Trains from Minsk, Belarus (Tickets, How to Buy)

Trains from Minsk: this post is a complete guide on riding trains in Belarus and also explain to prospective passengers how to get to Minsk by train and bus

Traveling to Belarus? Let’s discover anything you need to know about trains from Minsk, including how to buy tickets online to travel in Belarus.

Minsk is the capital of Belarus and one of the least visited capitals in Europe. It’s rather unique political system closed to the west, makes of it one of the most secluded and exotic nations who once were part of the now extinct Soviet Union.

The visa situation in Belarus is constantly improving. Currently, many Western citizens can now travel visa free to Belarus if they arrive and depart from the Minsk International Airport. The biggest operator to the Minsk Airport is the national flag-carrier Belavia.

Trains in Minsk and Belarus

Even if Belarus is probably the most secluded nation in Europe with a fairly low GDP, it already counts with some of the most modern trains in the region, operating just in a small number of lines, yet showing that the train sector is well developed in the region.

The latest purchases from Belorussian Railways are trains from the Swiss manufacturer Stadler.

modern-train-belarus-stadler

Belarus Modern Train by Ian Dimitryievich / Youtube

Train Stations in Minsk

The main railway station in the capital is the Minsk Passazhirski (Minsk Passenger Station) and is located in the heart of the city. Most international trains will call only at this station, especially those coming from / to the European Union.

How to Travel to Belarus by Train

Being a relatively small country, and currently no low cost airlines operating in it, Belarus receives many of its travelers, both from West and East through its train lines.

Belarus has fairly decent train connections with all countries it borders, Lithuania, Poland, Russia and Ukraine, the only exception is Latvia, which lacks a direct connection to the country.

Here are the options if you want to travel to Minsk in Belarus from one of these destinations:

Trains from / to Minsk to Riga, Latvia

Probably the most poorly connected country with Belarus and bordering it is Latvia.

Trains from / to Minsk to Vilnius, Lithuania

There is a decent amount of trains running from Vilnius in Lithuania to Minsk in Belarus, most of them connect Kaliningrad, a Russian enclave in the Baltics to Minsk, Moscow, and other cities in Russia.

Trains from / to Minsk to Warsaw, Poland

Probably the best connected city with Minsk, if you want to travel to / from Minsk by train is Warsaw, as virtually all trains connecting Russia to Europe use the tracks between Minsk – Brest – Warsaw as part of the route. There is a sizeable number of trains on this route, and they are mostly parts of railway connections like Moscow – Paris, Moscow – Vienna and even extremely long routes like Moscow – Nice and Moscow – Sofia.

Trains from / to Minsk to Kiev, Odessa and Lviv, Ukraine

There is a far number of connections between Minsk and Ukraine, and nowadays, they are probably the best bet if you plan to do land travel between Ukraine and Russia. While the Minsk to Lviv train runs just once a day, connections to Minsk to Kiev are more frequent, and some of those trains continue all the way down to Odessa.

There is also one train connecting Minsk to Kharkiv and Zaporozhie.

Trains from / to Minsk to Moscow and Saint Petersburg, Russia

There are more than 10 daily trains connecting Minsk to Moscow. Many of them are legs of a longer trip as mentioned above. There are much less direct trains connecting Minsk to Saint Petersburg.

Train Conditions and Types of Ticket

Most international trains from or to the country’s capital have cabins and one or two railway agents controlling tickets at the entrance of each train car. Prices vary greatly depending on the number of beds (platzkarte / cupe) per cabin.

How to Buy Train Tickets for Belorussian Trains

You can buy tickets from most routes operating in and out of Minsk through the website Tutu.travel.

Alternatively, it is also possible to buy on spot at most larger train stations in Belarus. That includes central stations at Minsk, Gomel’, Grodno, Brest, etc. However, specially at the Minsk Passenger Station queues can be often long. For that reason, I would suggest buying tickets online when possible.

Other Resources for Travel in CIS

If you are traveling in Belarus you might want to check some of CIS countries guides. Check where to stay in Kiyv, Ukraine and the best places to stay in Moscow, Russia.

Train Travel Resources


Booking.com: the most complete website for finding hotels and accommodation anywhere.

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Jetradar: this is one of my favorite websites for buying airline tickets for flights for any destination in the world. Compare and book flights using it.

Train Travel Guide: in our railway travel guide, you will learn how to choose and ride the most scenic train routes around the world, always in the most comfortable way with optimal prices to enhance your travel experience.