Moscow-St Petersburg overnighters

1 Hour 1 Day 1 Week 1 Month Forever
Login with username, password and session length

Checking express3 is a very interesting exercise

On Moscow-St Petersburg, there are unexpectedly quite many night trains, but it's getting a bit hard to make up my mind (apart than "Grand Express" which seems a bit overrated). Which ones shall I favour? What is the difference between 1Б "Business" and 1Л "Deluxe" ?

Checking express3 is a very interesting exercise

On Moscow-St Petersburg, there are unexpectedly quite many night trains, but it's getting a bit hard to make up my mind (apart than "Grand Express" which seems a bit overrated).

it is true for most cars of Grand Express, but not for all.
Grand Express apart their exclusive cars has alse some usual cars with relatively moderate prices - they are not so cheap as non-branded trains (but on this direction there are usually no non-branded train with good departure/arrival time), but cheaper than "Red Arrow" (well, it is normal, "Red Arrow" has special cars and higher price is normal) and cheaper than other branded trains (like train №4 and some others, which are often worse, tha those generic cars of Grand Express).

Which ones shall I favour?

Well if the price will suit you - I can propose you to try train №002 "Red Arrow". It has special cars wich has more space in kupe - such cars were made specially for "Red Arrow", they have 8 kupe per 25,5 m car while in other trains standard car has  9 kupe per 24,5 m car - so you'll get kupe which is ~17% breiter.

What is the difference between 1Б "Business" and 1Л "Deluxe" ?

Normally the difference is in meails and other additions. In 1Л there are no meals (it is basic fare), but 1Б has a "business class" set of meals and some other additions (newspapers, hygienic set). The number of sets (it can be important in long yourneys can be seen after letter У, for example У1 - is one set). 1Б with У0 is also possible - than means that no meals provided, but only those additions, which are normally provided when meals are included.

Which will be those meals - usually is unknown which addition - is also always a surprice.
In case of "Grand Express" you can look to their site, they give detailed list.
But for other trains you'll never know if you'll got as an addition..

But, as you can see, these included meals and additions increase the price very seriously,so I can recomend you try to get 1Л always when possbile.

The only one notice about "Grand Express" - you can find that one car is 1Л and unexpectively is more expensive than other 1Б (normally 1Л is of course cheaper). Such situation is possible because this is not usual l SV car, but special car (it has the same capacity as SV, but there are breit good beds)
http://grandexpress.ru/ru/kupe3.php
it is the reason why it is more expensive. Other 1Б cars are usual SV with narrow beds).

Besides what is said by Maxy, we can probably add that actual answer here really depends on your preferences and money willing to spend. Generally #1/2 "Red Arrow" ('Krasnaya Strela') is historic and in the category 'must ride', but on the contrary it's rather popular among tourists, #3/4 "Ekspress" is also seen as second major train on route. Both have excellent service and probably you won't regret choosing either. About "private" "Grand Express" a lot is said above, while rest of so called "branded" trains are what can be said as class lower and mainly just used by people in need to travel between destination A and B, thus not really into "special train" magic. 
Usually it's also not a good idea to use transit trains here, we heard not very pleasant reviews about train #15/16 (Moscow-Murmansk), also not the best idea to board train coming from the south via Moscow to SPb, since no matter how good was it while departing, after coming to Moscow the surprise might wait for you. Maybe the only exclusion here is #31/32 "Lev Tolstoy" (Moscow-Helsinki) which transits SPb, but generally tends to be good.

Thanks for the tips 

I will probbaly go for 002/003 or 004/005.

Ideally, I d like a single cabin, with private bathroom. Is that only 1A/1M or can it be available in 1Б?

I will probbaly go for 002/003 or 004/005.

  "Red Arrow" is 001/002, "Ekspress" is 003/004, "Grand" is 053/054. What exactly you meant?

Is that only 1A/1M or can it be available in 1Б?

As far as we know, there is no bathroom in any 1Б, those are only in VIP carriages the ticket for which cost like 3-4 times more.

Is that only 1A/1M or can it be available in 1Б?

As far as we know, there is no bathroom in any 1Б, those are only in VIP carriages the ticket for which cost like 3-4 times more.

Exactly, usual SV car doesn't have any shower neither private nor shared. Thus neither in normal 1Л (=usual SV) nor in 1Б (which has difference with 1Л only in set of included meals or additions) there will be no shower.

These cars has compartments for 2 persons, and if you want to ride single - normally you must buy 2 places so that means to pay double price.

In case of relatively cheaper cars (1Б, 1Л) - the listed price - is the price of 1 place (to ride single - you must buy both places in compartment) and the places are sold separately.

It case of more expensive cars (1A, 1М) - the listed price - the price for both places - the wholecompartment (you can enter data of 1 or 2 people - price will be the same, anyway you'll be given 2 places).

The only exclusion is Grand Express - they have special proposal for single use which is cheaper than buying for 2 people

So private shower available not only in 1A/1M, but also in 1И (but it is more expensive, the difference with 1A is only in additions - better meals set, better linen) and 1Г (1Г - is Grand Express single prorosal, car is absolutely the same like 1M).

For riding single and with private shower - 1Г of Grand Express is cheaper than 1M of Red Arrow. More cheap single with private shower - only 1M in 003/004 "Express"

For riding single and with private shower - 1Г of Grand Express is cheaper than 1M of Red Arrow. More cheap single with private shower - only 1M in 003/004 "Express"

Many thanks for those usueful details.

What about 1H on Grand Express? Does itonly include a washbasin?

For riding single and with private shower - 1Г of Grand Express is cheaper than 1M of Red Arrow. More cheap single with private shower - only 1M in 003/004 "Express"

Many thanks for those usueful details.

What about 1H on Grand Express? Does itonly include a washbasin?

no, there are no private shower. It is special car, but only good thing in it is big beds.
Normally it is sold as 1H (price for whole compartment, 2 places), but if you want to travel alone they propose whole comparment as single cheper (and quite stupid, it has mark 1Л, I've already told about this - it is not usual SV like 1Л in any other train, but in case of GrandExpress 1Л is this car
http://grandexpress.ru/ru/kupe3.php
well 1H - is also such car but for 2 passengers per compartment
).