How to get from Moscow to St. Petersburg or from St. Petersburg to Moscow

What is the best way to get from Moscow to St. Petersburg? What type of transport should tourists choose? You can get to these cities using any kind of transport: train, bus or airplane. The difference between these modes of transport is very significant. You will find helpful tips here and you can buy tickets online.

What is the best way to travel between Moscow and St. Petersburg (Russia)? The best mode of transport is the train. High-speed train "Sapsan" is the most convenient and fastest way to get from Moscow to St. Petersburg (or vice versa). Night train with seats is the cheapest form of transport. You can also travel by plane or by bus. (We do not recommend the bus actually.)

A train

Moving between Moscow and St. Petersburg is most convenient by rail. The train is the fastest, convenient, cheapest and safest mode of transport for this route. The railway stations are conveniently located near the metro stations.

It is most convenient to move between Moscow and St. Petersburg on high-speed trains Sapsan. They cruise between cities several times a day. The journey takes about 3.5 - 4 hours. It's a little longer than on an airplane. But there are significant advantages compared to the airplane: you do not need to waste time and money to get to the airport (from the airport); you can arrive at the station a few minutes before the departure of the train; There are no such strict restrictions on transportation of prohibited items and substances in hand luggage. But tickets for Sapasan trains, in most cases, are more expensive than tickets for the plane.

There are many other, not such fast trains between Moscow and St. Petersburg. Tickets for these trains can be bought at a very competitive price. The journey time is usually 7 - 9 hours. Many trains leave in the evening and arrive in the morning (it's very convenient).

The best place to buy train tickets is website of the Russian Railways. Tickets can also be bought at the train station. There are other online services that sell tickets for the train.

Trains depart from: Leningradsky Railway Station in Moscow and Moskovsky Railway Station in St. Petersburg.

Bus

Several transport companies carry passengers between Moscow and St. Petersburg by bus. The bus station in St. Petersburg is located next to Obvodny Canal chanel (Obvodny Canal Metro Station). In Moscow, buses leave from different bus stations. Buses can depart from other places (check the information when buying a ticket.

Buses usually leave in the evening, are on the road all night and arrive at the destination in the morning. The journey time is 11 - 12 hours.

Bus tickets for this route cost about the same as the cheapest rail tickets, or a little cheaper (from 750 rubles in 2018).

It is possible ti buy bus tickets on different sites online, or at the ticket offices of the bus station.

We still recommend choosing a train or plane for this route.

Flights

The plane is the fastest mode of transport. The flight time is approximately 1 hour 25 minutes. You need to add time to security control at the airport and the time to get to the airport to this time. A significant disadvantage is also the restrictions of items and substances in hand luggage transportation.

Tickets for a plane between Moscow and St. Petersburg are sometimes cheaper than train tickets. You can compare the cost of tickets from different airlines (and buy tickets) online.

How to get from the airport to the city? The cheapest use is public transport. You can also take a taxi right at the airport. You can also book a taxi to the airport (from the airport) on the Internet in advance (the driver will meet you in the airport arrival area).

See also: Sheremetyevo Airport in Moscow and Pulkovo Airport in St. Petersburg.