Travel / Departures: Bolshoi debut

THE inaugural journey of the Bolshoi Express from St Petersburg to Tashkent will take place on 3 April. The sleeping carriages, which will be pulled for much of the journey by steam locomotives, have mahogany interiors and brass fittings. Cox & Kings (071-834 7472) is offering four tours in 1993: St Petersburg to Tashkent; St Petersburg to the Baltic States; White Nights in Archangel; and Moscow and the Golden Ring. Prices start at pounds 2,095 for a 10-day trip including return air travel, full-board accommodation on the train and bed and breakfast in hotels.