which is the gray metro line) to Ulitsa Sergeya Eisensteina Station, which is located next to the entrance to the VDNKh park and to the VDNKh metro station of the Kaluzhsko-Rizhskaya (6) metro line.

4) Light metro

Butovskaya (12) line in the south of Moscow runs from Buninskaya Alleya Station to Bitsevsky Park Station; from it, you can make a transfer to the gray Serpukhovsko-Timiryazevskaya (9) line and the orange Kaluzhsko-Rizhskaya (6) line. This line runs mostly on the surface, entering a tunnel, but is considered a part of the subway (hence, this line is marked with a solid line as other metro lines).

A useful piece of advice

The Moscow Metro website has an interactive map with all metro lines, MCC, and diameters. With it, you can build a route from the departure station to the destination station, take a look at all travel options and where you can make necessary transfers.

How to pay the fare

The convenience of the Moscow transportation system is that you only need the Troika card for travel with any type of public transport, be it the metro, suburban trains, or buses/trams. You can purchase it in ticket offices or from machines at stations. Also in souvenir shops and in the metro internet store you can purchase keychains, bracelets, and rings that work like a Troika card, as well as Troika cards with a unique and custom design.

Troika design dedicated to the 875th anniversary of Moscow

You can top up your card by simply adding a particular amount of money – or purchase the Unified ticket for 60 travels or unified unlimited ticket for 1/3/30/90/365 days.

The deposit price of the Troika card is 80 rubles, and you can get it back when returning the card to the ticket office. The validity period of the card is 5 years, so you can save it for future travels.

One MCC, MCD (in the city center), and metro trip costs 54 rubles. Transfers in the metro, MCC, or between diameters are free within 90 minutes. The fare on MCD in the suburbs costs 71 rubles.

Important: you need to pay the fare in the metro and MCC only upon entrance. On diameters, you need to activate trips upon entrance and then tap your card again at the turnstile upon exiting.

Also almost every station has a terminal where you can pay your fare, tapping your bank card.

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Your how-to guide for the new Eastside light rail line

The East Link Starter Line, also called the 2 Line, begins service 11 a.m. Saturday with eight stops in Bellevue and Redmond. If you’re a newcomer to Sound Transit light rail, here’s what to know.

Hours: Eastside trains are scheduled to arrive every 10 minutes, seven days a week from 5:30 a.m. to 9:30 p.m.

Travel time: A ride on the 6-mile line, end to end, lasts 20 minutes.

Capacity: Two-car trains are intended to carry 300 people, when half are seated and half standing.

Locations: At the south end is South Bellevue Station. From there, trains head northeast to East Main, Bellevue Downtown, Wilburton, Spring District, BelRed, Overlake Village and the last stop, Redmond Technology Station. Free park-and-ride space is available at South Bellevue (1,500 stalls), BelRed (300), Overlake Village (203 stalls, four blocks away) and Redmond Technology (300). The other four stations include passenger drop-off sites and connecting bus stops.

Fares: Standard adult fares are $2.25 to $2.50 depending on distance. Link light rail charges $1 for 65+, disabled and low-income passengers holding a discounted ORCA fare card. People 18 and younger ride transit free throughout Washington state. Fares will be collected opening weekend.

How to pay: Fares are paid before entering trains. Most people use a regional ORCA fare card, tapping it on a yellow detector near the station entrance. Tap again when leaving a station to avoid overcharges. See orcacard.com to order fare cards online or find in-person sites . ORCA cards are available at many QFC and Fred Meyer stores. Paper single-trip and all-day tickets are sold in station vending machines, which accept cash or credit/debit cards. If you’re taking more than a couple of rides, it’s simpler to buy an ORCA fare card directly from the ticket machine. You pay $3 for the card, then load it with funds. Or download the Transit Go app .

Station entry: There are no turnstiles. “Fare ambassadors” canvass some trains to check for proof of payment and help people navigate. They issue advice or warnings and can cite repeat evaders for $50 or more. Pedestrians should look all ways for trains next to station platforms and at grade crossings around BelRed Station.

Bicycles: Bikes are allowed onboard light rail, hanging from a hook in a nook that doubles as luggage space.

