Hi Garfield,

I notice you have responded to alot of my questions about Russia. Thank you for all your help. As I mentioned on my post about St Petersburg's Emerald Grand Hotel, I would like this trip to be a special one.

You seem to have visited Russia several times, this will be our first visit. I would like to know what advise you could provide for first time travellers to Russia.

Are Volga cars as bad as they are made out to be, or is the ride in them acceptable?

How many days would you advise us to stay in Moscow and St Petersburg? We are thinking of five nights, ie four days in each place. Is this enough time? What would you recommend we see in each city? We are interested in the Hermitage, Pushkin (Catherine Palace), The Kremlin, ballet (Bolshoi or Kirov), Moscow subway, Moscow circus etc.

I think we will travel between the two cities by day train.

I have read/heard alot of negative things about Russia ie, complaints about organized crime, food poisioning, etc.

I can't say that I've been tearing my hair out about this holiday, simply because I am bald. If I wasn't bald before I started planning this, I would have torn all my hair out by now! I have been going round in circles planning this holiday.

I appreciate your advise and help. Thank you.

Sorry, forgot to mention we are considering a side trip to the Golden Ring from Moscow.

We plan on being in Russia for 10 to 12 days.

My name ain't Garfield, but perhaps I can help. I have been to Russia several times.
My advise to first time visitors is to have a great time and do not over think or over worry this. Everything will work out great. It will be a wonderful experience and the people are great.
I'd be flexible, if you want to spend an extra day in SP or Moscow, then do it.
I think you have listed the some of the main events to see. Certainly not all.
I have never been to the Moscow Circus, and do not really plan to, but there will not be a dirth of things to do in either place.
One thing I would do in Moscow is go to one of the out door "Flea Markets" . Any of the taxi's will know where they are located.Get a map of the Moscow underground so you know where you are going.
Travel between the 2 cities by train is great I have done it a few times and enjoyed. Have not had any problems.
My advise to you regarding all of the negative things you have heard about Russia is: forget about it. I have never had a problem in Russia with anything. From time to time language can be problematic, but not often. All of this negative stuff is being oversold and you need not worry bout it, in my view.
What time of the year are you going? What hotel are you staying at in Moscow?
After you register at Hotel, retrieve your passport and keep your passpot and visa with you at all times when you are out on the streets.
You are gonna have a great time in Russia.

Firstmate - Thanks for your help/advise.

We will visit Russia in early May.

Also, we plan on staying at The National Hotel in Moscow.

I would like to know how the train handle luggage. Is there a baggage car, or are we required to keep the luggage with us?

Thank you.

My experience has been that on the train, everyone just puts there bags in the over head rack. Never really paid much attentions in that usually I have a carry on. I beleive there is a small storage compartment on each train car. I am more than happy to check with my Russian friends and colleagues who live in Moscow and Saint Petersburg and let you know more precisely regarding the luggage.
Regarding the National Hotel, I have stayed there many times. Arguably, is the best located hotel in Moscow. It is directly accross the street from the entrance to Red Square. I have always been satisfied with this hotel.
Regarding the trains to and from Moscow and Saint Petersburg, there are the slow trains(over night trains) and what the locals call the "speed train". I am not sure of the departure times, but I am thinking the overnight trains leave either Moscow or Saint Petersburg around 22:00 and arrive at the other end in the morning around 07:00. The "Speed Train" leaves at somewhere around 18:30 and arrive the other end about 22:30. I maybe off in my times 30 minutes +/-.
You may want to check out www.poezda.net
to look at the train schedules in Russia. Let me know if you have anymore questions. I am sure others out there are far more experienced in Russian travel than I, but I am glad to give ya what I got.
You are gonna love Russia

?You seem to have visited Russia several times, this will be our first visit. I would like to know what advise you could provide for first time travellers to Russia.?

Yes I have been to Russia a number of times. Some of the travels have been on tours, other times on cruises and others independently. I am quite comfortable travelling on my own in Russia. In the cities we travel using the local bus and metro systems. What you must do before you go to Russia is do some preparation, this will make your trip more enjoyable. Do research, make notes learn about the cities. Try to learn the letters of the alphabet, you will not find many things written in English. Make a plan for the day, what you want to visit and how to get there. Get an idea about the metros.

The newer Russian cars look much better than what we in North America are use to seeing. When people think of Russian cars they think of the old Ladas. These have been replaced with new modern Ladas as well as many other modern Russian made cars, although you will still see the Old Lada

Your time in Russia is very limited and although you might want to visit the Golden Ring, to do it properly you need 5 or 6 days.
With the amount of time that you have I would split it equally between Moscow and St Petersburg.
I would take the night train, the day trip would be rather boring, the landscape is flat and you soon will get tired of looking at trees. The trains do not have luggage cars you take it to your compartment, porters are available.

I have been to both circus, the Old Circus is a traditional circus, the New Circus is like the circus soilai (sp), very spectacular, has changing rings, which includes ice rink and water pool. Bolshoi Theatre, you can check website and order tickets 60 days in advance (bolshoi.ru)

In both Moscow and St Petersburg I would plan on doing a lot of walking. Use the local Metro to get around, especially in Moscow. The traffic in Moscow is very bad and you could spend a lot of time sitting in a car watching traffic.

