Belarus - General Information: Difference between revisions
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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. | 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. | ||
A Talgo gauge-changer was installed at Brest station for which certification was expected in the first quarter of 2015 | A Talgo gauge-changer was installed at Brest station, for which certification was expected in the first quarter of 2015, to be used by the Moskva - Berlin service. This should have started running during 2016 but was postponed owing to decreased demand as result of the fall of the rouble against the euro. It will finally start operation on 17 December 2016. | ||
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only was reintroduced on 6 June 2015, reopening the Benjakonī/Беняконі - Stasylos (Lithuania) border crossing, but withdrawn after 8 November. | 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only was reintroduced on 6 June 2015, reopening the Benjakonī/Беняконі - Stasylos (Lithuania) border crossing, but withdrawn after 8 November. |
Revision as of 18:01, 22 September 2016
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
http://www.rw.by/ (in Russian)
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
Downloadable Timetable
None.
Printed Timetable
None.
Engineering Information
None.
Maps
Printed Maps
- European Railway Atlas by M.G. Ball (2008 onwards)
Web-based Maps
- Thorsten Büker's Map of Belarus
Gauge
"Russian" gauge (1520mm)
Electrification
25kV 50Hz.
Rule of the road
Right.
Other railways
None.
Tourist lines
The narrow gauge K.S. Zaslonov Children's Railway is located in Chelyuskinites Park in Minsk.
Metro
Minsk.
Trams
Minsk, Vicebsk [Russian: Vitebsk], Mazyr, Novopolotsk.
Recent and future changes
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.
A Talgo gauge-changer was installed at Brest station, for which certification was expected in the first quarter of 2015, to be used by the Moskva - Berlin service. This should have started running during 2016 but was postponed owing to decreased demand as result of the fall of the rouble against the euro. It will finally start operation on 17 December 2016.
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.
The 72km line from Molodechno to Kena in Lithuania is to be electrified, which will eliminate diesel traction on services from Vilnius to Minsk
Special Notes
None.