9u travel baseball bat rules

A Beginner’s Guide to 9U Baseball

The other day I was doing some research on an article that had to do youth baseball and I came across some websites that listed out youth baseball leagues like 9U, 10U, and 11U. As someone who is from a small town, I had heard about these leagues, but the only youth baseball league I remember being available was Little League.

After trying to find out more information about these youth baseball leagues that had a “U” in them, I quickly came to find that there is not much information on the web about these types of leagues. So I decided to learn more about 9U baseball and put together this article for others who have the same question – what is 9U baseball?

In short, 9U baseball is a youth team where kids 9 years old and younger can play baseball. 9U baseball is associated with United States Specialty Sports Association (USSSA), which is a separate organization from other youth baseball leagues, like Little League.

USSSA has its own set of rules around the eligibility of players, how often players can pitch, the distances between bases, and how long a game can last.

Article Contents

Age and Eligibility Rules for 9U Baseball

Base distances and pitching distances for 9u baseball, 9u baseball games are 6 innings or 1 hour and 40 minutes, 9u baseball rules on rest days for pitchers, players are unable to lead off in 9u baseball, 9u players can sometimes steal once the pitch crosses home plate, is 9u baseball coach-pitch, 9u baseball is different than little league.

USSSA has a lot of different leagues that are based on a players’ age, but because all players have different birth dates, USSSA has implemented some rules around what makes a player eligible to play on a 9U team. What is the age cut-off for 9U baseball?

9U baseball can be played by any player under the age of 9, regardless of what grade they are in. If a player turns 10 before May 1st of the current year, they are only eligible if they are in 3rd grade. Any player who turns 11 prior to August 1st of the current year is ineligible for 9U baseball.

This means that it’s possible for a 10-year-old player to play in 9U baseball, but the only way they can be eligible to play 9U is if they are in the 3rd grade and they turned 10 before May 1st of the current year.

This may also lead some parents to wonder, can an 8-year-old play 9U baseball?

In general, an 8-year-old can play 9U baseball. Although each 9U baseball league is slightly different so it’s best to check with that league’s baseball director or check that league’s rules around a player’s eligibility.

In these baseball leagues, “u” stands for “under”. So a 9U league means that any player 9 years of age or younger can participate.

A vast majority of the players in 9U baseball are 9 years old, which means players have not yet fully developed how far they can throw or how fast they can run. Because of this, the distance between bases and the pitching distance is shorter than you would see in a high school, college, or pro baseball game.

How far are the bases in 9U baseball and what is the pitching distance for 9U baseball?

In 9U baseball, the bases are 65 feet apart while the distance from the pitcher’s mound to home plate is 46 feet.

Although the pitching distance is the same between Little League and 9U, the base path distance is slightly different. In Little League, the base paths are 60 feet apart for the same age range .

In general, the older a baseball player gets the longer their games last. How long is a 9U baseball game?

Most 9U baseball games last 6 innings or 1 hour and 40 minutes, whichever comes first. A 9U baseball game has the potential to go beyond 1 hour and 40 minutes, but a new inning is not allowed to be started after 1 hour and 40 minutes have been played.

There is also the possibility of a 9U baseball game ending early due to weather or the mercy run rule .

For a 9U game to end by the mercy rule, one team must be leading by 15 runs after 3 innings or leading by 8 runs after 4 innings.

For a game to be marked as completed due to weather, 3 innings must have been played. If the home team was winning after two and a half innings and the game is called due to weather, the home team will be declared the winner. This works similarly to how a home team does not have to bat in the bottom of the last inning if they are winning.

It is well-known that players can injure themselves if they pitch too much. To help prevent injuries from over-use, USSSA has implemented some rules around how often a pitcher can pitch and how many days of rest they need before they can pitch again. What are the USSSA pitching rules for 9U baseball?

For 9U baseball, pitchers are allowed to pitch the next day if they threw 3 or fewer innings. If a 9U pitcher throws more than 3 innings, they need one full day of rest before they can pitch again. In addition, a 9U pitcher is only allowed to throw a maximum of 8 innings in a 3-day window.

If a pitcher ends up pitching for 8 innings in that 3-day window, they need one full day of rest before they can pitch again.

When thinking about the rules for 9U baseball, one question that always comes to mind is if players are allowed to lead off. Can you lead off in 9U baseball?

In general, players are not allowed to lead off in 9U baseball. Each 9U baseball league is slightly different and there are a handful of 9U baseball leagues that allow players to lead off, but a majority of 9U baseball players are not allowed to take a lead while the pitcher is delivering the pitch.

An example of a 9U baseball league that allows players to lead off is Gameday Sports in South Carolina . These special rules for this 9U baseball league state that players can lead off up to 10 feet, but the player’s feet must remain stationary while the pitcher is delivering the pitch.

An exciting play for a youth ballplayer is when they get to steal, but stealing in 9U baseball has rules that you won’t find in high school, college, or the pros. When can you steal in 9U baseball?

In 9U baseball, players are able to steal if their specific league allows stolen bases. When a 9U league allows stolen bases, players are only allowed to steal once the pitch crosses home plate.

Along with leading-off, the rules around stolen bases vary from league to league. It’s important to check the rulebook for the league to determine whether or not 9U players are allowed to steal bases, but a majority of 9U baseball leagues allow players to steal once the pitch crosses home plate.

Also, if the 9U baseball league is a coach-pitch or a machine-pitch league, stolen bases are never allowed.

Up to the point of 9U baseball, some players may have only played in a coach-pitch league or a machine-pitch league. This leads a lot of parents to wonder if 9U baseball is coach-pitch or is 9U baseball kid-pitch?

In general, 9U baseball is not coach-pitch. At the 9U baseball level, there may be a handful of coach-pitch leagues, but a majority of 9U baseball teams are kid-pitch leagues.

In fact, there are even some kid-pitch teams as early as 7U baseball.

9U baseball is actually different than the divisions in Little League. There are a lot of different youth baseball leagues out there and it’s important to understand which one is which.

In Little League, players who are 9 years old can play in either the “Minor League” division (ages 5-11) or the “Major Divison” (ages 9-12). If a 9-year-old player wants to play on a 9U baseball team, they’ll need to go through a team that is associated with the United States Specialty Sports Association (USSSA) .

Little League allows for individual players to sign-up to play on a team, but USSSA only allows teams to register – not individuals. Both organizations have baseball leagues spread out all over the United States and both organizations allow parents to contact the baseball directors on their website. So parents could always reach out to the baseball director in their area to inquire about baseball teams for their 9-year-old.

Steve Nelson

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Little League Bat Rules: Approved Sizes, Changes & Regulations

When it comes to Little League, it is often questioned what kind of bats you are allowed to use at certain levels. Since 2018, it is required that all divisions of Little League use bats that have a USA 1.15 BPF stamp, and the barrel diameter cannot exceed 2 5/8-inches. However, BBCOR bats can be used in the Intermediate, Junior League and Senior League Divisions. It is important to make sure your bat is legal for the division you are in, or of course, you will not be able to use it. So, below we will discuss each of the different divisions and break down the different sizes of bats that are allowed for each one.

• Little League Divisions
• Little League Bat Size Chart

Little League Bat FAQs

What are little league divisions.

