What’s a children’s railway?

In Russia, we love trains, sometimes from an early age. And those wishing to (literally) get on track  don’t have to wait until adulthood – the most keen school students can learn railway professions at a children’s railway. During the academic year, after their usual classes, they come here to dive into the theory. And in summer, they put their skills to the test at a narrow-gauge track specially designed for this purpose. Under the guidance of the tutors, the children take on various railway roles, from station announcer to locomotive driver. In St. Petersburg, the local children’s railway has operated since 1948 under the name of Malaya Oktyabrskaya (Small October) Railway – the junior counterpart to the Oktyabrskaya Railway, which serves trains across northwestern Russia.

Routes:

Tickets: 100 rubles one-way, 120 rubles round-trip 

Tickets: 200 rubles one-way, 400 rubles round-trip 

Schedule: every hour from 10 am to 5 pm

Experience

On a rainy Saturday afternoon in June, my friends and I met at Yunyy station. It was the quickest to reach for everyone – and it probably will be for you, if you live in the north of the city. The station is only a fifteen-minute walk from the Udelnaya metro station and the route to it takes you through the legendary Udelnaya flea market. This made Ozyornaya station the final stop of our trip. The plan was solid: we’d hop off the train and head straight for a walk among the nearby lakes and forests to reconnect with nature.

As soon as we reached the platform, tucked between multi-story buildings and a parking lot, we stepped into a world run by teens. They were moving around the station dressed in all kinds of uniforms – orange vests, jumpsuits, or more official white shirts and red peaked caps, preparing for the next train’s arrival. Around, the soon-to-be passengers consisted mostly of families with kids, other teens, and us, an excited group of adults.

If you start from Yunyy station like we did, keep in mind that you can’t buy a ticket here or online – but you’re trustfully allowed to do it at the ticket office at the final stop. A one-way ride costs just 100 rubles.

The train that pulled in took us by surprise. It was cool, white and shiny, far more modern than many long-distance trains I've seen. After about 20 minutes of operations that I can’t fully describe – the head carriage was skillfully driven away from the cars and repositioned to the opposite side – a voice over the loudspeaker invited us to board.

At the steps of the car, a young train attendant welcomed us aboard. Inside, we found a carriage: modern yet childish, with small seats and cartoon characters decorating the walls. Just as it should be at the children’s railway, of course.

The journey itself is quite short, just 2.1 kilometers and about eight minutes from start to finish, but it was worth every minute. From the train attendant, who knew the entire history of St. Petersburg's railways by heart, we learned that this is the original section of the railway, built in 1948 and preserved amidst the city’s growth, while the southern branch to Tsarskoye Selo is a newer development, opened in 2011. We looked out the window at the calming view of greenery surrounding the narrow tracks and the scattered houses, and sometimes – larger buildings. 

When we hopped off the train, the attendant kindly helped us buy tickets at the office. This station felt livelier, and we set off to explore the surroundings.

Why should you try it?

For me, such an outing fits into the category of “unique experiences” – something that you should do at least once, something that only a big city like St. Petersburg can offer. First, it’s affordable. Second, you get to explore a district that’s probably far off your usual route. And third, where else can you ride a train operated by teenagers and feel completely safe?

But most importantly, it’s the atmosphere created by kids who are passionate about what they do, polite and focused, and it brings you right back to your own childhood.