Today, I woke up slightly earlier than yesterday because I had planned to take a train trip from Moscow to visit the city of Zagorsk, also known as “Sergiev Posad” (although most people recognize it by the name Sergiev Posad rather than Zagorsk). I got up at 7AM to have take a shower before another (I stayed in a hostel with shared bathrooms, and this hostel had 30 beds but only two bathrooms). To my surprise, both bathrooms were vacant (although everyone else was already awake), perhaps because of the freezing temperatures that made nobody feel like taking a morning shower, or maybe it was because I was traveling alone and no one else needed to use them. The reason I had to leave a bit early today was that I couldn’t book the train ticket to Zagorsk online; I had to buy it at the train station. I was worried that the tickets might be sold out if I arrived late.
After getting ready and dressing up, I left the hotel around seven-thirty. As I stepped out of the hostel, I headed straight to the metro station, just like yesterday, and used the same ticket that I had purchased for 20 rides. (Today, I didn’t have to struggle with communicating about buying metro tickets.) To reach Sergiev Posad, I needed to take a suburban train from Yaroslavsky Railway Station (Ярославский). I reached the Yaroslavsky station by taking the metro and getting off at Komsomolskaya Station (Комсомольская) on Line 1 (the red line). Interestingly, this metro station also served as the point of connection with Leningradsky Railway Station (Ленинградский), a long-distance train station that I would use to travel to St. Petersburg the following night.
After coming up from the metro station, I immediately looked for the ticket counter. I must admit, I felt quite confused when I couldn’t see any ticket counters. Moreover, all the signs were in Russian. So, I stood there for a while, slightly bewildered, until I noticed a long queue forming. I had a thought that if it wasn’t a ticket counter, they might be giving away freebies. Curious, I joined the line and soon realized that it was indeed the ticket counter. After about 10 minutes, it was my turn in the queue. Buying the ticket here wasn’t difficult at all. I simply mentioned “Sergiev Posad,” and the staff immediately understood, pressing some buttons on the calculator, which showed the price as 152 rubles (1.80 USD). I paid the money and received my ticket. As I looked at the ticket, I realized, “Oh my, it’s all in Russian! It doesn’t mention the departure time, the train number, or the seat.” I could only rely on following others as I made my way to the platform to gauge which train to board. I saw three to four trains and the train head signs were all in Russian as well, with only four-digit numbers in Cyrillic characters, presumably indicating the departure time. I approached a station attendant, who was dressed like a stationmaster, and showed him my ticket. He pointed to the train that was departing soonest at that moment. So, I walked towards it, assuming that I should follow the other passengers’ lead. Whatever they did, I did the same. Once inside the train, I discovered that it was a comfortable third-class train. People were sitting and changing seats freely, without any fuss. If they wanted to change compartments or change trains, they did it effortlessly. So, I happily hopped on! It turned out that the ticket didn’t specify the train number, the time, or the seat because I could use it on any train that day. I could sit wherever I pleased. There would be a ticket inspector on the train to verify the ticket’s validity. The Russian suburban trains were quite a fascinating experience. I couldn’t help but think that they might conduct inspections as strictly as on an airplane. It was a delightful adventure, indeed!
