The Red Arrow Train

For me, one of the biggest drawing cards for Russia was its rich and enigmatic history. I love the idea of diving into a culture that has such a vivid past which is still apparent in its present, so when I found out about The Red Arrow train, I just couldn't resist.

The train provides an overnight service between St. Petersburg and Moscow and is the oldest in Russia, earning it the title of train number one on all tickets and departure boards (number two does the reverse trip nightly as well).

Known as 'Krasnya Strela' in Russian it has run daily since its inception in 1931, only pausing between 1941 and 1943 during the Seige of Leningrad.

In Soviet times, The Red Arrow carried the Communist Party elite between the country's two main cities and this historic feel is still very obvious, from the red and gold colour scheme, to the hammer and sickle emblems stamped into the cast metal cups that sat next to the little vase of flowers on our table.

The experience is even topped off with the train's own imperialistic sounding theme song that plays proudly as it pulls away from the platform just before midnight.

As we were in second class we were joined by two other passengers, and while like most of the Russians we encountered neither spoke much English, both were polite and friendly, and clearly pros at taking down the cabin's folding bunk beds.

We awoke to a little packed breakfast of bread rolls, cheese and salami, but if it hadn't been for the wale up call I could have happily stayed snuggled in my little bed enjoying the lulling rock of the train for hours more.

Would I recommend The Red Arrow train? If you're into the history and want a bit of an experience, absolutely. Yes it was a bit kitsch but I love kitsch and while there are plenty of night trains that do the same route for a slightly lesser fee, for me the history geek out moment it provided was priceless.