Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
GETTING AROUND RUSSIA
BY TRAIN
The most pleasant, romantic, and historical way to travel around Russia is by train.
The Moscow-St. Petersburg route is the most frequented and best maintained. Trav-
elers choose between a 8-hour night trip in a comfortable sleeping compartment, and
a 5-hour day trip (prices run from $45-$85). Arranging train tickets before you arrive,
for example through a travel agent, is the safest way to go. Most hotels can arrange
train tickets to major cities.
Commuter trains (called elektrichki ) with hard benches and rock-bottom prices
serve many of the country estates and other sights just outside the big cities.
BY PLANE
Given Russia's size, plane travel is crucial for reaching more distant destinations. The
Russian airlines Aeroflot and Rossiya (formerly Pulkovo) dominate the Moscow-St.
Petersburg route, and prices for a one-way ticket run $60 to $100. Flights on this route
are nearly all on large, sturdy, and reliable Soviet-era jets, and the service is steadily
improving. See www.aeroflot.ru , www.pulkovo.ru , or www.eastline-tour.ru .
BY CAR
Renting a car can be a reasonable way to get around, but a strongly recommended alter-
native is to rent a car with a driver. It can cost no more than a standard rental. Com-
panies to try for Avis (www.avis.com), Hertz (www.hertz.com), or Europcar (www.
europcar.com).
BY BUS
Russian-run tourist buses offer day trips to cities on the Golden Ring outside Moscow
and several sights around St. Petersburg, and are generally comfortable. Vendors often
hawk tours on loudspeakers at central spots such as St. Petersburg's Nevsky Prospekt
metro station and Moscow's Red Square. Hotels can often arrange bus tours.
TIPS ON ACCOMMODATIONS
Luxury chains are well represented, and include Marriott, InterContinental, and
Sheraton. Holiday Inn and Best Western are somewhat cheaper, but Moscow in par-
ticular has too few midrange hotel rooms to satisfy demand. Russia's star-rating sys-
tem is an unreliable indicator of quality.
Several Soviet-era hotels used by package tours are undergoing renovations, and the
increased price for these rooms is worth it for the improved plumbing and service.
Russian bed-and-breakfasts usually occupy a single floor of an apartment build-
ing. Some were once communal apartments, but today they are renovated and quite
comfortable. In St. Petersburg, “minihotels” are often a renovated floor of an apart-
ment building, and they offer more services than most bed-and-breakfasts.
Renting a private apartment for your stay is also popular, opening up more
options in price and location than the hotel industry can. This is especially conven-
ient during high seasons. The safest bet is to use a real-estate agency that services the
apartment and is available for assistance at all hours in case of emergency.
If you're seeking a closer look at day-to-day Russian existence, or want to learn or
practice Russian, a home stay can be a good option. The ideal home stay is an apart-
ment with a family history and a family member eager to tell you about it. The best
way to determine what you're getting into is to call your hosts before you reserve.
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