the Golden Ring by public transport or car transfers?
Replies: 5 - Last Post: Nov 16, 2012 1:57 AM Last Post By: everbrite
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the Golden Ring by public transport or car transfers?
I'm looking at doing the Golden Ring in Russia for about 4 days/3 Nights over Christmas, starting around 26 December going from Vladimir around via Suzdal, Kostroma, Yaroslavl, Rostov Veliky or Borlsoglebsky and Sergiev Posad back to Moscow. I know there are buses that leave every 30mins from Vladimir to Suzdal, but I can't find much information on getting around the rest of these places. I would like to overnight in two places other than Vladimir. I'm on a bit of a budget so I don't really want to do one of the private tours. Any information on getting around via public transport would be greatly appreciated. (can't drive)1
RG, have a link at my Golden Ring report on this page of the 'sticky' here...it's #78 and from September 2009...http://www.lonelyplanet.com/thorntree/thread.jspa?threadID=1138063&start=75
Covers a lot of the ground you're inquiring about...
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Just reading your post again, Rachel, it's going to be tight to get all that into 4 days/3 nights...remember at that time of year, light will be at a minimum so a lot of your time will be spent travelling in daylight hours on buses (mostly) or trains...You might end up in Suzdal on night one after visiting Vladimir on that day...to get to Kostroma in daylight, you need to be away early on day 2, either direct by direct bus or to Ivanovo for a connection...staying in Kostromo and heading off to Yaroslavl for a look around before taking another bus or train to Veliky Rostov that night...then off the next day to Sergiev Posad for the afternoon before leaving again for Moscow...
As you can see, that's all very perfunctory in regard to getting much exploration time in Suzdal, Kostroma or Rostov Veliky...can be done but not much comfort involved in this timescale...
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HiI would like to ask you the following: I am planning to travel to the Golden Ring last week of March and I would like to rent a car. Do you thing it is a good idea to travel by car on March? Are the roads in good conditions?
And I would like no know which route do you recommend me to do by car in a 5 days travel (4 nights) from Moscow?
Thanks
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Personally I have access to cars when I've been in Russia but I have never chosen to drive and I don't think I would recommend March as the best time to drive unless you have experience with snow, ice and freezing rain. Also have you have experience with reading Cyrillic and with Russian drivers? Better to try to arrange a driver for a day from Vladimir to Suzdal and then take public transport between cities.Which route depends some on your interests. Read the report mentioned above. Were it me, I would travel from Moscow to Vladimir to Suzdal, spend two nights in Suzdal and then return to Moscow. Then I would take the train to either Yaroslavl, spend a night there and then stop in Veliky Rostov or go directly to Veliky Rostov, spend the night and stop in Pereslavl Zalessky and make a day trip to Sergiev Posad.
Ruth
