Russian Railways have launched two new daytime trains between Moscow and St. Petersburg. An eight-hour ride by Lastochka trains costs only about 1,500 rubles, though compensated by a dotted schedule with departures just three times a week and the necessity to sit for too long.
The both flights are operated by Lastochkas:
• from Moscow to St. Petersburg train 802B;
• from St. Petersburg to Moscow train 801B,
where B is not an English B, but a Russian letter «В».
The train number 801В from St. Petersburg to Moscow departs on:
— Tuesdays;
— Thursdays;
— Sundays.
Note: departure time varies depending on date: at 13:30 or 13:58. It arrives in Moscow at around 22:00.
The train number 802В from Moscow to St. Petersburg departs on:
— Mondays;
— Wednesdays;
— Fridays.
Departure time varies depending on date:
— at 15:12, 15:15 or 15:17 till September 23, 2019; it arrives in St. Petersburg at nearly 23:00.
— at 16:55 since September 23, 2019; it arrives in St. Petersburg at nearly after midnight with the city’s subway already closed.
The fare starts from 1,487 rubles which is a rather pleasant rate when compared with other means of transportation of the same level of comfort. The high-speed train Sapsan starts from 3,663 rubles for the date we randomly took for comparison (mid-July), and tickets for this price are extremely rare, most commonly from 7,000 rubles. A flight by plane would cost you between 3,000 to 4,000 rubles. There are also railway options below 2,000 rubles for transit trains in a third class. Travel by bus would be about 1,000 rubles, but it takes nearly 12 hours at night.
The only problems with these Lastochkas is that you spend a day on the go and must sit for eight hours which is rather physically difficult.