Little League has divisions of play for all children, ages 4-16. Depending on the child’s age, they will fall into a certain division, which will require a bat that must meet a certain size requirement. Each division and their specific bat size requirements can be found below.

Tee Ball (Ages 4-7)

All Tee Ball bats must feature the USA Baseball stamp accompanied by the following text, ONLY FOR USE WITH APPROVED TEE BALLS, in order to be legal for Little League. Additionally, Tee Ball bats may only be 26-inches in length and shorter.

Minor League (Ages 5-11)

All youth baseball bats used in the Minor League division of Little League must not exceed 33-inches in length and cannot have a barrel diameter larger than 2 5/8-inches. Also, they must have the USA certified stamp, however, solid one-piece wood barrel bats do not require a USA Baseball logo. Lastly, approved Tee Ball bats may also be used for Coach Pitch and Machine Pitch Minor Divisions only with the use of approved Tee Balls.

Major Division (Ages 9-12)

The Major League division is very similar to the Minor League division, the only difference is the age range of the players allowed to play in the league. All youth baseball bats that are used in the Major League division of Little League must not exceed 33-inches in length and cannot have a barrel diameter larger than 2 5/8-inches. Also, they must have the USA certified stamp, however, solid one-piece wood barrel bats do not require a USA Baseball logo. Lastly, approved Tee Ball bats may also be used for Coach Pitch and Machine Pitch Minor Divisions only with the use of approved Tee Balls.

Intermediate (Ages 12-13)

All youth/junior big barrel bats used in the Intermediate division of Little League must not exceed 34-inches in length and cannot have a barrel diameter larger than 2 5/8-inches. Also, they must have the USA certified stamp, however, solid one-piece wood barrel bats do not require a USA Baseball logo. Lastly, bats meeting BBCOR standard, marked with the certification stamp can be used.

Junior (Ages 12-14)

The Junior division is very similar to the Intermediate division, the only difference is the age range of the players allowed to play in the league. All youth/junior big barrel bats used in the Intermediate division of Little League must not exceed 34-inches in length and cannot have a barrel diameter larger than 2 5/8-inches. Also, they must have the USA certified stamp, however, solid one-piece wood barrel bats do not require a USA Baseball logo. Lastly, bats meeting BBCOR standard, marked with the certification stamp can be used.

Senior League (Ages 13-16)

All bats used in the Senior League, other than solid one-piece wood barrel bats, must be BBCOR baseball bats and feature the BBCOR certification stamp. The bats cannot exceed 36-inches in length, must not have a barrel diameter larger than 2 5/8-inches, and must have a length to weight ratio of drop 3 (-3).

Little League Bat Rules Chart

Each division of Little League has its own set of guidelines and limitations when it comes to bat size and required certification stamps, displayed in the chart below.

How can you tell a bat is approved for play?

Little League requires all bats to have the USA certification. Some divisions can use bats that have the BBCOR certification stamp. The table above highlights all approval requirements for each division. If anything is unclear, it is always recommended to reach out to your league administration to make sure your bat is indeed approved for play.

Are there size, weight and drop limits by division?

Each division has its own size limits, mostly in length and barrel diameter of the bat. Weight and drop limits are only required in Senior League where BBCOR bats are required. Each division’s size limits can be found in the chart above.

Are wood bats allowed for play in Little League?

Solid, one-piece wood bats that adhere to Little League’s regulations will be allowed for play, and do not require a USA baseball certified stamp. Any multi-piece wood bat must have the USA stamp to be approved for play.

Let BaseballMonkey Help with Little League Bats!

Now that you’ve read through the rules for Little League baseball bats, it’s time to get out there and play! Come by your local MonkeySports superstore for expert advice in all thing’s baseball and to get an in-person look at our bat selection, or, you can always shop baseball bats on our website!

This article was originally published on November 6, 2019, and has been updated with new information.

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Best Bat for 9 Year Old

Nine years old is a tough time to find the perfect bat. On one hand your player is growing and won’t need a bat for too long, on another many 9 year olds are starting to take baseball pretty seriously and the right bat can make all the difference for that travel ball or all star team. Yet, still, spending a small fortune on a top end bat that will last much longer than he will is a tough call.

We suggest, if you’re very serious about baseball and fastpitch at 9, you go for the best on this list. Then, look to sell your bat in the secondary market come next season (or whenever they grow out of it). If you’re playing rec and just figureing things out we suggest you stick with the less expensive options as it won’t matter that much. If your child just needs a bat for this year and you want to give them a legitimate option then go for the less expensive ones.

With the vast majority of 2023 bats hit with we updated this article to reflect the best bats we found for 9 year olds. We also added information from our bat size chart survey data.

Best Bat for 9 Year Old Write Ups

What is the right bat size.

The average 9U should be swinging an 18 ounce bat . There are two measurements in a baseball bat: the DROP and the LENGTH. The recommended drop is stated in the chart above. The length is dependent upon your child’s height and strength. Generally speaking, there are few 9 year olds who should be swinging anything more than a 29 inch bat. Some can swing a 30 inch. The only real way to tell is to try it out. But on the whole, we’d suggest the average 9 year old get a 29 inch bat. If he’s much bigger than average then go 30.

See our full bat size chart here .

Here’s the full chart of 9 year old bat size responses.

Most 2020 bats are released and we’ve hit with them. We don’t expect any big surprises to occur in the bat space in the short run. Of course, as always, expect big manufacturers to come up with some limited edition or colorways as the holidays get closer for 2019. But, aside from that, there shouldn’t be considerable changes in the best bat for 9U through the 2020 season. Expect most changes to occur during the late summer of 2020.

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Playing rules not covered in the Travelball Select Internet version on www.travelballselect.com revert to the Official Rules of Major League Baseball by Triumph Books or the online MLB rules at  http://mlb.mlb.com/mlb/official_info/official_rules/foreword.jsp .

Local and State Directors have the right to adjust rules for local and state play with the approval from Travelball Select.

• THE PLAYING FIELD

Table 1 describes the recommended mound height, rubber-to-plate, base-to-base, and fence distances for each age division. The rubber-to-plate distance is measured from the rear of home plate to the front of the pitching rubber or coach’s pitching plate.

Table 1. Recommended playing field dimensions Age Division Mound Height Rubber-to- Plate Distance Base-to-Base Distance Recommended Fence Distance

8U Kid Pitch 40’ 60’ 9U 46’ 65’  10U 46’ 65’  11U 50’ 70’  12U 50’ 70’   13U 60’ 90’  13U 54’ 80’  14U 60’ 90’ 

