RZD English language iPhone app
 

Err, wow. No idea this existed until today. The English version of the main website has been cranky for some weeks, and searching for help I stumbled across a reference to the app. It's ace!

* really clear interface with cute graphics
* good seat maps that even show window locations, power points and the direction of travel for Strizh trains
* remembers your personal details (useful as it does require your name in Cyrillic)
* Apple Pay and Wallet integration if you have a Visa/MC set up
* no confusing Russian error messages

Easy to set a Cyrillic keyboard on an iPhone, and use the visa translation of your name. Set the identify document to foreign passport and you are done.

Genuinely impressed. 👏

Who's the app author? I see a bunch of RZD apps that aren't made by RZD... I'd be vary of trusting them with my info.

Good point. It's OOO UFS who I believe are the RZD captive ticketing agency. It's called Rail Russia and is the only English language option if you put that into the App Store.

Doesn't seem to have an Android version.

My secretary has been trying to book for employees via the RZD website today without success. Always worked fine before.

I'm glad to hear it's not just us.

I've used tutu.ru before, worked fine when rzd did not. I'm wary of trying non-official apps, though it sounds like you checked to make sure that that iPhone app is legit.

A few weeks is a bit generous I must say :D

That's what I normally use as well, the English version is very decent and even the Russian website is easy enough to navigate with just a basic understanding of Russian and the cyrillic alphabet.

Alternatively, my flatmate has recently started using One Two Trip and he keeps on raving about it. Has anybody tried this yet?

Just to report that my first trip using tickets booked on the app worked just fine. It felt very 21st Century to wave a Passbook ticket at the prodvodnista.

Side note - Strizh trains really aren't designed for Russian track. Rough ride...

Did anyone recently try to pay at rzd website with the American credit card? It didn't work for me a few years ago, I am wondering if anything changed.