www.seat61.com is an excellent source of info regarding train travel. The LH side toolbar has "Russia" listed as one of the sources. It is excellent.

No one in their right mind takes a train to "save" money. Usually, airfare is cheaper. We take trains for an unforgettable experience. Such experiences cost both time and money - kinda like making/buying/drinking a nice wine versus some cheap "plonk".

I got my tix through waytorussia.com, and one of the firms that sell tix. Now to wait for the trip from Vladivostok to Moscow ;-)

Thanks for your help. Last Friday, I ended up traveling 2nd class to Moscow from STP on the #037 train. Everything was fine and I slept easy.

Although this is a little late, I'll respond anyway. I've taken Grand Express (third class, which they call first class, but it was still rather nice and I got a much better night's sleep than I did on my transatlantic flight on BA in WT+), but I can't help too much with the booking, unfortunately. My ticket was booked by my university. I'm not sure if it was done by the US institution or the Russian institution (which was a division of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs) or even the program director. You may have to book through a travel agency because their Website says they don't sell tickets outside Russia. However, if you go to the Russian side of their Website, they'll let you buy a ticket online. They ask for a passport number and accept a "zagranichniy passport" which is one good for exiting Russia, but they don't seem particular on the country. You can tell them you're going to pick up your ticket it seems ("purchase ticket without delivery"). I'm not sure I trust this, though, because it's insecure and there's no actual method of payment, so it seems you still have to find some way to pay for it. I can't figure out how that works. Maybe you pay the messenger that delivers it...
Otherwise, like so many things in Russia, you'll have to go through an extra layer of bureaucracy, and in this case, it's the travel agent.

Thanks very much for the response. We took our Russia trip in July and ended up booking our train ticket two days before through our hotel (the Sheraton). We took one of the standard overnight trains, and it was very comfortable.

Fellow Russian train buffs, your ship (or train?) has come in:

Transsiberian (The Movie)

Trailers on the Apple Website and lots of other info on the official site

Cinematic qualities aside, this will definitely give you a pretty good impression of what Russian train travel is like.

Great info, guys. I will be traveling solo to Moscow next Oct. (if all goes as planned. Long story)

Have looked into the train, yes- for the experience. My dad did the trans-sib back in the 80's, and Mos-SPB about 10 years ago. Loved it.

Having watched this earlier this year, I can highly recommend it - both as a thriller and as an insight to long distance train travel! I was bracing myself for it to be an eye-rolling catalogue of clich�d Russian stereotypes, but it rose above that.

Thank you. I will watch it next Nov. :~)

Just don't watch it on a plane.... I don't know why, but it gave me the creeps by end of the movle. Very good movie, though.

As luck would have it I smashed my right kneecap and left outer ankle while walking down the street in Calcutta. After surgery in Calcutta I decided to cancel the Vladivostok-Moskow trip (as well as Beijing/Harbin). Plus I got a serious infection and will be finally be released from a hospital here in the UAE this Saturday.

The sources mentioned (WayToRussia ans Seat61) have always been my main sources of info. WTR has provided quick invitations/confirmations on the 2 occasions I have used them. OTOH, The Russian Cousulate staff here are surely and a bit slack in terms of providing info for visa applications (and espcially prices) - trying to refer me to a "selected travel agent" to get the visa for me. So, I have on 2 occasions had my Russia Visas "created" in Ottawa, Canada where my son did the personal delivery/pick-up for me. They are pleasent, polite, super friendly, and work as fast as their regulations allowed. Last year I got a visa in 5 days by paying extra. This year it took 15 days exactly and got a nice hologrammed visa. This year there is no fast-track and no extra fee payment available. PLUS, the application form is different so make sure you download the latest version if you are doing so.

I still hear that train whistle. Perhaps next year..