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The Best way to plan a trip including Moscow & St Peters

Way to Russia Talk Lounge Forum Index -> Travel Advice (Practicalities)

Author	Message
conor71 Just Starting Joined: 21 Apr 2006 Posts: 4 Location: Dublin, Ireland	Posted: Fri Apr 21, 2006 5:27 pm    Post subject: The Best way to plan a trip including Moscow & St Peters HI there, I am planning on travelling to Russia in June/ July of this year with my girlfriend, from Dublin, Ireland. I am trying to figure out which way is better for me to travel: From Dublin to Moscow, then up to St Petersburg, and fly back from St Petersburg to Dublin, or visa versa i.e. From Dublin to St Petersburg and then back to Dublin from Moscow. Either way my time frame is from June 22nd, until July 2nd. The airfare is about 200 euros cheaper (100 euros each) for me to fly into St Petersburg, and then returning from Moscow. My question is this: does it matter if I visit St Petersburg first, and then Moscow? My budget will be fairly tight, and it seems that prices of hotels in Moscow get even more expensive for the second part of my visit? Also, does anyone have any recommendations, based on my itinerary above, as to good places to stay in both Moscow and St Petersburg? We would be looking for less expensive solutions, for at least part of the time! If you have any other tips, that would be great! Thanks in advance! Conor PS Great site, you seem to be trying to do something really useful for travellers here!
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MrSpice Lounge Wizard Joined: 14 Jul 2003 Posts: 3431	Posted: Fri Apr 21, 2006 5:41 pm    Post subject: St Petersburg is really beautiful in June because of "White Nights" Definitely go there. Moscow is a large and busy city. Be prepared to be stuck in traffic jams. If I were you, I would't spend much time in Moscow. St Petersburg is much nicer, cosier and more beautiful and European. And by the way, take a train for your trip from Moscow to St Petersburg - don't take planes. Trains are cheaper and better - you'll spend a lot of time in the airports going through security, etc. And all airports are really far from the center in Moscow. In St Petersburg, stay in smaller boutique hotels - the onces that opened in the last 3-5 years. Avoid large soviet style hotels - they suck.
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conor71 Just Starting Joined: 21 Apr 2006 Posts: 4 Location: Dublin, Ireland	Posted: Fri Apr 21, 2006 6:16 pm    Post subject: Thanks for that advice. I will stay longer in St Petersburg than Moscow. Any recommendations on smaller hotels in St Petersburg? My concern is that if i stay in a nicer hotel for 6 days, the costs will start adding up! If I am staying in the St Petersburg area for 5/6 days , are there any nice days trips I could take elsewhere? Thanks again!
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camarks Moderator Joined: 30 Sep 2005 Posts: 333 Location: Richmond, VA USA	Posted: Fri Apr 21, 2006 6:51 pm    Post subject: Several thoughts: Try to stay in an apartment, especially in St. Petersburg (some can be found on the WTR site). My experience is that they are much nicer for the money and you can prepare some meals yourself to save some additional funds. Buy a good guidebook(s); I like the Rough Guides. You won't get enough information from people here to fill a week of sightseeing and having one will give you maximum information and flexibility. Take an overnight train between St. Petersburg and Moscow (info also on WTR). The lower train numbers are nicer and quite comfortable in a kupe. You'll also save one night in a hotel.
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overseas_expat VIP Joined: 11 Jan 2005 Posts: 741 Location: Moscow	Posted: Fri Apr 21, 2006 10:31 pm    Post subject: I second that. The "Rough Guides" travel books are more thorough and wide-ranging than "Lonely Planet." Also check the "Let's Go" travel book series. Connor71, the only problem with your plan is St. Petersburg in June during White Nights. The price of everything everywhere--especially hotels--gets jacked up 100 to 200 percent during that time. It's the top of peak season, everybody wants to be in St. Pete when the sun never sets and you can drink beer outside in the light at 4 in the morning. It's nice for sure, but it's gonna cost you a bundle extra to go during that time. The short term apartment rental in St Petersburg is a good idea too except for the way they do things. There's the language barrier, and the demand for pre-payment, and the unsurity of the reservation. I was going to do it once and gave it up for those reasons. And I live here.
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Ekaterina Talk Show Host Joined: 28 Sep 2005 Posts: 265 Location: Moscow	Posted: Sat Apr 22, 2006 12:54 am    Post subject: Conor, From St.P. take a day trip to Peterhoff and another day trip to Pushkin & Pavlovsk. From Moscow go to Sergiev Posad for half a day.
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