The first thing that I noticed when we boarded the train from Vladimirto Perm was how clean it was. I’ve been on trains all over the world (some far superior to others) and I fully expected that 2nd Class sleepers on the Trans Siberian would rank towards the lower end of the superiority scale. This car however, was immaculate. Not new by any means, but clean as could be.
Each bed had linens folded and ready to use as well as a small Welcome Kit that included slippers, a toothbrush and toothpaste, soap, an eye mask, a sewing kit and a few other odds and ends. “How lovely,” I thought.
About two hours into the trip there was a knock at our door and our Provodnitsa (train attendant) handed us two blue bags.
We were slightly confused but decided to go with it. The bags were full of snacks, condiments, moist towelettes and bottled water. Strange.
Thirty minutes later, another knock. This time we were handed styrofoam containers – a full dinner!
Stunned, we accepted the meals and wondered if we might be in the wrong sleeper. We certainly hadn’t asked for any extra amenities or frills when we purchased tickets and yet here we were with a hot dinner delivered to our door. Being our first full overnight train, we wondered if meals simply came standard with 2nd Class tickets.
Silly us. Defiantly not standard, but somehow we had purchased premium tickets for this leg of the journey. And in the morning we received another meal – pretty much the exact same thing they served for dinner.
It was such an unexpected and wonderful surprise, as it kept us from eating Pringles and Ramen for dinner. Unfortunately, this was a one-time thing and though each overnight train from there on out we silently hoped for a knock on our door, it never happened again.
