Trans-Siberian Railway – Travel guide at Wikivoyage

Trans-Siberian Railway – Travel guide at Wikivoyage
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Itineraries
Intercontinental itineraries
Trans-Siberian Railway
Trans-Siberian Railway
Contents
Understand
1.1
History
1.2
Types of trains
Prepare
2.1
Independently or with a tour group?
2.2
Climate and equipment
2.2.1
Suggested packing list
Get in
3.1
European termini
3.2
Asian termini
Visa information
Tickets
5.1
Tickets online
5.2
Ticket offices in Russia
5.3
Station numbers
5.3.1
International
5.3.2
Russia
5.4
Fares
5.5
Timetables
Go
The Trans-Siberian proper
Trans-Mongolian
8.1
Lake Baikal to Beijing
Trans-Manchurian
9.1
Sidetrips
10
Buy
11
Eat
12
Drink
13
Sleep
14
Talk
15
Stay safe
16
Stay healthy
17
Respect
18
Cope
19
Go next
Note:
The Trans-Mongolian and Trans-Manchurian routes have been suspended, and resumption dates have yet to be announced.
All international Trans-Siberian trains between Russia & China have been suspended since February 2020, A weekly Irkutsk-Ulaanbataar train resumed in late 2022 and a weekly Ulan Bator-Beijing train resumed in mid-2025.
(Information last updated 03 Mar 2026)
The
Trans-Siberian Railway
Russian
: Транссиби́рская магистраль
Transsibírskaya magistral
or Трансси́б
Transsíb
) is the name given to the rail routes that traverse
Siberia
from Moscow. Routes not trains, note; there's no such thing as the "Trans-Siberian Express". There are three principal routes, with multiple train services along them:
The
Trans-Siberian
proper crosses the enormous breadth of
Russia
, from Moscow via Perm, Yekaterinburg, Omsk, Novosibirsk, Irkutsk, Ulan Ude, Chita and Khabarovsk to the Pacific Ocean at
Vladivostok
The
Trans-Mongolian
follows the same route from Moscow as far as Ulan Ude, then branches south via
Ulaanbaatar
in Mongolia to
Beijing
in China.
The
Trans-Manchurian
follows that route further, past Ulan Ude to Chita, before crossing Chinese Manchuria to Beijing.
The
Rossiya
train, which plies the entire Trans-Siberian railway from Moscow to Vladivostok
These routes are served by direct end-to-end trains, with those to Vladivostok at least daily and those to China once or twice a week. Several trains ply shorter sections, so you may not need to stay overnight to continue in the same direction. Like a meandering river the Trans-sib has changed its course over time so there are various parallel routes. Across European Russia the classic route is via Nizhny-Novgorod but other lines loop north via Yaroslavl or south via Kazan. The Trans-sib used to run via Petropavl but that is now in independent Kazakhstan: the route has therefore been diverted north but trains to Astana still go the old way. The "BAM" or
Baikal-Amur Mainline
is a northern parallel line that eventually reaches the Pacific at Vanino / Sovetskaya Gavan; there is talk of extending it to Sakhalin island or even Japan. These are interesting side trips but not considered here as part of the Trans-Siberian.
The Trans-Siberian Railway, built 1891–1916, is the longest railway in the world. The longest train
service
in the world is from Moscow to
Pyongyang
along the Trans-Siberian route to Ussuriysk near Vladivostok, where it branches south into North Korea. This runs as a through-train twice monthly. The longest train
itinerary
, in essence greatly extending the Trans-Siberian with changes in trains but without leaving the rail network, is
Portugal to Singapore
Understand
edit
Map shows Trans-sib in red, Baikal-Amur Mainline in blue
See also:
Rail travel in Russia
A ride on the Trans-Siberian Railway is one of the few true adventures remaining.
The route from Moscow's Yaroslavsky Station to Vladivostok spans two continents, 16 major rivers, six federal states and almost a hundred cities. Even today the bridges across the Amur, Yenisei and Ob are unique – they are the largest river bridges on the Asian continent. In total there are 485 bridges. It is the backbone of the Russian rail network and the connection between the Asian and European railway networks. It's the most travelled railway in the world, and much of Russia's oil is transported along it.
While the population is largely ethnically Russian along the whole route, more and more of various Asian ethnic groups will be seen as you approach the Pacific coast.
The people you most likely will learn to know are your fellow passengers. Especially those who travel alone will very likely get to meet locals in the compartment. It's a fantastic opportunity to get to know Russians, especially if you know the language a bit. Remember that most people do not speak a word of English, so bring a
Russian phrasebook
. An automatic translator in a smartphone or tablet may become an indispensable tool for understanding the locals.
History
edit
Prisoners building the railway near the Amur river
See also:
Russian Empire
and
Soviet Union
Travel in Siberia before the railway was a desperate affair. Early routes, trade and settlement were north-south, using the great rivers to sail in from the Arctic during the brief summer. Attempts were made to build an east-west highway from the 16th and 17th centuries, but early road-building was no match for the harsh climate and logistic problems. Meanwhile the great natural resources of Siberia remained untapped, and economically the east was looking to China not Russia, so the tsars then the Soviets persisted. But not until 2015 did Russia have a fully-paved, all-weather highway coast to coast. And even now that the highway is open, freight and people are moved via the railroad much more than via road – especially over the vast distances that are often necessary to get from anywhere to anywhere in Siberia.
A railway was a better prospect for shifting heavy freight, and construction of the Trans-sib railway began in May 1891 from both west and east. The first decade was a story of muddy heroism, with over 7000 km of railway built – no other railway has been built so fast. This despite all the hills, moors and swamps, despite the iron-hard frozen ground, impenetrable taiga and great rivers to be crossed, all with 19th century equipment and know-how – and in a country often viewed as hopelessly backwards by contemporaries. There were up to 60,000 workers building the railway and many lives were lost. The whole 9288 km railway was completed in 1916, with electrification completed in 2002. It changed the face of Russia, which now became an Asian as much as a European nation. Siberia and Far Eastern Russia saw an economic boom, and a massive migration to these regions – not always voluntary. Towns along the railway, such as Omsk, Novosibirsk, Krasnoyarsk, and Irkutsk, grew to large industrial cities. Equally, other places withered: Tomsk was intended to be on the Trans-sib but improved engineering allowed a shorter route via Novosibirsk, so instead it became a dumping-place for dissidents, a back-water, and its old town is better preserved as a result. To give just one example of the importance even contemporaries put on the railway, the French newspaper "La France" wrote upon completion: "After the discovery of America and the construction of the Suez canal, history knows no other event that had such massive direct and indirect consequences than the construction of the Trans-Siberian railway."
Trains to Mongolia and China were suspended during
COVID-19 pandemic
. These have since been resumed.
Types of trains
edit
There are four different types of long distance trains.
Firmennye
(Фирменный) and
skory
(Скорый) are fast trains, the former offering a higher level of comfort.
Passazhirskiy
(Пассажирский) are slower and less comfortable, whereas
pochtovo-bagazhniy
(Почтово-багажный) are super-slow and primarily designed for post delivery. A higher train number means a lower train category and less service on the train. The train category is written out in the schedule. There are also local trains (Often called "Elektrichka" due to being the first electric trains in common use in Russia), but they do not cover the entirety of the line (often connecting a city and its suburbs along the line) and traveling along those would make the whole thing even more of an adventure – akin to trying to cover all of Europe on commuter rail and local buses.
The longer the section is, the fewer train alternatives you will have to pick from. Direct trains between Moscow and Beijing depart twice weekly (one train via Ulaanbataar and another via Harbin). Between Moscow and St. Petersburg there are more than 20 daily trains.
On long distance trains there are one or two attendants per car. They are responsible for cleaning the
samovars
and checking the tickets.
Prepare
edit
The Trans-Siberian on the steppes of Siberia
Independently or with a tour group?
edit
Travelling
independently
is straightforward provided you are well-organised, and can plan and book all your stop-overs, accommodation and journey legs in advance. You will need to do this in any case to get your Russian visa, if your itinerary involves multiple entries into Russia. Then, like a spacecraft coasting between planets, you will almost weightlessly progress from train to hotel to train to hotel. Try to improvise it as you go along and it will be adventure verging on quagmire. You may get away with winging it along the Moscow – Saint Petersburg axis and in the CIS countries. However, Trans-Siberian distances and journey times are vast, and finding accommodation and booking train tickets locally will require at least a basic knowledge of Russian.
If you travel on an organised
tour
, all these problems disappear. You simply need to pay and show up at the right time. A group trip on the Trans-Siberian is about 30% more expensive compared to a DIY trip. It also means that you are bound to the schedule of the group and that your interaction with locals will likely be limited to greeting the waiter in the dining car.
Climate and equipment
edit
In January, temperatures under -40°C aren't uncommon
Keep the luggage as small as possible and avoid bringing any valuables. What you should pack depends on the time of the year; in the summer the temperature can rise to over 30°C in Siberia and China. In winter it will be under -30°C in much of Russia and Mongolia. In the spring or fall just a couple of T-shirts, a sweater and a light jacket should suffice. If needed, clothes can be purchased cheaply at markets along the road. In the train, your clothing should be comfortable (e.g. sports clothes) and flip-flops. It's also recommended to bring enough stuff to read.
