If a journey on the Trans-Siberian Railway doesn’t feature on your bucket list, it’s time to add it. It is a comfortable, affordable, and safe journey that is sure to leave an amazing lasting impression.
There Are Three Main Routes:
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Moscow to Vladivostok
The Rossiya leaves Moscow every second day and heads off on a 6-night journey towards Vladivostok. The train has first class 2-berth compartments along with second class 4-berth compartments. There is also a restaurant cart.
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Two Routes to China
The main Trans-Siberian route runs from Moscow to Vladivostok, but most western travellers choose to head for China on either the Trans-Mongolian line or Trans-Manchurian line. Two direct trains leave weekly between Moscow and Beijing, train ¾ via Mongolia uses Chinese coaches and train 19/20 via Manchuria makes use of Russian coaches.
How to Book Your Trip:
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Buy Your Train Tickets
Once you have decided which route you would like to explore, the first thing to do is visit Thetranssiberiantravelcompany.com for more information and arrange your train tickets. There are several ways to purchase tickets.
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Book Your Connecting Flights, Trains, and Ferries
Once you have booked your Trans-Siberian track ticket, you may want to book a ferry to South Korea, a China-Japan ferry, the Beijing-Hanoi train, the Vladivostok-Japan ferry, or any onward trains within China. You may also have to book a one-way flight if you plan on going one-way train and one way by air.
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Book Your Hotel Stays
To find and book hotels in Vladivostok, Moscow, Beijing, or any other cities along the way, either use hotel booking sites or let your travel agent make recommendations. Websites are a great way of comparing the cheapest sellers of any given hotel. Many allow you to book rooms with free cancellations, so you will be able to safely and securely book your accommodation as soon as you have determined your travel dates without worrying about losing money, before you have confirmed your visas or train tickets.
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Organise Your Visas
Once you have booked your tickets for the Trans-Siberian train, you will need to arrange your visas. Typically, you can only acquire visas within three months of travel.
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Book Your Train to Moscow
If you are going to be travelling from London to Moscow, arrange your travel to connect with the Trans-Siberian train. You can also travel to Moscow via direct sleeping-cars from Vienna, Paris, Prague, Berlin, Helsinki, and a host of other places. Typically, bookings for European trains open around 92 days before date of departure. So, you won’t be able to book until the reservations open.
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Avoid Flying to Moscow
If you can help it, avoid flying to Moscow. Doing so to pick up the Trans-Siberian is like entering a marathon and then getting a lift in a car for the first stretch. It’s cheating! If you plan on going overland to the Far East, do it properly by staying firmly on the ground.