Restrooms: There are no public restrooms in the eight stations.

Buses: The primary train-bus connections are I-90 routes that swing by South Bellevue Station; Highway 520 routes next to Redmond Technology Station; and I-405 buses that converge at Bellevue Downtown Station. Metro’s B Line bus links the Crossroads neighborhood to multiple train stops including Wilburton.

Traffic Lab | Eastside Light Rail

• The highs and lows of Eastside’s 8 new light rail stations, from parking to traffic hazards
• New to light rail? Here’s your starter kit for riding
• Eastside’s light rail wait is almost over with ‘Starter Line’
• Map: Eastside’s first light rail stations open April 27
• Timeline: Eastside light rail has been a long time coming
• Eastside tech workers, we want to hear from you about your commute

Traffic Lab reporter Mike Lindblom is taking questions for an upcoming story. Email him at [email protected]

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The opinions expressed in reader comments are those of the author only and do not reflect the opinions of The Seattle Times.

Ticket prices and travelcards

Fares for Moscow's public transport network are the same for every mode of transport making it really easy to travel. See all the different tickets here !

Troika Ticket

This is the most economical option if you're spending a few days in the Russian capital. The card can be purchased and recharged at various station machines or even with the special Moscow Metro application. Your balance can be checked on the app or in the small yellow terminals inside the metro stations. A trip works out at ₽ 42 ( US$ 0.50), but if you change transport within 90 minutes, you'll only pay ₽ 23 ( US$ 0.20) for the next trip.

The day ticket for the Moscow metro can be purchased at any of the stops in the city. The price is ₽ 265 ( US$ 2.80) per day and ₽ 500 ( US$ 5.40) for three days.

90-Minute Ticket

The most convenient card if you want to take several types of transport within an hour and a half period. It costs  ₽ 65 ( US$ 0.70) per person and allows one metro ride and an unlimited number of trips on other types of public transport in Moscow during the time of its duration.

You may also be interested in

Moscow's crazy traffic and its excellent metro network mean that the city's buses and trolleybuses aren't the number one option for tourists.

Where to stay

Moscow has a wide range of accommodation: find the perfect district for you and book hotels, hostels and apartments at the best possible price.

Journey to Moscow

   Welcome to Moscow - the capital of Russia, its political, scientific, historical, architectural and business centre, from which power and might of the Russian state developed.

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The Maya Train Will Get You to All of Yucatán’s Best Spots. But Not Yet.

In December, the train began running on its first route through Mexico’s Yucatán Peninsula. On a five-day journey a few months later, the author encountered enthusiasm, and scheduling hiccups.

By Elisabeth Malkin

Elisabeth Malkin has been visiting the Yucatán Peninsula for three decades.

I stepped off the platform at the gleaming new Maxcanú train station, eager to see the magnificent Maya archaeological site of Uxmal. All I needed was a taxi to take me there, a trip of about 30 miles away.

There are no taxis, said the stationmaster, as we stood on the polished limestone floors of the high-ceilinged station, which was cool and breezy despite the brilliant late-morning sun outside. And I was the third person in two weeks to get off at Maxcanú expecting to reach Uxmal, he said.

I was midway through a five-day trip to explore the brand-new Maya Train and several of its destinations in the Yucatán Peninsula of Mexico . Designed to run 965 miles (1,554 kilometers) around a loop of 34 stations when completed, the train will whisk passengers in cool comfort through colonial cities, archaeological sites, splashy resorts and tropical forests.

Now I was stunned. Wrangling a taxi has never been a problem in Mexico. But the drivers gathered in the main square of Maxcanú offered only beat-up vans that hopscotch through small towns, where I might or might not find a taxi to Uxmal. The next van was leaving in 45 minutes.

Yucatán’s layers of history have long held me spellbound. During earlier car trips, I have clambered up deserted Maya temples and palaces, stepped into the cool naves of massive 16th-century churches and visited restored haciendas, testaments of the ostentation — and hardship — of the peninsula’s 19th-century plantation economy. Traveling by train, I thought, would allow me to steep myself in more of that history.

But as I found in Maxcanú, a train won’t necessarily get you to where you want to go.

