Extras – bringing it all together

Get more out of your trip with a local expert

Get the inside track on your destinations our local experts who are available to walk around with you, come up with suggestions you may not have thought of, or help you on special projects of your own? We’ve helped people on ideas as diverse as: visiting Tchaikovsky’s Country House in Klin; visiting Jewish heritage sites in Moscow; on the trail of famous locations in the Russian Revolution in St Petersburg and several others. We can walk your feet off in 3 hours, but the really determined can also book a full day of assistance (6 hours) if they want.

Sleeper Train Services between Moscow and St Petersburg

We strongly recommend the overnight sleeper trains (early morning arrival next day) for your inter-city travel... because
(i) it saves you a night’s hotel accommodation whilst on board
(ii) they are friendly and atmospheric places which are the transport of choice for most Russians. We don’t especially recommend the day train, but can book it on request. There are several different night-trains between Moscow and St Petersburg, the trains we recommend depart between 2300 and 2400, and arrive the next morning between 0800 and 0830 and are known as “firmenny-klass”. If you would prefer a standard-category train, departures between 22.00 and 23.00 and arrive the next morning 05.00 and 06.00 we can offer this alternative.

White Nights Festival

The last week of June sees a large theatre festival in St. Petersburg, which brings colossal numbers of extra visitors and many hotels have surcharges. If you plan visiting then, we suggest booking as soon as possible! In point of fact since this is mostly Russian language theatre, there is not so much to attract foreigners to this festival, and it might even be worth avoiding its dates? The weeks either side are just as “white” – the Festival takes its name from the shortest nights of the year in this northern city, when night can be just 45 minutes of hazy darkness.