Sapsan Moscow Train Station - Leningradsky Railway Station

Leningradsky Railway Station is the oldest of the nine Moscow train stations. Located at 3 Komsomolskaya Square, it not only serves as a hub for Russian train travel, but stands out as an architectural masterpiece.

Built between 1844 and its grand opening in 1851, Leningradsky Station is the departure point for most Northwest bound trains (including the Moscow - St. Petersburg Sapsan route), and even services several international routes to Estonia and Finland on other RZD lines.

Accessibility

Leningradsky Station is one of three railway stations in Komsomolskaya Square and only steps away from the Komsomolskaya Metro stop. It’s easy to reach by bus or taxi as well.

Schedule

Leningradsky is perhaps the most important Sapsan Moscow train station because it is the departure and arrival point for Sapsan’s most popular route, traveling between Moscow and St. Petersburg.

There are 12 or more departures between these two cities every day. Click here for a full list of departure times.

What to do

Whether you’re a tourist, business passenger, or traveling with children, at Leningradsky Station, there’s plenty for everyone including:

• Coffee shops
• Restaurants
• Gift stores
• Newstands
• Pharmacy
• Seating areas
• 24/7 ticket office

There is also a post office, luggage room (for an additional cost), and agents available to help you book taxis, tours, and more.

For those traveling on business, there is a premium business lounge. Use of the lounge is included in the price of First Class, Business Class, and Conference Cabin Sapsan tickets.

Tips

Boarding opens 45 minutes before departure, but even if you don’t plan to be the first one on the train, it’s important to arrive to the station early. There are two security checkpoints - one to enter the main station and one to get on the train - which operate similar to airport security checkpoints.

While the station is easy to get around and there are plenty of agents available to help, arrival and departure boards are only listed in Russian. This means if you don’t speak and/or read Russian, you may want to give yourself a little extra time just to make sure you can find help if needed.

The good news is, when you get to Leningradsky early, you’ll have plenty of time to enjoy the magnificent main hall before your experience on board the high-speed Sapsan train.

Don’t forget, you need your passport and printed boarding pass to board all Sapsan trains.

Other Sapsan Train Stations

Frequently Asked Questions From Our Travelers

Five Things for Families to Do in Leningradsky Train Station

Dining Options

On the second floor of Leningradsky train station, a few restaurants offering a surprising variety of food. Planeta Sushi can offer you a Japanese sushi fix. It has an ample menu with dishes from other Asian countries as well. For picky children, TGI Fridays (American) and Il Patio (Italian) might do the trick. For a kids’ menu for little ones, TGI Fridays is the best bet. Il Patio has pizza, which might feed the whole fam. We know after a traveling together for days, agreeing on toppings might prove even more difficult than at home.

For lighter fare, the first floor has cafes. Grab a pastry and coffee or tea and people watch.

The Well-Equipped Mother and Child Room

Families will find relief and privacy in the station’s well-equipped Mother and Child room. With a TV and chairs inside, you may find yourself staying a while, since older kids can stay occupied. A screen displays arrivals and departures. Of course, the Mother and Child room is equipped to facilitate changing diapers. It would be nice if more facilities worldwide offered such rooms.

Magic Toys – A Toy Store

We didn’t want to get consumeristic, but hey, there’s always window shopping and testing toys out. Perhaps you might find it’s time to reward good behavior, having gone to sleep when told or staying quiet at the museum. Magic toys is on the first floor, to the left of the station entrance. Now that you know where it is, it’s up to you to convince them you won’t buy anything, or that they can only have one or two small toys.

Playground

Believe it or not, all eight Moscow train stations have free playgrounds. In Leningradsky Station, it’s on the second floor in the waiting hall. Since the ground is soft and cushions falls, you might be able to let your littlest ones roam further. Also, the equipment is made of environmentally friendly material. If that isn’t enough to kill some energy in order for them to sleep on the train, at least there are stairs to be climbed and distances to be walked within the station.

Videovestochka

Want to send a video to grandparents or your family’s Russian teacher? A unique video service in the station is called Videovestochka. This blue machine lets you record video messages and send them. Once the video is complete, type in any phone number or email address and that person will receive a link. A code also permits you to watch the video on Videovestochka’s website. But don’t just watch it, send a Russian video post card! Whether you’re traveling on the Sapsan train from Moscow to St. Petersburg or Nizhny Novgorod from Leningradsky Station, you’ve surely already had some experiences to relate back home. We hope you do make more Russian memories after departing from the Leningradsky Train Station, however.

Summary

With a playground, toy store and several dining options, Leningradsky Railroad Station can be more entertaining than some airport terminals. Best of all, trains don’t require as long of a wait as airports, so you may not exhaust your child-entertaining options and resort to simply counting suitcases of a certain color as they pass by with your child. Sapsan trains often arrive early, so you may be able to get situated and get someone to sleep before all of the boarding and launching commotion.