During my February trip, I traveled on the only route then available, an east-west leg that opened in December and runs from Cancún to Mérida, and then south through the port city of Campeche to the Maya site of Palenque (a short route between Cancún and Playa del Carmen opened last month, with three trains a day). I encountered scheduling confusion, unfinished stations and a dearth of trains — just two operating daily each way between Cancún and Campeche, and only one to Palenque. Overnight sleepers and special dining trains seem years away.

President Andrés Manuel López Obrador considers the Maya Train his showcase development project, and wants to inaugurate the rest of the train before he leaves office on October 1. Based on my experience, that goal seems elusive.

A $29-billion route through the jungle

I started my journey in Cancún, where in the pre-dawn gloom the station hovered like a glowing spaceship. An attendant scanned the ticket I had bought online and a half-dozen more pointed me toward my tourist-class car, which was about a quarter full. I planned to go to Campeche, about 300 miles away, stopping once each day. At 120 kilometers (about 75 miles) an hour, the train covers the route in about six hours, the same as a car. (When construction is complete, the train’s speed should increase to 160 kilometers an hour.)

The car’s wide windows looked out at a wall of low jungle. The blue-green seats were comfortable and there was ample space between the rows. I bought a very good cappuccino at the snack bar, but declined the plastic-wrapped sandwiches. The rest of the merchandise was fruit cups, milk boxes and junk food.

The train will ultimately cost much more than the $29 billion budgeted so far, and it’s not the first time ambitious planners have alighted on the region. Cancún was once a tiny fishing village, selected half a century ago as a tourist hub. Last year 10 million international tourists flew into its airport, more than the airports of Mexico City, Los Cabos and Puerto Vallarta combined.

But uncontrolled growth has stressed the Caribbean coast’s fragile environment. The Maya Train, scientists warn , will push those problems south, threatening the area’s water supply, its unique system of underground limestone caves and its vast nature reserves.

Mr. López Obrador has charged ahead, handing the train over to the military , and arguing that it will spread Cancún’s wealth and attract new visitors. Mexico received more than 42 million overseas tourists last year and they spent almost $31 billion .

Local governments see an opportunity. “The train will allow people to disperse throughout the peninsula,” said Michelle Fridman, the tourism secretary for Yucatán state, which promotes dozens of attractions far beyond highlights like Mérida and Chichén Itzá .

Now that the train is operating, transport companies will begin to connect stations with lesser-known sites nearby, she said.

It’s fair to ask whether the train is the most effective way to develop the peninsula’s tourism. Tour companies already run trips to many sites from major cities, which are well served by buses. Driving a rental car through most of the area is considered safe , according to U.S. State Department travel guidance .

Route of Mexico’s Maya Train

Canceled trip.

It took two hours (and one time-zone change) to reach Valladolid, a colonial city of handsome streets and ancient churches, where I bought the rest of my tickets at the station. A tourist-class ticket from Cancún to Valladolid costs 472 pesos (around $28) for foreigners and 355 pesos (around $21) for Mexicans. First class, with wider seats, costs 755.50 pesos and 566.50 pesos, and discounts are available for older travelers and residents of the five states along the train’s route. (A first-class bus from downtown Cancún to Valladolid costs between 222 and 344 pesos, depending on the time of day, and takes half an hour longer.)

It was impossible to run the new Maya Train tracks into dense city centers and the Valladolid station, like the rest, was outside the urban core. A waiting bus took disembarking passengers downtown, a 15-minute ride for 35 pesos.

That day I toured Ek Balam , the site of a ninth-century Maya kingdom that is dominated by a 100-foot palace distinguished by a facade of carvings depicting winged warriors, stylized animal features and geometric patterns bordered by giant fangs. Admission to the site includes entry to the X-Canché cenote, one of thousands of limestone sinkholes that were sacred to the Maya.

Later that afternoon, I was wandering through the Museum of Ethnic Clothing, a private collection of traditional dress, embroidery and hats, when a WhatsApp message from the ticket office blinked on my phone. My train scheduled for the following day was canceled.

I decided to deal with the problem in the morning and enjoy the city. As I wandered past the antique shops and boutique hotels of the elegant Calzada de los Frailes, it was clear that Valladolid’s tourism, and the infrastructure to handle it, was well established. The Maya Train is simply an alternative way to reach a city that tourists discovered years ago.

