Rail-track Ingush spirit

Pavel Tsotoyev, Nazran-Moscow-Nazran. Exclusively to Vestnik Kavkaza

A train from Moscow to Nazran is the first project in the history of the Russian Railways company to be implemented with the  active participation of the region. Recently a correspondent of Vestnik Kavkaza rode the “Ingushetia” Train.

At first a ticket price is very fair – a ticket from Nazran to Rostov costs a bit more than 1,000 rubles (around $30), to Moscow – 2 000 rubles. 75% of seats were occupied. The interior of the cars was nice – soft velour seats; electronic display, which shows the temperature and other information; two bio-toilets which are not closed before and at stations. There are plugs in each compartment, so mobile phones can be charged, as well as laptops. 3G Internet is available. In compartments berths are transformed into soft sofas. There are also screens where films and musical videos are translated.

The seventh compartment is made especially for handicapped people. It has special equipment for lifting wheelchairs to the compartment. Buying a ticket, one can choose a type of a compartment – male or female. All cars have air conditioners and coffee-machines.

“The passengers are happy. There are some difficulties, but we settle them very quickly. I have been working since February and I note that the Ingushs are polite disciplined people. They react calmly to criticism and are always ready to help. This is a unique train for the North Caucasus. The train runs every other day. The old train ran once in four days. Our train is full of ethnic colors,” the train master told Vestnik Kavkaza.

The Ingush spirit is felt in a restaurant car. Nakh ornaments are present on tableware, cloths, curtains. Ethnic music sounds. “First of all, we cook our ethnic dishes. All products are halal, we buy them in Nazran. We offer Achaluki mineral water to our guests. Moreover, we cook European food, but no pork is available. Our waitress is a Ukrainian, while the cooks are Ingush,” the mistress of the kitchen Galina Didigova says.

21 stewards service in the train, 10 of them are Ingush. Their number will increase, when other people are trained. Not only residents of the republic, but also people from other regions use the train. For example, the train is popular in Voronezh. “Yunus-Bek Yevkurov did a good deed. We could only dream about the train. The main thing is that ticket prices are fair,” a resident of the village of Plievo, Ruslan Ahilgov, told Vestnik Kavkaza. “Of course it is a valuable gift for all Ingush people. And an image of our region is promoted.”