• UNIFORMS AND EQUIPMENT
• Players must be uniformed with proper baseball attire. It is recommended that the numbers are at least 4” in height on all jerseys. Only the director can make rulings on uniform legality. No one can protest uniforms.
• All offensive players participating in a TbS Baseball event must wear a double ear flapped helmet while on the playing field. This includes bat boys and bat girls while performing their duties. Youth coaches under 18 years of age must adhere to this standard.
• If the umpire observes any violation of these rules, he or she directs the violation to be corrected.
• The catcher must wear a head protector, body protector, protective cup, shin guards, and a mask with a throat protector. The throat protector, which is part of or attached to the mask, must adequately protect him. The helmet must have full ear protection. The head, face, dual ear flaps, and throat protector can be one piece.
• No Metal Cleats are allowed at Elizabethtown or The Shipyard.
• Bats must be made of an approved material, and they must be smooth and round.
• Bats must be certified by the manufacturer to meet a Bat Performance Factor of 1.15 or less.
• BBCOR bats will be required in the 14u division.
• For 13U bats will be restricted to a -5 ratio or heavier. (The weight of the bat in ounces as compared to its length in inches, must be no greater than 5).
• Penalty – the bat will be removed from the playing field by the umpire and the manager of the team will be warned against further use. If the illegal bat is discovered after the end of the play, and the play results in the batter/runner safely reaching first base, the batter/runner will be declared out and all runners must return to the last base legally occupied prior to the play. No run may score on this play. Any out that results on the play will stand. On a second offense, the above penalties will apply and the manager of the offending team will be removed from the field and will be prohibited from managing for the remainder of the game.
• A batter using an altered bat is declared out, and all runners return to the base occupied at the time of the pitch. A batter is deemed to have used or attempted to use an illegal bat if the player brings such a bat into the batter’s box. Any out or outs made during the play stand.
• Name will supersede number with regards to the official lineup.
• A flip of a coin between the two teams determines the home team for each pool play game. For bracket play games, the highest seed is home team.
•  Age clarification 

*9U Division Players who turn 10 prior to May 1 of the current season are not eligible unless they are in the 3rd grade. Also, any player turning 11 prior to May 1 will not be eligible. Players who are 9U eligible are eligible for this division regardless of grade.

*10U Division Players who turn 11 prior to May 1 of the current season are not eligible unless they are in the 4th grade. Also, any player turning 12 prior to May 1 will not be eligible. Players who are 10U eligible are eligible for this division regardless of grade.

*11U Division Players who turn 12 prior to May 1 of the current season are not eligible unless they are in the 5th grade. Also, any player turning 13 prior to May 1 will not be eligible. Players who are 11U eligible are eligible for this division regardless of grade.

*12U Division Players who turn 13 prior to May 1 of the current season are not eligible unless they are in the 6th grade. Also, any player turning 14 prior to May 1 will not be eligible. Players who are 12U eligible are eligible for this division regardless of grade.

*13U Division Players who turn 14 prior to May 1 of the current season are not eligible unless they are in the 7th grade. Also, any player turning 15 prior to May 1 will not be eligible. Players who are 13U eligible are eligible for this division regardless of grade.

*14U Division Players who turn 15 prior to May 1 of the current season are not eligible unless they are in the 8th grade. Also, any player turning 16 prior to May 1 will not be eligible. Players who are 14U eligible are eligible for this division regardless of grade.

• Time Limits
• All 8u games will be six (6) innings with a 1:30 time limit. No inning will start after this time. 2:05 time limit in the championship game.
• All 9u thru 12u games will be six (6) innings with a 1:45 time limit. No inning will start after this time. 2:20 time limit in the championship round. 
• All 13u games will be seven (7) innings with a 2 hour time limit. No inning will start after this time. 2:30 time limit in the championship round. 
• If a team uses a lineup that contains 10 players, the player in the EH position, while not actually playing a defensive position, is treated as such for substitution purposes.
• Any team that is not roster batting should declare all eligible substitutes by noting them as such on the official lineup that is exchanged with the opposing team and/or home plate umpire at the beginning of the game. Players not listed as eligible substitutes but appear legally on the online roster will be considered legal substitutes.
• If a team chooses to roster bat, then all players other than the nine defensive position players are extra hitters and can move freely in defensive positions.
• If a team is batting all present, uniformed players, with no eligible substitutes listed on the lineup card, and the number of players is nine or 10, that team is considered to be roster batting for the purposes of defensive substitutions and courtesy runners, unless the coach has specifically declared otherwise at the pregame plate conference.
• If additional players arrive after the game has started, those players are placed at the end of the batting order. If the coach declares at the pregame plate conference that he is not roster batting, the late players are listed on the lineup as eligible substitutes. (See Rule C.7)
• For teams that are not roster batting, starting players can withdraw and re-enter once (including designated hitters, for age divisions that allow them), provided that the players re-enter in their original position in the batting lineup.
• Teams can start a game with eight players provided they take an out for the ninth player. Teams must have a minimum of eight players to start a game. If the lineup drops below eight players, the game is declared a suspended game and is not rescheduled. The suspended game is then ruled a forfeit by the tournament or league director. Umpires have no authority to forfeit a game.
• Teams having eight players to start a game are automatically the visiting team.
• If a team’s ninth player arrives late to the game, the manager of that team must make an announcement at the plate conference before the game begins and advise both the plate umpire and the opposing team that he or she has a player that will be arriving late. When the player arrives, the player is announced to both the plate umpire and the opposing team and is placed in the ninth position in the batting order. The game resumes as if he or she was there at the start of the game. Until the player arrives, an out is recorded in the ninth position.
• If roster batting, players arriving after the game has started are added to the bottom of the batting lineup. If batting nine, or ten with an EH, players arriving after the game has started are legal substitutes as provided in rule C.2 above.
• If a player is removed from the game for illness or injury there will be an out recorded for his spot in the batting order (subject to rule 9).
• If a team drops below nine players due to illness or injury, an automatic out is recorded.
• If a team drops below nine eligible players due to an ejection or any reason other than illness or injury and leaves the game, an automatic out is declared in the batting order position of the player that left the game unless there is an eligible substitute.
• If a team drops below eight players for any reason, the game is ruled a forfeit by the tournament or league director and is not rescheduled.
• If roster batting, the ejected player’s position in the lineup shall be declared an out
• If batting 9 or 10 with EH, the ejected player may be replaced by an eligible substitute. If there are no eligible substitutes available, the position in the order shall be declared out.
• . A player that has left the game for any reason by missing an at bat cannot return to the game, except under rule C.12.
• Any player, coach, or umpire who is visibly bleeding must leave the field of play to stop the bleeding. When the bleeding has stopped and the injury is bandaged (if necessary), the player may return. 
• A hitter can be designated (not mandatory) for any one starting player and all subsequent substitutes for that player.
• A starting defensive player cannot be listed as the designated hitter in the starting lineup.
• Failure to declare a designated hitter prior to the game precludes the use of the designated hitter during the game.
• The defensive player or any previous defensive player for whom the designated hitter subsequently bats, pinch-hits or pinch-runs for the designated hitter.
• The designated hitter or any previous designated hitter assumes a defensive position.
• A regulation game consists of six innings for age divisions 12U and below and seven innings for age divisions 13U and over, unless the game is shortened due to time limit, mercy rule, or field conditions or extended by extra innings due to tie.  Game clock starts after home-plate meeting.
• 15 runs after three innings, or two-and-one-half innings (if the home team is ahead).
• 10 runs after four innings, or three-and–one-half innings (if the home team is ahead).
• 8 runs after five innings, or four-and-one-half innings (if the home team is ahead).
• If the home team has run-ruled the visiting team, the game is declared complete, and the winner is named.
• If eligible, a courtesy runner can be used any time for the pitcher or catcher of record only. A courtesy runner is defined as a player not currently active in the lineup. If roster batting, the courtesy runner is the player with last the recorded out. The courtesy runner does not have to be a legal substitute, but must be on the online roster and should be listed on the lineup card. The courtesy runner can only run for one player per inning. If batting 9 or 10, a pinch runner is defined as a LEGAL substitution for any runner other than the pitcher or catcher of record. If roster batting, pinch running is not legal as there are no legal substitutes and all players are in the active lineup.
• In all live pitch divisions, an intentional walk is granted upon request.
• Any outs recorded during a game once it is ruled a forfeit count toward the pitcher’s recorded outs.
• If a runner slides, he or she must slide directly into the bag.
• Runners are never required to slide, but if a runner elects to slide, the slide must be legal.
• If a tag play is imminent, the runner should slide or seek to avoid contact. Jumping over a player is not considered avoiding contact.
• PENALTY: The player initiating malicious contact is removed from the game. Note: There can be a collision where both players go head over heels that is not malicious contact. The key for malicious contact is intent. Umpires must ask themselves when making the call, “Did the runner deliberately or intentionally run into the fielder to break up the play or cause harm to the fielder?” If the answer is yes, then you have malicious contact, if the answer is no, then it is a clean play and you have nothing. Umpires must be careful when making this call to avoid ejecting players if the intent is not there. Keep in mind that the younger ages are just learning the game, and sometimes there is contact by the runner not sliding and running into the catcher. Remember, the key word is intent.
• If a defensive player is obstructing the runner (judgment call by the umpire), contact by the runner is not illegal unless it is malicious.
• If a game is called due to weather or other hazardous conditions, it is ruled an official game provided three and one half innings have been completed if the home team is ahead or four innings if the home team is behind for seven-inning games. It is ruled an official game provided two and one half innings have been completed if the home team is ahead or three innings if the home team is behind for six-inning games.
• Slashing is NOT ALLOWED. The batter will be declared out on the attempt. The ball will become dead immediately, the batter declared out and all runners will return to original base.
• All games stopped by an event official for weather or other reasons before the game is declared official are suspended games.
•   Should a championship game be interrupted by weather conditions, darkness or unusual conditions and is not an official game as described above, then the championship game will be determined by the score at the end of the last full inning of play, regardless of length. If the score is tied after the last completed inning or the 1st inning of the game is not completed, the higher seed shall be named champion.
• PITCHING RULES AND LIMITATIONS