‘We’re on the Tren Maya!’

In the morning, I found that my train had not been canceled, but the station for which I had a ticket, Tixkokob, was closed. I got off instead one stop earlier at Izamal, known for its ocher streets and the giant Franciscan convent of San Antonio de Padua, built atop the ruins of a pyramid.

During the 90-minute ride, I heard widespread enthusiasm among fellow travelers who expressed a willingness to give the train time to work out the kinks. “We’re an experiment,” said Oliva Escobedo Ochoa, 64, who was vacationing from her home in central Mexico.

Leticia Iliassich, 57, who is Mexican, was traveling with her Croatian husband along with relatives from Mexico and Croatia. They had initially been scheduled on an earlier train to Mérida that had been canceled. “We knew that it was a new project,” she said. “We don’t mind.”

The group had already sent a video to friends declaring, “We’re on the Tren Maya!”

At the Izamal station I hitched a 15-minute ride into the town center with a man who had asked me to take his photo alongside the train and his father. From there I negotiated a taxi to Hacienda San Lorenzo Aké, a working hacienda that still turns the fiber from an agave plant called henequén into coarse rope. Global demand for henequén, known as Yucatán’s “green gold,” brought fantastic wealth to the region in the mid-19th century, speckling the peninsula with more than 1,000 haciendas. ( Many are now sumptuous hotels.)

Where geometry, nature and the divine merge

It was during my third day that I found myself stuck in Maxcanú, after a 90-minute train ride from Izamal. The stationmaster, an army captain, offered me a ride to Uxmal, just as he had to the stranded tourists before me.

Eying Uxmal’s 4 p.m. final ticket sale, I accepted.

My situation made it clear just how distant the Maya Train’s promises are for tourists seeking to explore more of Yucatán. In time, that will change, said Ms. Fridman, the tourism secretary. “The idea is to have more hotels along the train line,” she said. “That will happen little by little.”

But Uxmal , among the most stunning of the Maya sites, made up for the inconvenience. Uxmal’s grand buildings are faced with intricate decorative masks as well as friezes in which geometry, nature and the divine merge. New plaques at each structure offer detailed information in English and Spanish, part of the government’s investment in improving displays at Maya sites for the train project.

Most tourists either take day trips by car or bus to Uxmal from Mérida or stay at one of three nearby hotels. As I finished dinner at my hotel, the dining room began to fill up: 47 Polish tourists had arrived.

Panama hats and a cramped van

My plan for the day was to go by taxi to Bécal, a town where Panama hats are woven in limestone caves to keep the fibers soft, and then pick up the afternoon train in nearby Calkiní for the port city of Campeche.

But I spent so much time watching the hat-making demonstration and then fitting my new hat and buying gifts that we set off with little time to reach the station. To my chagrin, I missed the train, the last one of the day.

On Calkiní’s central square, I found a van that was leaving for Campeche. Cost: 65 pesos. Time: about 1 hour and 20 minutes, similar to what I would have spent on the train. Of course, I was trapped in a cramped seat and had to listen to the driver’s choice of sentimental ballads, but I was dropped off in downtown Campeche, close to my hotel.

The next day, I toured the Museum of Maya Archaeology , an expertly curated collection that included haunting jade funeral masks, glyphs and delicate ceramic figures.

José Madrigal, 45, an engineer from Fremont, Calif., was trying to make Maya pottery interesting for his twin sons. The boys had just turned 5 and their birthday present had been a ride on the Maya Train. “They love trains,” Mr. Madrigal said. Then the family moved on, keeping up a brisk clip through the museum. They had another train to catch.

Should you take the train?

Yes, if you are traveling between larger stations. The train also offers a way to get to Palenque, which is harder to reach and has roads with security concerns. Travelers can stow bicycles on board.

To see train times, check the destinations on the website . You cannot buy tickets online more than a week in advance. But when you finally board, the ride is smooth — and the coffee is excellent.

Follow New York Times Travel on Instagram and sign up for our weekly Travel Dispatch newsletter to get expert tips on traveling smarter and inspiration for your next vacation. Dreaming up a future getaway or just armchair traveling? Check out our 52 Places to Go in 2024 .