Sights in Moscow that I would recommend (watch for closing days).
Kremlin, Red Square. From Red Square, by St Basil?s Cathedral, walk along ul Varvarka, the street behind the Russia Hotel, you will find a number of old small interesting Churches. Take a boat trip in the Moscow River, you can do a return trip if you want, the boat leaves from a dock infront of the Russian Hotel. Goom Department Store, by Red Square, go upstairs for a rest and enjoy the view of the plaza. Alexandrovsky Garden and the Tomb of Unknown Soldier. Near Alexandrovsky the fountains that are along side Okhotny yad shopping centre. Bolshoi Theatre and Theatre Square Cathedral of Church of the Saviour. Puskin Museum. These are all in the vicinity of Red Square.
Other sights. Novodevichy Convent and Cemetery reached by Sportivnaya metro, Tretyakov Gallery, All- Russia Exhibition Centre (VDNKH), Sparrow Hills and University, Kolomenskoe Museum - Reserve, Izmaylovo Park and market, Kuskovo Park.
The list of places to see can go on and on, you will not run out of places to see.
In St Petersburg. Hermitage, Palace Square, walk along Nevsky pr, Admiralty, St. Isaac,s Cathedral, Bronze Horseman Statue, Alexander Nevsky Monastery and Cemeteries, Church of Spilled Blood Russian Museum, Mars Field and Summer Garden, Smplny Cathedral, Vasilevsky Island - various sights, Peter & Paul Fortress, Cruiser Aurora. Outside St Petersburg I would visit Petrodvorets (Peterhof) rather than Pushkin, take the full day for which ever one you choose, both are very good. You will also find a number of other royal estates around St Petersburg,

I have read/heard alot of negative things about Russia ie, complaints about organized crime, food poisioning, etc.

I never had any problem. The organized crime is big business crime and unless you own an oil company they can?t be bothered with you. Take precautions with pick pocketers and in St Petersburg watch out for the gypsies kids. Also watch out for the drunks.

Some Links that might help

http://members.aol.com/imershein/Page2.html
http://www.waytorussia.net/
http://www.themoscowtimes.com/
http://www.ryh.ru/info.htm
http://www.palladium.spb.ru/
http://www.hermitagemuseum.org/html_En/index.html
http://www.cityvision2000.com/
http://www.nevskyprospekt.com/
http://www.rusmuseum.ru/eng/index.html
http://www.moscow-guide.ru/
http://www.km.ru/goldenring
http://www.infoservices.com/stpete/pushkin/index.htm
http://www.infoservices.com/stpete/pushkin/index.htm
http://www.sheremetyevo-airport.ru/r...cket_r_eng.htm
http://www.museum.ru/defengl.htm
http://bolshoi.ru/announces_eng.shtml
http://bolshoicircus.ru/www/index_en.html
http://folkshow.ru/
http://www.mariinsky.ru/en
http://www.russian-st-petersburg.com/
http://nakarte.ru/
http://market.menatep.spb.ru/cgi-bin...2/Catalog/1289
http://www.peterswalk.com/
http://petersburgcity.com/

Have you considered going to Russia with Elderhostel (see www.elderhostel.com)

They offer a two week trip, a week in each Moscow and St. Petersburg traveling between the two by train. Emphasis is on the arts.

Going with a tour would definitely save you a lot of planning and decisions.

I, personally, do not think four days in each city is enough. Since you're flying all that distance, a week in each would be much better.

Volga cars are just fine, it's just that most of them are very, very old.

Thank you all for your help.

I will look at the websites that have been recommended.

Definately think Garfield has you wired in to get all of the needed information to assist you in making your plans for Russia. I pretty much echo everything he said and he has given you much sage advise.
If you have any more questions plaeas let us know. also, if you are looking for a great day trip, and can find a way to get there, I would recommend Sergei Posad.

I am going on an elderhostel trip to Russia focused on the arts in Moscow and St. Petersburg. DJKBooks is so right: Elderhostel offers a number of trips to suit everyone's interest (and amount of time they can vacation). Since I work (unlike many elderhostelers), I chose one of the shorter trips. Another factor was that I did not want a trip that ran around to too many places for a first trip. If I have a good time, I might try one of the other trips later.

Did you take one of the elderhostel trips, Donna (DJKBooks)?

So many places to visit and so little time. . . .

By the way, I studied Russian for a year in high school back in the Middle Ages and have forgotten it all. I have am having a blast with the Primsleur CD's. They are just great. I play them in the car every time I am in it. I ordered the short conversational series but have gone through it so quickly that I am going to order the full Russian 1. I really feel I am getting somewhere with them. The focus is learning conversational tourist phrases and not reading Pushkin. The only criticism of Primsleur is that I wish they had a written version of the dialogues. It sure would help me lock everything in since I already can read Cyrillic characters. The alphabet is, by the way, really the easy part of Russian as many of the letters are the same. Some, of course are different. And, they decline nouns as in Latin (with 6 declensions!)--and don't even mention the "aspects" of Russian verbs or my eyes will glaze over. Fortunately, I am not going to get into that technical stuff. My goal is just to be able to order in restaurants or find the toilets.