sap2017 Trans-Siberian Railway - Wikitravel
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This article is an itinerary.
‘The Trans-Siberian Railway (Russian: TpanceuGipcxas waruerpaits trahns-see-BEER-
skuh-yuh mah-gee-STRAHL or TpancehG trahns-SEEB), or Transsib is the name
given to the three rail routes that traverse Siberia from Moscow.
= The Trans-Siberian proper goes from Moscow to the Pacific terminus of
Vladivostok.
« The Trans-Mongolian goes from Moscow to Beijing, China via Ulaanbaatar,
Mongolia.
* The Trans-Manchurian travels through Siberia and Manchuria to Beijing.
* See also: BAM, Baikal-Amur Mainline
‘The Trans-Siberian Railway is the
longest railway in the world, It was
built between 1891 and 1916 to
connect Moscow with the Far-East
city of Vladivostok, En route it passes
through the cities of Perm,
‘Yekaterinburg, Omsk, Novosibirsk,
Krasnoyarsk, Irkutsk, Chita and
Khabarovsk.
Prepare
Packing the following items is ‘Trans-Siberian train, Moscow to Vladivostok route
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,
= 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 tums out that
Einstein indeed was right - time does become relative, So bring a headlamp for
reading when others want to slumber,
= 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 travelers, and making the long hours spent on the train immensely more
enjoyable. Bring a deck of § Crowns for this is a favourite in Russia. If you are a
chess player, by all means bring a litle chess set - the game is really very popular in
Russia,
+ Pictures of your home, country and family and a phrasebook with a conversation
section (Lonely Planet's phrasebook is a good one) 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
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normally meet many - even these days. Recommended: make a list of vocabulary
and study it in the train!
= Itinerary There are many ways to "make Trans-Siberian”, think carefully which
cities you want to make stops in depending on your passions and interests. Russia
Planner [1] (http://www.russiaplanner.comy) gives support in planning a route,
suggests places to visit and can help with booking tickets and accommodation,
= Laptop PC, e-book reader, ete. Electronic gadgets are really an option for
entertainment when there is nobody to make a good company with. Be sure to also
take an extender with surge protection in order to charge your equipment
conveniently and safely from the car wall outlets (they are ~220V S0Hz). Note that
the sockets are originally designed for electric shavers, so the overall load should
not exceed ~100W. If you find the outlets de-energized, it almost always means that
the circuit is just switched off. Don't be afraid of asking the conductor to turn it on,
he should do it immediately and for free!
Get in
‘The three termini of the Trans-Siberian are
Moscow, Beijing and Vladivostok. There's
also a weekly connection from Moscow to
Pyongyang.
Moscow can be reached by train from
anywhere in Europe. Fares from London (one-
way) start at around £200. Eurolines
(http://www.curolines.com/) operate the
European coach system, and fares from
London start from around £60. Aeroflot
(http://www.aeroflot.comy) is the principal
airline operating into and out of Moscow.
Ferries run throughout the year between
Vladivostok and Fushiki, Japan. The trip takes
about two days, Arrangements can be made
through Business Intour Service
(http://www. bisintour.com/), who have offices
in Tokyo and Vladivostok.
Vladivostok station
Ferries also run from Sokcho[2]
(http://www.dongchunferry.co.kr/) and Donghae[3] (http://www.dbsferry.com/), South
Korea to Vladivostok. Aeroflot and Vladivostok Air [4] (http://www.vladavia.rw/) serve
Vladivostok, amongst others.
Beijing is served by numerous international airlines. It can also be reached by train from as
far south as Lhasa (Tibet) or Ho Chi Minh City (Vietnam), but there are no rail
connections to Thailand, Myanmar or India.
Visa information
Most travelers will need visas for all three countries except if you are going to Vladivostok
or Sakhalin by Trans Siberian route without visiting any other countries apart Russia. For
example by the main Trans Siberian line or BAM.
‘a and Mongolia are fairly straightforward. The best way to obtain a visa is through
your own embassy or consulate or in Hong Kong. Visas for British citizens cost £30.
However, Mongolian visas can easily be obtained from the Mongolian consulate in Irkutsk
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(Russia), and Chinese visas in Ulaanbaatar (Note: For the moment it is not recommended
to apply for Chinese visas in Mongolia, due to tightened regulations.) US citizens (90
days) and Israelis (30 days) do not need Mongolian visas.
Russia is more problematic. Invitations are generally required for issuing a visa. Practice
shows you can get it from online services like Russian-visas [[5] (http://www.russian-
visas.net)]. Tourist visa gives you up to 30 days in the country. Business visa is a choice
for people who want to spend up to 90 days, however, you might need to use
russianvisas.org for 3 month double-entry visas or travel agency in your country to arrange
it.
