Trans-Siberian Railway Self-Guided Trip in 2024
Feb 12
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Hello everyone! Today, I'm going to introduce how to prepare for traveling by train on the Trans-Mongolian and Trans-Siberian railways through Mongolia and Russia, compiled from online resources and our travel experience in the summer of June 2024. Since this is a topic where it's very difficult to find information before going, I hope this article will be useful to everyone :)
The content of this article is divided into the following topics. If you are interested in any topic, you can skip to read it.
Getting to know the Trans-Siberian and Trans-Mongolian Railways
The Trans-Siberian Railway
The Trans-Mongolian Railway
How to prepare
Planning the travel route
Travel time
Buying train tickets
Packing
Travel budget
Traveling by train
Viewing tickets and boarding the train
Life on the train
Crossing international borders
Tourism in Russia
Tourism in Mongolia
My journey in Summer 2024
Additional references and research
Getting to know the Trans-Siberian and Trans-Mongolian Railways
Before starting the journey, I will tell you about the interesting stories of these two railway lines. Many people have probably heard of the Trans-Siberian Railway before. The Trans-Siberian Railway is known as the longest railway in the world, cutting through Russia, which has the largest area in the world. Traveling by this train must be a dream trip for many people, imagining the views along the train that change with distance and living on the train for a long time, meeting various people and making new friends. The experience gained from riding this train is memorable and another valuable journey. If you have time, I recommend going at least once in your life.
Reasons to travel on the Trans-Siberian and Trans-Mongolian Railways:
Unique experience: Traveling by train for a long time allows you to experience the way of life of the people living along the route, taste local food, and see the changing scenery throughout the journey. And even though it's the same route, each traveler will encounter their own stories.
Diverse cultures: The railway passes through several countries, allowing you to experience different cultures, including Russia and Mongolia. You will meet local people traveling by this train, each of whom differs in age, occupation, and personality, allowing for an exchange of interesting experiences.
Beautiful nature: Vast Russia has many different terrains, pine forests, Lake Baikal, and cities with interesting architecture. And Mongolia has vast grasslands as far as the eye can see.
Interesting history: The Trans-Siberian route has a long history since its construction in the 19th century and is a grand construction that connects western and eastern Russia. And the cities along the route are also historically important.
The Trans-Siberian Railway
This railway is a railway line that cuts through Russia, one of the biggest projects ever to happen in the world. This route connects from Vladivostok, the easternmost city of the country, to the capital, Moscow, in the west. The total distance is 9,289 kilometers, which is almost 1/4 of the Earth's circumference. If you travel continuously, it will take a total of 6 days. And the train that travels through the time zone (timezone) up to 8 time zones makes it seem like traveling through time.
History of the Trans-Siberian Railway:
The construction of the Trans-Siberian Railway began in the late 19th century under Emperor Nicholas II of Russia, with the main goals of:
Expanding territory: Connecting the vast Siberian territory with the central part of the country, giving Russia more control over the area.
Strengthening the army: Facilitating the rapid movement of troops to the border to maintain national security.
Developing the economy: Promoting trade and industry in the Siberian region, making Russia more economically prosperous.
Construction Challenges:
Building this railway was not easy, as it faced many obstacles, such as:
Harsh nature: It was necessary to dig tunnels through high mountains, build bridges across large rivers, and improve the rugged terrain, which was difficult and time-consuming work.
Extreme weather conditions: Both the bitter cold in winter and the hot and humid summers made the work slow and dangerous.
Labor shortage: The lack of skilled labor meant that slave labor and prisoners had to be used to help in the construction.
Subsequent Impacts:
When the construction was completed, the Trans-Siberian Railway had a huge impact on Russia and the Asian region, such as:
Economic development: Promoted trade and industry in the Siberian region, leading to the emergence of many new cities.
Population migration: Helped people travel to different regions more easily, leading to a wider distribution of the population.
Cultural connection: Allowed Russian culture to spread to the Asian region.
Strategic role: Played an important role in World War I and the Cold War.
The Trans-Mongolian Railway
It is a railway that connects Mongolia with China and Russia. The route has a total length of 2080 kilometers. This railway was built with the help and as a result of relations with Russia and China. During the 19th century, Mongolia wanted to separate from Chinese rule. The more powerful Soviets supported Mongolia's self-governance and helped build a railway from Ulan Ude, Russia, to Naushki, Mongolia, and later expanded to Ulaanbaatar, the capital of Russia. Over the decades that followed, relations between China and Mongolia improved, so a railway was built from Beijing, China, to Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia.