Open Up Your World

Considering a trip, or just some armchair traveling here are some ideas..

52 Places:  Why do we travel? For food, culture, adventure, natural beauty? Our 2024 list has all those elements, and more .

Mumbai:  Spend 36 hours in this fast-changing Indian city  by exploring ancient caves, catching a concert in a former textile mill and feasting on mangoes.

Kyoto:  The Japanese city’s dry gardens offer spots for quiet contemplation  in an increasingly overtouristed destination.

Iceland:  The country markets itself as a destination to see the northern lights. But they can be elusive, as one writer recently found .

Texas:  Canoeing the Rio Grande near Big Bend National Park can be magical. But as the river dries, it’s getting harder to find where a boat will actually float .

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What is Labour’s plan for rail travel and will it make tickets cheaper?

Party wants to fully nationalise train network within five years of coming to power, in ‘biggest rail reform for a generation’

Labour has made one of its most radical proposals yet in the run-up to an election campaign: to fully nationalise the train network within five years of coming to power.

The party has pledged to guarantee the cheapest fares as part of “the biggest reform of our railways for a generation”, bringing all passenger rail into national ownership under the Great British Railways (GBR) body.

So, how difficult would the plan be to enact and what does it mean for passengers?

How would Labour’s plan for Great British Railways change the way the trains are run?

The headline change is nationalisation: the ambition that all passenger train operations, at least, should return to public ownership. But the wider aim is that control of trains and tracks – “wheels and steel”, as some put it – is brought back under one unified structure, at arm’s length from the government.

The actual railway infrastructure is already managed by the state-owned Network Rail, since the disastrous tenure of Railtrack in the early days of privatisation, and train operations in Scotland, Wales and a large chunk of England are in public ownership. So a fully renationalised railway (bar the rolling stock and freight) is not as big a step as it may once have sounded – and arguably the pragmatic extension of the plans drawn up by the Conservatives in 2021, to end the fragmentation and waste in the system.

How long will the changes take?

Labour said it would get the ball rolling on day one. Given the years it has taken for the Conservatives’ GBR plans to crystallise into a draft bill that has scant chance of passing before an election, supporters of the changes would be forgiven for not holding their breath for legislation. But some of the spadework has been done by the GBR transition team, and Labour will be hoping for a more stable tenancy in Downing Street to see the policy through. It is, it stresses, a long-term plan.

As far as nationalisation of the train operators goes, most of the contracts of remaining operators will expire naturally within the next term, while the government can exercise break clauses in others, such as Avanti West Coast and Cross Country.

What would the trains look like?

Eventually, they would all be GBR-branded trains rather than the individual liveries and logos of different operators. Labour hopes that this will make things simpler for passengers, avoiding confusion over ticketing, as well as cutting costs.

Would it make train travel cheaper?

Possibly, but not for a while yet. Labour says it wants to make the railway more affordable but has definitively avoided any pledges to cut or even freeze the overall level of fares.

However, it believes that its plans will eventually save £2.2bn a year by avoiding the duplication and bureaucracy brought on by the current system, where the Department for Transport tightly controls and specifies contracts for the private firms, and reams of staff are employed in back-end roles. That could give ministers some scope to use more of the billions in annual taxpayer subsidy to bring fares down long-term.

What about this best-price guarantee?

Make that an “ambition”, according to the policy document . It’s testament to the complexity, or occasional absurdity, of UK rail fares that even after years of industry focus on improving the system, renationalising looks an easier promise than telling a passenger they’ve paid the right amount.

Things can be improved, Labour says, as contactless tap-in and tap-out payments extend through more and more of the country, opening up the possibility of a Transport for London-style system, where fares are streamlined and automatically capped or refunded.

The shadow transport secretary, Louise Haigh, pointedly chose the headquarters of Trainline in central London to launch her plans on Thursday, paying tribute to the travel app firm’s “relentless focus on passengers [and] improving their experience”. Trainline shares fell 10%, even though Labour says it has no plans to replace the private firm with a single state retailer.

But given that the app’s business depends on people paying extra to cut through the railway’s confusing fares, fragmentation and lack of a decent central ticketing site, Trainline shareholder nerves might be taken as a vote of confidence that GBR will improve the industry’s own offering.