The train ticket to Sergiev Posad
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After boarding the train and finding my seat, I still wasn’t entirely sure if this train would take me to Sergiev Posad correctly. So, I decided to ask the person sitting next to me, an elderly Russian man. He kindly reassured me that this train was indeed heading to Sergiev Posad. About 10 minutes after finding my seat, the train started its journey. I must say, it left right on time, just as indicated on the platform display, not a minute too late or too early. As the train began to run and ventured outside the city limits, I got a glimpse of rural life in Russia, with houses dotting the landscape. The simplicity of rural living seemed to contrast with the bustling life of Moscow, like a serene sky against the chaotic city. Inside the train, there was a small marketplace atmosphere starting to emerge. It wasn’t the train staff selling beverages but rather local villagers bringing their goods onboard the train. However, the goods being sold were not food but rather various household items, ranging from power plugs, children’s clothes, gardening tools, electronic gadgets, to small decorative items for homes, and more. The salespeople walked through the train with baskets of goods, enthusiastically advertising in Russian. It was quite entertaining to watch. After a while, ticket inspectors came by, checking each passenger’s ticket. If anyone didn’t have a ticket, they could pay right there and then, simply stating their destination (which meant that they might not have needed to buy a ticket at all if they boarded the train and paid onboard, but it seemed easier for foreigners like me to be sure). After sitting for about an hour, I began to wonder again, “Is this train really the last one to Sergiev Posad, or is it just passing by?” I took out my phone and opened Google Maps to check my location. I also opened Google Translate to find the translation for “Sergiev Posad” in Russian, so I could observe the station signs to see if it matched the one where I should disembark. And then I saw it, the next station was indeed Sergiev Posad, the one where I should get off (almost there!). If I hadn’t been skeptical, I would have stayed on the train for sure, without having studied in advance how the signs would indicate the station. It was undoubtedly a long and uncertain journey. So, I slung my bag over my shoulder and stood near the exit door, preparing to disembark the train shortly. When the train finally stopped at the station, my eyes quickly scanned for the station sign, taking approximately 0.817 seconds (really?). There it was, written in Russian, “Sergiev Posad” (Сергиев Посад). Without hesitation, I confidently stepped off the train, not waiting a second longer.
Once I disembarked, I walked towards the station exit, which was incredibly small. It took just a few steps, no more than 10, and I found myself outside. Then, I turned left and right, trying to figure out which way to go. But for some reason, the chilly weather seemed to have an uncanny ability to amplify my hunger. It was around 10AM when I couldn’t ignore my growling stomach any longer. As my hungry eyes scanned the area to the right of the station, about 300 meters away, I spotted a McDonald’s sign. I decided to head in that direction, anticipating a satisfying meal. Inside the restaurant, I had two options. The first was to order directly from the staff, which would require some communication skills. The other option was to use the self-service kiosk with an English menu, pay with a credit card, and wait for my order. Without hesitation, I chose the latter option. In less than five minutes, I had my tray filled with French fries, a burger, and a Coke, ready to fill the void that had been nagging at me. Around 11AM, I opened Google Maps to find the directions to my destination for the day. It turned out to be about 800 meters away, which was quite manageable. It was just a short walk, about two football field lengths. Following the route suggested by Google Map, I spotted a golden dome in the distance. Confident that I was on the right track, I quickened my pace, as my heart was already set on that golden dome. As I approached the front of Sergiev Posad, I saw a spacious square. On the right side, there were restaurants and souvenir shops, while on the left, there was a wall surrounding Sergiev Posad. The feeling I had at that moment was like going to an amusement park; I couldn’t quite believe it. But I couldn’t let my imagination overwhelm reality. I swiftly walked through the entrance gate (admission was free here, no charge). As soon as I passed through the gate, my imagination disappeared for a moment. The sight in front of me was a vivid depiction of a fictional place, with its stunning churches, monasteries, and long pathways resembling a miniature ancient city. It was the kind of place I used to daydream about as a child, inspired by fairy tales of knights entering cities (or something like that, as I’m not great at explaining in words).
Sergiev Posad from distance
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The square in front of Sergiev Posad
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As mentioned before, inside Sergiev Posad, there were monasteries, churches, temples, a sacred pond, and various religious sites located close together, resembling a small city. My exploration of Sergiev Posad was done by visiting each site one by one and thoroughly enjoying the continuous photo-taking. I was so captivated by its true beauty that I didn’t realize my battery was running low until it was almost too late.
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There was a moment when I walked into the sacred water temple (or something like that) that had flowing holy water coming out of a wooden spout for people to collect in bottles or containers and take home. As I lingered there, I caught a glimpse of an old man who is looked alike to the current President of Russia, Vladimir Putin. It was a humorous little encounter that added some color to my trip.
