Trans-Siberian Railway

[RedJ]

Anyone ever done this? looking at booking this for a couple of years time (unless I can pull a couple of grand out my arse for this year), looking for any advice on routes as there's a few you can do from what I've seen.

Failing that, has anyone been to any of the main cities on the route?

[hoolahoop]

No but it sounds like a trip and a half - hope for your sake you get to do this.  Be interesting to get your observations afterwards.

[Donnywolf]

Deffo NOT done that but it would be great I reckon. Other long distance Rail routes across the States and The Ghan in Aus also appeal to me. They always look great fun when on Telly Progs - Chris Tarrant did a good one from The Ghan

As for the 2k are you in the Alliance ? Could get 10k if lucky

[BillyStubbsTears]

I did a trip from Munich to Athens by train back in the 80s. Three of us shared a compartment with three Croats smuggling trainers from Munich to Zagreb.

Was scheduled to take 36 hours  - actually took 45 hours. And the water in the toilets ran out after 12 hours. In 38C heat. Not fun. I can still smell it now...

[RedJ]

No but it sounds like a trip and a half - hope for your sake you get to do this.  Be interesting to get your observations afterwards.

Will be sure to do a write up of my experience if I go ahead with it. Looks absolutely amazing.




Worst experience of my life on a train must be the sleeper from Vienna to Munich. I was on the top bunk of three, bloke on the bottom kept having to get up for a shite and f**k me he must've been on the curries, pretty sure the bloke underneath me was knocking one out at one point and I had about half a foot between myself and the ceiling of the cabin and every time the train went into a tunnel my ears popped and woke me up. And then I had to traipse around the city for 9 hours with a big f**koff bag on my back before they'd let me check in...

[phllvslc]

One thing you'd have to watch out for is that no matter where the train is in Russia, and what time zone, it will be running according to Moscow time.

https://www.telegraph.co.uk/travel/rail-journeys/Trans-Siberian-Great-Train-Journeys/

[SydneyRover]

Anyone ever done this? looking at booking this for a couple of years time (unless I can pull a couple of grand out my arse for this year), looking for any advice on routes as there's a few you can do from what I've seen.

Failing that, has anyone been to any of the main cities on the route?

I dont wish to curb your enthusiasm at all RJ, I enjoy travelling by public transport in fact more so than by car and the more local the transport is the better for me.  The Ghan (named after Afghan cameleers that came to Australia) is one long straight trip with few towns.
https://www.australiangeographic.com.au/topics/history-culture/2011/07/australias-afghan-cameleers/

https://www.sbs.com.au/ondemand/search/The%20Ghan

[RedJ]

Interesting stuff. Will give that a proper read when I've not had a skinful.

[Pintolager]

Was interested in doing this when I went to Moscow in 2010 from there to Beijing and to see in the Chinese New Year. Was going to book through an organised trip, but the more I looked into it, I decided against it as it was going to cost at least £3,000.

I have read that it is cheaper to buy tickets at the station when you decide to go, which may be an option for you. It is something I would like to do in the future and maybe go Moscow-UlanBator-Beijing, before flying back to the UK.     

[RedJ]

Thanks for that, I assumed booking at the station would've been dearer. I suppose though the added cost is for like the guided stuff they add into the trip when you go.

I was gonna book it for as I say a couple of years from now and spread the cost as much as possible. Think I'll look into that way of doing things though. That would be the route I was looking at as well, though maybe fly onto Japan before coming home.

[BillyStubbsTears]

Here's a thought. Why not do rail all the way from Donny?

Looks fairly straightforward and not too expensive to get from London to Moscow by train.
https://www.seat61.com/Russia.htm#London%20to%20Moscow%20by%20train:%20%20Options
I did Berlin to Warsaw by train about 10 years back. Interesting to see how the speed dropped considerably when we crossed the Polish border - 150+mph in Germany but below 100mph in Poland even though it was the same train. I guess the rail track was of a much lower standard in Poland.

[RedJ]

I haven't considered that either really, I love rail travel even with all its shall we say challenges at times. I suppose the train would probably be cheaper than flying out to Russia as well...

[German Rover]

It'd be interesting for the change of gauge.  It causes minor dramas in Vilnius everytime as well with the trains to Kaliningrad from Russia.  I suppose the Lithuanians don't want loads of Russians hanging about incase it all goes a bit Sevastopol on them.

[Christherover]

RedJ. Just a suggestion if I may. I’ve never used them before but follow them and they have good reviews https://www.lupinetravel.co.uk/trans-mongolian-tours.html offer the following tour from £999 per person. Obviously depends on upgrades for price increases but possibly something to look at.

From reading it the tour is partially guided and the train legs are on your own.

Also as Billy said why not travel to Russia by train. The wife hates flying and we’ve travelled by rail from Barcelona and Rome back to Doncaster in the past couple of years and loved it.

[RedJ]

RedJ. Just a suggestion if I may. I’ve never used them before but follow them and they have good reviews https://www.lupinetravel.co.uk/trans-mongolian-tours.html offer the following tour from £999 per person. Obviously depends on upgrades for price increases but possibly something to look at.

From reading it the tour is partially guided and the train legs are on your own.

Also as Billy said why not travel to Russia by train. The wife hates flying and we’ve travelled by rail from Barcelona and Rome back to Doncaster in the past couple of years and loved it.

Thanks, I'll give that a proper look when I get in tonight.

[Christherover]

RedJ. Just a suggestion if I may. I’ve never used them before but follow them and they have good reviews https://www.lupinetravel.co.uk/trans-mongolian-tours.html offer the following tour from £999 per person. Obviously depends on upgrades for price increases but possibly something to look at.

From reading it the tour is partially guided and the train legs are on your own.

Also as Billy said why not travel to Russia by train. The wife hates flying and we’ve travelled by rail from Barcelona and Rome back to Doncaster in the past couple of years and loved it.

Thanks, I'll give that a proper look when I get in tonight.

No problem at all.

[SydneyRover]

Here another rail trip.

https://www.independent.co.uk/travel/news-and-advice/uzbekistan-visas-couple-overcharged-great-rail-journey-samarkand-tashkent-bukhara-khiva-a8515271.html