To the Ruskeala Mountain Park by train during the New Year holidays!
The Ruskeala Mountain Park is not just a natural complex, it is one of the main attractions of Karelia. It is famous for its marble canyon, from which stone was once extracted, which served as the basis for many cultural and everyday objects in St. Petersburg and beyond. Tourists come here from all over the world, at any time of the year. Therefore, the infrastructure of the park is developing better every year. Even a trip to this unique place was turned into an interesting adventure. After all, you can get here not only by car or bus, but also by retro train.
The tourist retro train "Ruskeala Express" has become not just a way to get to the park, but also an attraction. A real steam locomotive runs on the Sortavala-Ruskeala-Sortavala route. It also has an original design of the Nikolaev times, in the style of the late 19th – early 20th century. At the same time, it has modern amenities such as wi-fi, USB connectors for charging. Many tourists in their reviews note that delicious pastries are sold in the restaurant car. You can also find dishes of national Karelian cuisine there. We haven't tried it, but we advise you to take a look.
The cost of a tourist express ticket is about 350-420 rubles. It departs at 10:40 from the Sortavala railway station daily. It takes one hour to get to the park, during which time you can purchase entrance tickets, as well as find out information about the park's services. Therefore, you do not have to waste time standing in queues at the checkout. The return departure of the train is at 17:30. You will also spend an hour en route.
Accordingly, in order to ride a retro steam-powered train, you need to get to the departure station. By the way, the schedule of the Ruskeala Express is designed so that passengers can catch trains running between St. Petersburg and Sortavala. Therefore, you should not worry about the transfer, you will even have time to walk a little, have a cup of coffee or tea, and take a picture with the train. «Swallows» to Sortavala run daily from Finlyandsky railway station. Ticket prices start from 399 rubles one way (depending on the class of service).
During the New Year holidays, additional trains are being introduced for a trip to the park!
From January 1 to January 7, 2020, a direct transfer service was organized from the city of Moscow. The train departs at 16:00 from Leningradsky Railway Station, arrives in Sortavala at 6:34, and arrives at the park at 11:50 as part of a retro train. Thus, the parking lot will allow you to walk around the city of Sortavala. You won't enjoy the romance of the Nikolaevsky Express, but you won't need to buy additional tickets. The train departs at 17:30 from the Ruskeala Park, an hour later it ends up at the Sortavala station and travels back as part of the Petrozavodsk-Moscow train with the arrival time in the capital at 10:16 the next day. The cost of such a trip will be from 1797 to 1999 rubles in one direction.
And an additional Swallow will travel from St. Petersburg from January 2 to January 7, 2020. Departure will be from Finlyandsky railway station at 8:00, arrival at the park at 12:45. The train departs back at 18:50, ending up in St. Petersburg at 23:55. In addition, the train passes through intermediate points such as Sosnovo, Priozersk, Kuznechnoye. Also, the train in the direction of the park makes a stop in Sortavala, so if you wish, you can transfer there to a retro train.
Please note that Russian Railways has a discount system. Therefore, in order to save on tickets, we recommend taking a round trip right away. Thus, the second ticket will be 20% cheaper. Passengers over the age of 60 and under the age of 21 are also eligible to receive a 30% discount. And if you plan your holiday weekend in advance, tickets for these trains are already on sale. In order not to worry that there will be no seats, you can purchase them in advance. "Swallows" have a fixed cost, so the ticket price for them will not change.
If you want to see the famous Ruskeala Mountain Park, plan this trip for the New Year holidays. During one day of your stay here you will be able to study the history of the quarry and enjoy its beauty, climb the white mountain and make a wish here, go into the tunnel or walk with a guide through the mines. You will also have time to take a photo for memory on the perfect stone cut at the Italian quarry. Unfortunately, in winter it will not be possible to take a boat ride along the walls of the canyon. There are trolls here for extreme lovers, and you can ride a banana behind a snowmobile.
In addition, there are several cafes with a variety of cuisine on site. No one was left indifferent by souvenir shops, of which there are several. Cosmetics, wood and stone products, including handmade, various jams made from local berries and other interesting things for the home and soul. Therefore, you will definitely take the memory of this place with you.
