en.Wedoany.com Reported - Russian Railways (RZD) plans to launch ticket sales for suburban trains across the entire Russian railway network starting in 2026 through a chatbot within the MAKS instant messaging app. The only exception is the Moscow transport hub, which will not be included in the plan due to its independent ticketing system.

Currently, the service is being tested in various regions. Since March 2026, Russian Railways has been testing the chatbot on suburban company routes in Novosibirsk Oblast, Omsk Oblast, Kemerovo Oblast, Altai Krai, and Krasnoyarsk Krai. Starting July 1, the pilot was expanded to northwestern Russia. In Siberia, nearly 380,000 tickets have been processed through the chatbot. Russian Railways believes this data confirms passenger interest in the new ticketing method.

Russian Railways' holding company noted that before the official launch, it is necessary to test the service's stability, the interface's convenience for different passenger groups, and collect feedback. The core goal is to ensure the chatbot operates stably under high loads, avoiding passenger confusion and providing genuine convenience rather than becoming a digital challenge. If the rollout proceeds as planned, passengers will be able to purchase electric train tickets directly within MAKS without needing to switch to other apps or visit ticket counters. For regions where suburban commuting remains a daily routine, this service is expected to significantly simplify the ticketing process.