The high-speed Sapsan train service will be launched on the Moscow – St Petersburg – Moscow route on the 18th December 2009 and ticket sales are now open.

The first journeys will begin at 06:45 in the morning, when two trains will depart simultaneously from Moscow and St Petersburg. The journey time will be 3 hours 45 minutes.

The trains are scheduled to depart from Moscow stations three times daily:
- at 06:45 (arriving at St Petersburg at 10:30)
- at 13:00 (arriving at St Petersburg at 17:15)
- at 19:00 (arriving at St Petersburg at 22:45)

Trains from St Petersburg to Moscow will follow an equivalent timetable (with departures from St Petersburg at 06:45, 13:00, and 19:00).

Each train has 10 carriages, of which two are first class and eight are second class. Basic ticket prices are $185 for first class and $115 for second class. For the first week of the service, from 18 to 25 December, tickets will be sold at a discount.

The price of a first class ticket includes hot food (passengers will have a choice of meals), reading materials, internet access, travel packs (containing ear plugs, eye masks, and slippers) and children’s packs.

Passengers in second class carriages can order hot food from the bistro carriage for additional payment, use the internet, order taxis, and watch and listen to video and audio programmes.