Every foreign tourist has to get registration for stays in one place of more than 7 working
days (9 days with weekend). Hotels provide it for free most of the time, some hostels will
do it for an extra charge. Apparently any Russian can register you in his/her house at the
post office for a small fee. If you stay less than 7 working days you don't have to register
legally. In any case, it is advised to keep all your tickets with you.
However, Russian transit visas issued in Beijing, Shenyang 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 9:00 to
11:00 but remember that many Chinese nationals are also trying to acquire visas with you,
so show up early. The Shenyang consulate is open from 9:00-12:00 for visa services drop-
off and 15:00-16:00 for pickup, and is far less crowded or strict than Beijing. The cost
varies for each nationality, but Americans can expect to pay $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 ot
‘two nights in St. Petersburg respectively, but you must be across the border before
midnight on the final day of your visa
‘There are many exits from St. Petersburg, including buses to Helsinki, Tallinn, Riga, Kiev
and various other places in Europe, but be wary that nearly all nationalities need a transit
visa (or tourist visa) for Belarus (see here (http:/www.mfa.gov.by/en/consular/ visa’) if
unsure) so be sure to be prepared with a visa if your plans take you through Belarus. An
exception is the once weekly ferry from St, Petersburg to Liibeck (Germany). See: [6]
(http://www. finnlines.com/ferry-trips/routes_fares/luebeck_st_petersburg). It is a great
way to leave (or to start your journey to Russia),
Itis generally assumed that border police stationed at bus routes that exit the country are
less likely to make a fuss versus the police on trains, A Russian transit visa cannot be
extended under any circumstances. If you artive 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, though it is recommended
that you register your visa, if possible, within three days of entry into Russia.
Unfortunately, if you encounter police officers they might not have the same opinion and
you could be faced with a "fine". Have your ticket ready as proof that you were unable to
register sooner and keep all receipts from hotels and/or hostels from places where you
have not registered. Israelis do not need Russian visas (90 days).
Tickets
‘The Russian train system is different from European systems. Order your tickets as soon
as possible especially from July to September and around New Year. The train tickets are
bought for fixed dates and all the stops must be planned in advance. If you have a ticket
from Moscow to Vladivostok and step off the train in Irkutsk, you can’t use your ticket for
a next train going to Vladivostok. If your stop is not planned in advance and not revealed
in your tickets, your ticket will be canceled and you'll get stuck in Irkutsk. It’s somewhat
similar to a plane going from New York to Moscow with a connection in Amsterdam — if
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you decide to go out in Amsterdam
and lose your flight you can’t use your
ticket for a next flight to Moscow. -
Actually: you buy separate tickets for
every trip (for example: Moscow -
Irkuisk. Then Irkutsk - Ulan Ude
Then Ulan Ude -...). (The rules state
that a passenger is actually 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 knowledge of
Russian.) Kupe-class passenger cabin on the Trans-Siberian.
This is one of the old Waggonbau Ammendorf cars
‘Thete are several ways of buying from East Germany, still common in more than a
tickets for the trip. You can purchase _half of Russian trains
them from a travel agent in your own
country, a travel agent in the country
from which you will start the journey or tun up and buy tickets yourself — or you use the
online booking system of Russian Railways [7] (http://pass.rzd.rw/main-pass/public/en).
‘The first option is safe, but most expensive, the third the cheapest but riskiest — and the
last is easy and the cheapest. Popular trains can be sold out well in advance, particularly in
peak season, For some trains in peak seasons there is no public sale, these tickets are only
sold to certified travel agencies.
Russian tickets, also to Mongolia and China, at Russian fares are sold via Russian
Railways (see above), a bit more expensive by agencies like VisitRussia [8]
(http://www.visitrussia. com/tickets/train-tickets.htm) or others (Transsib Reisen St.
Petersburg [9] (http://transsibirischeeisenbahn.me)),
Normally it is said to be possible to buy the tickets in any Russian station, not necessarily
one on the route of the train. Russia, Ukraine and Belarus have a common ticketing
network, so it is possible to buy a ticket for a Russian train in those two countries (eg,
Brest), and it will probably be even cheaper than in Moscow. The difference occurs for
several reasons, including whether additional insurance is present or not. All tickets
include a small mandatory insurance, but cashiers will try to sell you additional insurance
(150-200 RUB) by default. Selling it by default is prohibited and you always have the
option to opt-in or opt-out: just say bez strakhovkee (6es crpaxonkn, without the
insurance) or so strakhovkoy (co erpaxonxoii, with the insurance). The ticket itself is
issued on two layers of orange paper, insurance (if included) is a pink/green paper of the
same size.
