Russia (Kaliningrad Oblast) - Lines with Obscure or Sparse passenger services

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Introduction

This list is based on timetable information posted on line as at 1 January 2022 but it should be noted that their is no overall timetable revision date, each line can be issued separately. Standard abbreviations used are explained in General Information. For details of recent history, please refer to Kaliningrad Oblast General Information.

Map references for each route entry are given in parentheses ( ). Map references relate to the M.G. Ball 2020 European Railway Atlas Enthusiasts Edition [ERA-E] ISBN: 978-1-9161212-9-4 and the Baltic-Belarus-Ukraine Regional version [ERA-R] ISBN: 978-1-9997875-3-0.

Obscure services

[Braniewo PKP] – Mamonovo – Kaliningrad

(ERA-E 115C1 ERA-R 251B1) RU22/1

Broad and standard gauge tracks run parallel from Poland until just north of Golubevo and then passenger services take different routes into Kaliningrad. The standard gauge track heads east with an interlaced Broad gauge freight only track to join the line to/from Bagrationovsk near the closed station named simply 6km to enter Kaliningrad South station from the east, whereas the Broad gauge RZD passenger service runs via and calls at Kaliningrad Kievskaya to arrive into the same station from the west. The daily standard gauge service between Gdansk and Kaliningrad was discontinued in 2012 although occasional charters from Germany still run.

Two pairs of test services ran on the Broad Gauge Border cross border to Braniewo on 5 January 2018, if this was a test prior to limited trains running during the football World Cup in June 2018 none ran.

Kaliningrad Passazersky south to north avoiding line: Kaliningrad Kievskaya – Kaliningrad Severniy

(ERA-E 115C1 ERA-R 251A2) RU22/2

A Peak Hours shuttle service avoiding the main station at Kaliningrad Passazersky was in operation by April 2014 from a station on the Mamonowo line to Kaliningrad Severniy [closer to city centre]. This has increased over years so in 2021/22 is now 5 pairs SSuX. From 2020 this service was finally allocated its own timetable page.

Maps show the junction to/from the avoiding line [and main yards] at the south end of the River Pregolya bridge is grade separated but an April 2014 traveller advises his trains in both direction used the eastern side track to go underneath the main line so reports of the route taken now would be appreciated by the Compilers.

Kaliningrad Passazersky west to north avoiding line: Zapadnij Noviy – Kaliningrad Severniy

(ERA 251A2; 75C5) RU22/3

No service in timetable dated 12 December 2021 via this curve allowing trains from the Baltiysk line to avoid Kaliningrad Passazersky and proceed directly to Kaliningrad Severniy.

One train towards Kaliningrad SSuX used this curve in July 2013, then no service since at least the PDF dated 1 October 2016 until resuming wef 9 January 2017 until some time in 2020. This curve may be used on Navy Day Sunday, see RU22/5 below.

Kaliningrad Severniy High level platforms

(ERA-E 115B1 ERA-R 251A2, not shown) RU22/4

Most services are through to/from Kaliningrad Passazersky and call at a single track platform at a lower level whereas those listed here use a different approach and terminate/start from High level platforms. Use increased from 1 July 2018 following introduction of new EMU's but were subsequently reduced. Timings as at 13 December 2020.

SSuX 6355 Guryevsk-Novy/Гурьевск Новый - 07:07 Kutuzovo New/Кутузово Новое - Kaliningrad Severniy/Калининград Северный
SSuX 6752 Chkalovsk-Zap./Чкаловск-Зап - 08:06 Selma O.P./О.п. Сельма - Kaliningrad Severniy/Калининград Северный
SSuX 7242 Svetlogorsk 2/Светлогорск 2 - 08:31 Chkalovsk-Zap./Чкаловск-Зап - Kaliningrad Severniy/Калининград Северный
Daily 6834 Zelenogradsk Novyy/Светлогорск 2 - 10:14 Kutuzovo New/Зеленоградск - Kaliningrad Severniy/Калининград Северный
Daily 7212 Svetlogorsk 2/Светлогорск 2 - 15:52 Selma O.P./О.п. Сельма - Kaliningrad Severniy/Калининград Северный
SSuX 7220 Chkalovsk-Zap./Чкаловск-Зап - 20:15 Selma O.P./О.п. Сельма - Kaliningrad Severniy/Калининград Северный
SSuX 6358 07:26 Kaliningrad North [Severniy]/Калининград Северный - Guryevsk-Novy/Гурьевск Новый
SSuX 6703 08:42 Kaliningrad North [Severniy]/Калининград Северный - Chkalovsk-Zap./Чкаловск-Зап
Daily 7215 16:44 Kaliningrad North [Severniy]/Калининград Северный - Svetlogorsk-2/Светлогорск-2
SSuX 7217 17:17 Kaliningrad North [Severniy]/Калининград Северный - vetlogorsk-2/Светлогорск-2

(Kaliningrad – Primorsk Noviyy –) 39 Km – Baltiysk

(ERA-E 115B1-C1 251A2-A1) RU22/5

In 2021/22 there is only a SSuX scheduled pair run from the Baltiysk end but as Baltiysk is the base of the Russian Baltic Fleet it became a closed town after WWII with access forbidden to foreigners. As it is known that identity checks are undertaken at a platform named 39 Km, [about 8 km from Baltiysk] and travellers without a visitors permit ejected from the train, the entries listed here are those that ran additionally from Kaliningrad on Sunday 25 July 2021 for Navy Day, [the last Sunday in July each year] when allegedly the general public is able to visit Baltiysk.

In 2017 two of the Navy Day services ran via or from Kaliningrad North and entry RU22/3 but that was not the case in 2019 and it is not thought the event went ahead in 2020. News item link

In 2021 the departures were all from Kaliningrad South/КАЛИНИНГРАД Южного at 08:10 to Shipkova/Шиповка, 12:30 & 13:10 to Baltiysk/БАЛТИЙСК, all returning from Baltiysk/БАЛТИЙСК at 14:25, 16:25 & 18:00 to Kaliningrad South/КАЛИНИНГРАД Южного.

Zelenogradsk avoider

(ERA-E 115B1 ERA-R 251A2) RU22/6

No service shown in 1 January 2022 timetable. This followed one pair SSuX from 13 December 2020 running via the curve, the first use for a number of years as usually all Kaliningrad - Zelenogradsk - Pionerskiy Kurort - Svetlogorsk services run via and reverse in Zelenogradsk-Novy station. The pair were actually highlighted in the timetable as not calling at Zelenogradsk.

Other sparse services

The following lines have few trains (relative to service levels generally in this country) - fewer than three trains each way on at least three days a week - or do not run each weekday.

1 Kaliningrad Passazersky – Mamonowo: 1½ pairs SSuX 2½ SSuO
14 Kaliningrad-Severnyj – Sovetsk: 1 train daily from Sovetsk, to Sovetsk SX
19 Kaliningrad Passazersky - Baltiysk: 1 pair from Baltiysk end SSuX
21 Kaliningrad Passazersky – Bagrationovsk : 1 pair daily, totally different times at weekends but all worked from Bagrationovsk end

Deletions since last edition

? Zelenogradsk Nowy - Pionersky Kurort Increased to 3 pairs 2021/22

See also