Grand Express Luxury Train Overview
The Grand Express has for decades been synonymous to luxury train travel in Russia. This elegant overnight train runs on the Moscow to Saint Petersburg rail route and offers travelers high comfort and top-notch service. In this piece, we've put together handy information about the train, including stations, coach classes and facilities which can be found on board.
Quick Facts about Grand Express
— The Moscow - St. Petersburg train Grand Express is actually a private luxury train, the first one in Russia owned privately.
— Out of all overnight trains on the route, the Grand Express is the fanciest rail travel option.
— The train began its service in 2005.
— The Grand Express de lux train is safety-checked daily to assure its technical serviceability.
— For any questions or assistance, the qualified and experienced train staff is always on board the train.
Grand Express Timetable
The Grand Express train schedule has one departure every day from Moscow to St. Petersburg and one from St. Petersburg to Moscow. Usually, this overnight train departs around 11:40 p.m. in either Moscow or St. Petersburg and it takes a little less than 9 hours to cover the distance of 650 kilometers between the cities with an average travel time ranging from 8 hours 30 minutes to 8 hours 56 minutes.
Grand Express Stations & Stops
The luxurious Grand Express trains either depart from (or arrive to) the Moskovsky Rail Station in St. Petersburg or the Leningradsky Rail Station in Moscow. Unlike most other overnight trains on the Moscow to St. Petersburg route, the Grand Express is a direct train which doesn't make any stops along the way.
Grand Express Onboard Amenities
The Grand Express train Moscow to St. Petersburg is all about lush rail travel to make you feel like you are home. The train has air-conditioning, a ventilation system, and soundproof cars. Passengers are free to use the complimentary Grand Express WiFi which is available throughout the trip. Also, regardless of coach class, the train cabins boast comfortable soft furniture, rather wide beds, small tables, flat-screen TVs, power sockets, and individual reading lights. Apart from the well-equipped cabins, the train has a classy restaurant car called "Restogrand" in which passengers are welcome to have meals of local and European cuisine. Most passengers on the train (except those who travel Economy Basic Class or Economy Extra Class) are offered a hot breakfast which is included in the ticket price.
Grand Express Travel Classes
There are 11 types of coach classes onboard the Grand Express train, below is some short information about each class.
— The most extravagant of all are the 4 Grand Imperial cabins each one for 2 passengers; they have a private bathroom with a walk-in shower, two TVs, wireless headphones, individual climate control, and dinner included in the ticket price. Moreover, the top perk is an included private transfer uppon arrival.
— The next class is 4 Grand de Lux cabins, also for 2 passengers each, which are exactly the same as the previous Grand Imperial cabins yet exclude the headphones and don't include dinner. Private transfer upon arrival included.
— There are 6 Grand cabins for 2 people in each, the only difference from Grand de Lux cabins is that here the private bathroom facilities have a regular shower, not walk-in.
— The 6 Grand Single cabins are same as the previous Grand cabins but can accommodate 1 passenger each.
— Next are 9 Premium cabins also for 2 passengers, with a private bathroom with no shower in every cabin, central air-conditioning but with no individual climate control.
— There are 9 Premium Single cabins too, they feature the same facilities as Premium cabins but can accommodate 1 passenger.
— The 9 1st Class Business cabins are designed for 2 passengers per cabin and don't have private bathroom facilities. There is a safe and wardrobe in each cabin as well.
— There are 9 1st Class Standard cabins for 2 people each and a wardrobe, no safe nor private bathroom.
— A simpler class type is Economy Plus, there are 9 cabins each for 4 passengers with two upper berths and two lower berths.
— 9 Economy Basic cabins also for 4 passengers each have two upper berths and two lower berths, WiFi and a TV, yet this class type doesn't include breakfast.
— The simplest class - 9 Economy Extra cabins are designed for 4 passengers in every cabin, there are 2 upper berths and 2 lower berths, no TVs, WiFi, nor breakfast included.