Teams are strongly encouraged to follow the USA Pitch Smart guidelines that are displayed below. 

TbS Tournaments officials will not police these, they are simply guidelines to take care of your pitchers’ arms.

• A second trip to the same pitcher in the same inning causes the pitcher’s automatic removal from the mound (not the game).
• When a pitcher takes his or her position at the beginning of each inning, or when he or she relieves another pitcher, he or she is permitted warm-up pitches, not to exceed eight preparatory pitches to the catcher or coach.
• A pitcher removed from the pitching position cannot return to the pitching position during a game, but can re-enter to any other position
• Balks are enforced in all divisions where there are no restrictions on stealing.
• The balk will be a dead ball.
• A new rule that MLB posted in their 2013 MLB Rule book will be enforced by TbS. If there is a runner, or runners, it is a balk when—

The pitcher, while touching his plate, feints a throw to first or third base and fails to complete the throw; A pitcher is to step directly toward a base before throwing to that base and is required to throw (except to second base) because he steps. It is a balk if, with runners on first and third, the pitcher steps toward third and does not throw, merely to bluff the runner back to third; then seeing the runner on first start for second, turn and step toward and throw to first base. It is legal for a pitcher to feint a throw to second base.

• 8U PLAYER PITCH GUIDELINES AND REGULATIONS
• There are nine defensive players on the field.
• There are no lead-offs until the ball crosses the plate.
• No balks are enforced or called.
• Runners must stay on the base when the pitcher is in the pitching position and the catcher is in the catching position. If the runner leaves the base early, the umpire places the runner back on the last base occupied unless the runner was put out. This is not an appealable play. If forced, the runner advances one base ahead of the batter-runner. If the ball is put into play, the defense has the option of taking the play or placing the runner or runners back on base and the batter back in the batter’s box.
• The infield fly rule applies
• There is no advancement on dropped third strikes.
• The runner cannot steal home. The only way the runner can advance from third to home is if batted or forced home. If the defense fields the ball and attempts a play on a runner, the runner MAY attempt to advance home.
• Guidelines for Participants

The umpires handle unsportsmanlike conduct if the unsportsmanlike conduct is on the field of play. If an umpire has a problem with a fan or parent, the umpire should see the manager of the offending team and have the manager handle the situation. If the manager fails to handle the situation, then the umpire addresses the tournament official. TbS Baseball expresses the need for sportsmanship before, during, and after all events.

• Guidelines for Protest

If a team protests, the manager must notify the home plate umpire, and the umpire summons the tournament director to the field to address the protest. The protest fee is $100 in cash. The fee is returned if the protest is ruled in favor of the protesting team. Judgment calls cannot be protested. All protests MUST be done at time of alleged infraction or if it’s the last play of the game it MUST be done BEFORE the umpires leave the field.

• Guidelines for Ejections
• When a manager, player, coach, or trainer is ejected from the game, he or she can take no further part of that game.
• All ejections from games mandate that the individual(s) ejected must exit the park directly after the ejection is made.
• If an individual is ejected, that person must serve a 1-game suspension. 

TbS Baseball expresses good sportsmanship first and foremost.

• Guidelines for Suspension and Dismissal

Any member of a TbS Baseball Event behaving in an unsportsmanlike manner can be subject to dismissal or suspension.

• Any verbal or physical attack on any TbS Baseball participant or member during a TbS Baseball event or following a TbS Baseball event can result in suspension or dismissal.
• Any player of TbS Baseball receiving compensation for playing in any TbS Baseball event is subject to suspension or dismissal.
• Any player competing under an assumed name or illegal birth certificate or ID card could result in suspension or permanent dismissal. This rule also applies to coaches and managers who have previous knowledge of such infraction.
• Submitting an insufficient check to an event director or league official can result in suspension or dismissal of the team if payment cannot be settled within a reasonable time frame.
• Any suspended member of TbS Baseball is not allowed to participate in any TbS Baseball event until such suspension is lifted. This rule applies to players, umpires, coaches, and directors.
• All records of suspension must be submitted to all parties involved including TbS Baseball in a timely manner.
• All suspended or dismissed parties have the right to present evidence and information on the reported infraction on their behalf within 7 days of notification of the suspension or dismissal. This evidence must be reviewed within thirty days by TbS Baseball.
• Extra-Inning/Pool Tie Breakers

If a game is tied after all regular innings are complete or at the end of the time-limit, teams will start the additional innings with the last batted out on second base, with no outs and a 0-0 count. Teams will continue to do this, each inning, until a winner is declared. 

Tie breakers go as follows:

• Head-to-head
• Runs Allows
• Run Differential (8 run max per game)

The following bats have been banned for play in  TBS events beginning June 1, 2017. This will also include the “re-tooled” versions as well.

