Train Travel in Moscow

Train Travel

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 (Belorussky Vokzal), for trains to Belorussia, Lithuania, Poland, Germany, and France; Kazan Station (Kazansky Vokzal), for points south, Central Asia, and Siberia; Kiev Station (Kievsky Vokzal), for Kiev and western Ukraine, Moldova, Slovakia, the Czech Republic, and Hungary; Kursk Station (Kursky Vokzal), for eastern Ukraine, the Crimea, and southern Russia; Leningrad Station (Leningradsky Vokzal), for St. Petersburg, northern Russia, Estonia, and Finland; Pavelets Station (Paveletsky Vokzal), for eastern Ukraine and points south; Riga Station (Rizhsky Vokzal), for Latvia; and Yaroslav Station (Yaroslavsky Vokzal), 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 (five hours) depart from Leningrad Station for St. Petersburg. Of the numerous overnight trains, the most popular is the Krasnaya Strelka (Red Arrow), which leaves Moscow at 11:55 PM and arrives the next day in St. Petersburg at 8:25 AM. The Nikolayevsky Express leaves Moscow at 11:30 PM and reaches St. Petersburg at 7 AM.

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 or at the ticket offices. Bring your passport.

Train Information

Main Ticket Offices (6 Griboyedova ul. 495/266-9000. Metro: Chistiye Prudy. 15/13 Petrovka ul. 495/929-8757. Metro: Teatralnaya). Moscow Railways Agency (495/266-9333. www.mza.ru).

Train Stations

Belorussia Station (Northern Outskirts. 495/251-6093. Metro: Belorusskaya). Kazan Station (Northern Outskirts. 495/264-6556. Metro: Komsomolskaya). Kiev Station (Krasnaya Presnya. 495/240-1115. Metro: Kievskaya). Kursk Station (495/916-2003. Metro: Kurskaya). Leningrad Station (Northern Outskirts. 495/262-9143). Pavelets Station (Paveletsky Vokzal, Southern Outskirts. 495/235-0522. Metro: Paveletskaya). Riga Station (Northern Outskirts. 495/971-1588. Metro: Rizhskaya). Yaroslav Station (Northern Outskirts. 495/921-5914. Metro: Komsomolskaya).