Preparing before traveling by the Trans-Siberian Railway 2024
Planning the travel route:
A very important step before departure is to plan which cities you will travel from and to. Because this railway line passes through many small and large cities, some people may want to see the changing scenery along the way and stay on the train for a long time, while others may want to get off to stretch their legs, take a shower, use the restroom, and walk around to absorb the different atmospheres of each city. Traveling across from east to west or vice versa also allows us to see the characteristics of the cities, buildings, and different people, which is one of the highlights of the Trans-Siberian journey. If you have time, I recommend taking the train for a day or two and stopping in a city along the way before continuing your journey by train.
Travel options:
Travel from the starting city directly to the destination.
Travel in sections along this route and stop at cities along the way.
After choosing a travel option, you have to choose which cities to visit. The names of the cities along the way and interesting details of each city are as follows
Trans-Mongolia:
Ulaanbaatar (Улаанбаатар): The capital of Mongolia. Within the city, you can walk around and visit temples, museums, and the city atmosphere. It is recommended to buy a local tour to sleep in a ger (traditional yurt) according to the nomadic lifestyle amidst the desert and grass mountains, experiencing boundless nature, the Gobi Desert, desert animals such as camels, horses, cows, and lizards.
Recommended time in Ulaanbaatar: At least 1 day.
Gorkhi-Terelj National Park or Gobi Desert: At least 2 days.
Trans-Siberian:
Moscow (Москва): The capital of Russia, a major cultural and historical center. There are many tourist attractions such as Red Square, the Kremlin, and St. Basil's Cathedral. Moscow is a city that blends modernity and classicism seamlessly.
Nizhny Novgorod (Нижний Новгород): A historic city on the Volga River, with a beautiful Kremlin and ancient streets that still retain their original architecture. Nizhny Novgorod is a quiet city and ideal for relaxation.
Kazan (Казань): A city with a diverse culture, blending Eastern and Western cultures. It has the beautiful Kazan Mosque and is one of the largest cities in the Volga region.
Yekaterinburg (Екатеринбург): An industrial and historical city, known for the Russian Revolution and the execution site of the Tsar's family. This city is rapidly developing and vibrant.
Tyumen (Тюмень): An ancient city, the starting point for the exploration of Siberia. The city of Tyumen has beautiful architecture and a warm atmosphere.
Novosibirsk (Новосибирск): The largest city in Siberia, the economic and cultural center of Siberia. It has a beautiful opera house and is popular for performing arts. This city is a new city that was established when the Trans-Siberian Railway was built and has grown and developed continuously.
Novo-Nikolaevsk (Ново-Николаевск) was founded around the construction of a railway bridge across the Ob River in 1893 and rapidly grew into an important city of Siberia. Due to its strategic location on the Trans-Siberian Railway, this city attracted entrepreneurs and businessmen, leading to the establishment of banks, businesses, and various industries. By 1909, the city had an elected city council and was recognized as an important part of Russia's city network. Despite the events of World War I and the Russian Revolution, Novo-Nikolaevsk continued to grow economically. After the Civil War, the Soviet government recognized the city's value as it did not strongly oppose the Bolsheviks and made it the capital of Siberia. In 1926, the city was renamed Novosibirsk.
Krasnoyarsk (Красноярск): A city on the Yenisei River, with beautiful nature and the industrial center of Siberia. This city has the Stolby Cliffs, which are a popular climbing spot.
Irkutsk (Иркутск): The gateway to Lake Baikal, with beautiful architecture and the starting point for trips to Lake Baikal. This city has a quiet and friendly atmosphere.
Ulan-Ude (Улан-Удэ): The capital of the Republic of Buryatia, with a unique Buryat culture. It has a large Lenin statue that is a symbol of the city.
Vladivostok (Владивосток): A port city on the Sea of Japan, the destination of the Trans-Siberian Railway. This city has beautiful scenery and a modern atmosphere.
Interesting stations off the route:
Saint Petersburg (Санкт-Петербург): A beautiful and historic city of Russia, located on the Gulf of Finland. With its beautiful and magnificent architecture similar to the city of Venice in Italy, it is nicknamed the "Venice of the North." This city is full of canals and many bridges, including beautiful neo-classical, baroque, and art nouveau buildings.
Trans-Manchurian:
For those interested, this route will be a route that connects from China to Russia without passing through Mongolia.
After seeing the names, you may start to feel dizzy and unable to choose. It's a difficult choice. For our trip, we decided to choose cities based on the appeal of their names and looking at the convenient train arrival and departure times. We chose to take the train for about 20-30 hours at a time and rest in the cities along the way. However, you can choose according to your convenience. For the plan we traveled, we felt it was just right. If we took the train for longer than this, it would be inconvenient. The restrooms on land in the city are more suitable for doing errands and showering.
Travel time for the entire trip:
At the very least, 7 days without stopping, you will be on the train for 6 days. But if recommended, you should spend at least 2 weeks on this trip. It will be more fulfilling. Travel slowly, gradually, and unhurried.
