Has anyone taken the Nevsky Express in Russia?
 

Trying to understand the Russian train system...certainly different from other European trains I've taken!! To get to the point...reading that this train, the fastest between Moscow and St. Petersburg, has only business class compartments. What exactly is this and how many people are in one compartment? Can I guarantee two tickets in the same compartment?

Many thanks.

Have a look at the Man in Seat 61
http://www.seat61.com/Russia2.htm

My son and I just took the famous Red Arrow which goes between Moscow and St Petersburg at night. It was truly wonderful. We got a cabin for two and slept so well until we arrived. It left St Petersburg at 11:55 pm and we pulled into Moscow just before 8am. My daughter had taken it the opposite way the year before. Yes, you can guarantee that only two of you will be in the compartment. There are also compartments for four. Tie the door closed with a belt if you sleep, we had no disturbances, but we were warned to take precautions. There is the new fast train, supposedly it goes at 250 k - pretty cool. But, we wanted the experience of a sleeper train in Russia and are so glad we took it.

Overlookfarm
Please tell me how you booked your Red Arrow train? Did you do this online and if so, which site? I've tried several but don't want to pay that huge charge. I've tried the www.poezda.net site, but I don't find it easy to use at all. I cannot get it to work. I've even asked a russian friend of mine to help, but she couldn't get it to work either. Nevertheless, anyone have a good site where I can maneuver easily and get a first class ticket and not pay the $180 or so per person ticket? That seems awfully high for an 3 hour train trip. I've done this in Egypt and in China and tickets were no way close to this high price! Thank you. Urgently need to reserve asap as I travel on 9/20/06

An overnight train from Moscow to St. Petersburg or the other way around takes not 3 but 8 hrs. The day train Nevsky Express, being the fastest at the moment, takes 4.5 hrs. A ticket for a two-berth compartment shouldn't cost currently more than $150-170, depending on the train.