Railway cruise "Winter Karelian Voyage"

Cruises are not only sea cruises. Going on an exciting journey by train is no less interesting. There are a lot of tourist places in Russia that can be reached by rail. But Karelia is a gem among them. She is able to win your heart, especially if the trip is carried out on the eve or immediately after the New Year, when people are waiting for the most unusual miracles. And they happen, you just have to believe in it very much. The route is valid from December 3 to March 25, which means it's time to buy tickets and get ready for the road. The program is designed for 4 days. The train departs from the Leningradsky railway station in Moscow.

Travel with comfort

There are three types of cars on the train - SV, suite and coupe. The most comfortable journey will be in a luxury car. They come in different versions of 4-6 compartments in each. In each compartment there is an armchair that transforms into a sleeping place (width 110 cm), and an upper shelf (width 90 cm). There is an additional armchair and a folding table. Each compartment has a separate shower cabin and a toilet. The bathroom has underfloor heating. The 4-compartment car is additionally equipped with a lounge bar. In the cars there are 8 or 9 compartments each. Sleeping places, depending on the modification of the car, can be located one above the other or opposite each other. At the beginning and end of the car there are toilets. There is no shower in the 9-compartment car, there is in the 8-compartment. Some compartments can be equipped with armchairs, LCD TVs, built-in wardrobes. There is a general air conditioning system in the SV type car.

1st day

Departure of the train from the Leningrad station of the capital. The journey begins in the evening, at 21:05, so meals are not provided for this day.

2nd day

The train arrives in the capital of Karelia, Petrozavodsk, located on the shore of Lake Onega. Here travelers will immediately feel a special Karelian-Finnish flavor. This is reflected in the national cuisine. In Petrozavodsk, tourists will be offered breakfast. After eating, a sightseeing tour of the city is offered. The route will introduce guests to the main historical and cultural attractions of Petrozavodsk. Walking along the embankment is like visiting an open-air museum. There are monuments to the twin cities of Petrozavodsk. Some of them are very original, so much so that they were included in the list of the most unusual monuments in the world. Next, travelers will be invited to visit the National Museum to get acquainted with the three most important historical epochs for the area. Visitors will find ancient labyrinths, medieval knights, sounds of traditional musical instruments, legends of household spirits, mysterious Karelian runes, delights of national cuisine and much more. On the same day, in the afternoon, tourists go to the city of Chalna, where the residence of TalviUkko is located. This is the name of the local Santa Claus. The fabulous grandfather will show his estates a real deer farm and a kennel of husky sled dogs. Here you can go downhill, take interesting photos with TalviUkko and recharge with positive energy for the whole coming year. In the local restaurant "TalviUkko's Bins" tourists will be offered lunch. After lunch, until 19:00, vacationers will have the opportunity to walk around the area on their own, buy souvenirs. After that, the train departs to the Ruskeala Mountain Park.

3rd day

The guide will meet tourists on the platform at 10:20. After that, an organized hike in the mountain park will begin. Tourists will visit the Marble Canyon, where you can get acquainted with the history of mining, visit a stone-working workshop, observe the work of the master and buy unique souvenirs. There are hiking trails around the steep marble cliffs that break off into the emerald-green water, from where you can admire the amazing beauty of this region. There are several canyons in the mountain park, but Marble is the largest of them. Its length is 500 meters, and its width is 100 meters. And under the canyons there is a whole network of tunnels and artificial tunnels – «underground Ruskeala». The dungeon is illuminated by diode lanterns, turning the surrounding space into a fairy tale. At 13:15, tourists will board the train again and go to the Sortavala railway station, and from there to Vyborg, one of the most beautiful cities of the Russian Federation with a rich centuries-old history. The architectural appearance of the city will not leave anyone indifferent. The authentic atmosphere of the past centuries has been preserved in the historical part of the city. The spirit of medieval Europe reigns here. Tourists will have a fascinating tour of the main attractions of Vyborg - squares, monuments, creations of ancient architects made of stone and granite. The favorite building of the townspeople is the Round Tower. You will visit there too. And from Petrovskaya Mountain, where the monument to Peter I is installed, you can admire the amazing panoramic view of Vyborg. The program also includes a visit to Vyborg Castle on Castle Island. This is the highlight of the tour. Knight festivals and other Medieval-themed events are regularly held on the territory of the castle. Then travelers will be offered dinner at one of the restaurants in Vyborg. After that, the train will take the tourists back to Moscow.