How else might passengers benefit?

Labour says it would leave the running of the railway to the experts – but the transport secretary would set strategy and take on the role of passenger-in-chief, and the industry would not be “marking its own homework”.

The plan aims to strengthen the voice of passengers by rolling together the various bodies currently meant to be standing up for them – the watchdog Transport Focus and the little-known Rail Ombudsman, as well as a few divisions of the Office of Rail and Road.

What will happen to the private operators?

Their representatives at Rail Partners warn that it will be “messy” and the railway will lose their expertise. But the people actually running train operators, right up to the managing directors, have typically stayed in post with a different coloured badge when the owning groups moved on, and passengers at say, Southeastern or LNER may not feel life is very different. Firms once regarded as pillars of privatised rail such as Stagecoach, National Express (now Mobico) and Virgin have long exited UK rail already, pursuing business elsewhere.

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Construction begins on high-speed rail between Vegas and California

Brightline west will make the trip between las vegas and rancho cucamonga in a little over two hours.

Privately owned train company Brightline held a groundbreaking ceremony Monday for a $12 billion high-speed rail project connecting Las Vegas and Southern California.

Secretary of Transportation Pete Buttigieg joined company leaders and other officials for the start of construction in Las Vegas.

Brightline West benefits from $3 billion in federal funds from President Biden ’s Bipartisan Infrastructure Law. Trains could be running as soon as early 2028, in time for the Summer Olympics in Los Angeles.

Travelers have a lot to look forward to. Electric trains will depart every 45 minutes from a Las Vegas station south of the city’s storied Strip and a Southern California station in Rancho Cucamonga, a Los Angeles suburb about 40 miles east of downtown.

Traveling at up to 186 mph — faster than any other train in the United States — Brightline West trains will make the 218-mile trip in about 2 hours and 10 minutes.

“At long last, we’re building the first high-speed rail project in our nation’s history,” President Biden said of Brightline West in December. “We’ve been talking about this project for decades. Now we’re really getting it done.”

Other high-speed railroads that would carry passengers at 200 mph and faster are in the works in California, Texas and the Pacific Northwest.

“The bottom line here is we changed the trajectory,” Buttigieg said in an interview Monday. More than $30 billion from the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law has been awarded to date and more is on the way, he added.

The success of the Brightline West project could influence how future rail projects receive funding.

“It won’t be easy but I think they have all of the right things in place to get this done,” Buttigieg said.

Speed is Brightline West’s main selling point. Driving between Rancho Cucamonga and Las Vegas takes at least three hours without traffic, according to Google Maps.

“You’ll be sitting there flying by on Brightline looking at all these brake lights on the highway and thinking, ‘It sucks to be you,’” said Jim Mathews, CEO of the Rail Passengers Association , said on Friday. “That’s what it’s going to be like for all those people trying to get from greater Los Angeles to Las Vegas.”

Brightline West trains will run along Interstate 15 for nearly their entire journey. They will make two intermediate stops in California: one in Hesperia and one in Apple Valley.

Travelers coming from Los Angeles will have the option of riding Metrolink , Southern California’s regional rail system, to the Rancho Cucamonga station located near the junction of Interstates 10 and 15. The trip between downtown Los Angeles and Rancho Cucamonga takes at least 50 minutes by car without traffic, or 1 hour and 15 minutes on the train.

“Getting it to a juncture where pretty much everybody who passes into the I-15 corridor goes through is a massive benefit from a climate perspective, a congestion perspective, and an economic perspective,” Buttigieg said.

Future plans include a direct connection for Brightline West to Los Angeles Union Station as part of the separate California High-Speed Rail project.

Speed won’t be the only reason to ride Brightline West.

Brightline’s Florida operation connecting Miami to Orlando opened in September , giving future customers out West an idea of what to expect. Before Brightline’s debut, Amtrak held a monopoly on intercity passenger rail travel for decades.

Stations are spacious with comfortable areas to sit, bars selling craft cocktails and a lounge for premium passengers. Onboard, travelers enjoy assigned seats and fast WiFi. Attendants come down the aisle serving snacks and drinks throughout the trip.