Ifyou live in Germany you can buy tickets for Russian trains at any "Bahn"-Counter
(German Railways)
‘The problem is that some Russian trains are sold out weeks before departures.
In some stations in Russia, 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 normally individual, with name and passport number written on them, so you
may need to show passports for all travelers when you pay (although a passport photocopy
usually is enough). Also, if you plan to buy tickets on more than one occasion, it may be
usefill to keep handy a piece of paper with the travelers names written in the Cyrillic
alphabet instead of transcribing them each time.
Im Beijing, you must buy tickets in person from a hotel travel agency near Beijing's main
train station,
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Tickets online
‘Map of the Trans-siberian railway (red)
‘Tickets can be purchased online, but you have to receive a paper ticket at the station
anyway. You cannot board a train with just a printed copy of your order confirmation. For
some trains and classes you might be able to "check in" online (at the time of purchase),
which means the conductor will have a list with your name on it, so you won't need a
ticket - you just show your passport.
Arrive to your station of departure at least 180 minutes in advance (queues may be
extremely long) and go to the same cash desks where you would normally buy tickets.
Hand over your passport and order confirmation (or just the order number). The cashier
will issue you a paper ticket for no additional fee.
Besides this, railway stations in Moscow and other bigger cities, have self-check-in
counters where you have to enter your order number and surname, and the ticket will be
printed automatically.
Buying tickets at the official Russian Railways website at http:/ticket.rzd.ru, english:
htp:/ipass.zd.rw/main-pass/public/en is very good and easy to use and a lot cheaper than
through an agency because there will be no processing fee, however you will need a credit
card issued by a Russian bank to make a reservation, You can also select the railway car
and your seat/place. Tickets within CIS countries are also available. However, tickets to
China and Mongolia cannot be bought online.
Station numbers
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.
International ‘Train Talk
Stations are listed in order from west to east = [would like to buy a ticket
- Ya hachu kupit bilyet -
= 5100136 Warsaw/Poland - Central Station xouy xymtre Guzer
(Warszawa Centralna)
+ 2100035 Brest/Belarus (Bpecm) From -iz-us
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* 1000001 Helsinki/Fintand (Xerscunu) To - vf-8
= 3100022 Ulaanbaatar/Mongolia (Vaan-
Eamop) = One, two, three persons -
+ 3300100 Beijing/China (Texu, 4E 3%) adeen, dva, ree
= 3300200 Harbin/China (Xapéun, MY/Ri) chelavyeka - OHH, 18,
1pH etoReKa
Russia = Today - sevodnya -
ceromna
List of major stations listed in order from west to = Tomorrow - zafira -
east sanrpa
= Monday - panedyelnik -
= 2058000 Kaliningrad (Kanumunepad) HoHEAeMBHHK
= 2004000 St Petersburg (Canxm-IIemep6yp2) = Tuesday - flormik -
Topi
2004001 St Petersburg - Glavnyi Station = Wednesday - sreda - epena
(Canwm-Temep6ype (Frasuotit 6ox2a1)) = Thursday - chetvyerk -
2004004 St Petersburg - Finliandskii Station vernepr
(Canxm-Temep6ype (Ounaandexuti soxsax)) = Friday - pyatnitsa -
rau
* 2000000 Moscow (Mockea) Saturday -subota ~
cy66ora
2000002 Moscow - Yaroslavskij Station
(Mockea (Apocnascruit Boxza))
2000003 Moscow - Kazanskij Station .
(Mocxea (Kazavicxuit Boxsas))
2000006 Moscow - Bieloruskij Station
(Mocxea (Benopycexui: Boxsai)) Morning - ootram - yrpom
Noon - dayom - sem
Evening - vyecherom -
Resepow
= Sunday - vaskresyene -
nockpecembe
Leaving at - vy-ezd -
Bates
= 2060001 Nizhny Novgorod (Fuocnti
Hoszopod) - often listed as Gorki (Topexuit)
= 2060500 Kazan (Kazanp) - on the South
route of Trans-Siberian, several trains use this = Carriage class - vagon -
way Baron
+ 2060600 Kirov (Kupos)
» 2030400 Perm (/Tepme) Platzkart (3rd) - platskart -
+ 2030000 Ekaterinburg (Examepun6ypz) - noauKapt
often listed as Sverdlovsk (Csepdxoscr) Kupe (2nd) - kupe - xyne
= 2044700 Omsk (Oscx) SV (Ist) - es ve - CB
= 2044001 Novosibirsk (Hosocuupex)
= 2028170 Tomsk (Tacx) - not exactly on = Could Ihave... - mne
Trans-Siberian, but on one of the short lines pozhaluista...- wie,
connected with the main route noxaayiicra..
