By Train

Moscow is the hub of the Russian railway system, and the city's several railway stations handle some 400 million passengers annually. There are several trains daily to St. Petersburg, and overnight service is available to Helsinki, Riga, and Tallinn. All the major train stations have a connecting metro stop, so they're easily reached by public transportation. Note that although there are phone numbers for each station, it's all but impossible to get through to them. If you have limited time, it's best to ask your hotel service bureau or a travel agent for railway information and schedules.

The most important stations are Belorussia station, for trains to Belorussia, Lithuania, Poland, Germany, and France; Kazan station, for points south, Central Asia, and Siberia; Kiev station, for Kiev and western Ukraine, Moldova, Slovakia, the Czech Republic, and Hungary; Kursk station, for eastern Ukraine, the Crimea, and southern Russia; Leningrad station, for St. Petersburg, northern Russia, Estonia, and Finland; Pavelets station, for eastern Ukraine and points south; Riga station, for Latvia; and Yaroslav station, for points east, including Mongolia and China. The Trans-Siberian Express departs from Yaroslav station every day at 9:56 am.

Both overnight trains and high-speed day trains depart from Leningrad station for St. Petersburg. The daytime express trains Nevsky Express and ER-200 take 4½ hours and arrive in St. Petersburg in the evening. The Avrora day train makes the trip in just under six hours. Of the numerous overnight trains, the most popular is the Krasnaya Strela (Red Arrow), which leaves Moscow at 11:55 pm and arrives the next day in St. Petersburg at 7:55 am. The Nikolayevsky Express leaves Moscow at 11:30 pm and reaches St. Petersburg at 7:40 am. A new overnight service, the Grand Express, has showers in the compartments of the higher classes, and sinks in economy classes, as well as satellite television and other luxuries.

Fares & Schedules

For information on train schedules, reservations, and ticket delivery, call the Moscow Railways Agency. You can also purchase tickets at the railway stations. Bring your passport or a photocopy with you. You need it to buy tickets (they print your name and your passport number on the ticket), and you'll need to show your passport to the attendant on the train.

Train Information

Moscow Railways Agency. 6/11 Maly Kharitonevsky per., Chistiye Prudy, Moscow. 495/266-9333. www.mza.ru. Metro: Chistiye Prudy or Krasniye Vorota.

Train Station Information

Belorussia station. Northern Outskirts, Moscow, 125047. 495/266-0300. Metro: Belorusskaya.

Kazan station. Northern Outskirts, Moscow, 107140. 495/266-2300. Metro: Komsomolskaya.

Kiev station. Krasnaya Presnya, Moscow, 121059. 499/240-7071. Metro: Kievskaya.

Kursk station. Eastern Oustkirts, Moscow, 105064. 495/266-5310. Metro: Kurskaya.

Leningrad station. Northern Outskirts, Moscow, 107140. 495/262-9143.

Pavelets station. Southern Outskirts, Moscow, 115054. 495/950-3700. Metro: Paveletskaya.

Riga station. Northern Outskirts, Moscow. 495/631-1588. Metro: Rizhskaya.

Yaroslav station. Northern Outskirts, Moscow, 107140. 495/266-6300. Metro: Komsomolskaya.