Suggested packing list
edit
Packing the following items is recommended for any lengthy journey on the Trans-Siberian railway:
Pocket knife
For slicing up bread and vegetables you can buy from the sellers at major stops
Cutlery
Instant noodles, or its Russian version – instant potatoes, become essential snacks for most travellers, since each carriage is equipped with boiling water from the Samovar, unfortunately they often come without the usual plastic fork or spoon.
Mess tins or large stainless steel mug with cover.
Useful for preparing noodles or tea, and brushing teeth.
Perfumed wet tissues/baby wipes/wet wipes
These little things can do wonders for your personal hygiene.
Head lamp
On these long journeys (through 8 time zones), it often turns out that Einstein indeed was right – time does become relative. So bring a headlamp for reading when others want to slumber. Or, you can just use your phone instead.
Flip-flops
or other slip-on footwear, for your days on the train
Deck of cards
or other easily explained games are great for socializing with your fellow travellers, and making the long hours spent on the train immensely more enjoyable. Bring a deck of 5 Crowns for this is a favourite in Russia. If you are a chess player, by all means bring a little chess set – the game is very popular in Russia.
Pictures
of your home, country and family and a
phrasebook
with a conversation section can work surprisingly well, since you'll have nothing but time to overcome the language gap. Many Russians tend to be curious about foreigners once the initial suspicion dies down, since they don't normally meet many – even these days. Recommended: make a list of vocabulary and study it in the train!
External battery/powerbank
– although trains are now equipped with electric sockets, they can be used by other people at a time, or sometimes on higher beds there are only USB slots for charging, which are not very powerful.
Jewellery is best left at home. If you're bringing a tablet, laptop or other expensive electronics - they should of course be kept out of sight as much as possible. One thing that you should bring along is a camera with enough storage space, or a smartphone with a
good
camera. In all larger cities, there are Internet cafés, or just places with WiFi where you can upload your pictures or transfer them to an external drive. Also bring additional batteries or chargers, as charging your gadgets on board may not be easy, although possible, as there are power outlets on most trains now.
Get in
edit
Vladivostok station
The three termini of the Trans-Siberian are
Moscow
Beijing
and
Vladivostok
. There's also a bi-monthly connection from
Moscow
to
Pyongyang
, but it is generally not possible for foreigners to use this.
European termini
edit
Moscow
can be reached by train from many European destinations. Fares from
London
(one-way) start at around GBP200 and
German Railways
is a useful resource. You are likely to need a transit visa for
Belarus
on this route, unless you travel through Ukraine, make a detour from Warsaw up to Riga (multiple buses, need a few days) or from Germany via Helsinki (by train or ferry, comparatively expensive). Coming in the northern way makes it possible to include a visit to
Saint Petersburg
– accessible by train, bus or
ferry
from Finland and Estonia.
Eurolines
is a European coach company, with routes from many cities. Fares from London start from around GBP60.
Aeroflot
is the principal airline operating into and out of Moscow, in addition almost all European (and some Asian and North American) flag carriers and some budget airlines fly to Moscow.
Which Moscow station?
First and foremost, your train departs from the station stated on your ticket, so check! But normally, trains along the classic Trans-Siberian route via Kirov depart from Moscow Yaroslavskaya Station. But several trains to the Urals, Siberia, and the Far East depart from Moscow Kazanskaya Station; it's adjacent to Yaroslavskaya Station and to Leningradskaya Station in the NE of the city, and the Metro stop for all three terminals is Komsomolskaya. Some other eastbound trains (mostly, those to Nizhny Novgorod) depart from Moscow Kurskaya, 1 km further south, and the Metro stop is Kurskaya.
Saint Petersburg
, the Russian capital at the time when the Transsib was built, until 2022 it could be reached by train from
Finland
and
Baltic countries
. From there, you can either go to Moscow or take the northern Trans-Siberian route, circumventing Moscow, via
Vologda
and
Yekaterinburg
, where you will likely need to change the train to go further to
Vladivostok
or
Beijing
Note:
As of 2025, there are no flights from European cities to Russia apart from
Istanbul
and
Belgrade
, or you can use other connected cities, like
Yerevan
Dubai
Tbilisi
, etc. As well as pretty much all active rail and bus connections to European countries were suspended.
Asian termini
edit
DBS Ferry
runs throughout the year to
Vladivostok
from
Sakaiminato
Japan
via
Donghae
South Korea
. By air, Aeroflot serves Vladivostok, among others.
Beijing
can be reached by train from as far as
Lhasa
(Tibet) daily service, or
Ho Chi Minh City
(Vietnam), twice weekly service, or
Hong Kong
, alternate dates. Beyond Vietnam the rail connection breaks and there are no train routes from Thailand, Myanmar or India – though bus is often an option. There are plenty of international flights to Beijing and reasonably many to other eastern termini. For instance
Air Asia
offers budget options into China,
S7 Airlines
offer flight connections into Russia, while
MIAT Mongolian Airlines
dead link
operate to
Ulaanbaatar
from Beijing, Moscow, Seoul, and Hong Kong in season.
Pyongyang
is served by one direct train from Moscow every two weeks. The line to
Khasan
at the border with North Korea branches off from the main line to Vladivostok at
Baranovsky
, before the train crosses the Tumen River into the North Korean town of
Tumangang
Visa information
edit
2,914 km from Moscow
More detailed visa information in the
Russia
Mongolia
China
and
North Korea
articles
Most travelers will need visas from Russia and China.
Mongolia
can be visited without a visa by most Western tourists. and for those that need visas, the application process is relatively straightforward, but you must apply at a Mongolian diplomatic mission as there are no eVisas.
China
has a more cumbersome visa application process. In most cases, you will need to provide a detailed itinerary, including tickets into and out of China, as well as accommodation reservations for each night you plan to stay in China. In most cases, you can only apply for a Chinese visa in your country of citizenship or residence.
Russia
is more problematic. Invitations are generally required for issuing a visa. If you are buying your train tickets through a travel agency at home, they can almost certainly handle your visa application if they specialize in travels to Russia. A tourist visa gives you up to 30 days in the country. A business visa is a choice for people who want to spend up to 90 days, but you will need an invitation from a Russian company to be issued the visa. Citizens of most European countries can obtain an eVisa to visit Russia for up to 16 days, and do not require an invitation, but citizens of the U.S., UK, Canada, Australia and New Zealand are not eligible.
North Korea
can only be visited on a guided tour, and independent travel is strictly forbidden. Taking the train from Moscow to Pyongyang is possible provided you have arranged it as part of your North Korean tour.
Every foreign tourist has to get registration for stays in one place of more than 7 working days (9 days if weekend is included). Hotels provide it for free most of the time, some hostels will do it for an extra charge. Apparently any Russian can register you at his/her place by going to the post office and paying a small fee. If you stay in one place for less than 7 working days, you are not required to register. Train tickets and hotel receipts are a good proof that you did not overstay. In any case,
it is strongly advised to keep tickets and receipts until you leave the country
However, Russian transit visas issued in Beijing or
Harbin
last 10 days and require no invitation. This would be enough time to make the trip with no stops along the way and spend a couple of days in Moscow. The Beijing consulate is open from 09:00 to 11:00 but remember that many Chinese nationals are also trying to acquire visas with you, so show up early. The cost varies for each nationality, but Americans can expect to pay US$250 for same-day service or $150 for the five-day service. Upon arrival in
Moscow
you have
four nights
valid on your transit visa, which allows for one or two nights in Moscow, an overnight train and one or two nights in Saint Petersburg, but you must be across the border before midnight on the final day of your visa.
There are many ways to exit from Russia via Saint Petersburg, including buses and trains to
Helsinki
Tallinn
Riga
Kyiv
and various other places in Europe, but be wary that nearly all nationalities need a transit visa (or tourist visa) for
Belarus
(see
here
if unsure) so be
sure
to be prepared with a visa if your plans take you through Belarus.
Note:
Do you need a Belarus transit visa?
Until July 2020, Western passport holders needed a Belarus transit visa to cross that country overland to reach Russia. It’s been announced that this no longer applies: your Russian visa suffices to get you across Belarus. But to date this is not confirmed on embassy websites, so vital detail is missing. First and foremost, is it true? – and official so you can print it out to wave as proof? What transit period is allowed? What entry and exit points are permitted? Is it the same rules on return from Russia? Do all classes of Russian visa count? – and so on. In the absence of confirmation, you’ll need to phone the embassy, or speak to your visa support agency. Good luck with that, because they’re probably all as much in the dark as you are.
For exiting
through Finland or the Baltic countries
: the Finnish border to Russia is closed as of 2025, and other countries' borders may close as well. The trains have been suspended.
(Information last updated 01 Jul 2020)
A Russian transit visa cannot be extended under any circumstances. If you arrive from
Beijing
, you can register your visa after arriving in Moscow. If you have a 10-day Transit Visa and
do not stay in one place
(go to Saint Petersburg)
you do not have to register your visa
Citizens of Israel, South Korea, certain Latin American countries, the CIS member states and a handful of other countries do not need Russian visas.
