Novgorod is 180 km (108 miles) away from St Petersburg and 530 km (318 miles) away from Moscow. There are two ways to get to and from Novgorod: by train and by bus. There's also an airport, but the planes are rarely operating.
The Railway Station.
The trains depart to St.Petersburg, Moscow, Pskov, Minsk (Belorussia) and local towns and villages in Novgorod region.
If you want to buy the tickets, it's better to do it as early as possible. If you depart on the same day, come at least 40 minutes before the train departs, because you'll need to queue, and they stop selling tickets 10 minutes before departure of the train.
If you want to take the local train, check the schedules at the local trains ticket office (just outside the main exit, on the left).
There's a luggage storage area at the railway station, it costs 12 roubles ($0.4) for 24 hours to leave a small luggage, and 32 roubles ($1.1) for 24 hours for a big sack. Be careful: check what time the lockers close, they aren't automatic, there's an old guy looking after the bags.
Address: Karla Marksa (????? ??????) prospekt (the beginning). Phones: administration (81622) 7-5372, information (81622) 7-0572.
| MOSCOW - NOVGOROD - MOSCOW | |
| Daily Train #42, aka "Ilmen" Moscow Lenigradski [daily 21.20] - Novgorod [next day 05.45]. Total time: 08h25m. Price: 900 roubles ($30) 1st class (2 berths), 300 roubles ($10) a berth in a 4-berth coupe, 200 roubles ($7) a berth in platzcart (common carriage), 130 roubles ($4.5) a seat in a common carriage. Distance: 500km |
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| Daily Train #41, aka "Ilmen" Novgorod [daily 21.13] - Moscow Leningradski [next day 5.26]. Total time: 08h13m. Price: 900 roubles ($30) 1st class (2 berths), 300 roubles ($10) a berth in a 4-berth coupe, 200 roubles ($7) a berth in platzcart (common carriage), 130 roubles ($4.5) a seat in a common carriage. Distance: 500km |
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| ST. PETERSBURG - NOVGOROD - ST. PETERSBURG | |
| Daily Train #65 St. Petersburg Moskovski [daily 17.20] - Novgorod [same day 20.35]. Total time: 03h15m. Price: 2nd class seat: 70 roubles ($2.3), 1st class seat: 80 roubles ($2.6). Distance: 190km. Comments: There's a nice bar inside, you can ask a barman to put your video, so you can watch a movie on the TV there. Also, barman said that if there're no more tickets left, you can come to him and he'll put you in the restaurant (for money). |
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| Daily Train #66 Novgorod [daily 7.40] - St Petersburg Moskovski [same day 10.50]. Total time: 03h10m. Price: 2nd class seat: 70 roubles ($2.3), 1st class seat: 80 roubles ($2.6). Distance: 190km. or Daily Train #6686 Novgorod [daily 16.25] - St Petersburg Vitebsky [same day 21.15] or Daily Train #6018 Novgorod [daily 17.40] - St Petersburg Moskovski [same day 21.36] |
The Bus Station.
Buses depart to the remote cities, like Moscow (daily 19.50, except saturday, costs 194r - $7), St Petersburg (daily 5.50 (except sunday), 7.20, 8.50, 12.00, 15.00, 16.30, 18.30 - takes 3h50m, costs 97r - $3.5), Tver (daily 7.00 - takes 7h55m, costs $5), Pskov (daily 8.30, 16.00 - takes 4h30m, costs 108r - $3.7), Riga (Latvia) (1 bus a day).
Buses are also the best to move around Novgorod region: Valdai (daily 0.40, 11.00 (on mon, wed, sat), 15.00, 17.05, 19.00 - takes 3 hours, costs 60r - $2), Staraya Russa (daily buses), Borovichi (through Okulovka) (daily 9.20, 12.30, 17.50 - takes 4 hours, costs 79r $3), Moshenskoe - the area to camp! - (daily 16.30, costs 96r, takes 5 hours).
Address: #13 Oktyabrskaya Ul. (just on the left of the railway station). Phones: information: (81622) 7-5347, ticket sales intercity: (81622) 7-5415, ticket sales local routes: (81622) 7-5347.
THE PUBLIC TRANSPORT.
You can use the public transport (buses) to move around Novgorod and to see the outskirts of the town. The price of a ride is 3 roubles ($0.1), you should pay it directly to the conductor. You may not pay, then the fine will be 10 roubles ($0.35). The buses are packed with people during
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Bus #20 will take you from the railway station to Akron Hotel (near Kremlevski Garden), and further to Sofiiskaya square (near the Kremlin) and over the bridge to the Trade Side.
One of the useful bus routes is the bus #7. It departs from the railway station (the stop is just in front of the exit) and goes through the town to the direction of Ilmen lake -- a great place to swim and recuperate. The trip takes only 15-20 minutes, the bus takes you either to "Skit" monastery or the next stop - "Yuriev" monastery, and there are beaches just near.
Taking a Car or a Taxi.
As in any part of Russia, you can wave down a car and go anywhere you want for money. Usually, the price to go from the Kremlin to the railway station is 20-30 roubles ($0.7-1), the price to go to Ilmen lake from the centrum of the city is 30-50 roubles ($1-1.7).
There are also taxists almost near every bus stop in the city.
Taxi Service.
Phone: (81622) 3-8685, 3-2748, 9-3038.
Prices: 1 kilometer costs 8-9 roubles ($0.3 US).
Distances: Kremlin (Detinets) - Railway station 2 km, Kremlin (Detinets) - "Skit" monastery (beginning of Ilmen lake - 5 km.
