Today I travel from Salekhard to Vorkuta. It is one of the few public rail connections built above the Polar Circle, completed in 1958. But the begining of the line is in Labytnangi – on the other side of the huge Ob river. Going from Salekhard you have to take marshrutka (microbus) no 6 going to the ferry (pereprava). It costs 50 rou for 25 min drive. Then you have to take car ferry – free for walkers – nightmare if raining – no shelter on the ferry! Once on the other side you have to take another marshrutka to the railway station -50 rou, 15 min.
OnRussian railways you have like 4 classes of service. The lowest – OBSHCHIY is just hard seat in the huge car. Today I spent 10 hours in such a car. Only 2 trains per day cross the Polar Ural mountains by this single-track route. Only few tiny stations on the way – in the middle of nowhere… Let you know that this is very picturesque journey. At 4 pm Moscow time we reached tiny Poliarny Ural station where Asia meets Europe. I had excellent weather so the views of the autumn tundra and mountains were great. I reached Vorkuta already in the dark. But what a day!
