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I start to form the distinct impression that all taxi drivers in Russia are unshaven, beer bellied and only wear old plain white t-shirts. As we bypass the many pushy touts on our way out of Leningradsky station, the stereotype fails to deviate. The taxi ride itself is about as close to a motor related near death experience as you can have. Moscow morning traffic is hair-raising.
Our time in St. Petersburg was drawing to a close and soon it was off to Moskovsky station for a midnight departure on the Krasnaya Strela, or Red Arrow overnight train – an antiquated monster of a thing that would be our home for the next 7 hours and 400 miles southeast to Moscow, and hopefully live up to its name and purpose as a sleeper train (it surprisingly did).
St. Petersburg has been described by many as an ‘Outdoor museum of Architecture’ – a phrase that couldn’t embody one city more definitively. It’s overall status as a UN World Heritage site is not at all without justification. For St. Petersburg’s splendour truly does spread to nearly every square, building, canal and monument with unrivalled ornate distinction.
I set my foot down onto the platform at the methodically named ‘Finland Station’ in St. Petersburg (each train station in Russia derives it’s title from the name of the city it serves), and after 6 long hours on the Siberius Express, can finally say i’ve taken my first strides on Russian soil (or concrete, as is actually the case). If only my first encounter with a Russian person was so inspiring.
It’s the day we’ve been anticipating with a mixture of apprehension and excitement – the day when we finally set foot in the mighty Russian Federation. To get there we must leave Helsinki on the 6 hour Sibelius express service all the way to old Leningrad, or modern St. Petersburg. From the moment the train starts moving, we know the day will be a memorable one.
