Belarus - General Information: Difference between revisions

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==Official Website==
==Official Website==
http://www.rw.by/ (in Russian)
[http://www.rw.by/en/ Belarusian Railway]


==Language==
==Language==
Since a referendum in 1995, the country has had two official languages: Belarusian and Russian.
Since a referendum in 1995, the country has had two official languages: Belarusian and Russian. However, all station names are exclusively in Belarusian, apart from a few large stations which are bilingual - Russian or Łacinka,  Belarusian rendered in the Latin alphabet.


==Currency==
==Currency==
Line 23: Line 23:


===Downloadable Timetable===
===Downloadable Timetable===
[http://www.moskvaminsk.com/extras/schedule_bel_pass_2013.pdf Passenger trains and regional lines]
None.


[http://www.moskvaminsk.com/extras/schedule_bel_cityline.doc Commuter and City lines]
===Printed Timetable===
A free printed timetable was available in 2017 and may still be. The book shows all trains in Belarus (including international ones operated by LG/RZD/CFM/UZ etc) and is split up into five sections - 1. City Lines (suburban trains around Minsk) / 2. Regional Lines Economy (regional slow stopping trains) / 3. Regional Lines Business (regional fast express services) / 4. Inter Regional Lines (fast long distance intercity trains) / 5. International Lines (all International trains except the slow regional DMU/EMU ones). Some maps are included.


===Printed Timetable===
None.
===Engineering Information===
===Engineering Information===
None.
None.
Line 34: Line 33:
==Maps==
==Maps==
===Printed Maps===
===Printed Maps===
*[http://www.europeanrailwayatlas.com/index.html European Railway Atlas] by M.G. Ball (2008 onwards)
*[http://www.europeanrailwayatlas.com European Railway Atlas] by M.G. Ball (2008 onwards)
 
===Web-based Maps===
===Web-based Maps===
*Thorsten Büker's [http://www.bueker.net/trainspotting/maps_belarus.php Map of Belarus]
*The basic routes are overlaid on a simple map given at the bottom of the [http://rasp.rw.by/en/ Train timetable] linked page.
*Thorsten Büker's [http://www.bueker.net/trainspotting/maps_belarus.php Map of Belarus] - dating from October 2008.
 
==Ticketing==
There are no known network tickets, but fares are cheap.
 
==Infrastructure==
===Infrastructure Authority===
There does not appear to be an Infrastructure Authority although BČ has a Track Facilities Department and an Electricity Supply Department.
 
===Network Statement===
None known


==Gauge==
===Gauge===
"Russian" gauge (1520mm)
"Russian" gauge (1520mm)


==Electrification==
===Electrification===
25kV 50Hz.
25kV 50Hz, except for the cross-border Brest - Terespol and Grodno - Kuźnica Białostocka lines to Poland, which are 3 kV DC.


==Rule of the road==
===Rule of the road===
Right.
Right.
===Distances===
No known source.


==Other railways==
==Other railways==
Line 51: Line 65:


==Tourist lines==
==Tourist lines==
The narrow gauge K.S. Zaslonov Children's Railway is located in Chelyuskinites Park in Minsk.
The narrow gauge K.S. Zaslonov Children's Railway is located in Chelyuskinites Park in Minsk. More information at the Children's Railways 'Dyetsky Zelegny Dorogy' (DZD)Web site (partly in English) [http://www.dzd-ussr.ru/towns/minsk/index-eng.html Minsk Children's Railway].


==Metro==
==Metro==
Minsk.
Minsk.
A metro track map is available at [https://www.mrl.ucsb.edu/~yopopov/rrt/trackmaps/ Popov Metro maps] captioned in Cyrillic.


==Trams==
==Trams==
Minsk, Vicebsk [Russian: Vitebsk], Mazyr, Novopolotsk.
Minsk, Mazyr/Mozyr, Novopolotsk, Vicebsk [Russian: Vitebsk].
 
Some tram track maps are available at [https://www.mrl.ucsb.edu/~yopopov/rrt/trackmaps/ Popov maps] captioned in Cyrillic.


==Recent and future changes==
==Recent and future changes==
One train each way between Grodno/Гродна and Vilnius at weekends only was reintroduced on 6 June 2015, reopening the Benjakonī/Беняконі - Stasylos (Lithuania) border crossing, but withdrawn after 8 November.
Electrification of the 72km line from Molodechno to Kena in Lithuania was completed in Autumn 2017 with freight operations commencing from 6 September 2017 and a through electric passenger service on 10 December 2017.
 
The new 'Strizh' Moskva - Berlin Talgo service started operation on 17 December 2016. It uses a new Talgo gauge-changer at Brest station, which has reduced considerably the time taken to change gauge.
 
Electric Services between Minsk and Homel commenced on 17 June 2016. The scheme allegedly also included the branch off it from Zhlobin to Kalinkavichy so information if this is also completed '''would be appreciated by the Compilers'''.  


