It’s awful that tea on trains is no longer served in glasses with those famous metal podstakanniks (traditional Russian metal tea-glass holders). That’s a real symbol of Russian Railways. Its main brand. No need for a new logo, no need for uniforms for premium-train attendants that look like low-budget liveries. A podstakannik—and everyone immediately thinks of trains. And most importantly: the podstakannik is practical. And now, once again, they’ve brought a saucer. On it lies a little napkin. On the napkin, a little cup. And out of the cup sticks a stringy tea-bag tail. Pathetic. Unattractive. And you end up spilling hot tea on your hands. Looking at tea served like this, you don’t exactly feel like thinking about imperial might and the steel railways stretching across Eurasia. 30 rubles. Update. I don’t know, but I get the impression that I’m the only one being served tea in a cup, while everyone else is freely enjoying those wonderful podstakanniks. Recently I’ve taken these trains: Moscow–Kirov Moscow–Tomsk Moscow–Novy Urengoy and right now I’m traveling from Krasnoyarsk to Moscow. First class sleeper and compartment. There were no podstakanniks anywhere. I refuse to believe Russian Railways has issued an order: don’t give Navalny podstakanniks.