WTDXCBR 2129-17 2017 CF Zen Balanced 2 5/8″ (-8) – 29″/21 oz

WTDXCBR 2230-17 2017 CF Zen Balanced 2 5/8″ (-8)  – 30″/22 oz

WTDXCBR 2331-17 2017 CF Zen Balanced 2 5/8″ (-8)  – 31″/23 oz

WTDXCBR 2432-17 2017 CF Zen Balanced 2 5/8″ (-8)  – 32″/24 oz

WTDXCBZ 1828-17 2017 CF Zen SL 2 3/4″ (-10) – 28″ /18 oz

WTDXCBZ 1929-17 2017 CF Zen SL 2 3/4″ (-10) – 29″ /19 oz

WTDXCBZ 2030-17 2017 CF Zen SL 2 3/4″ (-10) – 30″ /20 oz

WTDXCBZ 2131-17 2017 CF Zen SL 2 3/4″ (-10) – 31″ /21 oz

WTDXCBZ 2232-17 2017 CF Zen SL 2 3/4″ (-10) – 32″ /22 oz

WTDXCBZ 1929-17F1 2017 CF Zen Zero Dark  2 3/4″ (-10) – 29″ /19 oz

WTDXCBZ 2030-17F1 2017 CF Zen Zero Dark 2 3/4″ (-10) – 30″ /20 oz

WTDCCBZ17V Custom 2017 CF Zen 2 3/4″ (-10)

WTDCCBR17V Custom 2017 CF Zen Balanced (-8) 2020 Meta (-3) Louisville Slugger

PETS ARE NOT ALLOWED AT THE SHIPYARD OR THE ELIZABETHTOWN SPORTS PARK. PLEASE LEAVE THEM HOME!

SMOKING IS NOT ALLOWED INSIDE THE SHIPYARD OR THE ELIZABETHTOWN SPORTS PARK.

Inclement Weather Policy

3 game guarantee 

0 games played 100% credit to a future Athletx Sports Group event. 1 game played 50% credit to a future Athletx Sports Group event. 2 games played, NO credit will be issued.

4 game guarantee

0 games played 100% credit to a future Athletx Sports Group event. 1 game played 66% credit to a future Athletx Sports Group event. 2 games played 50% credit to a future Athletx Sports Group event credit will be issued. 3 games or more, NO credit will be issued.

The tournament reserves the right to reformat the event if necessary. The tournament also reserves the right to deem any game that has been suspended, a complete game as long as it meets the complete game requirements

Travel Baseball

2024 indoor practice schedule, travel baseball picture schedule, travel baseball handbook and commitment form, 2024 baseball registration.

Please click the link below to register for Legion Baseball. All other levels are now closed.

• 2024 Travel Teams
• 14U & 15U

2024 Parent's Meeting

Please click on the document image below to download the Parent Meeting Slides. 

2024 Parent Meeting Slides

Mbl/mbt liability and waiver form, bat standards for 2024 (no change from 2022).

The MBL/MBT will allow the use of both USA and USSSA approved stamped bats in our leagues as well as in tournament play. The following bat regulations will be in place:

Bats -  The following pertains to the legality of bats in the MBL/MBT.

9-11U  - Maximum diameter at the thickest part: 2 1/4", 2 1/2”, 2 5/8” or 2 ¾”   with UNLIMITED weight differential and a USSSA or USA mark and meet Bat Performance Standards.

12-13U  - Maximum diameter at the thickest part: 2 1/4" or less with UNLIMITED weight differential and a USSSA or USA mark and meet Bat Performance Standards.

12-13U  - Maximum diameter at the thickest part: 2 1/2", 2 5/8”, or 2 ¾” barrel with minus 10 weight differential and a USSSA or USA mark and meet Bat Performance Standards.

14U  -    Maximum diameter at the thickest part: 2 3/4" or less barrel with a maximum minus 5 weight differential with USSSA or USA mark and  meet  Bat Performance Standards. (This includes 14/15A Division)

15U  - Maximum diameter at the thickest part: 2 5/8" or less with a minus 3 weight differential and be BBCOR approved. 

Any age can use BBCOR stamped bats

WOOD BATS ALLOWED AT ALL AGES

In length :…………………………...36" or less

Welcome to P.L.A.Y. Travel Baseball!

The P.L.A.Y Travel Baseball Program is part of the Metro Baseball League (MBL) .  

The traveling baseball program opportunity is available to 9U-14U age level players.  As these players prepare for varsity level play, we are planning to give them the opportunity to play against surrounding communities in league play and tournament play.  Players will tryout and then if selected for a team be placed on a team's roster (approximately 12 players per team).  Board members and selected head coaches work together to determine the final team rosters.  Each team position is filled on its roster and teams competing at the same level are evenly balanced between the teams i.e. two AA or two A teams.  

Travel registration fees all include a tryout fee. If a player does not make a travel team all fees except the tryout fee will be applied to In-House registration and the difference refunded automatically. 

KEY NOTES : All TRAVEL players must sign up for the grade they are currently in.

Travel Baseball is for players that want to play in a game one or two nights a week in addition to practicing one or two nights a week. They will also be in between 4-9 weekend tournaments during the summer depending on age. These teams will play neighboring communities as well as possible travel further for scheduled league games. These teams have limited numbers and are determined through a tryout of skills. The number of teams at each age level will depend on tryouts. To play travel baseball is a big commitment and to understand the competition level is higher and players and families need to be prepared to commit to baseball as the in season sport.

-We are all Lakers!

Assistant Director of Travel Baseball

Director of Travel Baseball

Shop for P.L.A.Y. Baseball Apparel!

Plhs baseball, scoreboard app.

CHOOSING THE CORRECT BAT SIZE

Baseball bats can be very expensive and a properly sized bat is critical to success.

Please take the time to understand the differences in bat types, lengths, and weights.

Some baseball bat retailers and some websites provide insight into things you should consider when selecting a properly sized bat.

Some very general information relative to proper bat sizing (length only) is available in this chart.

USA stamped and certified bats only.  

Playing Time Requirements

Dispute resolution and 24 hour rule policy, p.l.a.y. - 24-hour rule guidance.

• Tryout Results/Team Placement
• Playing Time
• Player Positioning
• Coaching Strategy/Tactics
• Conflicts with Teammates
• Umpires/Officials/Referees

Lax Lingo: The “24-Hour” Rule

This is a reminder of the important bat regulation changes happening in 2022.  The governing body for our traveling baseball  teams, MBL/MBT, is adopting the new USA Baseball bat regulations.  These bats will have the USA Baseball stamp on them.  The USSSA stamped bats WILL NO LONGER BE LEGAL TO USE IN ANY MBL/MBT GAME. 

LBA WILL BE REQUIRING USA BASEBALL CERTIFIED BATS STARTING WITH ALL 2018 TRAVELING PRACTICES.

FOR TRAVEL TRYOUTS, PLAYERS CAN USE BATS DEEMED LEGAL WITH THE 2022 SEASON OR THE NEW 2022 BATS.

Refer to the MBL website for the new MBL/MBT bat rules .

Lakeville South Travel Director

Reid Schulz

Lakeville North Travel Director

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Bat Standards

As a result of the Gopher State Advisory Meeting, the Gopher State Baseball League will continue to use the USSSA bat standard for the 2024 season.

Please note that according to the USSSA bat standards, USA bats will also be legal to use in competition. 

BAT STANDARDS

For 2024 Season

9-14 Year Olds

Big Barrel Bats  (2 5/8" or 2 3/4"-  14u & Below ) - Only those big barrel bats made by approved USSSA or USA licensed manufacturers that are either...

