The plan was to arrive in St Pete around 8:30pm, walk to the hostel, check-in, meet some new people, grab some dinner, and maybe hit the town with anybody I could convince to hang out with me from the hostel. I wanted to scope out some bars, walk around the city during White Nights, and just enjoy a nice night before the crew arrived the next day for a busy and fun weekend.
That was the plan.
Until everything went wrong.
*******************
Alena was very nice to help me figure out which train station my train to St Petersburg left Moscow from. The trains to St Pete leave from different stations, so it's important to know the right one. Unfortunately for me, my ticket doesn't say the train station on it...but it's not in English anyway, so I would never know. She helped me determine that it was Leningradsky station. She told me that Leningradsky station is located just outside of a certain metro stop (I don't know how to write or say it in English, I just know how it looks in Cyrillic), and that I wouldn't miss it once I got outside. Sounded easy.
I left the office with plenty of time, got out of the Metro and saw about 10 train platforms in front of me. Seems easy enough...train station that I couldn't miss. It's about 4pm...30 minutes before my 4:30 departure. The train schedule is all in Cyrillic, but I see a listing for a train leaving at 4:30 and think that it's mine. Afterall, there was no other train leaving at 4:30. I had plenty of time, so I wandered around a little, took a couple pictures, then came back and waited.
The platform number for this train finally appeared, so I walked to the platform. I showed a lady my ticket to make sure, but she said "nyet" and pointed to the left of the platform. Hmmm. Now I am starting to think that I am at the wrong place.
I walk outside in the direction she pointed, and notice there is another train station right next door...so I go over there and see a train schedule with another train that says "4:30", again, not being able to read it. The time is 4:21pm.
Because it is cutting it close, I ask a guy to help me. He's about 30 years old, which usually means a decent English speaker in Poland. But this guy says he doesn't speak English (in English). He can't really tell me anything, but notices I wrote down "Leningradsky" on the ticket (I did it so I remembered the name). He says "Ohhhh, Leningradsky? This Yaroslavsky (or something like that). Leningradsky there" (and he points back towards the way I came). What? Why are there so many train stations here? The time is 4:24pm.
So I leave Wrong Place #2, run past Wrong Place #1, and see another building that looks like a train station (future Wrong Place #3). I go inside, and there are many booths, which look like ticket booths. I go to one that is empty, and ask a girl quickly "is this train for St Petersburg?" and she just points to a sign and shakes her head. The sign seemed to describe the break times of the person in the booth (it listed a bunch of times in 10 minute increments). So I guess she was on break and didn't want to help me. She was just sitting there, literally biting her nails. Gee thanks. So I frantically ask the security guard, and he says "No Leningradsky. Leningradsky there" (and points outside again). WTF???? It's 4:29pm. My train leaves in 1 minute and I can't find where it is.
I start running around, looking for something that looks like another train station while yelling "Leningradsky?" and looking around helplessly for some assistance. Nobody even looks at me. Finally I find another station, and see a wall where it says "St Petersburg" all over it. Must be the right place. I look at the clock...4:36. DAMN.
I run through the terminal with my suitcase and backpack, and finally reach the platforms. I noticed a train that says "St Pete" and SAPSAN (the train operator). I run to it, the security person asks "SAPSAN?", I say YES, and run for the train. I MADE IT!!!!! I am about to get on when one of the workers asks to see my ticket. First he points down to another car, but then takes a second look at my ticket. He says something in Russian, shakes his head, then he says "Your train gone". He has an evil smirk on his face and when I ask him what he is talking about, he shakes his head, throws his hands in the air, and backs away...as if he just shot a game winning 3 pointer in my face, and was enjoying that moment like it just won the NBA finals. The train doors close, and it pulls away. I felt defeated.
I can only think of two letters. F and U.
So I ask another guy, and he says sorry, but your train is gone. "You go buy ticket" and he showed me that the next train was at 7:45pm. Apparently there was a 4:30 train AND a 4:45 train...the 4:45 train pulled away as I was standing there, so my ticket wouldn't have worked anyway. Damn.
But it gets worse.
I wanted to ask if I could exchange or get some credit for my unused 4:30pm ticket, so I stood in line waiting to talk to someone. I was DRIPPING sweat from running around, and my light grey t-shirt was not doing well at hiding my armpit sweat. There are so many good looking girls in Russia, and I am so ashamed to look them in the eye. Finally I reach the front and the lady didn't understand anything I said. She was friendly, but didn't speak English. Finally she held up 1 finger, and pointed to a different window. Go to Window number 1. Ok, I understand.
