Dear Olga, I have used the 3-rd class with full intention! With my Russia stay 2 years ago I have learned to love travelling in the 3-rd class. - I am close to local fellow-passengers and get very fast contact even as foreigner :-) - It is more simply to stow my couch than in the buisness class :-) - I get a free intensive course in Russian colloquial language :-)) In the 1-st class as foreigner I would travel virtually seperat without contact with locals :-|