Sapsan High-Speed Train Overview
The high-speed Sapsan train is among the most popular trains in Russia, running on the Moscow to St. Petersburg route. Named in honor of one of the fastest birds in the world, it can travel at a speed of about 250 kilometers per hour. The Sapsan express train is a German train which was designed by Siemens. Run by the Russian Railways, it boasts several coach classes, can carry 550 passengers at once, and has modern onboard amenities. For entertainment, films are projected on screens in the car, newspapers, and magazines are also available, plus passengers are free to use the complimentary Sapsan WiFi. Moreover, train staff have food carts and there are is even a Restaurant car with a bistro where beverages, snacks, and hot meals are sold.
Sapsan train classes
The train has very well-equipped coaches, as a rule there are 10 of them forming a trainset. Regardless the train class, each has big windows, special areas for large luggage, a coat rack, toilet facilities and comfortable seats with foldable tables. Yet the Sapsan train ticket price depends on the selected travel class.
There are 6 types of classes on Sapsan trains to choose from. The simplest and most affordable option is Economy class, the only difference of the next available class type, Economy Plus+, from it is an included meal to the ticket price. The Dining Class seats are placed right in the Restaurant Car and such seats are arranged around tables. The Business Class cars are more spacious and provide larger seats, whereas seats in the Sapsan Premium Class car, also called First Class, are designed to provide utmost comfort and have fully adjustable and reclining almost horizontally seats. What is more, there's also a Conference cabin onboard the train which can be fully booked for a group of four travelers.
Sapsan train stations
The journey on a Sapsan from St. Petersburg to Moscow or vice versa usually takes approximately 3.5 to 4 hours from one station to the other. The Sapsan train station Moscow is Leningradsky Station which can be easily reached via the Komsomolskaya metro station. Moskovsky train station St. Petersburg is a building-twin of that in Moscow. The Ploshchad Vosstaniya metro station is the closest one to this St. Petersburg train station.
Sapsan train routes
Most Sapsan trains connect Moscow and St. Petersburg but what not all travelers know about is that there's one St. Petersburg to Nizhny Novgorod train per day and one back. Along the way, this train stops in several towns, including Tver, Vladimir, and Moscow, but unlike the rest of the Sapsans, it goes to Moscow's Kursky Rail Station. Therefore when you buy Sapsan train tickets online make sure to carefully check which station in Moscow it departs from or arrives to, as it may not always be Leningradsky Station.
Sapsan train schedule
For the convenience of travelers, the Sapsan timetable has more than 10 daily departures each way. The earliest trains depart around 6 a.m. and the latest is at 9 p.m. The average travel time is surprisingly less than 4 hours. Nevertheless, no matter which time you choose, make sure to arrive well in advance as you need to save enough time for passing the security check procedure as well as keep in mind that boarding is closed 20 minutes before departure.