4th day

In the morning, the train will bring impressed travelers to the starting point of the Leningrad railway Station in Moscow. Meals for this day are not provided by the program.

Nuances of the program

The time indicated is approximate. Since there are several arrivals on different days, the route of each particular tour can be adjusted. JSC "Russian Railways" reserves the right to make changes to the program without changing the scope of services and their cost. That is, the replacement must be equivalent. If the group is not recruited, the tour can either be canceled or an alternative option for a trip along another route can be offered. During the trip, tourists can spend the night at the Piter Inn Hotel, the hotels of Surtavala or Seurahuone, the tourist base of Rantala.

The cost of the tour

The pricing policy allows passengers to be divided into 2 categories - adults and children up to and including 9 years old. For adults, the price of the trip is higher. When placed in a 4-seater compartment, it will be 32,300 rubles per person, if the 2-seater compartment is 44,800 rubles. The passenger of the luxury car will need to pay 57,900 rubles for the same trip. A trip in the SV-car will cost 97,000 rubles. Children can travel at discounted rates. When placed in a 4-seater compartment, the price of the tour is 26,200 rubles, in a 2-seater compartment - 38,700 rubles. The passage of children in the luxury car is only possible when placed with 2 adults. In this case, you will have to pay 16,800 rubles for the child. In other cases, children are not accommodated in the luxury car. These are average prices, which can be changed depending on the selected date. Children under 5 years old cannot participate in the tour. The price includes meals according to the program, travel in cars of the selected category, transport and excursion services, including entrance tickets to sightseeing facilities. All personal expenses are paid additionally. It is also important to remember that the company "RZD" supports dynamic pricing rates. That is, you can find out the final cost when booking a trip. In case of non-appearance of the tourist by the appointed time, the money for unused excursions and travel will not be refunded.

What to take with you

It is necessary to take an umbrella or raincoat with you on a trip in case of bad weather. Shoes and clothes are better to choose comfortably, walking in heels in the Ruskeala Mountain Park or the snow-covered TalviUkko residence is not the best idea. Also, tourists need to take with them a voucher-a tour operator's voucher, a passport for adults and a birth certificate for children, a compulsory medical insurance policy for each traveler.

Additional costs

Some services are provided to tourists for a fee:

1. For making changes to the documents already issued for the trip - 500 rubles.

2. The excursion to Mount Paaso is paid separately (optional) – 1850 rubles per tourist.

3. In the New Year's arrival, you can book a table in the restaurant car for 2500 rubles.

4. The New Year's banquet at the residence of Karelian Santa Claus is paid separately. The cost of the reservation must be specified when booking the tour.

Restrictive measures in connection with the epidemiological situation

In most regions of Russia there are restrictive measures related to the unfavorable situation due to the spread of coronavirus. At the stage of trip planning, travelers should independently monitor the anti-epidemic requirements in the regions and cities they visit. JSC "Russian Railways" is not responsible for non-compliance by tourists with sanitary and epidemiological norms and rules of conduct, and related non-admission of travelers to facilities whose visits are provided for by the program. That is, if you need a QR code or a PCR test to visit a restaurant, take care in advance that you have it. Otherwise, the trip will not give you pleasure, but only spoil the mood.

If all the measures are followed, the railway cruise «Winter Karelian Voyage » will give you an unforgettable fairy tale that will forever remain in your heart.