Vologda is on the main railway line between Moscow and Arkhangelsk. Trains from Moscow Yaroslavsky station take about 8 hours on the overnight sleeper, which is the most comfortable option; day trains take slightly longer. Several services daily. From St Petersburg, trains run via Cherepovets and take about 10–12 hours.
The railway station (Vologda-1) is about 2 kilometres south of the city centre; taxis and marshrutkas (shared minibuses) connect it to the central embankment area. The station building is a fine example of Soviet-era railway architecture.
By road, Vologda is about 500 km from Moscow on the M8 highway — a 6-7 hour drive in good conditions. Buses from Moscow take about 9 hours and arrive at the bus station near Vologda-1.
Vologda Airport handles a small number of domestic flights to Moscow (Sheremetyevo and Domodedovo), but the rail service is generally faster and more reliable for the Moscow connection.