Train to Moscow or St Petersburg

I'll be interested in the responses that you receive because I've just started looking into this myself. I have not traveled this route so I can't help you at this time. I do plan on the London through Poland route for a stop on my way to Moscow. I then want to take the BAM or the transcontinental railway across Siberia. Here is the site I have been looking at particularly: http://www.seat61.com/Russia.htm. It provides different routes across Europe to St. Pete or Moscow. I'm a train person also.

Although I have not been to Russia myself a good friend of mine from England has travelled extensively in Russia. He has even cycled from Moscow to St Petersburg to make money for a Russian charity. He is extremely knowledgable about Russia, its culture and its history, the cheapest ways of getting around and where to stay and were to avoid. He would be the ideal person to help you. I shall ask him to register with RS and I'm sure he will be only to happy to help, providing of course he is not in Russia at the moment!

Just returned from Russia in August. We flew directly into Moscow and returned from St Petersburg. While I have no information about traveling via train across the Russian border I DO have first hand knowledge of the work (and $$$) involved in obtaining a Russian Visa - not for the faint of heart. The country is beautiful and if you have a chance then by all means go. St Petersburg was especially beautiful with all of its palaces and gardens.

I traveled out of St. Petersburg into Helsinki, Finland, in 1989. I'm sure the experience is quite different now post-communism, but the trip itself was about the right length of time to enjoy the travel. (The scenery on the other hand, at least at the time, was only so-so). Moscow is relatively deep into the interior of the country and would be a long journey from the heart of Europe...just ask Napoleon in 1812 or the Germans in 1941. I've also spent four days on the Trans-Siberian (in 1992, and only as far as Lake Baikal). It is a very unique experience that I remember fondly. Check more recent reviews about Russian train safety issues, but consider an internal train journey, possibly a leg of the Trans-Sib, or perhaps fly to Moscow, train to "Peter" and then fly home from there.

I would suggest a train from Berlin to Warsaw to Vilnus. I don't know if there is an overnight train, but that may be a good idea to take a train at night, see a city for a day, then take a train to a next destination. From Vilnius you can either train to Moscow (night train) or train to Riga (night train) and then to Moscow. It used to take 8-10 hours of overnight train from Riga to Moscow 20 years ago, it is probably longer now because of the border control, etc. You will need a Russian visa but not for Baltic countries.
From Moscow there are several trains to St. Petersburgh.

It looks like things changed a lot since I last took the trip during the soviet times... (above post). If you google "train Berlin-Moscow" you will get several helpful links on the service description and routes. The route I suggested (above post) may be a hassle since the train from Warsaw to Vilnus pass through Belarus border and you will need their visa to get through. Also, it is unclear if there is still a direct train from Vilnus to Riga or there is only a bus service now. I would only do direct train on that leg, anything else is unpleasant.
You can try a different route, which I haven't done though, going from Stockholm to Riga via ferry and from Riga take a train to either Moscow or St. Pete. If you don't want to go to Riga, go to St. Pete from Helsinki via train. May be try this: Stockholm- Riga -Tallinn- Helsinki- St. Petersburg-Moscow. You will only need a Russian visa here.

Lots of interesting thoughts here and I thank you all. I will need to get to either Moscow or St Petersburg to embark on a 12 day river cruise between the two cities. I expect to get some guidance or assistance from the cruise company on the visa issue, since at least half of the travellers will have US/Can or Aussie passports. Past threads here have indicated that process can be a nightmare. They are already sold out for 2011, so I'm waiting on VRC to release dates, prices etc for 2012. I'd like to go in the late spring since the fares are mid-range then. March(best-fares) just seems too cold. Hoping by May the weather will be mild to warm. I was happy to hear that others have trained from parts of Europe to Russia. I think this is something I will enjoy very much altho I appreciate that finding a travel partner might not be that easy. Seems most people like to fly and get there quickly. I like to sit back and enjoy the scenery. When there's not much to see but flatland ( i.e. Manitoba & Saskachewan), I can always enjoy a book. And who knows........maybe someday I can take the trans Siberian and go all the way across. Still haven't decided on my starting point, but is will be no further east than Berlin. Again, thanks to y'all, and please, keep adding any other hints or advice if you have any more.