After my brief visit to Kazan I was traveling onwards towards Moscow with an overnight sleeper train to Nizhny Novgorod. I wasnt going to get much sleep two nites as the prior night I had arrived from a long flight from Toronto to Kazan via Istanbul, arriving Kazan 1am. After spending the day in Kazan I now had a 10pm overnight sleeper to Nizhny Novgorod. 

The trains actually run all the way to Moscow but I decided to only go as far as Nizhny to break up the journey and see another city people normally pass thru and dont bother to visit. 

I'd bought my ticket on Russiantrain.com for $61 USD. This was a 4 bed compartment. All my prior sleeper trains I'd paid for first class in a two bed compartment but this was the only train option. The station was quite nice and modern with lockers, vending machines, and english departure signage. 

I had chosen a top bunk for more storage at the top and to be less disturbed by people coming and going. The top bunks are actually cheaper as not everyone is able to or wants to climb up and down. 

The two right side beds were occupied as the train arrived in Kazan. They were an older local couple that slept most of the way. I named they Cyril and Beryl. A young man was on the bottom bunk but remarkably for four passengers they all slept and were quiet the whole journey. 

 

I didnt get to have much sleep as the train rocked so much. A chicken dinner was included in the meal. With an early morning 6am arrival in Nizhny and not much sleep I had another full day ahead before another 4 hour train to Moscow before I could finally sleep in a hotel 

See also vlog of journey https://youtu.be/x2Qe2DRaGp8

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