The idea of getting from Moscow to St. Petersburg back by train is adventurous and a little strange. Taking the train is both faster and cheaper.
But we still figured out how to do it. And if you came here with this question, please write in the comments why you want to get there this way?
7 more ways to get from Moscow to St. Petersburg - faster, cheaper and more convenient - in this article.
There is no direct train from Moscow to St. Petersburg. You will have to make several transfers.
ON "SAPSAN" AND OTHER TRAINS
Travel time: from 4 to 9 hours
Ticket price: “Sapsan” – from 1500 rubles, regular train – from 645 rubles.
Suitable for those who are looking for an inexpensive ticket to St. Petersburg, value comfort and speed, but do not want to fly by plane and are worried about the safety and reliability of the carrier.
The Russian Railways website offers about 50 travel options. Train ticket sales begin 90 days in advance. Check the schedule and prices in advance: rzd.ru.
Expect a travel time of at least 4 hours. During this time, a Sapsan will take you from the Leningradsky railway station in Moscow to the Moskovsky railway station in St. Petersburg. You will be among the first to purchase tickets for a high-speed train at a price starting from 1,500 rubles. Due to dynamic pricing, ticket prices may change hourly. We advise you not to delay making a decision if you find a cheap ticket, and periodically check to see if prices for “hot dates” have decreased. In most cases, the fewer days left before departure, the higher the ticket price, but the opposite situation also happens. We also recommend that you join the carrier’s loyalty program and accumulate points for a free trip. Premium tickets for trips can be issued for compartment cars, SV and Lux, Sapsan and Nevsky Express trains. An award trip on the same Sapsan is equivalent to 7,000 points, or 25,000 rubles previously spent on tickets. In any case, for 10 rubles from the ticket price, Russian Railways gives 3 points.
For those who have time and don’t mind spending a night on the road, regular trains are suitable. The trip will take the standard 8-9 hours of sleep - you will wake up in St. Petersburg. Trains arrive shortly or at the time the metro opens. Such a trip can cost less than a thousand rubles - this is one of the cheapest ways to get to St. Petersburg. Keep in mind that the lower limit is the price of a ticket for a seat at the very end of the carriage; other seats will be significantly more expensive. If you are willing to spend more on travel, check out the recently introduced double-decker trains. And do not neglect, a trip to other places is fraught with a lot of inconvenience. Packed rations, an equipped bathroom and neatly laid linen are worth the difference in price.
Trains, stations and timetables of St. Petersburg
This page provides a detailed schedule of departures of commuter and passenger trains from St. Petersburg stations.
St. Petersburg is the largest railway hub in Russia, the transport infrastructure of which includes five large stations: Moskovsky, Baltiysky, Vitebsky, Ladozhsky and Finlyandsky stations.
The main station in the city is Moskovsky, which is the terminal of the St. Petersburg-Glavny station, receiving fast and passenger trains of federal and international traffic. This station connects the Northern capital of Russia with Adler, Anapa, Astrakhan, Volgograd, Moscow, Nizhny Novgorod, Kharkov and a number of other large cities. The station's suburban terminal provides regional communication to the stations Budogoshch, Veliky Novgorod, Volkhovstroy, Malaya Vishera, Nevdubstroy, Shapki.
Baltiysky Station is engaged in suburban passenger transportation. Electric trains from this station make regular trips to stations in Gatchina, Gdov, Kalishche, Krasnoe Selo, Kingisepp, Lebyazhye, Luga, Oranienbaum, Petergof and Pskov. Suburban express trains run to Luga-1 and Pskov-1 stations. The Baltiysky Station does not accept long-distance trains, but it ranks second in St. Petersburg in terms of commuter traffic.
From Vitebsky Station, fast and passenger trains depart to the cities of Velikiye Luki, Kaliningrad, Pskov and Smolensk. International trains at this station connect St. Petersburg with a number of Ukrainian, Belarusian, Moldavian, Baltic cities, as well as Western Europe.
Electric trains from Vitebsky Station run in the direction of Vyritsa, Kobralovo, Novgorod the Great, Novolisino, Pavlovsk, Rogavka, Chascha and Cholovo.
