Among foreigners, who come to Belarus, there exists a myth that traveling by train is slow, expensive and, moreover, inconvenient. That is why most visitors rent a car to drive to this or that town. As it turns out, traveling by train is more convenient and much cheaper. The railway system in Belarus is highly developed: you can go by train to every city in every region, no matter how small it is. So, it is barely a problem to travel to any city, even if it is situated on the opposite side of the country. The timetable of the railway stations is pretty convenient: morning, day and night trains are available for people.
The most popular destinations are the ones that connect the capital with the regional centers (Vitebsk, Grodno, Gomel, Mogilev, Brest). We have to admit that even though trains travel for 300-400 km (depending on where you are going), it is really cheap and convenient to use this means of transport. Nowadays Belarusian trains are modern and comfortable, so, the traveling hours will pass really quickly. You can use berth carriages at the minimum price, or you can use compartment carriages, which will provide you with high-class service, but you will have to pay more for the ticket. The compartment carriages provide you with private space and more comfortable beds.
The average price for berth carriage of the train, which goes from Minsk to any other regional center is $3-5 (250-400 km). And the average price for compartment carriage of the same train will be just a little bit higher. You have to remember also, that to buy a train ticket you may need a passport. As trains have become really popular in Belarus, sometimes you have to book tickets in advance.
So, traveling by train in Belarus is really convenient and much cheaper than renting a car. You save money, get good service and, moreover, get the chance to explore the landscape of the country from the carriage window :)
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