Tickets
edit
See also
Russia#Get around
The Russian train system is different from European systems. The train tickets are bought for
fixed dates
and
all stops must be planned in advance
. If you, for instance, have a ticket from Moscow to Vladivostok and step off the train in Irkutsk without your ticket stating you will be taking another train from there and the train leaves without you, you will be stuck in Irkutsk as tickets will not be valid on any later train. It’s somewhat similar to a plane going from New York to Moscow with a connection in Amsterdam – if you decide to go out in Amsterdam and miss your flight you can’t use your ticket for a next flight to Moscow. In general, trains stop for several hours at international borders, tens of minutes in large cities (for slower trains, in some cases more than an hour) and a few minutes at small stops. Therefore, you will be able to do some shopping at the platform and sometimes even take a look inside the station building, but in order to actually going sightseeing in the city, you'll need to continue your journey with a later train.
The rules state that a passenger is allowed to make one stop on his journey (for no additional charge), but this requires a little paperwork while on the train and will be difficult to arrange with the attendant without good knowledge of Russian.
There are four ways of buying tickets for the trip. You can purchase them from a travel agent (or online) in your own country, a travel agent in the country from which you will start the journey, turn up and buy tickets yourself at a station in Russia, or buy tickets online through the Russian Railways (РЖД) website or application (see below). The first two options are the safest but the most expensive, the last two are cheapest but require some time and effort from your side. Popular trains can be sold out well in advance, particularly in peak season, so try to book early. Early means
45 days
before the departure of the train. This is the earliest date when tickets are sold to individuals. Travel agencies can promise you tickets at a much earlier date.
It is possible to buy the tickets at any Russian station, not necessarily one on the route of the train. Be ready to queue up for some hours (which is rare though) and do not expect any language except Russian at the counter. Russia,
Ukraine
Belarus
, and even the Baltic states of
Estonia
Latvia
Lithuania
have a common ticketing network, so it is possible to buy a ticket for a Russian train in all those countries (e.g.
Brest
). The price will be roughly the same, unless you go to a travel agency. Small differences depend on whether bedding (~
100
руб
) and insurance (
150-200
руб
) are included. If the bedding is not included in your ticket, you will have to pay same price to the train attendant (but, naturally, this is not required for short trips during the day). The insurance is something that you don't really need, so just say
bez strakhovkee
(без страховки, without the insurance). When buying online, insurance is typically not included.
At some stations, there are still special windows for selling tickets only for foreigners, but the price of tickets should now be the same for foreigners and local people.
Tickets are always
individual
, with name and passport number written on them, so you will have to show passports for all travellers when you pay (a passport photocopy is usually enough) and when you enter the train (original document should be presented). Check this carefully.
One wrong digit in your passport number printed on the ticket will most likely prevent you from boarding the train.
Also, if you plan to buy tickets on more than one occasion, it may be useful to keep handy a piece of paper with the travellers names written in the
Cyrillic alphabet
instead of transcribing them each time. Also, pay attention to the
train number
– at big busy stations this will help you to the right platform & train, as there may be multiple departures around the same time, with no indication of the intermediate stations served.
In Beijing, international train tickets can be bought from China International Travel Service (CITS), which has two offices; one in the International Hotel on Jianguomen and one in the lobby of the Beijing Tourism Building, behind the New Otani Hotel. They must be bought in person.
Tickets online
edit
Kupe
-class passenger cabin on the Trans-Siberian
Tickets can be purchased online. Most routes support "electronic registration" – boarding the train only requires your passport (or the identity document associated with the ticket). Nevertheless, it is advisable (while not strictly necessary) to have your tickets printed out, to avoid any hassles. You can do this in any cash desk, or in one of the special ticket machines, which are now installed on bigger train stations. If you need to print your ticket - always print it at least an hour before departure, because ticket machines are often jammed or out of paper, while cash desks are notorious for very long queues. Hand over your passport and order confirmation (or just the order number). The cashier will issue you a paper ticket for no additional fee. They can print all your tickets at the same time.
Buying tickets at the official
Russian Railways website
can be quite difficult, but a bit cheaper than at the stations because there will be no processing fee. You can also select the car and your seat/place, and explore all options. However, not all foreign credit cards are accepted (none are accepted since 2022). You can buy domestic tickets up to 45 to 60 days before departure, international tickets 60 days before departure. International tickets are usually more expensive than domestic ones, so it is advisable to make a stopover shortly before border crossing and travel with domestic tickets as far as possible.
Usually they
only
check your identity document when you board, nobody ever asks for a ticket, because they already checked in their system if you have it or not.
Ticket offices in Russia
edit
Russian Railways
+7 495 266-8300
(International Ticket Office only in Russian)
Website sell tickets online (in English)
Transsib Reisen
+7 90959 1010-1
sell tickets at cost. They have been located in Saint Petersburg since 1991 and they speak English, German and French as well. Their website, however, is solely written in German but shows an integrated Google translator.
RusTrains.com
+7-812-645-08-98
info@rustrains.com
Convenient online ticket office. Working in Moscow since 2014, have website in English, Spanish and other European languages as well. Provide efficient customer support
updated Sep 2019
Station numbers
edit
Station numbers are used internally in the Russian railway computer system, but they are usually printed on the tickets as well. Knowing them may help when making the reservation in smaller stations (you could bring this page and use it for pointing), or when buying the tickets abroad.
At the ticket counter
I would like to buy a ticket –
Ya hachu kupit bilyet
– Я хочу купить билет
From –
iz
– из
To –
– в
One, two, three persons –
adeen, dva, tree chelavyeka
– один, два, три человека
Today –
sevodnya
– сегодня
Tomorrow –
zaftra
– завтра
Monday –
panedyelnik
– понедельник
Tuesday –
ftornik
– вторник
Wednesday –
sreda
– среда
Thursday –
chetvyerk
– четверг
Friday –
pyatnitsa
– пятница
Saturday –
subota
– суббота
Sunday –
vaskresyene
– воскресенье
Leaving at –
vy-ezd
– выезд
Morning –
ootram
– утром
Noon –
dnyom
– днем
Evening –
vyecherom
– вечером
Carriage class –
vagon
– вагон
Platzkart (3rd) –
platskart
– плацкарт
Kupe (2nd) –
kupe
– купе
SV (1st) –
es ve
– СВ
Could I have... –
mne pozhaluista...
– мне, пожалуйста...
upper berth –
vyerhnyuyu polku
– верхнюю полку
lower berth –
nizhnyuyu polku
– нижнюю полку
Passport number –
nomer pasporta
– номер паспорта
International
edit
Stations are listed in order from west to east
5100136
Warsaw
Poland
– Central Station (
Warszawa Centralna
2100035
Brest
Belarus
(Брест)
1000001
Helsinki
Finland
(Хельсинки)
3100022
Ulaanbaatar
Mongolia
(Улан-Батор)
3300100
Beijing
China
(Пекин, 北京)
3300200
Harbin
China
(Харбин, 哈尔滨)
Russia
edit
List of major stations listed in order from west to east
2058000
Kaliningrad
(Калининград)
2004000
St Petersburg
(Санкт-Петербург)
2004001
St Petersburg
– Glavnyi Station (Санкт-Петербург (Главный вокзал))
2004004
St Petersburg
– Finliandskii Station (Санкт-Петербург (Финляндский вокзал))
2000000
Moscow
(Москва)
2000002
Moscow
– Yaroslavskij Station (Москва (Ярославский Вокзал))
2000003
Moscow
– Kazanskij Station (Москва (Казанский Вокзал))
2000006
Moscow
– Bieloruskij Station (Москва (Белорусский Вокзал))
2060001
Nizhny Novgorod
(Нижний Новгород) – often listed with the former name of the city, Gorki (Горький)
2060500
Kazan
(Казань)
2030000
Ekaterinburg
(Екатеринбу́рг) – often listed with the former name of the city, Sverdlovsk (Свердловск)
2044001
Novosibirsk
(Новосибирск)
2028170
Tomsk
(Томск)
2038001
Krasnoyarsk
(Красноярск)
2054052
Severobaikalsk
(Северобайкальск)
2054001
Irkutsk
(Иркутск)
2054785
Ulan Ude
(Улан-Удэ)
2034001
Khabarovsk
(Хабаровск)
2034130
Vladivostok
(Владивосток)
Fares
edit
The Trans-Manchurian goes from Moscow to Beijing via Harbin – in Russian "Moskva-Pekin" as written in Cyrillic letters on the depicted train car
Fares vary widely mostly because prices change with the quality of the trains and the places you pick.
Low-numbered trains
(001, 008, etc.) are more expensive and more comfortable. You are more likely to find yourself in a new and air-conditioned car with clean toilet ("bio-toilet" meaning that it does not splash crap on the tracks and, therefore, remains open during the whole journey).
High-numbered trains
(133, 139, etc.) are less expensive and less comfortable. Expect older cars without air conditioning (while this is rare now as air conditioning is now in most of the trains) and with old-style toilets, which are locked when train is on the station and sometimes even 15–20min prior to that. However, Russian Railways do not guarantee any particular type of train car for your journey. Even expensive trains may get older, less comfortable cars sometimes.
The price is also strongly affected by the place you choose on the train, no matter its number. Main principle is that lower beds/places are usually noticeably more expensive (think 30% more), and beds on the second level are cheaper. If you pick a "platzkart" place - the ones on the side of the train along the passage are usually the cheapest, while most uncomfortable to sleep on.
