Get the inside-track on your destinations – our Russian Buddies 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 4 hours, but the really determined can also book a full day of assistance (8 hours) if they want.

We strongly recommend the overnight sleeper trains for your inter-city travel... because (i) they are the highest-category trains on the routes (ii) it saves you a night’s hotel accommodation whilst on board (iii) 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.

MOSCOW/PETERSBURG: There are several different night-trains between Moscow and St Petersburg, but all of the ones we use depart between 2300 and 2400, and arrive the next morning between 0800 and 0830. We normally recommend trains which are “firmenny-klass” in Russia, which are superior-category trains. If you would prefer a standard-category train, we offer this alternative too.

TRAINS TO NOVGOROD: The Moscow-Novgorod train departs approx 2100 and arrives horribly early at 0500 – same timings in the reverse direction too. There is a high-grade Commuter Train between St Petersburg and Novgorod, covering the journey in just 3 hours (seat only – not overnight) – this train has confirmed seat reservations and usually video entertainment en-route.