Helsinki to St. Petersburg Trains
Take a train journey from Finland to Russia
Helsinki to St. Petersburg Train Route
Helsinki to St. Petersburg trains make only 5 stops along the way - in Tikkurila, Lahti, Kouvola, Vainikkala, and Vyborg. The trip takes from 3.5 hours by Allegro trains to 6.5 hours by the slower Lev Tolstoy train.
Depending on the season, there are at least four Allegro trains running every day on the Helsinki to St. Petersburg route. These are comfortable, high-speed trains that help you reach your destination in only 3.5 hours. There is also the slower Lev Tolstoy train that travels all the way to Moscow and makes a stop in St. Petersburg. The same trains run on the St. Petersburg to Helsinki route.
Distance
407 km
5 trains
per day
5 stops
on way
Fastest train
3 h 30 min
Slowest train
6 h 30 min
Price from
49 USD
Helsinki to St. Petersburg Trains
based on 371 customer reviews
Frequently Asked Questions From Our Travelers
The train trip from Helsinki to St. Petersburg takes 3.5 hours.
In St Petersburg, the Allegro arrives and departs from Finlyandsky Train Station, Ploshad Lenina, 6, Metro Ploshad Lenina. In Helsinki, the Allegro arrives and departs from Helsinki Central Station, Kaivokatu 1.
It depends on the agreements between Russia and your country. Please check visa requirements through the Russian Consulate in your country: http://www.mid.ru/en/maps
No, the unified e-visa is not valid to enter Russia by train.
Border and customs control are held on board the train. During the border check, you are required to show your passport and visa.
The Allegro makes 5 stops in Finland (Pasila, Tikkurila, Lahti, Kouvola, Vainikkala) and one stop in Russia (Vyborg).
Tickets for the Allegro are available 90 days prior to departure.
There are four to five daily Allegro trains from morning until late evening.
Testimonials
“
Smooth way to go to Moscow
Helsinki - Moscow on first class. I can highly recommend to approach Moscow by train from Helsinki. Excellent boarding and on-board service. Enjoy the view and share food and drinks while you ride towards this great metropolis.Next time I will do exactly the same !
“
Great service and efficient delivery
I very much appreciated the personal touch given by Russia Rail. All the arrangements were made very clear and the ticket on-line was great. No problems were encountered at all.
“
Excellent service
We visited St Petersburg in July and traveled by train from St Petersburg to Helsinki, returning 10 days later to St Petersburg. I made all arrangements through RussianRail.com, from South Africa, using the Russian Rail website. Everything worked quickly, easily and efficiently and our Russian Rail experience was very positive, from beginning to end.
“
St.Pete to Helsinki
Russian Rail was easy to buy tickets online. Prices were very reasonable. We bought table seats to sit with friends. There were places to charge electronics, large window, comfortable seats. The dining card had variety of food, snacks, beer, wine,assorted other drinks. The ride was very smooth. Would DEFINITELY use Russian Rail again.
“
Excellent experience - MUCH better than flying!
We took a train from Helsinki & St. Petersburg - Moscow round trip. Easy to book online (we did it from Portland, Oregon USA. The service was great, on time and organized. We had print-outs of our tickets from home, but didn't use them as everything was done with our passport.
“
Personal service
I went to Russian Rail to book our journey from St Petersburg to Helsinki, having found the Finnish Rail website too confusing. I initially booked online, but the Russian Rail travel agent emailed me personally to check that I had the right date - it turned out that I had booked for the wrong month!! Thanks to the agent, my error was not costly and we had a great trip.
History of the Helsinki to St. Petersburg train route
Train travel has been the best method of transport between Helsinki and St Petersburg for centuries! The railway between the two northern capitals was first opened in 1870 on the initiative of Tsar Alexander II, who was renowned for his significant efforts to develop the Russian Empire’s railway network.
Thanks to the Helsinki – St Petersburg railway, trade between Imperial Russia and the then Grand Duchy of Finland blossomed, and Russians and Finns could easily visit each other’s capitals for the first time. Finland declared its independence from Russia in 1917, but trains between two countries continued during the Soviet times on the Helsinki – Leningrad line and later the Helsinki – Moscow line, which was founded in 1954. From the 1960s onwards, international rail travel between Russia and Finland was booming.
The Helsinki to St. Petersburg Line Today
Today, Russians, Finns and tourists enjoy the comfort and convenience of the Helsinki to St Petersburg train ride. Rather than the troublesome trek to and from the airport, or the frustrating traffic of a cross-border bus ride, you’ll depart from and arrive right in the city centre and enjoy a smooth ride in between.
There are two trains between St Petersburg and Helsinki: the Allegro and the Lev Tolstoy.
- Allegro: The Allegro is the high-speed Russia – Finland train. It was founded in 2010 to replace the two Helsinki – St Petersburg sleeper services, the Ilya Repin and Jan Sibelius. With multiple departures each day which can suit any schedule, a journey time of just 3 ½ hours, en-route border crossing, and modern amenities like power sockets at each seat, the Helsinki-St Petersburg journey on Allegro couldn’t be easier. The Allegro departs from St Petersburg Finlyandsky Station.
- Lev Tolstoy: Alternatively, you can take the overnight Lev Tolstoy train. This famous branded service has been running between Moscow and Helsinki since 1970, and stops off in St Petersburg along the way. The final leg of the journey is longer, 6 ½ hours to the Allegro’s 3 ½ hours, but passengers can enjoy all the special atmosphere of the night train – complete with 19th-century style décor and luxury cabins. The Lev Tolstoy stops at St Petersburg Ladozhsky Station.
Once you have your tickets, look forward to a wonderful, smooth
and enjoyable journey through the Russian countryside.
Buy your ticket safely and securely and then sit back
and enjoy the ride!
Recommended by
Our travel group under the names Express to Russia, Russian Rail and Trans-Europe Express has been recommended and/or accredited by:
A portion of your order goes to helping underprivileged Russian children.
Our travel brands include