Russian Railways offer
seasonal pricing
for domestic train tickets (varying -20% to +35% of the "base price"). Tickets are usually more expensive in summer and cheaper in winter. Additionally, a so-called
dynamic system
is introduced on certain routes since January 2016. This is similar to airlines. You get lower price when buying your ticket well in advance (40–45 days before departure) and can get a
much higher
price when buying the ticket on the day of the departure. Short trips may be ridiculously expensive (€2030 for 1–2 hours, but it's mostly unheard of and can only be like that because only several most expensive seats/beds are left available), whereas a journey for several thousand kilometres turns out to be surprisingly affordable.
But overall, tickets' prices mostly aren't dramatically affected by how many days are left before departure, the main difference because of timing will be there only if you buy them well in advance (as mentioned before). So usually you can easily buy a ticket a day before on right on the same day and price wouldn't be changed much by dynamic pricing system, maybe somewhat, but not drastically. And if you don't buy tickets in advance - the only thing which will matter is how much seats are still available on this particular train, so it can happen that there will be no places left on this train on this time - if this segment is popular + there's not much a lot of time left until the departure.
Rough estimates
for one-way segments would be, which also depends on the dynamic pricing, train quality, season and date:
St Petersburg–Moscow overnight train start from about
5000
руб
(2nd class) and from
4000
руб
for express Sapsan service (standard class seat).
Moscow–Ekaterinburg starts from around
7500
руб
(2nd class, lower bed)
Ekaterinburg–Krasnoyarsk are about
7000-12000
руб
(2nd class, overnight).
Krasnoyarsk–Irkutsk about
3500-7000
руб
(2nd class).
Irkutsk–Vladivostok about
12000-18000
руб
(2nd class).
For the total cost
: in 2024, the price for a
single one-way ticket
from Moscow to Vladivostok (or the other way around) according to the web page of Russian Railways was around
14000
руб
for a simple bed place (3rd class, "platzkart") or
28000
руб
for a compartment (2nd class, coupe/"kupe") on low level. On higher level such "kupe" usually can cost around
20000
руб
. There are no 1st class compartments on the whole length of the railway, they can be found only on specific trains on specific segments, usually closer to Moscow.
Important: estimates for a
single one-way ticket
above mean that you will be travelling the whole route on one train and on the same bed only, and won't be able to explore the bigger cities on your way for more than 30-60 minutes, as this is how big are stops there, before train moves on. And as some travellers who travel across Transsib would likely like to spend some time stopping in cities along the way, so they will have to buy tickets for different trains, total cost of tickets will be definitely higher. Overall, if you mix platzkarts and coupes, high and low beds - the total cost can be closer to around
50000
руб
Timetables
edit
Note:
Russian railways no longer all operate on Moscow time.
Until August 2018, all timetables, station clocks, and crucially the trains themselves, used Moscow time, which in Asian Russia is several hours adrift from local time. It could be surreal, stumbling out of a train, platform and station hall all showing 10:00, to emerge into the gloom of a Siberian evening; but it was consistent, and a help to long-distance planning. Nowadays however they use local time, which is indeed Moscow time for much of European Russia including St Petersburg, but is ever shifting as you travel east. Russia has ten time zones and the Trans-Siberian route crosses eight of them, so check timetables and tickets very carefully. There's no change for trains in Mongolia, China and the "Stans", which have long used their national time zone.
Ticket counters and departures and arrivals billboard, Omsk
The Trans-Siberian trains have varied schedules: some trains are
daily
while some go on
even
dates, some on
odd
dates and some trains depart only on a couple of days during a week.
Russian Railways
has all Russian train schedules, as well as some of the international trains departing from Russian destinations, such as Moscow–Beijing. Only actual availability is shown, which is released 60 or 45 days prior to departure for all Russian trains and 60 days for most international trains. Russian spellings are obviously in use: Beijing is
Pekin,
Moscow is
Moskva,
Saint Petersburg
is
Sankt-Peterburg,
Yekaterinburg
is
Ekaterinburg
or
Sverdlovsk
(old name of the city),
Ulan Ude
is
Ulan-ude,
Ulaanbaatar
is
Ulan-Bator,
and Khabarovsk is
Habarovsk.
Unless you travel all way from Moscow to Beijing or Vladivostok on the same train, especially if you embark outside a major city, you may have to take so-called "passing-by" (
проходящие
) trains that begin their journey very far, perhaps thousands kilometres away from your departure station. The distribution of tickets is a bit tricky. It is not "first-come first-serve" basis that would fill up the train in a random manner. Some seat ranges are reserved for departures from certain stations, so you can, at least in theory, buy tickets for any route well in advance. Once the seat range assigned to your station is sold out, you won't find tickets from this station any longer, until 72 hours before departure, when all remaining seats become available. If you are really keen on that, you can try to cheat the system by playing around with departure and arrival stations and finding the ticket you really want. But most likely you can get what you need without going too deep into how the system works.
Other good options for doing your own planning includes the
Deutsche Bahn travelplanner
dead link
. It's available in many languages including English, French, and Spanish. It has fewer transliteration issues that the Russian websites, but it includes only the limited
firmenny
"fast" trains. Another good option is the Poezda railway table (search Google) one of the few online scheduling tools in English that doesn't try to sell you tickets, and it has a nice simple interface to boot. If you understand Russian, the Russian Internet portal Yandex has a handy
real time information service
including schedules for trains and stations and current locations of trains are shown on a map.
Go
edit
It's not worth getting off at every stop. The places listed below (except the junctions and border crossings) are the most interesting ones.
'"`UNIQ--maplink-0000002F-QINU`"'
Map of Trans-Siberian Railway
(Edit GPX)
'"`UNIQ--indicator-00000030-QINU`"'
The Trans-Siberian proper
edit
The Trans-Siberian proper connects Moscow with Vladivostok.
Generally there are two trains a day in each direction,. From Moscow train 010 leaves Jaroslavl station and arrives in Vladivostok almost 6 days and 12 hours later. The slightly slower train, number 002 arrives in Vladivostok almost 6 days 22 hours later.
In the other direction train 009 leaves Vladivostok and is in Moscow 6 days and 4 hours later. The slightly slower 001 takes 6 days and 19 hours to reach Moscow.
The time and route below are for the faster trains (010 and 009). Trains 001/002 (
Rossiya
) take a different route from Moscow and pass via
Yaroslavl
instead of
Nizhny Novgorod
but joins the former before
Kirov
The Trans-Siberian in Moscow
The Golden Gate of Vladimir
Nizhniy Novgorod
The Church on the Blood, Yekaterinburg
Novosibirsk railway station – one of the largest in Russia
Krasnoyarsk Dam, near Krasnoyarsk
Lake Baikal
Central Ulan-Ude
Chita railway station
Vladivostok
City
km from Moscow
Time from Moscow
Time zone
Description
55.776389
37.6575
Moscow
(Москва)
km
0 hr
Moscow
The Russian capital has some world-famous landmarks, including the Kremlin, Red Square and St. Basil. Moscow is obviously a superb destination for anyone interested in Russian history with museums, old churches and buildings both from the Soviet Era and earlier times.
56.13008
40.42015
Vladimir
(Владимир)
210
km
3h
Moscow
Founded in the 12th century, Vladimir is known for its white medieval stone architecture which is one of Russia's
UNESCO World Heritage Sites
and a part of the
Golden Ring
. If you travel on the slower train which goes via
Yaroslavl
, the historic center of that city also on UNESCO's list and on the Golden Ring itinerary, although from a later time period. 5 minutes after leaving train station there will be pre-Mongolian Russian Prthodox Church of the Intercession on the Nerl from 12 century by the right side.
56.32208
43.94591
Nizhniy Novgorod
(Ни́жний Но́вгород)
442
km
6 hr
Moscow
During Soviet times, this 13th century city was called Gorki, and among the city's museums there is one dedicated to the writer. Like Moscow and some other Russian cities, Nizhniy Novgorod also has a Kremlin. Additionally, it boasts the Volga river and a great selection of traditional Russian architecture.
56.35391
43.92411
Volga river crossing
447
km
6 hr
Moscow
The first major Russian river you will cross is the Volga, just moments after leaving Nizhniy Novgorod's railway station.
58.00482
56.17473
Perm
(Пермь)
1,436
km
20 hr
Moscow+2
Perm is known for its cultural events and institutions like PERMM, the only contemporary art gallery in Russia. Side trips include a cave in
Kungur
and a former Gulag camp turned into a museum.
56.882
60.0656
Europe-Asia border
1,777
km
1 day, 1 hr
Moscow+2
The border between Europe and Asia is marked by a white obelisk in the forest. You are now a little over a day from Moscow.
56.85866
60.60612
Yekaterinburg
(Екатеринбу́рг)
1,816
km
1 day, 1 hr
Moscow+2
The capital of the Urals region has an impressive collection of Soviet-period buildings and interesting museums showcasing local crafts, arts, and nature.
57.14559
65.52231
Tyumen
(Тюме́нь)
2,144
km
1 day, 6 hr
Moscow+2
Tyumen was one of the early Russian forts in Siberia. It is a good starting point for expeditions into the
Tyumen region
, including the ancient city of
Tobolsk
, the first Russian settlement in Siberia and the place to see old Russian architecture, including abundant wooden houses.
54.93291
73.35202
Irtysh river crossing
2,706
km
1 day, 13 hr
Moscow+3
Before arriving in Omsk, you will cross the Irtysh river.
