Using public transportation is one of the most important things that a visitor must learn upon arriving at a new city. In many Russian cities, you enter the bus, trolley or tram (streetcar), take a seat and then buy a ticket from a guard or conductor. Normally, this is a lady with a bag in her shoulders, obstinately moving up and down the aisle. Prices may vary, but normally a fare will cost you from 8 to 30 rubles, depending on city and mode of transport.
Although tickets in Russia don’t look fancy, the fare in Barnaul, Siberia is only 10 rubles (approximately, $0.3) compared to $3 for Toronto or Mississauga. In Siberia, tickets are a one-time fare, and it’s necessary to buy another ticket when transferring to another vehicle, no matter how long the journey is.
In Russia, bus, tram, and trolley tickets all have six numbers. Russians believe in lucky tickets. If the sum of the first three digits on your ticket equals the sum of the last three, your ticket is lucky and then you are supposed to eat it. Some people believe in a half lucky ticket, which means that if the sum of the first three numbers is, say 5, and the last three numbers equal 14, your ticket is still lucky because one plus four equals 5.
While writing this post, I found a great design idea: lucky ticket cookies! They are definitely more tasty than the ones made of paper.
Photo by www.artlebedev.com
