Marketing policy plans
A new product, Business Pass, was launched on 1 July 2018 together with the Directorate for Higher-Speed Services, a branch of Russian Railways, for Strizh higher-speed trains travelling between Moscow and Nizhny Novgorod. The Business Pass concept offers a new type of prepaid fares used in electronic travel cards. The pass will have a limited number of trips and a validity date.
On 25 September 2019, we launched digital Business Pass cards for the Red Arrow branded train operating between Moscow and Saint Petersburg.
This product offering will be extended to other routes in 2020.
According to Federal Law No. 73-FZ On Amendments to Article 83 of the Federal Law on the Railway Transport Charter of the Russian Federation, dated 18 April 2018, carriers are allowed to sell non-refundable tickets in the deregulated segment of rail passenger services (first-class, second-class, deluxe) as of 1 January 2019. Relevant amendments have been made to the passenger transport rulesResolution of the Russian Government No. 111 On Approval of Rules on Rail Transport Services for Passengers, Cargo, Baggage, and Unaccompanied Baggage for Personal, Family, Household and Other Needs Not Related to Conducting Business, dated 2 March 2005; Decree of the Russian Ministry of Transport No. 473 On Approval of Passenger, Baggage, and Unaccompanied Baggage Rail Transport Rules, dated 19 December 2013..
These novelties provide passengers with an option to book non-refundable long-distance fares (tickets) if such an option is enabled by the carrier.
For bookings made on or after 20 January 2019, non-refundable fares have been available for FPC’s second-class sleeping carriages and carriages with seats in trains departing on or after 19 April 2019.
Non-refundable tickets allow passengers to save between 5% and 20% of the main route leg fare. The exact price difference depends on the train and travel date.
Non-refundable fares in 2019 are available for 14 train pairs:
- No. 740/739 Moscow–Voronezh
- No. 737/738 Voronezh–Moscow
- No. 25/26 Izhevsk–Moscow
- No. 25/26 Saint Petersburg–Moscow
- No. 49/50 Samara–Moscow
- No. 642/642 Rostov–Adler
- No. 104/104 Adler–Moscow
- No. 15/15 Volgograd–Moscow
- No. 378/377 Kazan–Novy Urengoy
- No. 1/1 Volgograd–Moscow
- No. 19/20 Rostov–Moscow
- No. 22/21 Moscow–Labytnangi
- No. 42/41 Moscow–Saransk
- No. 116/115 Moscow–Severodvinsk.
The 2020 objectives of the Company’s Marketing Policy include a further roll-out of marketing campaigns and special fares to make passenger services more affordable and enhance transport mobility of the population.