54.93956
73.38646
Omsk
(Омск)
2,712
km
1 day, 13 hr
Moscow+3
Omsk was for a brief period after the revolution the capital of White Russia. Among the sights are a military museum, the Cossacks' Cathedral with a Cossack banner and Siberian carved-wood houses.
55.00967
82.91837
Ob river crossing
3,332
km
1 day, 22 hr
Moscow+4
Ob, yet another prominent Siberian river is crossed before you arrive in Novosibirsk.
55.0363
82.89521
Novosibirsk
(Новосиби́рск)
3,335
km
1 day, 22 hr
Moscow+4
Russia's third largest city offers you great variety of soviet modernism architecture spiced with great examples of soviet monumental art. Historic architecture also includes old churches, merchant houses and military camp from early 20 century. It is a starting point for journeys into the
Altai Mountains
and
Kazakhstan
56.06226
85.62564
10
Tayga
(Тайга́)
3,565
km
2 days, 1 hr
Moscow+4
The village of Tayga isn't important on its own merits, but from here you can relatively easily get to
Tomsk
, a student city with wooden architecture.
56.00486
92.82842
11
Krasnoyarsk
(Красноярск)
4,095
km
2 days, 9 hr
Moscow+4
The scenic city of Krasnoyarsk was established by the Cossacks. The city has several museums, monuments and trade-and-entertainment centres. Further away there's a huge hydroelectric dam and the Stolby Nature Reserve with granite pillars. If you're going to Beijing via the Trans-Mongolian, you've already come half the distance from Moscow.
56.066
93.00957
Yenisey river crossing
4,101
km
2 days, 9 hr
Moscow+4
And also Krasnoyarsk sits by a large river, which you will cross on your journey eastwards.
55.92035
98.0619
BAM
junction
4,515
km
2 days 15 hr
Moscow+5
After the village of Tayshet, the
Baikal-Amur Mainline
forks off to the north.
52.28264
104.26047
12
Irkutsk
(Иркутск)
5,185
km
3 days, 2 hr
Moscow+5
Over halfway from Moscow to Vladivostok, three days into your journey, Irkutsk is located on the shore of a
UNESCO World Heritage Site
, namely
Lake Baikal
. The city itself offers traditional Siberian ornamented wooden houses, an icebreaker, a dam and, of course, several churches and museums dedicated to the culture and history of the region. One special souvenir to buy are kamusi – traditional fur boots. From Irkutsk you can also take a trip on the
Circum-Baikal Railway
51.84034
107.58242
13
Ulan-Ude
(Улан-Удэ)
5,642
km
3 days, 11 hr
Moscow+5
The gate to the Ethnographic museum shows that you've come to the East and not just that – Ulan-Ude has a distinct Mongolian air with Buddhist sites and old mansions from the time when the city was a major trading point in the region.
51.82124
107.70361
Trans-Mongolian junction
5,655
km
3 days, 11 hr
Moscow+5
Not long after Ulan-Ude there's an important junction; the Trans-Siberian proper continues straight east to Vladivostok, while the Trans-Mongolian goes south to Mongolia and China.
52.02813
113.49482
14
Chita
(Чита)
6,199
km
3 days, 18 hr
Moscow+6
The formerly closed city Chita offers a couple of religious sights. As the city sees few visitors, especially Westerners are seen as a curiosity.
51.62441
114.53127
Trans-Manchurian junction
6,312
km
4 days, 0 hr
Moscow+6
About exactly four days from Moscow the Trans-Manchurian tracks veer down towards Harbin and Beijing.
48.53633
135.00326
Amur river crossing
8,515
km
5 days, 11 hr
Moscow+7
After a very long stretch without any major cities you will cross the Amur, the last of the major rivers on this itinerary. The river bridge is depicted on the
5000
руб
banknote.
48.49687
135.07296
15
Khabarovsk
(Хабаровск)
8,521
km
5 days, 11 hr
Moscow+7
After the river you will arrive in Khabarovsk. If museums are your thing, there are several museums with the "Far Eastern" prefix where you can familiarize yourself with the region's military history, art, general history and... the Far Eastern Railway – which includes the easternmost part of the Trans-Siberian!
43.11124
131.88192
16
Vladivostok
(Владивосток)
9,288
km
6 days, 0 hr
Moscow+7
Six days after you've started, or a few hours longer if you've taken the slower train, you arrive in Vladivostok on the Pacific Ocean. The railway station is built in the same style as Moscow's Yaroslavl Station, on the other end of the track. The Russian Pacific fleet is based here – the city was built for that purpose – so there are an abundance of naval sites and memorials to visit, as well as scenic nature of the Pacific coast.
Trans-Mongolian
edit
Leaving Ulaanbataar station
The Trans-Mongolian connects Moscow and Beijing. It follows the same tracks as the Trans-Siberian for a little more than half the way, then forks off south through Mongolia and into China. All stations in this section are five hours ahead of Moscow time.
The Trans-Mongolian, train 43 (identified as train K4 in China), leaves Moscow each Tuesday at 23:45 and arrives in Beijing on Monday afternoon at 11:40. Westwards, train number 33 (identified as train K3 in China) leaves Beijing at 11:22 each Wednesday and is in Moscow the following Monday at 13:58. In addition, there are two weekly trains between Moscow and Ulaanbataar. Train 6 goes from Moscow each Wednesday and Thursday at 23:45 and arrive in Ulaanbaatar on Monday and Tuesday morning at 06:45. In the other direction, train 5 leaves Ulaanbataar every Tuesday and Friday at 15:25, arriving in Moscow at 13:58 five days later, on Saturday or Tuesday.
Lake Baikal to Beijing
edit
To continue after a break at the Baikal might be difficult, especially in peak seasons – so plan your itinerary and buy your tickets beforehand.
If you are in Ulaanbataar, need to get to Beijing and don't have a ticket, you're better off not taking the direct train as prices are steep and trains are often sold out at the ticket booth. There are, however, unofficial ticket touts around that are happy to sell you a ticket at
three to five times the official price
– obviously a bad deal. Instead, take a local train to the border at
Zamiin Uud
(USD15), cross into China by minibus and take a bus to Beijing (USD40).
Landscape in the Selenga province, northern Mongolia
Many Mongolians live in yurts, traditional tents, also in the capital
Bogie change at the border to fit the Chinese gauge
The Yungang Grottoes, Datong
Temple of Heaven, Beijing
City
km from Moscow
Time from Moscow
Time zone
Description
51.82124
107.70361
Trans-Mongolian junction
5,655
km
3 days, 11 hr
Moscow+5
Just after Ulan-Ude, the Trans-Mongolian leaves the Trans-Siberian.
50.38948
106.10012
Naushki
(Наушки)
5,902
km
3 days, 17 hr
Moscow+5
Naushki is the Russian border station and obviously the last Russian station on the line; or the first if you're coming from the other direction. Hopefully you haven't forgotten your visa. There is no time difference between Russia and Mongolia at the border.
50.2365
106.1988
Sühbaatar
(Сүхбаатар)
5,925
km
3 days, 19 hr
UTC+9
Sühbaatar is the Mongolian border railway station. Like Naushki, the train is going to stand here for quite a bit longer than at earlier stations.
47.90806
106.88418
Ulaanbataar
(Улаанбаатар)
6,304
km
4 days, 4 hr
UTC+9
Mongolia's capital is one of the highlights of the route. Sites dedicated to the history from the great Mongolian Empire to the present day and Buddhist monasteries. It is also possible to go hiking in the mountains near the city. The city is the best possible starting point for trips to anywhere in Mongolia; the nearby
Gorkhi-Terelj National Park
gives a taste of Mongolian nature and offers the possibility to sleep in a traditional ger.
43.71907
111.90768
Zamyn-Üüd
(Замын-Үүд)
7,013
km
4 days, 17 hr
UTC+9
After a journey through the Gobi desert, the train arrives in the border station of Zamyn-Üüd.
43.65359
111.98278
Erenhot
(二连浩特)
7,023
km
4 days, 19 hr
UTC+8
Also known as Erlian, Erenhot is the Chinese border station. Here the bogies are changed, to fit the Chinese gauge; yet another interesting thing about the trains between Russia and China. This takes 3-4 hours and you'll need to disembark with all your bags while they do it.
42.39754
112.89904
Zhurihe
(朱日和)
7,182
km
5 days, 1 hr
UTC+8
A town governed by Sonid Right Banner,
Xilin Gol
, near a major training center of Chinese army.
41.02958
113.0918
Jining
(集宁)
7,356
km
5 days, 3 hr
UTC+8
Also known as Ulanqab, an important railway junction and a mining city, from where travellers can get to the nearby city
Datong
in 2 hours by train, which has quite a few things worth visiting, even a UNESCO World Heritage Site – the Yungang Grottoes with 51,000 Buddha statues. Several monasteries, an 11th century pagoda, Heng Mountain which is one of the sacred mountains of Taoism and
street food
stalls add to the experience – you've arrived in China.
40.75136
114.88281
Zhangjiakou
(张家口)
7,534
km
5 days, 5 hr
UTC+8
Zhangjiakou is a city northwest of Beijing. Part of
Great Wall
and a gate in the Wall, Dajing Gate, is in Zhangjiakou, which used to be an important part in the transportation and trade between Han and Mongolia people. Most skiing events of the 2022 Winter Olympics were held in Taizicheng Area in Chongli District of Zhangjiakou, and a zippy new bullet train line that was built for the occasion.