I wait at window number 1 and there is another lady who is trying to cut me in line. But then she realizes this, and then smiles and nods, acknowledging that I am next. She was really nice and defended my spot in line to a couple other potential line jumpers. It was nice to have a friendly smiley face at that moment of frustration.
This whole time I am trying to text, BBM, Instant message, and call any of my friends who live in Moscow. I need some help explaining that I need to exchange a ticket. Nobody is answering.
Finally, I get to the front, give the lady my ticket, and say "Can I exchange this?" with my best smile and most polite voice. She looks at it, frowns, throws it back and me and starts saying a bunch of things in Russian. She does not look happy. I turn to the nice lady in line to translate, and she said she didn't speak English (but she smiled!). One of the guys who tried to cut me was standing there, and he just says "You...New ticket. Money gone" and shrugs his shoulders. ARGGGGH.
I finally got Alena on the phone, went back in line to the angry lady, and had Alena talk to her. She talks for 15 seconds, then passes the phone back to me...when I pick it up, Alena is still talking...so the lady "hung up" on her! So by now I have figured I need to buy a new ticket. I can just get one for the 7:45 train. It's not ideal, since it will get me there close to midnight, but it will have to do.
I go back to the line where you buy tickets, and Alena says "you will have to ask what is available". This worries me, because she explains that a lot of tickets are selling out. There is a chart on the wall with train times and numbers next to them. This indicates the number of tickets for each train available. Next to the 7:45pm train it says something like 25. A minute later is says 18. Then 12. And I haven't moved anywhere in line.
Alena asked me to take a picture of it so she could tell me what it says. I take a picture, and send it. By that time, the sign says SOLD OUT (in Russian). ARGHJAKFHAJKFHAJK:DFJKFAS!!!!!!
The line is still not moving! I panic, and think, if I am going to get any ticket at any possible time, I need to get to an electronic kiosk and skip this line to speak to a woman that won't understand me anyway. I get out of line, try the kiosk, and of course, nothing is in English. I press every possible button, and finally see a schedule of the trains. Then it seems to want my credit card. To say the least, I am a bit nervous to do that! I ask the guy next to me (guy in a suit in his 20s). He says "I don't know" and stops talking to me. Thanks man. I look around for some other help, and see a lady that works there. I motion her over, and she comes to the kiosk. Again, no English (I will stop saying this, since you can assume nobody speaks English), and she tries to click on the buttons for me. I have no idea what she is saying, but luckily, another friend, Maria, answers her phone when I call. I pass my phone to the woman, and she explains to the lady what I want. The lady clicks on some buttons, and wouldn't you know it, the 7:45pm train has some tickets left. YESSS. So she presses more buttons, I type in my name and passport number (we had to pass the phone back and forth so Maria could tell me what to do), and I'm ready to buy. Right when we press "Buy", the woman sighs. That can't be good. She motions for the phone and speaks to Maria. Right before we pressed BUY, the last ticket was sold. Can Moscow be against me any more than this????????????????
I feel so frustrated and now I just want anything. There are no tickets on the fast trains (4 hours), so there are only tickets on the slow, overnight trains (8 hours). I don't want to, but really, I have no other choice. The trains in the morning are all sold out. So finally we find a ticket, the lady tells Maria that there are only 7 left, so I just say "YES YES YES, hurry up and buy!!!" and the lady helps me out. So, now I am the proud owner of a 9:50pm departure, and a 5:45am arrival in St Pete. And my $150 ticket I bough earlier is worthless. I am super grateful for that woman, and Maria for speaking to her. Both were very patient and helpful. It was just not a good situation for me.
The new train departs from another station. Maria explains how to get there...and I have to go back on the Metro, in rush hour. I go back to where I got out of the Metro and try to walk in. Just as I do, a wave of millions of people (literally millions) start coming out the doors. And it is impossible to go in. I have never seen so many people come out of doors like that. Then I notice a picture on the door of a guy walking and a red slash through it. That must mean I can't enter that way. So I walk around the building. The other side also has those pictures on the door, and millions of people exiting. Where the F*** do I go into the Metro???
I finally did the thing I said I'd never do: ask a Russian cop for help. Luckily this guy looked a bit Asian, and he was helpful. He pointed me to the way to get in (down the street, down a ramp). Why does it have to be so hard? I take the Metro to the station, 3 hours early (enough time to write this entry), and I'm waiting here, right in front of the schedule. I'm not taking any chances. And I really hope there is not a Part 2 to this story.
No comments:
Post a Comment