The uncle who is looked alike Vladimir Putin at Sergiev Posad
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I continued to wander around Sergiyev Posad until around 3PM, when I decided to head back. On my way back to the train station to return to Moscow, I made a detour to explore the outskirts of the town of Zagorsk, which is adjacent to Sergiyev Posad. I wanted to get a glimpse of the local life and see how people lived here. What I observed was a small, laid-back town where people seemed to have a simpler and more relaxed pace compared to the bustling crowds of Moscow. It brought a sense of happiness and contentment, and I felt completely at ease, without a care in the world, as I prepared to return to Moscow.
The small town near by Sergiev Posad
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The statue in front of Sergiev Posad Train Station
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When I arrived at the train station, I immediately went to purchase a ticket. I simply told the staff, “Moskva,” because Russians don’t refer to it as Moscow (Moscow = “Mas-Kwa”). I received the usual ticket, priced at 152 rubles, without specifying the train time, seat number, or train name. This meant that I could board any train that was heading to Moscow. However, I had to make sure I boarded the right one, the train specifically bound for Moscow. Otherwise, I wouldn’t know where I’d end up. With the ticket in hand, I hadn’t even found my seat when I heard an announcement that I couldn’t understand because it was in Russian (there were no English announcements). As soon as the announcement ended, people stood up and hurriedly walked to the platform. It was clear that the train was about to arrive. At that moment, I wasn’t sure if the approaching train was heading to Moscow or not. So, I used the same strategy as before: I approached someone nearby, ticket in hand, and pointed to it. They nodded, confirming that the train was indeed heading to Moscow. With that reassurance, I managed myself and made my way to the platform. Once I boarded and found my seat, the familiar sight of vendors selling goods and ticket inspectors came into view. But there was no need to worry that I would sit until it pass Moscow because every train would ultimately reach its final destination in Moscow, and it would take about an hour and a half from Sergiyev Posad.
When the train finally arrived in Moscow, I disembarked to continue my journey by metro and explore Arbat Street. However, when I reached into my back pocket to retrieve the metro map I had printed, I realized it was gone. Along with it, approximately 1,000 rubles that I had tucked away for convenience. It was clear that my pocket had been picked. I quickly assessed myself to see what else was missing, focusing on my wallet, phone, and backpack. To my relief, everything else seemed to be intact, except for those unfortunate items. I considered it fortunate that only those things were missing, and everything else was still with me. So, I quickly loaded the metro map onto my phone to replace the lost paper map and set off for Arbat Street without delay.
From Yaroslavsky Railway Station, I boarded the red line of the metro, just as I did in the morning, and traveled five stations to reach Biblioteka Imeni Lenina (библиотека имени ленина) station. However, I didn’t exit at that station. Instead, I walked to Arbatskaya (Арбатская) station on line 4 (blue line), which was connected to the previous station. I exited Arbatskaya station and found myself on the right path towards Arbat Street. Once I emerged, I crossed the bustling main road that passed through an underground tunnel, and voila, I arrived at Arbat Street.
Arbat Street stretched for about 1 kilometer, serving as a hub for restaurants, souvenir shops, and bars, reminiscent of the Khao San Road or Silom Road in my hometown. Along this street, I encountered a row of restaurants, bars, and shops on both sides. While most of the restaurants were quite pricey, they were worth a try if given the chance. As for the souvenir shops, it depended on your bargaining skills and comparing prices among multiple shops before making a decision. It felt like being a foreigner shopping for souvenirs in our own tourist spots. However, I didn’t purchase any souvenirs here as they were truly expensive, and I already had a place in mind to shop. So, I simply enjoyed strolling around, capturing snapshots of the lively backpacker scene in my memory.
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As I walked along Arbat Street, I soon felt it was time to head back because my legs were starting to ache. Along with that, I had a slight sense of being pickpocketed, so I decided to return and rest up to prepare for tomorrow. So, I took the metro back to the hotel, feeling a sense of leveling up in my travel experience, having encountered both the good and not-so-good aspects of being in a foreign country like Russia. These are things that no school, university, or even work experience can truly teach us. Tonight was another night of peaceful, dreamless sleep, and I felt a happy smile as I drifted off to sleep, content with the day’s adventures.
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Written by : SHIPY SIWARIT TIASUWATTISETH
Shipy-Ship 