39.90167
116.42101
Beijing
(北京)
7,854
km
5 days, 9 hr
UTC+8
Few cities have are so packed with historical sights as Beijing. The most important ones are Tiananmen Square, the Forbidden City, the Gate of Heavenly Peace, the Temple of Heaven and the
Great Wall
a one hour bus ride away, but you could easily spend a week exploring the city. From Beijing you can get to pretty much everywhere else in China – why not continue your train journey when you've come this far?
Trans-Manchurian
edit
The Trans-Manchurian is also known as
Vostok
(east) and like the former it goes to Beijing. It follows the Trans-Siberian tracks for a little longer (about two thirds of its length) after which it turns south and continues into China without going through Mongolia.
The Trans-Manchurian, train 20 (identified as train K20 in China), leaves Moscow at 23:45 each Saturday and is in Beijing at 05:46 the following Saturday. Train 19 (identified as train K19 in China) departs Beijing at 23:00 at Saturday night and is in Moscow at 17:58 on Friday.
Leaving Russia in Zabaykalsk
Harbin railway station
The end of the Great Wall, Shanhaiguan
City
Kms from Moscow
Time from Moscow
Time zone
Description
51.62441
114.53127
Trans-Manchurian junction
6,312
km
4 days, 0 hr
Moscow+6
After about two thirds of the length of the Trans-Siberian proper, the Trans-Manchurian tracks veer off south.
49.63951
117.33146
Zabaykalsk
(Забайка́льск)
6,666
km
4 days, 7 hr
Moscow+6
Zabaykalsk is the Russian border station.The cars will get different bogies that fit the Chinese gauge, which will make for a longer wait. China is one hour behind local Russian time.
49.58345
117.44209
Manzhouli
(满洲里)
6,678
km
4 days, 13 hr
UTC+8
Across the border there's Manzhouli, the Chinese border station.
49.22838
119.74072
Hailar
(海拉尔)
6,824
km
4 days, 19 hr
UTC+8
Downtown district of
Hulunbuir
, famous for its grasslands.
48.754
121.91845
Bugt
(博克图)
7,034
km
5 days, 0 hr
UTC+8
A town governed by
Yakeshi
(牙克石), a railway junction.
47.16152
123.81431
Ang'angxi
(昂昂溪)
7,303
km
5 days, 4 hr
UTC+8
Ang'angxi is a district of the city
Qiqihar
. Zhalong Nature Reserve is southeast of the city, which is home to lots of birds including cranes.
45.75949
126.62568
Harbin
(哈尔滨)
7,613
km
5 days, 8 hr
UTC+8
Harbin is a Chinese city with Russian influences, many buildings were constructed by the Russians a century ago, there's a sizeable Russian minority and you can even find matryoshka dolls for sale. Major points of interest include the Tiger Park, a couple of parks and a few museums. If you are here in the winter, don't miss the Ice and Snow Sculpture Festival.
43.91071
125.31974
Changchun
(长春)
7,819
km
5 days, 11 hr
UTC+8
Changchun was the capital of the Japanese puppet state of Manchukuo. There are palaces and government departments of Manchukuo, and other buildings of Japanese style in Changchun.
43.16818
124.3741
Siping
(四平)
7,934
km
5 days, 12 hr
UTC+8
An important railway junction.
41.79832
123.39664
Shenyang
(沈阳)
8,122
km
5 days, 14 hr
UTC+8
Shenyang is the largest city in the northeast of China. Nuhaci's imperial palace, Mukden Palace, and the first two imperial tombs of the Qing Dynasty – Zhaoling within Beiling Park (literally Northern Tomb Park) and Fuling within Dongling Park (literally Eastern Tomb Park) are all UNESCO World Heritage Sites.
41.1252
121.14123
10
Jinzhou
(锦州)
8,364
km
5 days, 17 hr
UTC+8
An important railway junction and a mining city.
39.99928
119.76158
11
Shanhaiguan
(山海关)
8,585
km
5 days, 19 hr
UTC+8
Shanhaiguan is where one part of the Great Wall ends into the ocean. The city also boasts other Great Wall related sights. A few minutes away by train there's the larger city of
Qinhuangdao
, best known as a beach resort, to which Shanhaiguan belongs as a district.
39.62571
118.11849
12
Tangshan
(唐山)
8,721
km
5 days, 19 hr
UTC+8
Tangshan is an important industrial city near Beijing and Tianjin. There is Earthquake Museum in Tangshan, memorial of the 1976 Tangshan earthquake, believed to be the largest earthquake of the 20th century by death toll.
39.13628
117.20948
13
Tianjin
(天津)
8,844
km
5 days, 21 hr
UTC+8
Tianjin is one of the five national central cities of China. Tianjin's urban area is located along the Hai River, and was once home to foreign concessions in the late Qing Dynasty and early Kuomintang era.
39.90167
116.42101
14
Beijing
(北京)
9,001
km
5 days, 23 hr
UTC+8
Few cities are so packed with historical sights as Beijing. The most important ones are the Tiananmen Square, the Forbidden City, the Gate of Heavenly Peace, the Temple of Heaven and the
Great Wall
, a one-hour bus ride away, but you could easily spend a week exploring the city. From Beijing you can get to pretty much everywhere else in China – why not continue your train journey when you've come this far?
Sidetrips
edit
The Turtle Rock in Gorkhi-Terelj National Park
There are some interesting destinations "off the track". Saint Petersburg is often visited before or after a Trans-Siberian journey. The capital of the Tatars,
Kazan
, is on the alternative track between Moscow and Yekaterinburg.
Tobolsk
, the old Siberian capital is a little over 200
km away from Tyumen.
Tomsk
, the most beautiful city of Siberia can be visited as a sidetrip from Novosibirsk or Krasnoyarsk. One highlight on the trip is
Lake Baikal
that can be visited from Irkutsk and Severobaikalsk; you will see the lake from the train but why not explore the region further? Those staying for a few days in the region often take a trip to the scenic island of
Olkhon
In Mongolia, the area around Ulaanbaatar is worth visiting; for example the
Terelj National Park
or the
Gobi desert
further away. One of the main attractions of China, the Great Wall is not far from the railway.
One of the parallel tracks, used by the Trans-Siberian in Soviet times, dips into the north of
Kazakhstan
through the mining city of Petropavl before re-entering Russia and rejoining the standard route at
Omsk
. Western passport holders don't need a visa to visit Kazakhstan, the problem is that you exit Russia and can only re-enter with a double- or multi-entry Russian visa. It's not worth the extra trouble of arranging this just for a quick look at Petropavl, the point would be to go further south to the Kazakh capital
Astana
(formerly Nur-Sultan) and to
Almaty
. These both have trains to
Urumqi
in northwest China, which has super-fast trains to Xian and Beijing. But this isn't a Trans-sib sidetrip but a whole separate itinerary, described in the
Moscow to Urumqi
article.
Buy
edit
Costs
depend mainly on the level of quality you want. A trip in second class and staying at mid-range hotels together with a simpler meal and sightseeing or a show will cost you €100–120 per day. If you want your train trip and hotels to be first class and take guided trips it's easy to raise the daily costs up to €500. Self-catering, travel in third class and staying at hostels you can get the daily expenses down to as little as €20–30. China and Mongolia are somehow cheaper and more accessible for tourism than Russia. There aren't really any discounts. An international (or local) student card can get you a few discounts, but senior discounts are unheard of.
Many world currencies can be exchanged at good rates in any city. Bringing local currency isn't necessary, as the rates in local banks are much better. Save for China, don't exchange moneys at airports (or just as much you need to get into town). In Russia, rates at exchange booths are usually similar to those in the banks. Money exchange is not possible on the train. In China the exchange rates are fixed by the government and private banks often refuse to change Swiss francs so you need to go to the governmental bank to exchange them.
Credit cards can be used in hotels, better restaurants, travel agencies and major grocery stores. In Moscow and Beijing they are widely accepted. Visa cards are the ones most frequently accepted in ATMs.
Travellers cheques can be cashed only at a few places, but the rates are acceptable.
A typical
tip
in Russia is 5–10%. You are not required to pay the tip when you are not satisfied with the service. In Mongolia the bill is usually rounded up. Neither of these practices is common in China.
Eat
edit
Food and drinks for sale at a train stop
Samovar boiler (called "Titan") aboard the train
You will learn to know many different cuisines on a journey like this. For a more elaborate list of local specialities, please refer to particular cities' and regions' articles. Below are just a couple of general train-related things listed.
Many of the trains have
dining cars
. Prices are high for the quality you get. A main dish will cost €5–8. You may get freshly cooked food during lunch and dinner time, but on other occasions expect frozen food, which is warmed up in a microwave and becomes less than palatable. Drinks and alcohol are about 2–3 times more expensive than in the stores. On the other hand, you are not allowed to consume alcohol (save for beer) on board, and you are not allowed to bring your own alcohol to the dining cars, so if you want to drink, pay the price or do it quietly in your compartment, as most locals do. First-class tickets and even some of the 2nd-class tickets may include food (snacks for breakfast, warm food for lunch and dinner). A lady will come to your compartment and bring a couple of plastic bowls with warm food. It is usually freshly cooked and quite edible.
