Wronsky arrives at the train station to meet his mother, Countess Vronsky. As he walks through the carriage, he encounters a graceful woman with grey eyes and a bright, charming expression. He soon learns from his mother that this passenger is Anna Arkadievna Karenina, who has been traveling with the countess and sharing stories about their respective sons.
Shortly after, Anna's brother, Stepan Arkadievitch Oblonsky, arrives to meet her. Anna warmly embraces her brother, while Wronsky finds himself unable to take his eyes off her. During their brief parting conversation, the countess praises Anna to her son, while Wronsky exchanges polite remarks with Anna. She departs with a warm smile and a firm handshake that leaves a strong impression on Wronsky, who continues to watch her attentively as she rejoins her brother.
As the group prepares to leave the station, panic breaks out following a tragic accident on the tracks. A railway worker has been struck and killed by a train, leaving behind a grieving widow and a large family. Deeply shaken by the grim scene, Anna and her brother discuss the horror of the event. Wronsky quietly leaves for a few moments to provide financial assistance to the destitute widow.
As Anna leaves the station in a carriage with her brother, she is visibly trembling and fighting back tears, whispering that the gruesome death feels like an ominous omen. Oblonsky dismisses her fears and quickly shifts the conversation to personal matters, asking for her help with his own affairs.