+ 2038001 Krasnoyarsk (Kpacnosper)
#2054052 Severobaikalsk (Cesepobatixarscr) upper berth - vyerhnyuyu
- one of the main stations on Baikal-Amur polku - Bepxmoro nlomky
Mainline, running parallel to Trans-Siberian lower berth - nizhnyuyu
in the Eastern Siberia and Russian Far-East polku ~ Hirxst010 osIKy
= 2054001 Irkutsk (Hpxymck)
= 2054785 Ulan Ude (Vian-Yas) = Passport number nomer
= 2034001 Khabarovsk (Xa6aposck) Pasporta - HoMep
* 2034130 Vladivostok (Bradusocmox) nacnopta
Fares
Unfortunately between Russia, China and Mongolia respectively there are no platzkart
couchettes but only sleeping cars. To avoid extremely high fares go to Ulan Ude and take
the daily bus up from there to Ulaanbaatar, about $25.
Avoid ticket scalpers in Ulaanbaatar in all circumstances, they change you $500 or more
for the intemational train to Peking. Take a local train instead for $15 to the Chinese
border at Zamin Uud.
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Buying tickets at affordable fares is possible if you get them in Russia. Beware of ticket
scalpers especially in Germany charging you triple and more.
Fares are widely variable but not difficult to predict exactly provided you understand the
Russian booking system with 42 different seasons / year plus 7 different categories of
trains. Fares for Russian trains are subject to a lot of seasonal changes, with mark-up for
high season being up to 60%. The prices also change with the quality of the trains. Low
numbered trains (001, 008, ete) sometimes are more expensive and more comfortable,
High numbered trains (032, 133, etc) can be less expensive and less comfortable. Rough
ideas would be:
* Moscow- Vladiwostok or wv. soft sleeper $873 in peak seasons 2014 and $695 in low
seasons from Transsib Reisen GmbH St. Petersburg. You must book until day 50
before departure in all circumstances because a new demand-related fares’ system
has been introduced on 03-01-13. Moscow-Beijing or vv. 2014 same company soft
sleeper $775 and hard sleeper $531. [10] (http:/transsibirische. wordpress.com) in
English. [11] (http://transsibirischeeisenbahn.me) in German,
= Beijing-Moscow about $897 (soft sleeper) / $665 (hard sleeper) (2nd class) from
China Travel Service (CITS) in Beijing
= Travelling the opposite direction, Moscow to Beijing, can be considerably cheaper,
depending on the season.
St Petersburg-Kazan about $150 (2nd class, one way)
Kazan—Ekaterinburg about $90 (2nd class, one way)
Ekaterinburg—Novosibirsk about $125 (2nd class, one way)
NovosibirskIrkutsk about $150 (2nd class, one way)
Irkutsk—Viadivostok about $260 (2nd class, one way)
Reports show that the government has raised prices recently. Prices will be cheaper if you
deal directly with them instead of resale agents, but that rules out English help and visa
sponsorship, so be confident in your Russian if you deal directly with the government
agency.
Timetables
‘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. There are also passing-by trains (npoxontame oesaa), which are actually legs of
longer train itineraries.For example, a Ekaterinburg-Irkutsk leg of a Moscow-Vladivostok
train. In this case, not only schedules but also availability are affected: such tickets become
available for sale 72 hours before departure
All trains in Russia run in Moscow time, Departure and arrival times given in the
timetables ot on the tickets are always Moscow time (except stations outside Russia).
There are 10 time zones in Russia.
Russian Railways (http://www.eng.rzd.ru/) has all Russian train schedules{ 12]
(http://www.eng.rzd.ra/wps/portal/rzdeng/express?STRUCTURE_ID=46), as well as some
of the international trains departing from Russian destinations (such as Moscow-Beijing
train), Only actual availability is shown, which is released 45 days prior to departure for
all Russian trains except for the passing-by ones and 30 days for most international trains,
You will need to use alternate spellings for some destinations. Beijing is called Pekin,
Moscow is Moskva, Saint Petersburg is Sankt-Peterburg, Yekaterinburg is Ekaterinburg ot
Sverdlovsk (old name of the city), Ulan Ude is Ulan-ude, Ulaanbaatar is Ulan-Bator,
Almaty is A/ma-Ata, and Khabarovsk is Habarovsk
+ Russian Railways International Ticket Office (495) 266-8300 (Russian)
Other good options for doing your own planning includes the Deutsche Babn travelplanner
[13] (bttp://reiseauskunf.bahn de). It’s available in many languages including English,
French, and Spanish. It has less transliteration issues that the Russian websites, but it
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includes only the limited firmeny "fast" trains, Another good option is the Poezda railway
English that doesn't try to sell
table (search Google) one of few online scheduling tools in
you tickets, and it has a nice simple interface to boot.
