Dortur was established as a non-separate structural subdivision of the Belarusian Railways’ Minsk department in early 2007. Today, the division has evolved into a Belarusian state operator that specializes in organizing railway tourism in both the domestic and foreign markets. The company’s portfolio includes a variety of patriotic, roundtrip tours, New Year and excursion railroad routes. A number of products are implemented jointly with Russian Railways.
Keep on track with us
As Dortur told 1520International, the railway excursion routes developed in Belarus use regular trains timetables enhancing the comfort of the journey and providing tourists with an opportunity to relax before a busy day of excursions. The train’s earlier arrival provides the travelers extra time to enjoy a greater number of sites along the route.
The Dortur tourist center now offers weekend bus tours of Belarus on a regular basis, departing from the railway station for guests and capital residents (more than 20 itineraries). These tours are scheduled in advance on a monthly basis.
Alla Safonova, director of the Dortur tourist center at the Belarusian Railways’ Minsk department, said: "We provide a variety of tourism options for organized groups, including historical, cultural, event, active, gastronomic, industrial, agro-ecotourism. Targeted excursions are available to all corners of Belarus”
The historical and cultural trains cover the route Minsk-Hrodna-Porechye, with a stop at the first railway station where the history of the country's railroads began and the first train embarked on its journey.
Furthermore, inbound tourism is represented by the "Tsagnikom-Belarus" excursion railway project, tailored for residents of the Russian Federation. The project offers about 30 programs, allowing tourists to arrive by train in different cities of Belarus and enjoy stays of 2 to 5 days in each location.
During the New Year and Christmas holidays, the New Year train “Journey to the Estate of Santa Claus” on the Minsk-Brest-Minsk route calling at the National Park "Belovezhskaya Pushcha" remains popular and in high demand. With almost ten years of operation, this initiative has provided comprehensive tourism and excursion services, including the wonderful New Year train ride, which has been enjoyed by 18 thousand tourists in their entirety. In 2018, this initiative was named Best Service of the Year in the Republican contest “The Best Goods of the Republic of Belarus”.
A tour that spans two countries
In August 2022, the Dortour tourist center coordinated the arrival in Belarus of the first international two-group train, Belarusian Voyage, as part of the joint project between the holding company JSC Russian Railways and the state association Belarusian Railway along the route Minsk-Brest/Grodno-Minsk, which has made good headway and is currently being implemented.
The railway roundtrip tours program available for purchase at "RZD Tour" LLC includes informative excursions to each city, an introduction to Belarusian culture and traditions, as well as the opportunity to taste Belarusian national cuisine. In cooperation with RZD Tour LLC, 12 trips on the Belarusian Voyage were carried out, welcoming a total of 3,436 tourists from Russia.
Outbound tourism includes railway excursion programs to St. Petersburg, Moscow, the Golden Ring of Russia, and Karelia, as well as coastal vacations with train trips to Adler, Anapa, and Mineralnye Vody.
Historical value
Over the years, we have accumulated extensive experience in organizing our own patriotic trains, as well as collaborating with Russian travel companies. For example, we participated in the project "Friendship Train of Veterans of the War Against Nazism" as part of the 70th anniversary of the Great Victory, providing all-inclusive tourist services for participants of the tourist train from the city of Yaroslavl within the program "Roads of the Great Victory".
Traditionally, patriotic trains "Our Victory is Heard Loud and Clear Through the Years" are organized for the May holidays on the route Minsk-Brest-Minsk. The itinerary includes a visit to the Brest Fortress, the laying of flowers at the Eternal Flame, a festive concert in the museum of railway equipment, and a musical themed program "Let's Sing, Friends" aboard the train, on the return trip.
Last year, a new patriotic railway project was launched on the route Minsk-Brest-Ivatsevichi-Minsk with special stops along the way and visits to the memorial complex “Brest Fortress – Hero” and the memorial complex of partisan glory “Khovanshchina” with an interactive program.
Dortur intends to organize excursion programs in the Republic of Belarus in 2024 to honor the 80th anniversary of the country’s liberation from Nazi invaders. This includes patriotic trains "Our Victory is Heard Loud and Clear Through the Years" to military glory sites. Additionally, Dortur intends to further develop the international project "Belarusian Voyage" and establish new routes, including by rail," concluded Alla Safonova.
Sergey Volkov
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