High-speed trains on Nizhny Novgorod Moscow Route

One of the most interesting parts about Russia is its size. However, Russia’s vastness also makes it challenging to see everything on your list in one vacation. Luckily, Russia has a solution to its breadth: high-speed trains. With three high-speed options, it’s worthwhile to weigh them side by side. One will probably meet your needs more than the others.

The fastest train in the country is the Sapsan. Named after the peregrine falcon, it can travel at 250 km per hour. The Sapsan trains offer much more than just speed. All around, the experience is high quality, with soundproofing, plentiful storage space and good toilets. The restaurant car is great. One of the best features for travelers is that the Sapsan staff can book connecting transportation and hotels for passengers. There’s also a gift shop and a mini-office where you can print, scan or photo copy. The train accommodates the handicapped well too. Convenience is Sapsan’s forté.

Overall, the additional perks depend on the class of ticket. There are six class options. Basic and Economy are the lowest levels, and the latter includes an entertainment portal. It features music, books, audiobooks, newspapers, music, kids’ entertainment and traveling information.

· Economy+ has the entertainment portal, a cold meal and a power outlet.

· Dining Class tickets reserve a table in the restaurant carriage for the entire trip. A 2,000-rouble deposit can be used on food.

· Business Class tickets offer a free travel kit, pillow and hot meal. At the stations, they have access to designated business lounges.

· First Class is the highest class, with spacious leather seats with footrests that recline all the way. With reading lamps and extra space, you feel like you’re in your recliner at home.

· The Conference Suite can also be booked by any passenger. This suite is designed for four and has a minibar, TV, PlayStation and all the amenities of First Class.

Routes: To hop between the two capitals, Moscow and St. Petersburg, takes only three and a half hours. The Sapsan travels from St. Petersburg to Moscow to Nizhny Novgorod in eight hours. The last leg, Moscow to Nizhny Novgorod, is less than four hours.

Departures: More than twelve trains run per day between the two capitals in each direction. One St. Petersburg – Moscow – Nizhny Novgorod train leaves each day in either direction. It reaches Nizhny Novgorod at 01:00 and St. Petersburg at 13:30.

Prices: The price to travel between the capitals is around 2,500 roubles for Economy and 5,700 for Business Class. For a Nizhny Novgorod Moscow train, Economy tickets are 1,400 and Business are 4500.

Strizh

Another high-speed option is the Strizh, named for the acrobatic swift bird. The trains are built by the Spanish company Talgo. Today, the Strizh travels Moscow to Nizhny Novgorod and St. Petersburg to Samara. The trains aren’t as modern inside as the Sapsans. However, they’re still very comfortable and have Wi-Fi. Any class of ticket offers access to the “Fellow Traveler” multimedia portal. Everyone can order restaurant meals from it, see an interactive map of the trip, read about the train and access the news. Meanwhile, the higher-class tickets have access to entertainment and Wi-Fi. The Strizh has a buffet-style car offering snacks.

The daytime Moscow to Nizhny Novgorod train has Second and First Classes. Passengers can also book into the First-Class sleeping compartments that have two beds, hygiene kits, private facilities and a TV.

The longer trip on the night train from St. Petersburg to Samara has First and Second-Class seats. To book in a compartment, there are Deluxe, First and Second-Class options. Second Class is a sleeping compartment for four passengers. First Class sleeps one or two but lacks a private bathroom. Deluxe Class is for one or two. It has a TV, private shower and toilet. A handicapped Deluxe Compartment is available.

Routes: Moscow to Nizhny Novgorod takes less than for hours. To go between St. Petersburg and Samara takes 19 to 20 hours.

Departures: There are as many as seven trains between Moscow and Nizhny Novgorod. That’s one train leaving every other day to Samara. There is a St. Petersburg to Moscow Strizh, but it is an overnight train running once every four days.

Prices: Moscow to Nizhny Novgorod costs about 1,200 roubles for an Economy ticket, 2,000 for Business Class and 3,000 for First Class overnight. When traveling from St. Peterburg to Samara, tickets cost between 3,300 and 8,000 roubles.

Lastochka

The Lastochka takes its name from ‘swallow’ in Russian. Its high-speed offerings include both European and Siberian Russia. The Lastochka isn’t as luxurious as the Sapsan or Strizh, but it’s fine. There are no sleeping compartments and only four types of tickets. Up from Basic Class, Economy has a power outlet. Economy+ has an adjustable leather seat, while Business Class also includes a meal. The standard Lastochka train only has Basic Class. The Premium and Standard Premium have all four classes. All trains offer handicapped seats and toilets.

Routes: Although the Lastochka has many routes, some of the popular ones with tourists are:

· Krasnodar - Imeretinsky

· Krasnodar - Rostov-on-Don

· Ekaterinburg - Tyumen

· Moscow to the Golden Ring cities of Kostroma and Ivanovo

· Moscow - Nizhny Novgorod

· St Petersburg - Vyborg

· St Petersburg - Oranienbaum

· St Petersburg - Petrozavodsk (approximately 5 hours);

· St Petersburg - Pskov (3.5 hours)

· St Petersburg - Moscow Lastochka (high-speed trains are much faster)

Departures: For most Lastochka trains, there are less than two departures per day.

Prices: Ticket prices have a large range based on the service offered. To go from Moscow to Nizhny Novgorod, it costs 900 roubles on Basic Class. For the possible cost of the Trans-Siberian railway, the Lastochka isn’t bad.

Which train is best – Sapsan, Strizh or Lastochka?
The Sapsan: The Sapsan is the best option to go between the two capitals. Its other service is great too, but infrequent. The Sapsan is expensive, however, especially from Business Class upward.

The Strizh: The Strizh is best to travel from Moscow to Nizhny Novgorod or Vladimir. The tickets are generally cheaper than Sapsan, and you can get sometimes get more of the features you want for the money.

The Lastochka: With a more basic setup, the Lastochka wouldn’t be great for a long trip. However, it has the widest variety of routes. For the common routes, the other two are probably better.

This article was originally published by transsiberianexpress.net. Read the original article here.

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