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| Uncomfortably close to departure |
This is the
best way to go between St. Petersburg and Moscow. Though I had to hurry to make
my train and my phone died along with my electronic ticket, I was able to use
my passport to board. At 23:54, one minute before departure, I went out to the
door to listen as "The Hymn to the Great City" heralded our imminent departure and a (probably) drunk (probably) Russian tried
to explain to me about his travels in America while the provodnitsa looked on with amusement and the train gathered speed.
I stood near the door until they closed it, and then retreated to my
compartment as soon as I could disentangle myself from my inebriated company.
After a short chat with my compartmentmate, an English-speaking Russian
traveling on business, I decided to visit the restaurant car. We were passing
through the suburbs now, and the rain which had threatened was now silently
streaming across the windows of the train. Since the dollar is so strong, I
treated myself to champagne and caviar after a sturgeon dinner. I went back to
my compartment and fell asleep as the pine and birch forests of northern Russia
slipped past my window in the half-light of the northern night.
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| Goodnight Russia |
The next morning, I woke up in
time to use both the complimentary slippers and toothbrush/paste. The breakfast
they delivered was reasonable, far better than could be expected on overnight
trains in western Europe. It was even served on a plate. Soon enough, we were
in Moscow, and after a visit to the (highly recommended) Museum of Soviet
Arcade Games, I took the Aeroexpress to Domodedevo and flew to Chisnau.
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| Our Locomotive |
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| Compartment, after breakfasting |
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| "Magistral", where you too can drive the highway to the Danger Zone |
About the train: The first class
berths came with excellent service, and the train is entirely modern, from the
locomotive to the 2nd to last wagon. The last wagon appears to be a
renovated 1970s’ wagon for the “super-deluxe” class. Freebies included
everything from breakfast to slippers to chocolates to a sewing kit. Some might
accuse this of being a “touristy” train, but my compartment-mate was an
English-speaking Russian taking it for business—he enjoyed the convenience of
being able to be in Moscow for a morning meeting without having to leave the
night before. The tickets, which were around $70, were incredibly cheap for the
entire experience. It is often described as Russia’s premier train, and having
ridden several Russian trains, this truly felt “premier”. After all, what other
train in the world warrants its own special departure music?
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