TRAINS  FROM  MOSCOW  TO  ST  PETERSBURG

Trains between these two cities are very frequent. Journey takes 7.5 to 9 hours. Most of the trains in each direction go overnight, though it is possible to get day-time as well. If you plan to make this train journey June-September, buying tickets in advance is highly recommendable. If you leave this till the last moment, you might be able to get hold of hard seaters only, or 3rd class. Even 3rd class is absolutely not guaranteed in July August, as this destination is the most popular one in whole Russia and local Moscovites and St Petersburgers visit the other city in summer frequently for the week-end time out. Here are descriptions of the categories of the tickets with prices valid for summer season 2005. 

4th class - hard seater - hard wooden seat-on benches for some 70 people in each carriage. 1 WC in each 2 carriages. If you take this ticket for an over-night journey, half of the people will be sleeping on the floor. But all is safe and everyone is friendly. Price per  person one way 10-12 Euro. We do not book this tickets in advance as they are almost always available.

3rd class - soft common sleeper - carriage for some 50 people is divided into compartments without doors with 3 lower benches and 3 higher benches in each. All benches are soft. In day time all 6 people seat on lower benches, at night each person sleeps on the individual shelf. Bedding, mattrasses, blankets and pillows are provided. 2 WC in each carriage. Price per person one way 25 Euro.

2nd class - same as 3rd, only there are compartments for just 4 people and each compartment has individual door that you can lock from inside. Bedding also provided, in some trains some little foods are included (some sandwiches, crackers, juice, coffee...). Price per person one way 35-40 Euro.

1st class - same as 2nd, only each compartment with individual door is just for 2 people. More luxury, mirrors on the walls, better bedding, better food, much cleaner, sometimes flowers in the compartment. Price per person one way from 60 Euro. Please enquire for more details.

Generally speaking, bedding is not included in the price. You can use mattress, blankets and a pillow, but for towels, bed linen and pillow cases you have to pay extra some 1-4 Euros per person per trip. At the same time using your own bedding or sleeping bags is absolutely not encouraged and in some trains is even forbidden.

Each train has something called "restaurant carriage' where hot meals and cnacks are served almost 24 h. Each passenger carriage has attendant ("provodnik" in Russian) for help, assistance. He/she also checks tickets, serves coffee/tea, gives you your bedding.

Unfortunately, Russian Railways (RR) does not accept unpaid or partially paid booking, neither do they accept secure bookings with a credit card guarantee. It is also impossible to buy the tickets directly from RR from outside of Russia and then pick them up. The only way is to conact a travel agent. If by any chance you discovered a way of purchasing train tickets online directly from the RR, please share your expirience with us, as this is the information lots of travelers ask for. For the current situation of summer season 2005, once you setteld on certain dates and discussed them & timetables  with your travel agent, you will have to pay either by your credit card, or with money transfer to their bank account. RR have rather strict cancellation policy with full refund possible only if you return the tickets 30 days before your journey. Returning then closer to the time of your journey causes only partial refund. Also important that RR does not actually sell the tikets earlir than 40 days before the journey. In order to buy tickets, you will have to provide your travel agent with full passport details (names, date of b

Please e-mail russianguide@mail.ru for reservations.