The silver route. Winter railway cruise with a visit to Pechora

16 more

Embark on a journey through the three ancient citadels of Russia! During one trip, you will touch the UNESCO heritage in Veliky Novgorod, follow in the footsteps of Dostoevsky in Staraya Russa and feel the spirit of free Pskov.

Powerful fortresses, wooden architecture icons and places where Russian statehood originated are waiting for you. Immerse yourself in the world of epics at the walls of the legendary Iron City and descend into the mysterious caves of the active monastery in Pechory.

Location

Russia, Moscow

from

Contact the tour coordinator

Weekdays: 8am - 8pm
Weekends: 8am - 7pm (GMT +3)

Or text us in messengers

Tour highlights

Open-air Museum

Take a walk through the "Vitoslavlitsy", among the buildings without nails

An ancient men's monastery

Explore the Pskov Caves Monastery, where the ancestors of Pushkin and Kutuzov rest in ancient caves.

The power of ancient fortresses

Stand at the walls of the legendary "Iron City" and the Pskov Kremlin, which have been repelling enemy attacks for centuries.

Itinerary

Day 1 - Departure from Moscow
22:10 Departure of the train from Leningradsky railway station, Moscow.
Day 2 - Veliky Novgorod
Breakfast on the train.
07:06 Arrival of the tourist train in Veliky Novgorod. Meeting with guides on the platform, organized passage to buses.
Departure to Staraya Russa, travel information.
Visit the city of Staraya Russa, one of the oldest and once richest cities of medieval Russia. The main source of his wealth was salt, which was evaporated from the waters of local springs, gushing here directly from the ground.
Sightseeing bus and walking tour of the city with a visit to the F. M. Dostoevsky House Museum and the museum of the novel "The Brothers Karamazov".
Lunch at a cafe.
An open—air tour of the Museum of Wooden Architecture - Vitoslavlitsy, where unique authentic wooden buildings are collected — churches, huts, outbuildings.
Arrival of a tourist train in Veliky Novgorod. Meeting with guides on the platform, organized passage to buses.
Sightseeing bus and walking tour of the city with a visit to the unique monuments of ancient Russian architecture of the XI-XVII centuries, recognized as a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Among the notable places are the monument "The Millennium of Russia", Yaroslavovo Dvorishche and Ancient Torg.
Walking tour of the Novgorod Kremlin, one of the main attractions of Veliky Novgorod.
Free time in Veliky Novgorod.
22:13 Departure of the tourist train.

2 more photos
Day 3 - Pskov
Breakfast on the train.
09:10 Train arrival in Pskov. Meeting with guides on the platform, organized passage to buses.
The Iron City tour is one of the oldest Slavic settlements, shrouded in legends and soaked in the exploits and blood of the defenders.
The story of the ancient settlement, the seat of the legendary Varangian Prince Truvor, and the story of the stone fortress built on the mountain with the poetic name "Crane" unfolds before you.
From these ancient sites, endless expanses open up, among which the Izborsk-Malskaya valley plays a dominant role with a mirror of lake waters, and with sounding springs-waterfalls - Slavic springs.
Departure to Pechory.
The fabulous kingdom of Russian Orthodox architecture is the men's active Holy Dormition Pskov-Pechersk Monastery.
Pechory is one of the largest and oldest Pskov-Pechersk Holy Dormition Monastery in Russia, originally located in caves. In the monastery caves, where monks are buried, the graves of the ancestors of V.N. Tatishchev, M.I. Kutuzov, M.P. Mussorgsky, A.S. Pushkin have been preserved.
A historical and architectural ensemble of 11 churches of the XV-XX centuries, outbuildings and a large belfry with a preserved set of ancient bells. The fortress of the XVI century with 9 fortress towers and a full complex of wall fences.
Lunch at a cafe.
Departure to Pskov.
Guided tour of the Pskov Kremlin (visit to the Trinity Cathedral, Dovmont city, "Kromskaya rock").
The Pskov Kremlin is an open–air museum that includes Dovmont City, the Pskov Pompeii, Vechevaya Square, a symbol of freedom and the first experience of democratic government in our country, and the Trinity Cathedral, one of the first Christian churches in Russia.
As well as the "Kromsky cape" – the place where the winding Pskov River flows into the deep-flowing Velikaya River and the first Pskov settlement.
Sightseeing bus and walking tour of Pskov: guests will enjoy the more than 1,500-year history of Pskov, which in the 16th century, along with London and Paris, Moscow and Novgorod, was one of the five largest European cities.
Sightseeing of the Olga Chapel, the installation "Russia begins here", the monument to Princess Olga, the monument to Skobar and the monument "Two Captains", the Pskov temples and cathedrals included in the UNESCO World Heritage List, the famous 17th-century Pogankin Chambers and the Pokrovsky Complex.
Free time in the city center.
Transfer to Pskov railway station.
19:23 Departure of the tourist train.

1 more photo
Day 4 - Return to Moscow
06:47 Arrival of a tourist train at the Leningradsky railway station in Moscow.

Difficulty

Suitable for everyone

Accommodation

Train

3 nights

Comfort

Midscale
Upscale

The tour provides for travel in wagons of the selected category along the route.