Ladozhsky Station in St. Petersburg sends passenger trains in the northern and eastern directions. Trains depart from it in the direction of Adler, Arkhangelsk, Vologda, Vorkuta, Yekaterinburg, Irkutsk, Kislovodsk, Kostomuksha, Mikuni, Murmansk, Novokuznetsk, Petrozavodsk, Pestovo, Sosnogorsk, Tyumen, Chelyabinsk and Yaroslavl. Ladozhsky Station is a transit point for the branded train Moscow - Helsinki, as well as the departure point for the international express train to Kazakhstan to Astana and Karaganda.
Suburban electric trains connect Ladozhsky Station with Volkhovstroy, Kirishi, Mga, Nevdubstroy, Pavlovo-on-Neva and Pupyshevo stations. Suburban express goes to Babaevo station.
Finlyandsky Station serves trains of the Oktyabrskaya Railway, receives electric trains from the northwestern and northeastern directions, and also sends branded fast international trains to Finland.
Electric trains from the Finnish station provide transportation of passengers to the stations of Beloostrov, Vyborg, Zelenogorsk, Kanneljärvi, Kirillovskoye, Roshchino, Sestroretsk and Sovetsky. An express train runs regularly in the direction of Vyborg.
St. Petersburg stations are modern passenger terminals, equipped with convenient waiting rooms of various levels of comfort, ticket offices, passenger and commuter train schedules, service centers, and provide a full range of modern transport services.
BY PLANE
Travel time: in the air - an hour and a half, total - 5 hours Ticket price: from 1500 rubles
Suitable for those who prefer speed, a high level of service and a calm environment, who cannot live without air travel, travel light and plan to stay in a hotel near the airport.
Flights Moscow - St. Petersburg are carried out regularly: several times a day. Travel time is about one and a half hours. The total time spent on the trip with transfer to the airport and check-in for the flight is 5 hours. Departures take place from Domodedovo, Vnukovo and Sheremetyevo and depend on the carrier you choose.
Aggregators will help you find the cheapest or best flight option: aviasales, skyscanner and momondo. The principles of their operation are the same, the services differ only in interface and design, and even then insignificantly. Be sure to become friends with one of these metasearch engines and they will perform the monotonous search for you.
A ticket on board the low-cost Pobeda airline without luggage and other extras can cost 1,500 rubles. On average, a flight from Moscow to St. Petersburg costs one and a half thousand rubles. The low-price calendar on the aggregator’s website will tell you when it’s more profitable to go on a trip and remind you that purchasing round-trip tickets is usually more profitable.
We get to the airport by Aeroexpress (399 rubles) or a regular minibus from the metro stations closest to the airports. You can get to St. Petersburg from the airport and back by bus No. 39 (55 rubles) or by taxi. It is better to order the latter in advance through the mobile application and not overpay for ordering on the spot.
The distance between the two cities is approximately 700 kilometers
There are several ways to overcome this path: by car, by plane and by train. One of the safest, most economical and certainly the most romantic way is to travel from Moscow to St. Petersburg by train. Travel time will be from 3 hours 40 minutes to 4 hours 10 minutes, depending on the number of stops. What could be more pleasant than contemplating the beauty outside the window with a glass of tea in your hands and listening to the rhythmic sound of wheels.
The railway route runs through the territory of four regions: Moscow, Tver, Novgorod and Leningrad. In addition to the beauty of the Russian forest, there are very interesting cultural and historical sights along the way.
- There's a city on the way Solnechnogorsk. When driving through it, you need to remember that these lands were the site of bloody battles, and the city itself was captured by the troops of Nazi Germany. Solnechnogorsk will also be very interesting for connoisseurs of Russian poetry. If you wish, you can deviate slightly from the route and visit Shakhmatovo. This is the estate of A. Blok, where he stayed every summer.
- In Solnechnogorsk itself it is worth looking at the Travel Palace. The museum building, built at the end of the 18th century as the Imperial Travel Palace, is considered an architectural treasure of the city. The museum's collection includes relics related to local history and national culture.
- Next is the city of Klin . It is also rich in interesting sights. The city has been a trading city since ancient times; several shopping arcades have survived in it, as well as the Assumption Cathedral built in the 16th century and a beautiful temple (the icon of the Mother of God “Joy of All Who Sorrow”). The famous house-museum of Tchaikovsky P.I. also located in Klin. Nearby are the ruins of the small estate "Demyanovo", the home of the composer Sergei Taneyev.
