Main event of the decade

Профессиональная ПсихотераПевтическая Газета  иЮль–2013 

86

THE rOAD TO THE EAsT WITH PPL

We have a special attitude towards travelling. The Russian 

ethnos was formed as a settled one, which means moving 

around is not typical of us. Going somewhere is a special 

event. Travelling gives a chance to see our life as a whole. 

Our ancestors used to settle along rivers, in forests, and they 

cultivated their land. They used to travel on foot, by horse-

driven carriages or by sailing boats; later they began to use 

trains and planes. The vast territory of our country has always 

meant long journeys. Such journeys became an important part 

of our life. Moreover, they became one of the most important 

phenomena of our national mentality. We are a pioneering 

nation. All travels are thoroughly prepared. When travelling a 

person finds himself / herself between two spaces: he is not 

any more at the place he had left, and he is not yet at the 

point of destination. Time changes but traditions remain. Of 

course, these days we prefer to travel by plane. A plane is the 

time and space machine, whereas a train also means travelling 

inside. We really love railway travel! Our travel program 

means therapy and overcoming stress, new acquaintances 

and disclosing yourself; it also means heart-to-heart talks, 

relaxed atmosphere and sufficient sleep. Travelling by train 

in Russia one can experience the so-called “casual fellow 

traveler” psychotherapeutic phenomenon when you disclose 

the deepest secrets to a stranger being very sensitive to advice 

and recommendations and ready to evaluate and generalize 

your experience, ready to change.

I have travelled a lot in my life: between Moscow and St. 

Petersburg, to the Black Sea coast, to Irkutsk on the Trans-

Siberian Road, on narrow-gauge railway in Sakhalin and in the 

North between Norilsk and Dudinka. When I researched the 

North Trans-Siberian Road beyond the Polar Circle I saw ruins 

of prisoners

’

 camps at every 5–10 kilometers. This road was 

built for one train only.

I travelled by train in Eastern and Western Europe, in North 

and South America, in India and on the highest railroad in the 

world that connects Lhasa with China.

We are going on a journey on the world’s longest railway – 

Trans-Siberian Road. There are 7 time zones between Moscow 

and Vladivostok. The train conductors are attentive and 

professional. There is a dining-car where you can take meals. 

Meals can be ordered and served in your compartment. The 

food is traditional for small restaurants, a meal costs 800–1000 

roubles on average. Top category compartments are equipped 

with video players. Each compartment has 220V sockets (up to 

100 Watt). All carriages were built in 2008 by Tverskoy Plant. 

Top category carriages have 9 compartments (18 berths), 

1

st

 class carriages have 9 compartments (36 berths). Each 

compartment has two couches which can be transformed 

into beds. Compartments are equipped with good locks, they 

can be locked from inside and outside. There are two vacuum 

toilets in the carriage.

Further away from Moscow people tend to live a traditional 

way of life. There are fewer towns and settlements. Mobile 

connection is only available in these scarce settlements. 

Russian railways have a wider track, so only Russian trains 

produce that typical sound of wheels which not only comforts 

you but also creates a slight feeling of trance. Our trains have 

larger and taller carriages, the berths for people and for 

luggage are wider (that is why when travelling in Europe we 

can’t fit in all our suitcases and bags). Each compartment has 

a 220 V socket. Drinking tea is one of special pleasures on the 

train, kipyatok (boiling water) being always available.

The train stops at platforms where one can buy food and 

drinks in special kiosks. At some stations local people offer 

home-made food. Your compartment turns into a temporary 

house where you are surrounded by peace and comfort. The 

train swinging along with the typical sound of the wheels 

makes you feel calm and sleepy. Looking from the train 

window is very convenient  – considerable space along the 

railway track is cleared from trees, so the view is especially 

good. When the train stops you can walk along the platform 

and look at the stations. All stations in Russia have been 

recently reconstructed or rebuilt.

We invite you to join our program “The Road to the East”. 

While travelling we will have working lunches, breakfasts and 

dinners. We will have seminars devoted to the important issues 

of psychotherapy. Many colleagues from other towns will join 

us on the way! Some of them will come to railway stations to 

see us, others will join in the journey. In Vladivostok there will 

be Congress for Psychotherapy in the Far East and one of our 

Decadniks. On the way back we will stop at Irkutsk to take part 

in the Baikal Lake Decadnik.

Here is our train’s schedule:

Station

Arrival

Stop

Departure

Day 1, 7.07.2013

MOSCOW

-

-

13:50

VLADIMIR

16:45

23 min

17:08

NIZHNY NOVGOROD

19:51

12 min

20:03

Day 2, 8.07.2013

KIROV

01:52

15 min

02:07

PERM

09:25

25 min

09:50

YEKATERINBURG

15:16

28 min

15:44

TYUMEN

19:56

20 min

20:16

Day 3, 9.07.2013

OMSK

03:14

16 min

03:30

BARABINSK

07:00

30 min

07:30

NOVOSIBIRSK

11:10

19 min

11:29

MARIINSK

16:50

26 min

17:16

KRASNOYARSK

22:40

22 min

23:02

Day 4, 10.07.2013

ZIMA

11:46

30 min

12:16

IRKUTSK

15:57

23 min

16:20

ULAN UDE

22:54

23 min

23:17

Day 5, 11.07.2013

KHILOK

03:40

19 min

03:59

CHITA

08:06

25 min

08:31

KARYMSKAYA

10:24

18 min

10:42

CHERNYSH

15:32

30 min

16:02

AMAZAR

23:17

20 min

23:37

Day 6, 12.07.2013

ER PAVLOV

01:25

21 min

01:46

BELOGORSK

14:04

30 min

14:34

Day 7, 13.07.2013

KHABAROVSK

00:40

30 min

01:10

USSURIYSK

10:51

18 min

11:09

VLADIVOSTOK

13:10

-

-

We invite you to take part in our unforgettable trip on 

the world’s longest railway!

Prof. Viktor V. Makarov

President of the 1

st

 Eurasian Congress for Psychotherapy

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