Buying train tickets:
After choosing the cities, it's time to buy tickets. Traveling by the Trans-Siberian and Trans-Mongolian railways does not have a buffet ticket where you can board at any time. We have to buy tickets with specific times and rounds according to the city you will board. The channels for buying tickets are as follows:
Trans-Mongolia:
The Trans-Mongolian train does not run every day, so plan carefully and check the schedule beforehand. The last time we knew, it ran every Saturday and Sunday (update June 2024), or you can check on the tutu.ru website first.
Booking through accommodation
Booking through an agent
Booking through the train station
Trans-Siberian:
Booking through the official website of Russian Railways rzd.ru requires access through a VPN and requires a Russian card to buy tickets online. The method of buying tickets this year is more complicated than before. From the information I found earlier, you could book online by yourself, but now you cannot do so without a Russian credit card.
You can see the train schedule from tutu.ru if you do not open a Russian VPN or are not in Russia.
The approximate ticket prices are as follows. If you want to know the updated price on the day you plan to travel, try entering the date on the website.
Choosing a seat: Personally, I recommend booking at least one week in advance to choose a good seat. A good seat is the lower berth of the four-person seating. Because the lower berth does not require climbing, climbing the upper berth requires balance and climbing skills. Moreover, the upper berth will not have a seat during the day if the lower berth passenger does not share it, and you cannot see the view from the train window. The lower berth on the four-person side is better than the two-person side, because during the day you don't have to put away the bed, you can use the table to eat, drink tea, and put glasses. But if it is the two-person side, if you want to use the table, you have to roll up the mattress first and then unfold the table, which is a bit more complicated and you may be too lazy to do it. (Unlike Thai trains where someone makes the bed for you, here we have to do everything ourselves.)
Booking through a web agent: There are many websites, you can search Google, such as russianrailway.com etc. The price is +30% from the regular ticket price. The advantage is that you can use a foreign card (but if you book through this website while in Russia, the card will not be charged due to the security conditions of Thai banks, you must book before entering Russia).
Booking through a ticket booking agent: such as a Russian travel page on FB, the price is +50%. The advantage is that it is the most convenient, you receive full service and assistance, using money to solve the problem.
Booking through the train station: that is, buying on the spot. The advantage is that the price is normal, no surcharge. The disadvantage is that seats are often full. It is recommended to book as far in advance as possible.
What to choose when buying tickets:
Date of travel: It is recommended to book at least one week in advance or as far in advance as possible, as it may be full or you may not get the desired seat. Traveling in each month gives a different atmosphere. Choose according to your preferences and convenience. The high season is during the summer from June to July, when there may be a lot of travelers and tickets are fuller than usual. The summer atmosphere is fresh green, the spring sees flowers blooming, the autumn will see the leaves changing color, and the winter is covered with white snow, but it will be very cold.
Travel round: Look at the travel round at a suitable time. The train is on time, not even a minute late. You should arrive at least 15 minutes before the train boarding time.
Train class: For sleeper trains, the Trans-Mongolian train has 2 classes: Class 1 and Class 2. The Trans-Siberian train has 3 classes: Class 1, Class 2, and Class 3. The price will increase according to the luxury of the class you take. We traveled by the cheapest train throughout the journey, which was the second class of the Trans-Mongolian and the third class of the Trans-Siberian, and I felt it was not bad, but I don't know what the more luxurious ones are like, so I won't mention them here. Additionally, train cars will have different types of toilets. If it is a biotoilet, it will be a better toilet that can be flushed. It is recommended to choose a train with a biotoilet. You can feel the aesthetic of using the toilet more.
Seat: I recommend a lower berth, because the lower berth does not require climbing. Climbing the upper berth requires balance and climbing skills. Moreover, the upper berth will not have a seat during the day if the lower berth passenger does not share it, and you cannot see the view from the train window. There will be two sides of the beds, the 4-seat side and the 2-seat side. The best recommendation is the lower berth on the 4-seat side, because during the day you don't have to put away the bed, you can use the table to eat, drink tea, and put glasses. But if it is the 2-seat side, if you want to use the table, you have to roll up the mattress first and then unfold the table, which is a bit more complicated and you may be too lazy to do it. (PS. Unlike Thai trains where someone makes the bed for you, here we have to do everything ourselves, but you can control the time. If you want to sleep all day, you can.)
Preparation:
Visa: For Thai tourists, a tourist visa is not required for Mongolia and Russia. Both Mongolia and Russia can be visited for 30 days without any preparation, just a passport is enough.
Packing:
Clothes: Prepare according to the season you are visiting. If it is winter, prepare warm clothes. In summer, the weather is as hot as in Thailand. On the train, Russians like to change into comfortable clothes to sleep in. You can even prepare pajamas to wear.
Sandals: Use for walking on the train, more comfortable than wearing sneakers.
