Flying to Europe via Asia with Finnair Business Class

We flew Melbourne-Singapore-Helsinki-London-Helsinki-Hong Kong-Melbourne on a multi-destination ticket. This fare allowed 3 stops so we opted for Helsinki (with St Petersburg only 3.5 hours away on high speed train), London and Hong Kong.
Watch for Business Class sales with Finnair. Unbeatable price. Finnair has other Asian destinations for stopovers. The flight to Hong Hong was a remarkable 9.5 hours. We had a tight connection LHR-HEL-HKG but the Finnair gates were close together.
Helsinki Airport (Vantaa) is expanding. You may have to use a bus rather than a sky bridge to board your plane (e.g. HEL - LHR).
A train station is underneath Terminal 1. Fare to Helsinki Central Station ("Helsingfors" on noticeboard) is 5 euros. Travel time 28 minutes.
On the LHR-HEL leg, the Business cabin was just a curtained-off section with Economy seats, but the middle seats were left vacant so you could stretch out. Service was definitely Business.
On the long haul flights, if you are a tall or large person,you might find the lie-flat beds a wee bit cramped (especially the foot well).

Food in Business Class is plentiful - wholesome/comfort food rather than fancy/fiddly.

 Baked salmon for dinner Singapore-Helsinki

Cameras in the tail and under aircraft make great viewing in A350-900 planes, particularly if you have a middle seat in the plane.

Huge breakfast - but there are other options if you want something light.

Suburban train links directly with airport. Central Station Helsinki is 28 minutes away.

Information screen on board Helsinki-Vantaa train

Finnair Lounges - there are two, one for flights within EU zone, the other for flights beyond

Lunch HEL-LHR

Love the slippers (Large size too) provided on Airbus 350-900

Russian high speed trains

The "Sapsan" takes three and a half hours to travel from Moscow to St Petersburg (over 700 km away). For the cheapest ticket, book with the Russian Railways (RZD) website, 60 days in advance. Avoid third-party ticket sellers (you will pay at least double the price).
"Allegro" (travelling between Helsinki and St Petersburg) is jointly run by Finnish Railways (VR) and RZD. Ticket prices are the same, whether you book with VR or RZD. As of May 2018, prices were as low as 29 Euros (Fri-Sun period).

Sapsan

Comfortable restaurant car on Allegro (St Petersburg - Helsinski

Second Class on Allegro - Why pay double for First Class (Business Class)?

The cheapest and easiest way from Suvarnabhumi Airport to Bangkok CBD

There is a train ever 15-20 mins

Announcements are in Thai and English

Take the airport link train (in Basement) after clearing Customs. The lift is easier if you have lots of luggage but there are escalators also.
You can buy your token from a ticket window. Makkasan Station (connects with Phetchaburi MRT - underground) costs 35 Thai Baht (about US$1). The journey takes 25 minutes. Phaya Thai station is the end of the line (45 baht), this links with BTS Skytrain.

Beat the traffic. View from pedestrian walkway, Phetchaburi MRT top left

MRT map (southbound)

Follow the covered walkway (about 170 metres) to Phetchaburi MRT. This line connects Sukhumvit and Silom Road hotels. Fares start at 16 baht. Ticket machines give change.