Brightline told investors that it carried a record 258,307 passengers in March, and that one in three of its trains were nearly full.

Brightline’s strong ridership, though slower than initially promised to investors, makes a strong case for building fast and frequent trains between major U.S. cities such as Los Angeles and Las Vegas.

Brightline West estimates that 6 million people will ride its trains during the first full year of operation, according to a federal environmental assessment . That number is projected to grow to as many as 9.2 million people within a decade.

The company estimates that, without the train, three-quarters of its riders would drive between Southern California and Las Vegas. Another 15 percent would fly, and the balance would not make the trip at all.

More travel news

How we travel now: More people are taking booze-free trips — and airlines and hotels are taking note. Some couples are ditching the traditional honeymoon for a “buddymoon” with their pals. Interested? Here are the best tools for making a group trip work.

Bad behavior: Entitled tourists are running amok, defacing the Colosseum , getting rowdy in Bali and messing with wild animals in national parks. Some destinations are fighting back with public awareness campaigns — or just by telling out-of-control visitors to stay away .

Safety concerns: A door blew off an Alaska Airlines Boeing 737 Max 9 jet, leaving passengers traumatized — but without serious injuries. The ordeal led to widespread flight cancellations after the jet was grounded, and some travelers have taken steps to avoid the plane in the future. The incident has also sparked a fresh discussion about whether it’s safe to fly with a baby on your lap .

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Labour vows to nationalise railways and bring in tap-in tickets

Labour is promising that rail passengers will pay the lowest available prices for journeys with the introduction of London-style contactless tickets, as it set out its plans to nationalise the network if it forms the next government.

Louise Haigh, the shadow transport secretary, will use a speech on Thursday to promise “the biggest overhaul to our railways in a generation” by bringing them back into public ownership as existing private contracts expire.

Describing Britain’s railways as “broken”, Labour wants a single publicly owned body to run the country’s trains and track to improve passenger journeys and cut costs.

Sir Keir Starmer, the Labour leader, has retreated from his previous nationalisation pledges, saying that he wanted to take a “pragmatic” approach to bringing utilities into public ownership that did not require taxpayers to spend huge sums on compensating existing private owners.

However, Haigh is proposing an alternative nationalisation model under which railways will be brought into public ownership as existing franchises expire, meaning that no compensation will be paid. Although this will delay changes, the party argues that it can bring railways into full public ownership within its first five-year term. Four operators in England, responsible for a quarter of journeys, are in public hands .

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“After years of dysfunction and waste our broken railways are unfit to meet the needs of modern Britain. Passengers and taxpayers alike are being failed, and our economy is being held back. Doing nothing is simply not an option,” Haigh will say.

“Labour will deliver the biggest overhaul to our railways in a generation. Whilst the Conservatives are content to let Britain’s broken railways fail passengers, Labour will deliver root and branch reform.”

A beefed-up passenger watchdog will be charged with holding public rail to account, as well as simplifying a bewildering array of ticket options that can mean dozens of different prices for the same route.

Under a “best price guarantee”, Labour will promise to simplify the system so that passengers pay the lowest available price. This would use contactless payment technologies already used by Transport for London to automatically calculate costs as passengers touch in and out of stations at the start and end of their journey. Digital season tickets could also make it easier for those who do not work in the office five days a week to pay less when they do not travel, while capping monthly costs.

“A publicly owned railway will be single-mindedly focused on delivering for passengers and will be held to account on delivering reliable, safe, efficient, accessible, affordable and quality services,” Haigh will say, adding that her reforms are focused on “driving up standards for passengers, bringing down costs for taxpayers, driving growth and getting Britain moving”.

Andy Bagnall, chief executive of the industry group Rail Partners, said that “nationalisation is a political rather than a practical solution which will increase costs over time”.

He said that “since the pandemic, train companies have been effectively renationalised and subject to a level of micromanagement by government not even seen under British Rail”, warning against “an ideological choice” to create a “monopoly railway in public hands” through a “ prolonged and messy transition”.

However, Keith Williams, who led a review of the rail system for the Conservatives, backed the creation of “a rail body with an integrated profit and loss account, at arm’s length from government”.

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