“The Mycelium Girl” is a particularly valuable monument for the residents of Klin. This is one of the few sculptures of Fyodor Kamensky in Russia, who spent most of his life abroad.
- A little away from the railway are the picturesque villages of Spas-Zaulok and Zavidovo . Temples, ancient estates and churches, and stone worship crosses have been preserved here. The most famous landmark is the Assumption Cathedral, where the funeral service for Alexander I was held.
- Next we pass the turn to Emmaus . These days it is famous for hosting music festivals such as Invasion and Emmaus.
- City Vyshny Volochek nicknamed Tver Venice for its large number of canals and bridges. The Travel Palace, which is located on the embankment of the Tsnin Canal, was created at the end of the 18th century. At one time it was an architectural ensemble of three stone buildings.
The palace was needed for accommodation of members of the imperial family during travel from Moscow to St. Petersburg and back. Today, only one building from the entire original structure has survived. And although its purpose and interior have long since changed, the façade has retained its original architectural design.
Unfortunately, almost only ruins remain from the building of the oldest Church of the Transfiguration of the Lord in Vyshny Volochyok. But many saints are buried here and some artistic elements of the building have survived. It is also worth looking at the Epiphany Cathedral and the Kazan Convent. Here is the artistic dacha named after I.E. Repin, several interesting museums and ancient estates.
- Notable along the way is the town of Chudovo . Here you can look at the Church of the Kazan Icon of the Mother of God, as well as the railway station complex, built immediately after the start of operation of the Nikolaev railway. Several industrial buildings survived.
- Valdai is a Russian city with a rich history and a large number of preserved architectural monuments, with a wonderful museum of bells.
- You should definitely look at the Iversky Monastery , which is located on an island on Lake Valdai.
- Lyuban is a small town that is more than half a thousand years old. All the most interesting things are located near the railway station (this includes the station building itself and various monuments).
- Tosno , the regional center of the Leningrad region, is notable for the fact that there is a church built here during the Soviet years. And this is very rare.
BY BUS
Travel time: from 10 to 11 hours 30 minutes Ticket price: from 1150 rubles
Suitable for those who are ready to hit the road right after work, are unpretentious in terms of convenience, did not have time to buy a plane or train ticket in advance at a low price, or are not 100% sure of their travel plans.
This is an inexpensive and easy-to-book way to travel the 700 km from Moscow to St. Petersburg. The price of a bus ticket is from 1150 rubles. Departure from the VDNH bus station or Tushinskaya bus station. The bus will take you either to the Obvodny bus station or to the Vitebsky railway station. Both stops are located not far from the metro stations of the same name - getting from here to the hotel will not be difficult. Departure time fits into the interval from 6 to 11 pm. Travel time is from 10 to 11 hours 30 minutes.
However, the convenience of this means of transportation is relative. Traveling in a comfortable tourist bus with air conditioning and ergonomic seats may not be so tiring. A traveler's set with a pillow and sleep mask can also help mitigate the disadvantages of sitting. In general, be prepared for swollen feet and a sleepless night. Flight details and carrier ratings can be viewed directly on the search engine’s website.
A TRAVEL FELLOW
Travel time: from 9 hours 30 minutes Price of a seat: from 900 rubles
Suitable for those who like to travel with friends and are used to fairly long journeys by car.
BlaBlaCar allows you to become a travel companion quickly and easily. Trip prices start from 900 rubles. The service provides the opportunity to find a driver who is going to St. Petersburg at the time you need and lives nearby. Registered user profiles have been verified. You see their photos, car, driving skills, and sometimes their social media profile, as well as activity (number of trips offered). Moreover, you rely on the ratings and reviews of other fellow travelers.
This method has existed for several years, but some travelers still have doubts. Indeed, people help out when you are late for a train or plane, but sometimes they disappear and spoil your plans. Moscow-St. Petersburg is the most popular destination with a huge number of options for travel companions, starting and ending points of the route. The chances of choosing a pleasant travel companion with excellent driving skills and even similar musical taste are very high.
How much does a taxi cost
Those who want to travel under special conditions can take a taxi. True, such a trip will not be cheap. But you will be able to stop at any place along the way, look at the sights, and travel at a pace that suits you.
If you are traveling with an animal, a taxi may be the most convenient option.
Travel time by taxi will be about 7-8 hours (excluding traffic jams).
The cost of the trip is from 20,000 rubles.
