“Can’t it be that we drove this?”: the Italian for the first time took a ride on a Russian train to the Crimea and did not believe his eyes – was shocked by such an experience

The trip was long, but gave the foreigner a lot of impressions, which he remembered a few days after arrival, writes the Zen channel “you are not there.”.

The journey began in the Mineral Waters. At the station, the border guard greeted the Italian with a smile and joked that he was beginning real adventures in Russia. Such a meeting immediately lifted Simone's mood.

The station itself left a pleasant impression on the guest. He drew attention to the cleanliness and calm surroundings, which seemed unusual in comparison with some railway stations in Italy. However, the state of the toilets caused him some comments.

The journey took about 17 hours. Simone was surprised by the length of the trip and how slowly the lineup moved. No less attention was drawn to safety regulations, including a ban on using the toilet while crossing bridges.

One of the most memorable moments was the crossing of the Crimean bridge. The sight of the large-scale construction made a strong impression on the Italian. However, bright lighting prevented him from calmly viewing the surrounding landscapes.

Household trifles also seemed unusual. Simone drew attention to round cupholders for tea, which have long become a familiar part of railway culture in Russia.

A funny thing happened with buying drinks. When the foreigner did not have cash, the passengers at first could not help him with the payment, but then offered an alternative option. The boy next door shared a cookie with him.

A separate topic for discussion was beds. Simone became interested in the length of the lower shelves and compared them with the lateral ones. At first he agreed to settle in one place, but later changed with his wife.

For a foreigner, the trip became an opportunity to get acquainted with the daily life of Russian passengers. Communication with fellow travelers, tea in the car and small household inconveniences gradually became part of the overall adventure.

After arriving in Simferopol, Simone continued to wonder what he saw. He was impressed by the scale of the train station and the architectural details, including the Soviet stars he spotted during the trip.

The Italian took pictures of the surroundings and remembered the road with surprise, as if he could not believe that he had really overcome such a path.

According to his wife, vivid impressions did not let him go for another four days. The trip was tedious, but it gave a lot of stories that the couple will be able to remember with a smile for a long time.

For Simone, a trip to Crimea was not just a trip from one city to another, but an acquaintance with Russian railway culture, its habits, rules and unexpected details.