(1)  Made with the USSSA or USA Mark (see image); or

(2)  Is a qualified BBCOR bat; or

(3)  Is Wood

Small Barrel Bats  (2-1/4" in diameter or less) - Only those small barrel bats made by approved USSSA or USA licensed manufacturers that are either...

(2)  Is Wood

Small Barrel Bat Comment:  The above includes Tee Ball bats that are longer than 23 inches in length. Tee Ball bats 23 inches and shorter in length from approved USSSA licensed manufacturers will continue to be allowed without the NEW or Old USSSA marks.

15-19 Year Olds

Big Barrel Bats  (2 5/8" or 2 3/4")

Rule 1-3-2: the bat which may be a wood or non-wood product shall be a smooth implement, from the top of the cap to the top of the knob. All non-wood bats shall meet the Batted Ball Coefficient or Restitution (BBCOR) performance standard, and such bats shall be labeled with a silk screen or other permanent certification mark.

MYAS/GOPHER STATE/NORTH STAR BAT GUIDELINES

Listed below are bat specifications for 9-19 year old teams participating in any MYAS/Gopher State/North Star baseball programs. This specification is in addition to the USSSA Bat Performance Standards which include USA bats. All bats must include the USSSA Mark, USA Mark OR is a qualified BBCOR bat and also MUST follow the size and/or weight differential listed in the chart below.

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Tournament Rules

All USABL Rules Apply with the exception of the below additions. -- Click here to view the other USABL Rules.

• 9U , 10U , 11U, 12U  TOURNAMENTS ONLY will be permitted to use 1.15 BPF certification bats. Please note this does not apply to 12u (New 13s)
• 7U  - USA Standard Bats (No Tee Ball Bats allowed)
• 8U - USA Standard Bats (No Tee Ball Bats allowed)
• 9U - Any bat with USA or USSSA  stamped back (except if listed below)
• 10U- Any bat with USA or USSSA stamped back (except if listed below)
• -3 BBCOR and 1 piece solid wood bats are also allowed
• -3 BBCOR and 1 piece solid wood bats are also allowed
• 12U (new 13s) Fall -- Any bat with USA or USSSA Stamped back (except if listed). -3 BBCOR and Solid Wood are allowed.
• 13U - -3 BBCOR or solid wood bat
• 14U - -3 BBCOR  or solid wood bat
• 15U - -3 BBCOR or solid wood bat
• 16U - -3 BBCOR or solid wood bat
• 17U/18u -Wood Bat
• 2017 USSSA DeMarini 2 3/4 Drop 10 (blue/white)* 
• 2017 USSSA DeMarini 2 5/8 Drop 8 (green/white)* 
• 2018 USA Bats Easton Ghost X 30-inch 
• 2020 BBCOR Slugger Meta 33 33-inch 
• 2018 USSSA Dirty South Bats KAMO (**Sizes)  
• BBCOR Mattingly Balistk  
• BBCOR Nike CX2  
• BBCOR Slugger TPX Dynasty  
• BBCOR Marucci CAT 5^2  
• BBCOR Reebok TLS  
• BBCOR Marucci Black 
• League play will not follow this rule. View League Rules
• Birth Certificates/Proof Of Birth (REQUIRED): All players on your roster are required to carry some sort of proof of birth, typically a passport or birth certificate. If no proof can be provided on a player challenge, that player must be removed from the game, until proven eligible with USABL.  If USABL deems that you have an ineligible player it will be an automatic forfeit.
• 46/60 and 50/70:    No new inning after 1:40
• 60/90: No new inning after 1:50
• Extra Innings:  If the time has not expired teams will play extra innings until time expires. Games can end in a tie in pool play.
• Playoffs Time Limit:  Same as pool play. If still tied after the time limited has expired we will use the playoff tiebreaker (See Below)
• 46/60 and 50/70:    No New Inning after 2:10. Tournament directors reserve the right adjust this.
• 60/90:   No New Inning after 2:20.
• If tied after the time limited has expired we will use the playoff tiebreaker (See Below)
• Tournament directors reserve the right adjust the time limit.
•  The higher seed will be the home team. 
• Playoff Tie Breaker After Time Has Expired -  You will start the inning with bases loaded and 1 one out. The three previous batters to the lead-off man of that inning will occupy bases in order. Eg; with the 7th hitter leading off, batters 6-5-4 will occupy the bases in order from 1st to 3rd base. The game will resume and continue every inning like this until one team is ahead at the end of a complete inning.
• Head to Head
• Fewest Runs Allowed
• Runs Scored
• Highest single-game run differential. 
• Lowest single-game runs allowed.
• Highest single-game runs scored. 
• When all tied teams have played each other and one team has beaten ALL the other tied teams without a loss, that team will be awarded the playoff spot. All teams must have played each other to use this.
• Home/Away team: A coin flip by the umpire will determine home teams for all pool play games. In playoff rounds, the higher seed will be the home team.
• Dugout assignment: The team traveling the farthest will occupy the first base dugout. If there is a dispute the umpire or on site director will choose dugout assignments for the teams.
• Between Innings warm up time limit: Teams are limited to 2 minutes between innings to warm up. The 2 minutes starts after the last out in the previous inning. A coach or another player should be prepared to warm up your pitcher if needed.
• 8 Run Rule will be in effect for all games including playoff rounds and championship games. All field sizes after 5 innings.
• 10 Run Rule will be in effect for all games including playoff rounds and championship games. 10 runs after 4 innings on all field sizes
• 15 Run Rule will be in effect for all games including playoff and championship rounds. 15 runs after 3 innings.
• If home team is ahead and time has expired the game is over. The inning is not finished.
• 8U Only: Maximum of 5 runs per inning for the 1st, 2nd and 3rd inning only. The 4th, 5th and 6th will be unlimited runs
• 8U Only:  8U teams can steal 3rd base ONLY. Runners cannot steal 2nd base or home under any circumstance. The runner cannot advance home on a passed ball, wild pitch, overthrow back to the pitcher or overthrow on a play at 3rd. There is no limit on steals per inning.
• 7U Only : 4 outfielders at 7U is allowed
• Speed up rule: A runner for the catcher or pitcher can be used anytime. Runners should be a player not in the batting order at the time, if available, or the last batted out. When pitchers or catchers are the last batted out, they will not be obligated to run, and the last batted out prior to them can be used. Runners are for the pitcher/catcher coming into the game next inning. Speed up rule is mandatory with 2 outs. The catcher is defined as the player who will be catching in the following inning.
• No pre-game practice will be allowed on the infield. Practice prior to the game will be limited to the outfield.
• All players must play in at least 1 pool play game to qualify for the playoff or championship games.
• If it is a 3 game minimum and the 3rd game is your playoff game we will count that as a pool play game.
• How to submit your roster - View Here
• In the case of injuries or last minute adds, players added to the roster must be submitted to USABL in writing prior to your teams 3rd game (3 game min.)
• Score Reporting: The official scoring for the game will be submitted by the umpires to the tournament director. Both teams are asked to keep score in their own books.
• Frazier Elite World Series and any showcase tournaments will be allowed a roster of 20 players.
• Awards: Only the winner of the tournament will receive awards. There are no awards for second place.
• Rain Out Policy: In case of inclement weather we will follow the below refund policy *(Game minimums refer to the start of the weekend and will not be adjusted due to any changes of tournament format etc...)
• 0 Games Played - Full Credit or Refund less $50 Admin Fee
• 1 Game Played - 60% Refund or Credit
• 2 Games Played - $100 Credit towards another USABL event (League, Tournament, Camp) or $50 towards your original payment method
• 3 Games Played - No Credit
• 1 Game Played - 50% Refund or Credit
• 2 Games Played - No Credit
• Playoffs to be based off winning % since some not all teams are playing an equal amount of games. 
• If multiple teams have 100% winning percentage but a different number of wins than the team with the most wins will be presumed a better seed than the other team.  For example, 2-0 is presumed better than 1-0.
• 1-0 is better than 1-0-1
• 1-0-1 is better than 1-1
• 0-1 vs. 0-2 seeding placement we would go to average runs allowed per game.
• In the event teams have the same winning percentage but different records, the tiebreaker will default to the team with more wins - 1-1 is better than 0-0-1
• Please note whenever a wildcard game is present in the bracket (0-0) would default to those spots first. Example: 8 vs. 9 seed winner advances to play 1 seed.
• Multiple teams at (0-0) will result in a coin flips flip for seeding position.