On the
Moscow
Vladivostok
route the train stops for 20–30 minutes every 3–4 hours. Everybody can get out of the train, and there are often people on the platform that offer a variety of fresh local food (eggs, fish, cheese, bread, fruits, meat or cheese in a cake) and often some drinks for passengers. Many railway stations nowadays require them to purchase a license to keep their stand at the platform. Between Beijing and Novosibirsk, platform vendors were observed only in Choir, Mongolia, and Mariinsky, Russia. Prices are low; only Russian rubles are accepted. A highlight is the smoked fish (Omul) being sold on the shore of Lake Baikal (Station: Slyudyanka, a quick stop, so be fast). Some of the larger stations will have food marts with snacks and alcohol.
Food and drinks are also sold in kiosks at the platforms, but normally twice as expensive. To get a reasonable price, wait for a station with a longer stop, and just exit the train station, usually there are plenty of kiosks or small shops just outside, offering a wider choice. Supermarkets (not necessarily of the western kind), affordable
food stands
and simpler restaurants can be found at most stops. More lavish restaurants and fast food chains can be found in major cities. However familiar western chains are to be found only in Moscow and Beijing.
Coming from
Beijing
through
Harbin
, the last stop in
China
is
Manzhouli
. The food being sold there is quite expensive, but many Russians stock up on provisions (i.e. spirits and beer). You can take a maximum of 2 litres of alcohol (either beer or vodka or any combination of those) per person into Russia or you will have to pay a "penalty" (bribe) to the customs. Get rid of all your Chinese Yuan here unless you want to take them as a souvenir as they become virtually worthless once abroad. There are a couple of black market money changers in front of the station that change renminbi to rubles at ripoff rates. To get rubles, you have plenty of time on the Russian side of the border (
Zhabaikalsk
). Walk to the ATM located at the bank in town. Allow 30 minutes to go and come back. The train stops for several hours while the carriages are being changed, so you can do some shopping at the local food markets (bread, cheese, etc.).
Coming from
Beijing
via Mongolia into Russia there are still the same rip-off exchange touts. There is a very reasonable foreign exchange office at Ulaanbaatar station, in the waiting area. Most if not all platform vendors in Mongolia and Russia take U.S. dollars or euros. However, they take only notes, so know the exchange rate and buy a lot if you are using a €5 note. Always ask the attendant how much time is available before you rush off into a station to find a Bankomat (ATM) because the train will not wait for you. If you are not spending time in Mongolia, avoid acquiring Mongolian tögrög. They are worthless virtually everywhere else, and the export of tögrög is illegal. Therefore, spend dollars or euro, but get rubles immediately because Russian vendors are more likely to fabricate exchange rates than Mongolian or Chinese platform vendors.
Food is traditionally placed on the table in the compartment. It is not uncommon to share food. This makes for a nice picnic where you learn to know your fellow passengers. It is polite to let them invite you and that you also have something to bring along. Why not bring something from your home country?
Every carriage has a
samovar
(hot water dispenser, lit. "self cooker") that is kept hot throughout the whole journey. Have a stack of dried soups, teabags and Nescafe ready. Just bring your own cup, or ask one from the train attendant. Train attendants also sell tea, coffee, snacks and even freeze-dried meals at slightly inflated prices.
Drink
edit
Alcohol
is an important part of Russian culture and thus it's not unusual to have some vodka at your compartment picnic. At this stage, you have to be careful and you need to know when to stop. First, drinking strong alcohol is not allowed in Russian trains, but, as always in Russia, "not allowed" does not mean "forbidden". Carriage attendants will pretend not to see you unless you are making a noise or other drama. Police may go through the train and harass people who are drinking, so stay quiet and keep bottles under the table. Never drink more than you can. A drinking competition will for sure land you in a hospital or worse. Use your common sense when fellow travellers offer you something. You are much more likely to taste a good drink than to get into trouble, but troubles are not unheard of and range from bad alcohol to alcohol intentionally mixed with drugs that will make you an easy victim.
Other than that,
tea
is also an important drink; in Russia this will mean black tea with lemon, in China green tea. It's drunk at breaks, after meals and sometimes as an aperitif.
The samovar also comes in handy when you'd like some hot drinks (the water is free but bring your own tea or buy some from the carriage attendant). It's usually possible to buy soft drinks and beer in the restaurant carriage to bring back to your carriage.
It's worth having a basic
phrasebook
as attendants are unlikely to speak English and the drinks provided won't come with milk or sugar unless you specifically ask for them.
Sleep
edit
Crossing the Gobi desert on the Trans-Mongolian
Platzkart
All tickets for long journey trains are for sleeping places. In the 1st and 2nd classes, they are about 1.9 m long and about half a metre wide. 3rd-class carriages have shorter berths. Some trains between Moscow and Saint Petersburg have seating places. Few trains in Russia have all 4 types of cabins to choose from:
First class (SV)
is, except the three 'M'-classes, the most comfortable and quite expensive. The price is at least twice as much as in 2nd class. Each cabin consists of two sofas flanking each side of the compartment, which convert into beds for sleeping. On some trains such as the Trans-Mongolian, the first-class compartments have private bathrooms. Service in first class actually somewhat resembles the service you would expect in Europe and North America, which is worth considering since Russian railways are notoriously bureaucratic and not very service-minded, to say the least. The compartment doors can be locked from within, but these locks can be opened from the outside with a key. If the security chain is used, the door can only be opened 5
cm.
Second class (Kupe)
somewhat compares to the standard on Western European sleeper trains. These carriages are compartmentalized, with each compartment holding 4 beds. You will share the two lower bunks during the day, and there is no other place to sit except for the dining car. Most trains will have male-only, female-only, and mixed compartments. You can choose any of the two depending on your preference. Kupe is a good compromise between relative comfort, and the ability to meet and mingle with the Russians. Prices are comparable to the cheapest economy-class plane ticket. 2nd-class tickets may be combined with food and "service". Food means hot food served twice a day. "Service" implies small things like toothbrush, sleepers, tea, coffee, and snacks included in the price of your ticket.
Third class (Platzkart)
bears some resemblance to the hard sleeper class on Chinese trains: many find this class to be much better than its reputation. These carriages are in an open layout with two lower and two upper berths (seat numbers 1–36), a narrow corridor, and another two berths that are stretched along the side of the carriage (seat numbers 37–52), the latter are not recommended.
There is little in the way of privacy here, but many do prefer this option, at least for a short overnight trip, because you do not find yourself locked in a compartment with three strangers. It also gives a more uniquely Russian experience, and you will see a larger – and different – demographic than in second class. The price is usually 40–50% lower than in the 2nd class. Lots of middle-class people travel this way, but you may also meet young men returning from the military service and other noisy or drunk companions, so it is a bit more adventurous than hiding oneself in a closed compartment. On the downside, 3rd class carriages have shorter berths that will be uncomfortable for anyone taller than 1.75 m. Lights are dimmed, but not completely switched off during the night.
Fourth class (Obshchy)
is the cheapest way of travel. It can be found on slower trains. Most people will only use it for short trips not exceeding 10–12 hr. 4th-class carriages may have individual seats, as in European trains, but you are more likely to find yourself in a 3rd-class carriage, where each lower berth accommodates three people, and additionally one person is supposed to lie on the upper berth. In fact, upper berths are most popular here. They are filled first, regardless of seat numbers written on the tickets. Then other people will sit or lie on the lower berths.
If the train arrives at your destination before 08:00 local time, the carriage attendant will wake you up half an hour before arrival. Otherwise you will be notified 15 minutes before arrival.
Talk
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Beijing-Ulaanbataar-Moscow in three languages, Trans-Mongolian
While Russia is a huge country and some regions have their own local language,
Russian
is taught in every school, and serves as the lingua franca between different ethnic groups. If you know some Russian, you can use it throughout the trip. If you don't, it's still worth learning the Cyrillic alphabet, since many signs do not have a transcription in Latin script.
Mongolian
, the language of Mongolia, also uses the Cyrillic alphabet with two additional letters. However, Russian is the most widely studied foreign language in Mongolia, so you would generally be able to get by in the cities if you speak Russian. On the other hand, Mongolians have a strong sense of animosity against China and often find it offensive to be addressed in Mandarin.
In northeastern China
Mandarin Chinese
is spoken. It's a tonal language and someone unfamiliar with Chinese reading Latin transcriptions that don't show tones is unlikely to be understood by locals. Likewise, most locals are also unable to understand Latin transcriptions of Chinese. In other words, if you cannot speak Chinese (well), have somebody, for example at your hotel, write down addresses in Chinese characters to show to taxi drivers, etc. Russian is generally not widely spoken beyond the border towns.
Korean
is the language of
North Korea
, though it has diverged somewhat from the Korean that is spoken in South Korea, particularly when it comes to modern concepts.
English is spoken mostly by youth and educated people. A few older Russians can speak German and some younger people can speak French. English is also not widely spoken in China, though staff at major hotels and tourist attractions that see many foreign visitors usually speak a basic level of English. North Korea can only be visited on a guided tour, and your tour guides will speak English (or whatever language you book your tour in).
Stay safe
edit
Transsiberian (film)
Some say that the Trans-Siberian has a reputation of being a major route for illegal drug trafficking. This has influenced at least one film
Transsiberian
, which is set on the railway and follows a thrilling tale of drug smuggling and criminal activity along the route.