* information in local time: http://rasp.yandex.rw/
spelling is latin on cynillic
Buy
Coming from Beijing or Harbin, the last stop in China is Manzhouli. The food being sold
there is quite expensive, but many Russians stock up on provisions (ie. spirits and beer).
Be aware that you can take a maximum of five beers (Harbin Beer, 0.31) per person into
Russia or you will have to pay a penalty (read: bakshish) to the customs. Get rid of all
your Chinese Yuan here as they become virtually worthless once abroad, unless you want
to take them as a souvenir. 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
supermarkets (bread, cheese, etc.).
Coming from Beijing via Mongolia into Russia there are still the same rip-off exchange
touts, but most if not all platform vendors in Mongolia and Russia take U.S. dollars or
euros. However, they take only bills (or notes), so know the exchange rate and buy a lot if
you are using a five euro 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 tgrég.
They are worthless virtually everywhere else, and the export of tégrdg is technically
forbidden. 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,
Eat
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 always people on the platform that offer a
variety of fresh food (eggs, fish, cheese, bread, fruits, meat or cheese in a cake) and often
some drinks for passengers. 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 but it
s now (2014) difficult to get alcohol within train stations or at the kiosks on the platform.
Many of the trains have dining cars (with extremely overpriced food and drinks), although.
if you do not speak any Russian, ordering the food will be an experience, to say the least.
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 20-30 minutes stop, and just exit the
train station, there is usually a plenty of kiosks or small shops just outside, offering a wider
choice.
Since there is a samovar (hot water dispenser) in every carriage, your best bet is to have a
stack of dried noodle soups and Nescafe ready. Just bring your own cup. The carriage
attendants (Provodnitsa, Provodnik if male) will often have cold drinks, snacks, and even
freeze-dried meals available for sale at slightly inflated prices.
Drink
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In every train car there is a pot with boiling water
available for making hot drinks (bring your own tea,
but the water is free). Carriage attendants also sell tea
and coffee, and 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 basie 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
All tickets for long journey trains are for sleeping
places. Trains between Moscow and St. Petersburg
have seating places, Most trains in Russia have 3,
classes of cabins to choose from;
= First elass (SV) is the most comfortable but is
also the cost of the journey compared with a
kupe. 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 has private bathrooms. Service Samovar sboard the train
on the 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.
# Second class (Kupe) somewhat compares to the standard on Western European,
sleeper trains, although with the Russian sense of knickknack decoration. These
carriages are compartmentalized, with each compartment holding 4 beds. The lower
right bed is 5 em smaller than the others. One thing of note when buying tickets for
second class, is that you will have to share the two lower bunks during the day.
‘There is one shared bathroom on each carriage, that is locked during stops at
stations. Kupe is a good compromise between relative comfort, and the ability to
meet and mingle with the Russians, a situation where they are notably more open
minded than what is usual in Russia.
+ Third class (Platzkart) bears some resemblance to the hard sleeper class on
Chinese trains: many travelers find this class to be much better than its reputation.
‘These carriages are in an open layout with two lower and two upper berths, and
small, narrow corridor and another two berths that are located on the opposite side
below and above the window. There is litle in the way of privacy here, but women
travelers might prefer this option, or they may get stuck with three men and a closed
door. The provodnitizas, or carriage attendants, are notorious for running the place
as a boot camp. On the other hand, it isa taste of real Russia, and the price is usually
40-50 percent lower than kupe
Note that sometimes there is no shower in the train even in the first class on K19 (Trans-
Manchurian). You can have an Asian-style hot shower, though, if you bring along 2 jars.
Fill one up at the hot water dispenser, go to the washroom and mix the water you get there
in the second one.
Stay safe
The journey on the Moscow-Vladivostok route seems to be very safe, especially if you
travel in groups of four (or multiples); then you will get a separate four-bed cabin (Of
course, this applies only to kupe seats). Every train car has one or two staff
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(provodniks/provodnitsas) that check tickets, do cleaning, take care of boiling water, ete.
Cabins 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.
This is a guide itinerary. It has good, detailed
information covering the entire route. Plunge
forward and help us make it a star!
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