The cost of the tour for 1 person, depending on the accommodation, RUB.:

Carriage category	The compartment	sv	SV single occupancy
For an adult	34 500	47 300	79 800
For children under 9 years old inclusive	33 500	46 400	-

The compartment is mixed (not separately female and male).

The purchase of an additional seat in a four–seater compartment is 16,600 rubles.

4-seater compartment:

2 lower + 2 upper shelves, 1 medium towel for 1 person, linen change (extra charge), compartment cleaning every day, traveler's kit (soft slippers, toothbrush with paste, earplugs and shoe spoon).

1 shower + 2 WC with sinks per car.

When fully loaded, there are about 36 people in the car.

2-seater compartment (similar to SV):

2 lower shelves (horizontal double compartment) or a complete set (1 lower + 1 upper shelf – vertical double compartment), 1 medium towel for 1 person, linen change (extra charge), cleaning every day, traveler's kit (soft slippers, toothbrush with paste, earplugs and shoe spoon).

1 shower + 2 WC with sinks per car.

When fully loaded, there are about 18 people in the car.

1-storey carriages, there is a dining car in the train.

Tour conditions

Group

From 1 to 50 tourists

Minimum age

7 years old

Duration

4 days 3 nights

Group meets at

Russia, Moscow

Included in price

travel in wagons of the selected category on the route Moscow – Veliky Novgorod – Pskov – Moscow;
transportation and sightseeing services, including entrance tickets to the sightseeing facilities according to the program;
meals included in the program: 2 breakfasts, 2 lunches.

Paid extra

air and railway tickets to Moscow and back;
personal expenses;
the purchase of an additional seat in a four–seater compartment is 16,600 rubles.;
meals not included in the program: dinners.

It's important to know

Air and railway tickets are not included in the price of the tour. You can purchase them yourself or contact us for help.

It is impossible to know in advance whether passengers can board and disembark at non-fixed stops, upon arrival at which the tour service is provided (there may be parking on the train, but boarding/disembarking may not be allowed. There are various reasons for this. For example, the length of the platform does not allow, the train is on the sidings, and there is basically no platform.). The tour operator is not responsible for boarding and disembarking passengers when the train stops without sightseeing services.
Tourists can join the tourist route on any part of it, where there is a train parking with an excursion day service. But without recalculating the cost of the tour in terms of railway transportation. Since a cruise train ticket is issued from the start point of the tour to the end point of the tour, there will be no recalculation of the cost of railway travel in this case. For sightseeing days when tourists will not be present on excursions, we will recalculate the cost.
In a 4-seater compartment for two people, top+bottom accommodation is provided. Placement on the two lower shelves is possible only in a 2-seater compartment or a single compartment.
The purchase of the fourth seat in the compartment is optional, accommodation with check-in is possible.
Tours on the territory of the Russian Federation do not imply the presence of a notarized consent from one of the parents / legal representative for the child's trip accompanied by a third party. However, we recommend a handwritten consent from one of the parents / legal representatives to make a decision if medical care is needed for the child + a copy of the first page and the page with the registration of the parent / legal representative giving the handwritten consent.
Smoking is prohibited on the train (both electronic and plain cigarettes; a fine of 1,500 to 2,500 rubles). You can smoke in the train parking lots, if possible, get off the train in smoking areas specially designated on the platforms.
The tour operator issues railway tickets according to the tariff without transportation of animals (for group railway transportation of tourists, this tariff is not possible for registration). In addition, it is not allowed to enter the tour bus with animals (there may be allergies in the group). Pets are also not allowed to enter the museums.

Dates and Prices

The tour dates are not confirmed yet. Please, for clarification

$470

19 – 22 Feb, 2027 4 days 3 nights

Submit request
No need to pay now
$470

5 – 8 Mar, 2027 4 days 3 nights

Tour option - The silver route. Spring railway cruise with a visit to Pechora

Submit request
No need to pay now
$470

19 – 22 Mar, 2027 4 days 3 nights

Tour option - The silver route. Spring railway cruise with a visit to Pechora

Submit request
No need to pay now

Reviews Leave a review

P
Polina

about tour - The silver route. Winter railway cruise with a visit to Pechora

5 May, 2026

I really enjoyed my trip around the Silver Ring of Russia. Despite the winter weather, the snow-covered landscapes had a special charm, winter is just as beautiful as summer. I’m not a big fan of the heat, so this was actually a big plus for me. The only downside was that I didn’t bring comfortable shoes. Since there was quite a bit of walking, that made things a bit difficult. The guides were true professionals and shared a lot of fascinating information. The history of Russia, as well as the monasteries, churches, and museums, all left a strong and lasting impression. Many thanks and my sincere respect to everyone involved in organizing this experience. Everything related to the train travel (Russian Railways) was also very well organized: clean carriages, attentive staff, and a good choice of meals. Great job. When I was younger, my family and I traveled around the Golden Ring on our own by car, but I can say that an organized tour by train is much more convenient, informative, and hassle-free. I highly recommend "Big Country" and our manager Yulia! .
P
Polina

about provider

5 May, 2026

The providers are true professionals. You feel completely safe and in good hands with them.
VS
Valentina Spasskaya

about provider

11 Mar, 2026

The tour provider is very responsible and professional. They are attentive to the clients’ needs and preferences, take them into account, and help you find your way and make the right choice.