Riders of Freedom

A long train whistle blows in the distance and our freight train starts gradually speeding up. As soon as we leave the station, the guys saddle up the walls of the open wagon. I think about the four horsemen of the Apocalypse. If there were horsemen of Freedom, train hoppers would definitely be among them.

Trainsurfing, train hopping, freight hopping — riding the outside of the train has a lot of names and a lot of different branches. Some people ride on suburban trains, some cling to inter-city trains and even high-speed ones, some are particularly interested in subway.

Riders of Freedom is a project about freight train travelers. Through seven trips with them, I drove 3870 km, visited St. Petersburg, Nizhny Novgorod, Vladimir, Bryansk, Orel, Pskov and even reached Murmansk.


Valya, Vlad and Artem. The loops inside the wagon are often used to hang hammocks.
Valya, Vlad and Artem. The loops inside the wagon are often used to hang hammocks.
Artem riding the open wagon filled with clay on the way to Saint Petersburgh.
Artem riding the open wagon filled with clay on the way to Saint Petersburgh.
Danya and Roma crossing the ways to board the train heading to Petrozavodsk.
Danya and Roma crossing the ways to board the train heading to Petrozavodsk.
Edik, Roma and Pasha leaving the station in an empty open wagon.
Edik, Roma and Pasha leaving the station in an empty open wagon.
Vanya sharing the food with Vlad. It is very hard to boil the water or heat up the food on the road because of the strong wagon shaking.
Vanya sharing the food with Vlad. It is very hard to boil the water or heat up the food on the road because of the strong wagon shaking.
Artem climbing up the watchtower to join Vanya. The guys often climb out of the wagons to wander around the vicinity during the stops.
Artem climbing up the watchtower to join Vanya. The guys often climb out of the wagons to wander around the vicinity during the stops.
Vanya in the interwagon space. The ladders inside the wagons are usually broken, so the guys climb in between the wagons to admire the view.
Vanya in the interwagon space. The ladders inside the wagons are usually broken, so the guys climb in between the wagons to admire the view.
Zhenya's (not the real name) toe tips on the right foot were smashed by the wheels of a high speed train «Sapsan». During an unsuccessful attempt to hop the train, he fell on the tracks and wasn't fast enough to crawl away.
Zhenya's (not the real name) toe tips on the right foot were smashed by the wheels of a high speed train «Sapsan». During an unsuccessful attempt to hop the train, he fell on the tracks and wasn't fast enough to crawl away.
Vlad and Artem on the way to Saint Petersburg. Trainhoppers value the railways without the electrification system overhead. Those are safer, give the opportunity to see the clear sky and smell the diesel exhaust.
Vlad and Artem on the way to Saint Petersburg. Trainhoppers value the railways without the electrification system overhead. Those are safer, give the opportunity to see the clear sky and smell the diesel exhaust.
Vlad admiring the road from the interwagon space.
Vlad admiring the road from the interwagon space.
Vova helping Artem to climb out of the swamp. The guys often pick unusual routes to avoid the workers and the security on the way to the departure yard.
Vova helping Artem to climb out of the swamp. The guys often pick unusual routes to avoid the workers and the security on the way to the departure yard.
Roma after a long trip in the coal wagon. Coal is the most common cargo and the most despised one. It soils the clothes and irritates the eyes.
Roma after a long trip in the coal wagon. Coal is the most common cargo and the most despised one. It soils the clothes and irritates the eyes.
Danya holding the tent, to fix it in the blowing wind. Trainhoppers also make cheap raicoats out of big plastic garbage bags.
Danya holding the tent, to fix it in the blowing wind. Trainhoppers also make cheap raicoats out of big plastic garbage bags.
Danya trying to catch the branches growing along the tracks.
Danya trying to catch the branches growing along the tracks.
Ilya getting off the moving train platform. To mitigate the risk of getting caught the guys often get off the slowly moving trains just before the station.
Ilya getting off the moving train platform. To mitigate the risk of getting caught the guys often get off the slowly moving trains just before the station.
Edik, Roma and Danya hiding from the locomotive standing just beside their wagon. If the driver notices he might report about them to the next station master and the guys would be detained by the security.
Edik, Roma and Danya hiding from the locomotive standing just beside their wagon. If the driver notices he might report about them to the next station master and the guys would be detained by the security.