How to upload your tournament roster

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ILLINOIS TRAVEL BASEBALL LEAGUE

ILTBL Rules / Downloads

2024 ILTBL Rules

Grognard.com: Wargames on the Web

Learning how to play wargames.

It's easy to learn how to play Battle for Moscow . Print the counters, map and charts and examine them. With these at hand, print and read the rules . The rules tell you how to play the game, and they also tell you how to learn the game. Once you've read them, you're ready to play. You may not play too well first time, but keep at it. Each time you play, you become more familiar with the rules.

Now that you know how to play the game, the next step is to learn how to play it well. One of the best ways to do this is to play the game several times, trying different approaches each time until you find one that works best for you. While there's no one "best" way to win, there are several principles (similar to those that military commanders follow) to keep in mind for better play:

Please report any problems with this page (bfm/learn.html).

• Tour Account ›
• Travel Forum ›
• Travel Forum
• Independent Trave...

Independent Travel to Moscow and St. Petersburg

My wife and I have traveled independently to many European countries and, after reading many of the comments in this forum, feel like we may be able to do so in Moscow and St. Petersburg as well, although we feel somewhat less comfortable than the other countries where we have traveled in Europe.

My biggest question is how much we will miss by visiting the main sites without a tour guide. In the other European countries we have visited on our own we have been comfortable and satisfied with the level of knowledge we have gained by studying and visiting on our own, although we believe a tour guide or tour company in any country would normally be able to provide greater insight than visiting a site on our own, but about in Moscow and St. Petersburg?

Any thoughts would be appreciated.

Unless you speak at least some Russian and read the alphabet it would be difficult without a guide. Very few signs in English especially in Moscow. Also not too many people speak English there.

I visited St Petersburg last Autumn for a protracted period , and did not find it anymore daunting than any other European city . As Ilja says , learning the Cyrillic alphabet is a big plus . I also found that it was fairly easy to grasp . It will , among other things , enable you to read signs with relative ease . I would answer the main part or your question ( about tour guides ) thus - I am not enamored of tour guides or tours. While I only use a tour under duress ( A sites rules prohibiting an independent visit - ie Glasgow School of Art , Municipal House in Prague , etc ) . Doing your own preparation and homework is the best way , in my opinion . My wife and I ventured through St Petersburg with nary a concern ,and made two day trips outside of the central district ( one was twenty five miles away , and no English speakers in sight ) Figuring out the logistical details , did not present any difficulties . While I never use tours , I am an inveterate eavesdropper , have done so many times , and find , that on balance , the information that they impart is fairly elementary . If you want greater detail , they are unlikely to supply it . I also prefer to go at my own pace , not being rushed and being able to dwell on things that most other visitors barely give a passing glance . If you are interested , let me know . I would be happy to provide you with information that will enable you to travel independently

Thank you, Steven. I am encouraged by your comments and feel the same way you do about tour groups. We are very much willing to prepare in advance and learn the basics of the Cyrillic alphabet to help us have a better experience.

I would be very interested in learning more about your experience in Russia and receiving any additional information you can provide on independent travel there, starting perhaps with obtaining the visa.

I am not opposed to hiring a private or small group guide for a specific site or for a day trip outside St Petersburg and Moscow, but, like you said, I much prefer the freedom of staying at places as long or short as I want and seeing the sites that interest me most. For example, neither my wife nor I are big into shopping, yet most tour itineraries leave afternoon time for just that. Not interested!

Please provide whatever you may feel would be helpful for us.

Russ , I see you are quite near San Francisco - you can start by looking at the VISA procedure , it's fairly straightforward . Since there is a consulate in San Francisco - look here http://www.consulrussia.org/eng/visa-sub1.html

And here - http://ils-usa.com/main.php

Having always traveled independently, we thought we could do a better job than any tour. How misguided (pun intended) we were. Now that we have had the experience of having someone native to the area walk us around and explain things through a personal perspective we realize how much we missed. For St. Petersburg I highly recommend http://www.peterswalk.com/tours.html . This is not a traditional guided tour, but an opportunity to receive some orientation to the area as well as insight into the "Russian soul". I think if you did this upon arrival the rest of your time would be much more meaningful. We really liked the http://www.pushka-inn.com . The location is superb (just around the corner from the Hermitage square), the rooms lovely, the included breakfast at the restaurant next door ample and overall an excellent value. We used this company to get our visa: https://www.passportvisasexpress.com/site/san_francisco_customer_service Note that it costs about the same for a 3-year visa as a one-year, and you never know if you might want to return within that more extended window of time. It is not cheap, so factor that into your planning.

If you like traveling without a guide in other countries and find this satisfying, the same will be true in Moscow and St. Petersburg. Of course it's not either/or - you can certainly take a guided walk or boat tour, for instance.

I cannot emphasize enough the importance of learning Cyrillic if you're going on your own. The book I used was Teach Yourself Beginner's Russian Script, which was great. It breaks down the alphabet into letters that are the same as English, letters that look the same but are pronounced differently, etc. It's out of print, but you can get used copies on Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/Teach-Yourself-Beginners-Russian-Script/dp/0071419861/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1459701143&sr=8-2&keywords=teach+yourself+russian+script

Russia is indeed a bit more "foreign" than say, Italy. However, in Moscow and St. Petersburg, I found enough English to be able to get by. Many restaurants had English menus and/or English speaking staff, for instance. This was most emphatically not true in Vladimir and Suzdal (two cities in the Golden Ring outside Moscow). I went with my sister, a Russian speaker, and if she hadn't been there, I would have been in big trouble. So, if you want to see places outside these two big cities, use a guided tour (even if just for that part). Also, Moscow and St. Petersburg are huge cities. Coming from New York, I wasn't intimidated, but those not used to a megacity may not be so cavalier (even I found them overwhelming at times, especially Moscow).

I found both Lonely Planet and Rough Guide to be helpful, and both to have various errors. Look at both, buy whichever one has a more recent edition, and then be prepared to have to discard some of the advice therein. Also, these places change more quickly than places in Western Europe. Be very careful of outdated advice. For instance, I was there in 2001 and 2010, so I won't give you any specifics on getting a visa - that changes constantly.