A Talgo gauge-changer has been installed at Brest station for use by the Moskva - Berlin (- Paris) service which should start in mid 2016; certification was expected in the first quarter of 2015.
A cross-border service between Grodno/Гродна and Kuźnica Białostocka (Poland) was reinstated from 4 Sept 2016, with a Kraków <> Grodno portion of the Krakow <> Mockava (Lithuania) train. Local services were discontinued at the December 2015 timetable change as they were to be replaced by PKP IC services between Warszawa and Grodno, which never ran owing to funding issues.


The 72km line from Molodechno to Kena in Lithuania is to be electrified, which will eliminate diesel traction on services from Vilnius to Minsk
One train each way between Grodno/Гродна and Vilnius at weekends only was reintroduced on 6 June 2015, reopening the Benjakonī/Беняконі - Stasylos (Lithuania) border crossing, but withdrawn after 8 November.


==Special Notes==
==Special Notes==

Revision as of 17:59, 11 February 2019

Country Name

Belarus (officially The Republic of Belarus) (Беларусь)

National railway system

  • Belarusian: BČ - Belaruskaja Čyhunka / БЧ - Беларуская Чыгунка
  • Russian: BŽD - Belorusskaja Železnaja Doroga / БЖД - Белорусская Железная Дорога

Official Website

Belarusian Railway

Language

Since a referendum in 1995, the country has had two official languages: Belarusian and Russian. However, all station names are exclusively in Belarusian, apart from a few large stations which are bilingual - Russian or Łacinka, Belarusian rendered in the Latin alphabet.

Currency

Belarusian ruble (BYR).

UIC code

numeric 21; alpha BLR.

Timetable

Journey Planner

Train timetable

Downloadable Timetable

None.

Printed Timetable

A free printed timetable was available in 2017 and may still be. The book shows all trains in Belarus (including international ones operated by LG/RZD/CFM/UZ etc) and is split up into five sections - 1. City Lines (suburban trains around Minsk) / 2. Regional Lines Economy (regional slow stopping trains) / 3. Regional Lines Business (regional fast express services) / 4. Inter Regional Lines (fast long distance intercity trains) / 5. International Lines (all International trains except the slow regional DMU/EMU ones). Some maps are included.

Engineering Information

None.

Maps

Printed Maps

Web-based Maps

  • The basic routes are overlaid on a simple map given at the bottom of the Train timetable linked page.
  • Thorsten Büker's Map of Belarus - dating from October 2008.

Ticketing

There are no known network tickets, but fares are cheap.

Infrastructure

Infrastructure Authority

There does not appear to be an Infrastructure Authority although BČ has a Track Facilities Department and an Electricity Supply Department.

Network Statement

None known

Gauge

"Russian" gauge (1520mm)

Electrification

25kV 50Hz, except for the cross-border Brest - Terespol and Grodno - Kuźnica Białostocka lines to Poland, which are 3 kV DC.

Rule of the road

Right.

Distances

No known source.

Other railways

None.

Tourist lines

The narrow gauge K.S. Zaslonov Children's Railway is located in Chelyuskinites Park in Minsk. More information at the Children's Railways 'Dyetsky Zelegny Dorogy' (DZD)Web site (partly in English) Minsk Children's Railway.

Metro

Minsk.

A metro track map is available at Popov Metro maps captioned in Cyrillic.

Trams

Minsk, Mazyr/Mozyr, Novopolotsk, Vicebsk [Russian: Vitebsk].

Some tram track maps are available at Popov maps captioned in Cyrillic.

Recent and future changes

Electrification of the 72km line from Molodechno to Kena in Lithuania was completed in Autumn 2017 with freight operations commencing from 6 September 2017 and a through electric passenger service on 10 December 2017.

The new 'Strizh' Moskva - Berlin Talgo service started operation on 17 December 2016. It uses a new Talgo gauge-changer at Brest station, which has reduced considerably the time taken to change gauge.

Electric Services between Minsk and Homel commenced on 17 June 2016. The scheme allegedly also included the branch off it from Zhlobin to Kalinkavichy so information if this is also completed would be appreciated by the Compilers.

A cross-border service between Grodno/Гродна and Kuźnica Białostocka (Poland) was reinstated from 4 Sept 2016, with a Kraków <> Grodno portion of the Krakow <> Mockava (Lithuania) train. Local services were discontinued at the December 2015 timetable change as they were to be replaced by PKP IC services between Warszawa and Grodno, which never ran owing to funding issues.

One train each way between Grodno/Гродна and Vilnius at weekends only was reintroduced on 6 June 2015, reopening the Benjakonī/Беняконі - Stasylos (Lithuania) border crossing, but withdrawn after 8 November.

Special Notes

None.

See also