Senya sleeping on the crushed stone waiting for the train that will go in the right direction.
Senya sleeping on the crushed stone waiting for the train that will go in the right direction.
The guys resting on the abandoned tracks waiting for the train to come. Sometimes the waiting takes up to 12 hours.
The guys resting on the abandoned tracks waiting for the train to come. Sometimes the waiting takes up to 12 hours.
Danya chilling in the graveyard nearby the station waiting for the suitable train to come.
Danya chilling in the graveyard nearby the station waiting for the suitable train to come.
Artem and Maxim noticing an unidentified person between the tracks in the departure yard. If the workers notices they might report about them to the station master and the guys would be detained by the security.
Artem and Maxim noticing an unidentified person between the tracks in the departure yard. If the workers notices they might report about them to the station master and the guys would be detained by the security.
Vlad and Vanya in the open wagon with crushed stone on their way to Moscow.
Vlad and Vanya in the open wagon with crushed stone on their way to Moscow.
The guys chilling beside the train which stopped on the track because of the overcrowded arrival station.
The guys chilling beside the train which stopped on the track because of the overcrowded arrival station.
The morning after a sleepover in the abandoned sawmill beside the railway.
The morning after a sleepover in the abandoned sawmill beside the railway.
Danya, Roma and Edik getting ready to sleep on a service floor of the apartment building.
Danya, Roma and Edik getting ready to sleep on a service floor of the apartment building.
Edik washing the dishes after a breakfast in an abandoned fire department's station.
Edik washing the dishes after a breakfast in an abandoned fire department's station.
Artem settling for a sleep in the wire tunnel.
Artem settling for a sleep in the wire tunnel.
Ilya heating up the water for instant noodles in the wire tunnel.
Ilya heating up the water for instant noodles in the wire tunnel.
Roma washing himself in the Lake Onega.
Roma washing himself in the Lake Onega.
Edik, Danya and Roma washing off the coal dust in the "Murmansk Mall" toilet.
Edik, Danya and Roma washing off the coal dust in the "Murmansk Mall" toilet.
Edik sleeping on his backpack in an empty open wagon on the way to Murmansk.
Edik sleeping on his backpack in an empty open wagon on the way to Murmansk.
Danya and Vanya in the open wagon with clay. Danya is watching out for the railway workers and the security.
Danya and Vanya in the open wagon with clay. Danya is watching out for the railway workers and the security.
Vanya sleeping on the concrete slab until the suitable train arrives.
Vanya sleeping on the concrete slab until the suitable train arrives.
The guys greeting Danya who is standing on the footbridge above. He is going to join them on the trip to Saint Petersburg.
The guys greeting Danya who is standing on the footbridge above. He is going to join them on the trip to Saint Petersburg.
Vlad and Vanya sleeping in the suburban train heading to Moscow. There is a freight train of an unknown marshalling yard outside the window.
Vlad and Vanya sleeping in the suburban train heading to Moscow. There is a freight train of an unknown marshalling yard outside the window.
Danya climbing along the hopper wagon wall to warn his friends that they have to leave the train on the upcoming stop.
Danya climbing along the hopper wagon wall to warn his friends that they have to leave the train on the upcoming stop.
Vlad is busy with his phone while Vanya is admiring the vicinity from inbetween the wagons.
Vlad is busy with his phone while Vanya is admiring the vicinity from inbetween the wagons.
The guys are setting up the tent to hide from the upcoming downpoor.
The guys are setting up the tent to hide from the upcoming downpoor.
Danya putting on the warm clothes, Artem observing the vicinity and Senya watching out for a guarded level crossing on the way.
Danya putting on the warm clothes, Artem observing the vicinity and Senya watching out for a guarded level crossing on the way.
Edik drawing with a stone on the dirty open wagon wall.
Edik drawing with a stone on the dirty open wagon wall.
Edik, Roma and Danya posing in front of the abandoned house they have just spent the night in.
Edik, Roma and Danya posing in front of the abandoned house they have just spent the night in.
Roma and Danya staring at the Barents Sea from the WWII artillery positions.
Roma and Danya staring at the Barents Sea from the WWII artillery positions.
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