Just as a teaser, two things I saw and loved that I doubt would be included in any escorted tour are the Gorky House in Moscow (an Art Nouveau wonder) and the Sheremyetov Palace in St. Petersburg (it's now a museum of musical instruments, and the decor is amazing, particularly in the Etruscan Room).

Thanks for all the good advice. Any additional thoughts are welcomed.

One of history's seminal works pertaining to Russian history and culture and a MUST for anyone contemplating a visit or simply interested , is this fine work from 1980 - http://www.amazon.com/Land-Firebird-The-Beauty-Russia/dp/096441841X

This is about you and not about Petersburg. Do you like guided tours? We don't and didn't find that a guide added to our experience in China where we did hire private guides mostly for the logistics; it was easy to have someone drive us places. But once at a site, we didn't need the guide. I felt the same way about our 9 nights in Petersburg. We did hire a guide for the trip to the Catherine Palace again for the ease of logistics for us Olds. Here is our visit: https://janettravels.wordpress.com/2016/01/23/an-easy-trip-to-the-catherine-palace/ There are also snapshots of the Church on Spilled Blood in this photo journal. Having someone pick us up at the apartment and get us in without line ups and shepherd us through the palace steering clear of the tour groups was lovely. But we didn't need commentary because we can read and prepare.

You certainly don't need a guide for the Hermitage (we spent 4 days there), the Russian Museum, the Kazan Cathedral or Church on Spilled Blood or the Faberge Museum. We enjoyed a number of self guided walking tours including a couple from Rick Steves guidebooks. We took the canal cruise suggested by RS that had an English commentator. I would not take one without that as you will be totally clueless. The commentator was not all that good but at least we had some idea what we were seeing. So for people like us who like to do our own thing and can read a guidebook and don't particularly like to be led about, a tour is not needed. If you enjoy tour groups, then go for it. Petersburg is easy to negotiate. It helps if you can read the cyrillic alphabet and it is also useful to have the google translate ap on your phone. We found ourselves translating packages in grocery stores with it and the occasional museum sign or menu. I have one food I need to avoid and so it was handy to have the translator to talk with waiters (I could either show them the sentence, or play it for them or play it to myself and then repeat it to the waiter -- that all worked well)

Dear Russ, I cannot help you with Moscow, but about four years ago, my husband and I went to St Petersburg on our own. But, we did use a private guide for 4 half days. We both feel that our guide absolutely made our trip (we stayed 6 or 7 nights). We used a company owned by Tatyana Chiurikova, www.tour-stpetersburg.com I cannot say enough good things about her and our experience. I emailed her and we worked out a schedule/ sights that was tailored to our interests. She also offered some recommendations, which we took. The guide will meet you at your hotel. And frequently, at certain places, with the guide, we were able to skip the long entrance lines. We had an half day driving tour of the city (car, driver, & guide). You are taken to & go in places such as Peter & Paul Fortress, some of the cathedrals, etc. We had a half day with the guide at the Hermitage which ensured that we would see the major sights there. And, of course, you can stay after your guide leaves or return another day. Also, we had the guide for Peterhof (a must & go by boat) and Catherine's Palace. I hope that you will go to the website. As I said, our guide made our trip. I am positive that we would have missed quite a bit on our own everyday. And I'm sure we would have wasted a lot of time trying to get to various place.This was the best of both worlds, a guide where needed and plenty of time on our own. Whatever you do, I'm sure that you will love St Petersburg! Ashley

I am curious about the lines as we encountered no lines on our trip -- but it was in September. We got tickets for the Hermitage at machines and skipped those lines and our guide for the Catherine Palace which was our only guided experience (as noted before, chosen for the logistics of getting there) had arranged tickets and we didn't have a line, but then we also didn't see lines. We did not find lines at any other site.

Both Moscow and St Petersburg I've done on my own, that is together with the Dear Partner. I can't remember any problem getting where we wanted to go. The Metro systems are well signed, and with a little exercise and patience you can recognize the station names. With a good map and a good guide - we had the Rough Guides - that part of the logistics is solved. The language is a major problem, but the usual tricks of pointing, looking helpless, and making a joke of it all do wonders. I would hate to be led by a guide, but for others it is a comfortable thought.

We also did both cities on our own. I found the DK Eyewitness guide for Moscow has the best map. I used the one from our library (kept the book at home). Took the smaller RS book for St. Petersburg ( his book on northern cities). His map and restaurant ideas were all good. We also downloaded the Google maps in our Android Samsung tablets/phones for both cities and then could get directions to any place we typed in. The blue ball guided us everywhere. I'm sure we missed somethings by not having a guide, but we just enjoy walking around and getting a sense of a place. If you like art, The Hermitage is great. We went 3 times and still missed alot. In St. Peterburg we stayed at the 3 Mosta which we loved (quite and not far from the Church of Spilled Blood.) We also loved the Georgian food in both cities. There's a great Georgian restaurant near the 3 Mosta hotel. We're now in Belarus- very scenic. Enjoy your trip!!

This topic has been automatically closed due to a period of inactivity.

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David moscow  .

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Trans-Siberian Railway Prices

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Home » Prices and Trans-Siberian Tickets » Trans-Siberian Railway Prices

Ticket prices for the Trans-Siberian Railway also depend on the current ruble exchange rate.

Is the Trans-Siberian Railway expensive?

Before starting on your Trans-Siberian Railway adventure you naturally want to know what the entire trip will cost. Although this sounds like a simple question, it is pretty difficult to answer. The Trans-Siberian Railway price of travel depends on the following factors:

• Which travel class do I want to use? The price for a first class ticket is about three times the price of a 3rd class ticket
• Am I willing to buy the tickets myself and assume responsibility for the organisation of the trip?
• How many stopovers do I want to make? The more breaks, the higher the total price.
• What sort of accommodation do I want? Will it be a luxury hotel or will a hostel dormitory be sufficient?
• What tours and excursions would I like to go on?
• What is the current exchange rate for rubles?

Basically, everything from a luxury to a budget holiday is available. If you buy yourself a 3rd Class nonstop ticket at the counter, a few hundred Euros will cover the price. All you will experience is a week on the Trans-Siberian train and will see nothing of the cities on the way. There is, however, any amount of room for upward expansion. Everyone makes different choices about which aspects they are willing to spend money on. I personally prefer to save money on accommodation and railcar class, visit as many cities and do as many trips as possible. To enable better classification of your travel expenses I have contrasted two typical traveler types. In the third column you can calculate the total cost of your own journey on the Trans-Siberian Railway. Please keep in mind that these are only rough estimations and not exact prices.

The all-in costs seem fairly high at first. However, they cover everything and it is quite a long journey taking four weeks. Many people forget to consider that when looking at the list. We should also deduct the running costs for food and leisure at home. I think most visitors to this page will classify themselves somewhere between the two categories, that is around the € 2,000 – € 2,500 range. When comparing these prices with other travel packages, you get the impression that it is hardly worthwhile travelling individually on the Trans-Siberian Railway. Please keep in mind that most packages last no more than 14 days and you are herded like cattle through the most beautiful locations.

If you spend less time on the Trans-Siberian Railway you will, of course, pay less. I chose this particular travel length because I prefer not to do things by halves. If you fulfill your dream of travelling on the Trans-Siberian Railway, enjoy it and don’t rush things. But it’s up to you, of course. Try playing around with the form a bit to find the appropriate price for your trip.

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