REALLY need help with organizing a trip
Jun 18, 2009, 7:40 am
#1
Original Poster
Join Date: Aug 2008
Posts: 542
REALLY need help with organizing a trip
Hi Guys,
I racked my brain for the last month trying to figure out what to do, so finally decided to ask help from FT.
I have a conference to attend in Tallinn on September 7-11. I also try to organize my visit to Russia to see my grandma there, in St. Pete and some friends in Russia.
So far I came up with 3 different options on how to do it, but non seem 100% efficient to me
Option 1.
Finnair
Depart 09/05 JFK - HEL - TLL
Depart Tallinn via bus to St. Pete on 09/11
Depart St. P via fast train (5 hours) to Moscow on 09/15
Depart Moscow on 09/19 - SVO - HEL - JFK
Pros: - faster to Tallinn
Cons: - 4 takes off and landings, inconvenience of changing planes
Option 2.
Delta
Depart 09/04 JFK - SVO (non-stop)
Depart Moscow via train to Tallinn (14 hours, overnight)
Depart Tallinn via bus to St. P on 09/11
Depart St. P via fast train to Moscow
Depart Moscow on 09/19 - SVO - JFk (non-stop)
there is a flight by Estonian air Moscow - Tallinn, however it only operates Mon-Fri
Pros: - only 2 take offs and landings, I can sleep in the train to Tallinn.
Cons: - have to get from SVo to the train station with luggage, don't know who your neigbours in the train going to be...
Option 3.
SAS
Same as option 1, only via Copenhagen.
So - are there any other suggestions? What would you choose?
I racked my brain for the last month trying to figure out what to do, so finally decided to ask help from FT.
I have a conference to attend in Tallinn on September 7-11. I also try to organize my visit to Russia to see my grandma there, in St. Pete and some friends in Russia.
So far I came up with 3 different options on how to do it, but non seem 100% efficient to me
Option 1.
Finnair
Depart 09/05 JFK - HEL - TLL
Depart Tallinn via bus to St. Pete on 09/11
Depart St. P via fast train (5 hours) to Moscow on 09/15
Depart Moscow on 09/19 - SVO - HEL - JFK
Pros: - faster to Tallinn
Cons: - 4 takes off and landings, inconvenience of changing planes
Option 2.
Delta
Depart 09/04 JFK - SVO (non-stop)
Depart Moscow via train to Tallinn (14 hours, overnight)
Depart Tallinn via bus to St. P on 09/11
Depart St. P via fast train to Moscow
Depart Moscow on 09/19 - SVO - JFk (non-stop)
there is a flight by Estonian air Moscow - Tallinn, however it only operates Mon-Fri
Pros: - only 2 take offs and landings, I can sleep in the train to Tallinn.
Cons: - have to get from SVo to the train station with luggage, don't know who your neigbours in the train going to be...
Option 3.
SAS
Same as option 1, only via Copenhagen.
So - are there any other suggestions? What would you choose?
Jun 18, 2009, 9:14 am
#3
Join Date: Apr 2007
Location: Tallinn / Isle of Man
Programs: Finnair Platinum; Intercontinental Ambassador
Posts: 578
All I'm saying is that HEL is probably one of the better airports of where to check planes. TLL leg is 20 minutes - so no REAL in conveniences there.
I would avoid Estonian Air personally, however - if the TLL-LED timing works it marginally beats the bus.
Option 1 probably works best
I would avoid Estonian Air personally, however - if the TLL-LED timing works it marginally beats the bus.
Option 1 probably works best
Jun 18, 2009, 12:53 pm
#4
Original Poster
Join Date: Aug 2008
Posts: 542
Jun 18, 2009, 2:34 pm
#5
Join Date: Jul 2005
Programs: AY, SK, AF/KL + randomly others
Posts: 239
Instead of bus from Tallinn to St Petersburg, could also consider a boat (fast one takes 2.5 hours) to Helsinki and from there a night train to Moscow. Or make it JFK-HEL-SVO return with stop over in HEL, and make a side trip to TLL either by air or sea.
Jun 19, 2009, 12:55 pm
#6
Join Date: Oct 2002
Location: Vantaa, Finland
Programs: AY Lumo, FB Gold
Posts: 1,667
Hey mate, this is Flyertalk, full of people who usually try to maximise their take offs, landings, connections and whatever. So in our books that's not a con, but a pro, albeit a minor one - with some creative thinking you could double the number of flights you're taking.
Coming back to the original question, your option #1 looks like the best under the circumstances. I think you could score a rather cheap o/w ticket LED-MOW to avoid the train if you want, but usually that needs booking through local travel agents - and if you have family there that shouldn't be a big problem.
Coming back to the original question, your option #1 looks like the best under the circumstances. I think you could score a rather cheap o/w ticket LED-MOW to avoid the train if you want, but usually that needs booking through local travel agents - and if you have family there that shouldn't be a big problem.
Jun 19, 2009, 1:00 pm
#7
Original Poster
Join Date: Aug 2008
Posts: 542
Hey mate, this is Flyertalk, full of people who usually try to maximise their take offs, landings, connections and whatever. So in our books that's not a con, but a pro, albeit a minor one - with some creative thinking you could double the number of flights you're taking.
Coming back to the original question, your option #1 looks like the best under the circumstances. I think you could score a rather cheap o/w ticket LED-MOW to avoid the train if you want, but usually that needs booking through local travel agents - and if you have family there that shouldn't be a big problem.
Coming back to the original question, your option #1 looks like the best under the circumstances. I think you could score a rather cheap o/w ticket LED-MOW to avoid the train if you want, but usually that needs booking through local travel agents - and if you have family there that shouldn't be a big problem.
It looks like I am booking Option 1 after all.