Buying Train Tickets

Vladimir Filonov / MT

Buying a train ticket in Russia does not have to be an agonizing experience. In addition to lining up to buy it yourself, there are several agencies that will arrange the ticket for you, at a nominal cost.

If you have a decent command of Russian, you should be able to do it yourself. All of Moscow's eight major train stations have ticket booths (kassa), but in order to avoid long lines, it's easier to buy tickets at a central ticket office booth designated for foreigners.

The two most convenient central offices are located near the Yaroslavsky Station: one is kassa 45 on the second floor of the administrative building between Yaroslavsky and Leningradsky stations. The other is the Central Railway Agency at 5 Komsomolskaya Ploshchad.

The average price of tickets from Moscow to St. Petersburg is between 2300-1900 rubles ($70) for first class, 1500-1400 ($60) rubles for second class, and about 1000 rubles ($40) for plarzkart. Prices increase in the high season, which is summer. Russians are charged lower prices.

Buying tickets for prigorodnye (suburban) trains involves a lot less waiting, but is difficult if you don't speak Russian. Suburban kassas are located at each station and are separate from the kassas long-distance trains. Ticket prices range from $1-$5 and can be bought on the day of travel. In Moscow and St. Petersburg, trains leave very frequently.

See Getting Around by Train for more information about traveling on Russian trains.

Options for Purchasing Train Tickets