An ordinary day in the 3rd class
The journey on the Trans-Siberian route is quite safe, especially if you travel in groups of four and have your own compartment. Compartments can be locked from the inside with two locks. One can be opened from outside with a special key, the other cannot be opened from outside, and when locked allows the door to open a bit. It is advisable to use both locks during the night. The Trans-Mongolian and Manchurian train services once were hot spots of theft and gang robbery after the dissolution of Soviet Union, but as of Jan 2021 the routes are safe thanks to better law enforcement on board. You can't lock your compartment from outside when you go out. But the train attendant can do it for you.
3rd-class carriages provide less personal space and less protection. If you sleep on the lower berth, use the space under the berth to store your belongings. When on the upper berth, use the shelf above you. Take all valuable things with you when going out on to the station. Things are rarely stolen, but reasonable caution should be used.
Police in Russia can be your good friend or a bad enemy depending on the situation. Each train has at least one policeman who may shuffle around looking for drunks, drugs, beggars, and criminals. If you are harassed or threatened, contact the train attendant who will call the police. On the other hand, avoid doing something that can draw the attention of the police to you. After terrorist attacks in the early 2010s, each train station was assigned lots of police who tend to sporadically check documents and ask questions about your luggage. Never leave the train without your ticket and passport. Russian police are also very sensitive to people taking pictures of railways, stations, and trains. This is another aspect of anti-terrorist paranoia. Foreigners and especially Western tourists are less likely to face this problem. However, if you are approached by the police and asked to delete some photos, just do it and forget (or restore your photos later). Never try to take pictures of the police.
As a rule of thumb, smaller towns are less safe than bigger cities. If you are travelling alone, avoid areas void of people, near crowds the only thing to watch out for are
pickpockets
. If you are travelling shorter hops, it's possible that your train will arrive in the middle of the night. Stay inside the train station until the morning (unless you know well where to go), or choose a train that arrives in the daytime.
If you are an obvious tourist you are likely to get cheated at markets and especially by taxi drivers. The remedy for this is some knowledge of Russian and good
bargaining
skills. Always negotiate the price in rubles, even if the seller starts quoting the price in dollars and even if you plan to pay with dollars. Dollar prices are calculated according to the current bank exchange rates. Most places will not accept any currency other than rubles, though.
Often sellers and cab drivers will grab your arm to drag you to their stand or car. In this case it suffices to just rip yourself loose. They are there to make you pay high prices for their merchandise and services, not to hurt you.
There's prostitution going on in some hotels and even next to the train stations. To avoid possibly losing your money and health, steer clear. Same is true for drugs of any sort.
Likely the most dangerous city in the night time is
Ulanbataar
. Hotels and hostels often keep their doors shut between midnight and 06:00 because it's too unsafe on the streets.
Stay healthy
edit
You should be in good physical condition while starting a trip like this, with no reason to believe your condition will worsen during the trip. Good medical care according to Western standards is really only available in Moscow and at private clinics in Beijing. In Mongolia you should really have a
first aid kit
. For smaller injuries, private clinics in Ulaanbaatar are good enough but if something serious happens you should get to Beijing, Europe or the United States regardless of the costs.
Health risks include avian influenza and rabies. Keep your distance from wild animals.
Tap water may not be safe for drinking. Russians consider it safe after boiling, and this is what you get from the samovar. If you are cautious, bring bottled water but remember that you won't have any opportunity to warm it.
Respect
edit
Beijing railway station, the end point of the Trans-Mongolian and Trans-Manchurian
Especially if you travel alone you will be spending some time on the train with locals, so it's useful to learn basic do's and don'ts before the journey. Please refer to the respect sections of the
Russia
Mongolia
and
China
articles to learn about the culture in the countries you will be traveling through.
Despite the opening of the countries for tourism,
photography
is still not allowed everywhere. Do not take photos of military and governmental buildings, as this can land you in jail in the worst case. You should also think twice before taking photos of other government-owned buildings like railway stations. Museums often have their own rules concerning photography, as elsewhere in the world.
Cope
edit
The level of comfort and the number of amenities depend on the type of the train you are taking. Newer carriages feature air conditioning and abundant power sockets, and have an overall nice look, while older carriages have none of those and may become uncomfortably hot during summer as well as very cold during the harsh Siberian winter. If you can choose between several trains on your route, the train with more expensive tickets is more likely to have newer, comfortable carriages.
Standard amenities
include a berth, mattress, pillow, blanket, and bedding. Mattress, pillow, and blankets are stored on the shelf above your berth. Sometimes train attendants will prepare the bed for you, but most likely you will have to do it on your own, especially in 3rd class. Things are pretty heavy, so taking them down and manipulating them in the narrow space is not the most trivial task. People needing assistance should feel free to ask for help from fellow travellers. On a long journey, it is common to remove the bedding and mattress from the lower berths during the day, so that everyone can sit. On the other hand, people on the lower berths may prefer to take a nap. Then you have absolutely no space to sit and will be forced to lie on your upper berth, even if you don't want to. People traveling alone in 3rd class are advised to book the lower berth on the side of the carriage. This will give you the opportunity to sit and even use the table at any time, undisturbed by other passengers.
Sleeping
on the train may not be as simple as you imagine. Windows are often bolted shut, which can be stiflingly hot in summer. Russian trains are not very smooth, so expect constant pushes, noises, and unavoidable disturbances from fellow travelers. 2nd class compartments offer much better conditions than 3rd class, but it is still the same as sleeping in a hostel and far worse than sleeping in your own room. The berths in the 2nd class are long enough for most people, but the berths in the 3rd class are slightly below 1.80 m. If you are taller than that, bend your legs. Letting them jut into the aisle is another option unless you sleep on side berths, but this will make other people hit you every time they pass by. Russians always sleep with their head toward the window and their feet toward the aisle. The opposite way of sleeping (feet toward the window) will not be frowned upon, but it is never used by locals.
Always use the dark window curtain that can be pulled against the window. This will save you from bright lights shining outside. Bring ear plugs and consider what else could help you to fall asleep in a noisy environment. A shot of strong alcohol, a favorite book, or just good music might be helpful. If you've never used night trains before, try yourself on a short, one-night journey before crossing the whole country.
Female train attendants ("provodnitsy")
Power connections
may be difficult to find. Newer carriages have power sockets at each berth (or at least 2 sockets per compartment). Older carriages have only one "public" socket next to the toilet and another one close to the samovar. Train attendants have a few extra sockets hidden inside their compartment. All sockets are designed for shavers: you may see special signs saying that laptops and gadgets should not be charged there. You can, however, connect whatever you want (kettles are not recommended), but nobody takes responsibility for your gadgets. Although voltage is notoriously unstable, most gadgets survive this kind of shock treatment (see
Electrical systems
for some advice).
Train attendants
are your best friends in a long journey. They may have useful facilities, such as a fridge, microwave and extra power sockets. Train attendants are usually reserved with foreigners and rarely know a word of English, but most of them become more friendly the moment you try to make a small chat or present a gift. They may also help you to negotiate with police, border control, and fellow travellers.
Toilets
are usually found at both ends of the carriage. Newer carriages have closed-cycle toilets (so-called "biotoilets") that operate at any time. Older carriages feature something similar to a latrine (hole-in-the-floor) and remain closed when the train is on the station or approaching it. There is a formal schedule posted on the door of each toilet, although train attendants tend to be kind and lock the toilets right before arrival rather than 15–20 minutes in advance. Most toilets nowadays are clean and equipped with toilet paper as well as soap. Paper towels are not common, but you always get a tiny towel with your bedding. However, sinks are very small and difficult to use, so wet napkins remain your best choice. Bringing paper towels or toilet paper is a good idea.
Showers
are available on most long-distance trains, including trans-Siberian routes. A few newer carriages (including 3rd class) offer complimentary showers in the toilet, with details listed on the website during seat reservation. Otherwise, one or two shower cabins are located in one carriage somewhere in the middle of the train. A small fee (approx.
150
руб
) is collected.
Internet
is never available on board, except on a few of the newest trains that do not run on the trans-Siberian routes. However, you can do pretty well with a mobile connection (buy a local SIM card), even though the signal will be weak or missing in the middle of Siberian forests. These days, the majority of Russians have smartphones, and it is not uncommon to see laptops or tablets even in 3rd class. Of course, take care of your belongings.
Go next
edit
If you have arrived in
Vladivostok
after a week on the train, you will feel like you have travelled to the end of the world, but as we know, the world isn't flat. Hence you will have the option to take the ferry to
Japan
or
South Korea
or the train to
Harbin
and from there to other destinations in China. It is theoretically possible, but practically very difficult to continue your journey to
North Korea
If your trip ends in
Beijing
, this is a great opportunity to explore other parts of
China
or even other parts of Asia.
High-speed rail
is the best way of getting around the country and for trips into North Korea, Beijing is a comparatively better starting point, though you will need to make sure you already have your North Korean visa before attempting this. If you have time, it's actually possible to get all the way to
Papua New Guinea
by a combination of trains, buses and ferries.
If your Trans-Siberian trip ends in
Moscow
, you can explore the
Golden Ring
, continue to
St. Petersburg
and all the way to the
Nordic countries
or take one of the several direct trains to
European
destinations. Notice that direct trains to Central Europe go through
Belarus
and practically everyone will need a visa (must be obtained in advance) to enter.
This
itinerary
to
Trans-Siberian Railway
has
guide
status. It has good, detailed information covering the entire route.
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and help us make it a
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