Power bank: Newer trains mostly have outlets for charging batteries at every seat, but older trains sometimes don't. If you can't live without a phone, it is recommended to prepare a power bank just in case.
Mobile phone: Download offline translation apps (Google Translate offline) and Mongolian and Russian keyboards. There is no signal on the train, there will be a signal only when stopping at the station. If you need to communicate in between, you have to use the offline translation app and hand it to the interlocutor to type. In addition, you can use it to check the time, listen to music, take photos, and other ways to pass the time.
Portable cutlery: A useful tool. Mongolian and Russian instant noodles, including instant mashed potatoes, do not come with cutlery.
Money: Prepare enough for use. Currently, Thai credit cards cannot be used in Russia. You can exchange to USD first and then exchange to RUB in Russia. In Mongolia, you can use cards and withdraw money at airport ATMs.
Wet wipes: Life without a bidet in the bathroom.
Food: You can buy at shops, mini-marts, or supermarkets before boarding the train. There is no need to prepare from Thailand, the prices are not much different. Recommended food includes instant noodles, instant mashed potatoes (just add water and it becomes mashed potatoes), tea bags (you can buy a box), sugar cubes (if needed). Russians prepare bread, sausage, cheese, etc. On the train, there is hot water available to press unlimitedly, and there are beautiful patterned glasses and spoons for borrowing. The necessary items are just these, the rest depends on your preference.
Budget:
The money you need depends on your travel lifestyle and route. If you stop at many places, the tickets will be more expensive.
Train ticket prices can be checked on the website. For example, Vladivostok - Moscow, taking the train 3rd class directly is 15,000 rubles or about 5,600 baht.
Accommodation in both Mongolia and Russia: Hostels start at 300 baht/night.
The remaining expenses: Mongolia and Russia are countries where the cost of living is not very expensive. Food costs are about the same as in Thailand. You can calculate it as about 500 baht/day. It's comfortable. Especially when you're on the train, the food options are not many, mostly you eat instant noodles or ready meals, bread, fruit. Prepare less than 200 baht per day.
Other expenses: Miscellaneous expenses. Tours in Mongolia are a bit expensive, depending on the number of people sharing. Olkhon Baikal Island is expensive for both tours and food. Entrance fees to museums, castles in Moscow and St. Petersburg are expensive.
In summary, if you live a very economical life, 1 week starts at 10,000 baht. The recommended style is going for 2 weeks, stopping at cities, which will cost about 30,000 baht. For additional trips, visiting museums and castles with expensive entrance fees for 2 weeks may cost about 40,000 baht. (Excluding airfare.)
Traveling by train:
Viewing tickets and boarding the train: After booking tickets online, the ticket is only used to see the seat number. There is no ticket check when boarding the train, so don't worry about losing it. When boarding the train, just use your passport, line up at the door, and the train attendant will check your name. If the name matches the booking, you can board the train. After that, once you are on the train and it departs, there will be another check, and the train attendant will come and explain the toilets, restaurants, and other details on the train briefly in a few sentences. Reading the ticket is very easy. Look at the first train number. In the example, it is Train 001, car 30, seat 25. At the station, there will be a schedule of arriving trains and train numbers announced. We can see which platform the train we are boarding is on, and the platform also has it posted again. Then walk to find our car, the number will be posted on the train window. And after getting on the train, walk to find the seat according to the number written in small letters on the edge of the aisle. The time used in the train ticket will be the local time of each city, because each city has a different timezone, which can be confusing. If you are on the train and there is no phone signal, it is recommended to keep track of the time according to the number of travel hours, to know when you will arrive.
Life on the train: Trains on the Trans-Siberian route are not primarily for
tourism, but are a railway that Russians use for daily travel. So we will meet people traveling to visit relatives, go to work, return home, come as a family.
Crossing international borders: Crossing the border out of Mongolia and crossing the border into Russia.
Tourism in Russia: Russia, which has the largest area in the world, has many diverse tourist attractions, including nature, architecture, and interesting history.
Traveling within Russia: Each city has public transport such as buses and trams. The way to board in each city is different. Some cities require you to buy tickets in advance only, some cities pay at the driver or bus ticket and pay in cash only. Long-distance buses require you to buy tickets in advance at the bus station or book online using a Russian credit card. For example, long-distance buses that we took include Irkutsk - Olkhon Island, Novosibirsk - Tomsk, etc.
Communication in Russia: Learn simple phrases and can use Google Translate. Most Russians do not speak English.
Additional references and research:
https://www.seat61.com/trans-siberian-railway.htm is a website with a lot of complete information.
The book Lonely Planet Trans-Siberian Railway can help you get a rough idea of planning your trip and the cities on the Trans-Siberian Railway, but the details are not very up-to-date, because it was written in 2018. The prices of buses and how to buy them have changed a lot.
