Help Choose a Tour along the Trans-Siberian and Trans-Mongolian Railroad
Go Russia offers a variety of tours along the Trans-Siberian and Trans-Mongolian railway and quite often it may seem difficult to choose the most suitable one. We have compiled this short user-friendly guide to help you choose the right rail voyage for you.
STEP 1. COUNTRIES TO BE VISITED. You can choose between:
STEP 2. CITIES / PLACES TO BE VISITED. All our tours run more or less the same itinerary visiting the most important places along the route. Please choose the direction of the journey that appeals to you and the places you wish to visit. Please note you can also modify your tour (see Step 3).
- From West to East - you can start either in St. Petersburg (our tours called "Epic") or in Moscow (our tours called "Best of"), then head to Ural Mountains stopping at Yekaterinburg (city infamous for the tragically murder of the tsar family), and then into Siberia stopping at Irkutsk and Lake Baikal. And then depending on your tour you either continue to the Russian Far East (Vladivostok) or go down to Mongolia visiting Ulan-Bator and Terelj National Park, and Beijing in China.
The only tour that does not visit the Russian capitals (Moscow and St. Petersburg) is our “Highlights of Trans-Mongolian Railway” where you fly into Irkutsk and join our group thus making the trip a bit shorter.
STEP 3. TOUR EXTENSIONS / MODIFICATIONS. We are flexible with our itineraries and can offer you a completely bespoke itinerary or extensions to our standard trips. Go Russia will arrange extra accommodation, transfers and guides at every destination along your route. Just few options below that you might consider when planning your Trans-Siberian or Trans-Mongolian discovery:
RUSSIA
- Visit St. Petersburg. You can spend extra days in the cultural capital of Russia and visit Hermitage, Russian Museum, Tsar Summer residence in Petrodvorets with magnificent fountain complex and a park (not advisable in winter though) or Catherine Palace with its famous Amber Room. You can also enjoy ballet performance at the Mariinsky Theatre or Russian folklore show at the Nikolaevsky Palace. Take an overnight train down to Moscow and join our group. For more details and options please visit http://www.justgorussia.co.uk/en/st_petersburg_excursions.html
- Extend your stay in Moscow. Why not spend extra night or two in Moscow and fully enjoy the Russian capital - visit Armoury and the Diamond Fund, Tretiakov Painting Gallery or the former top-secret Stalin’s command bunker. And if you are an aviation or space exploration lover we can arrange a guided trip to the Star City or open-air Aviation Museum in Monino. We can also offer you tickets to the famous Russian ballet or circus performance. For more details and options please visit http://www.justgorussia.co.uk/en/moscow_excursions.html
- Circum-Baikal railroad. Until the middle of the 20th century Circum-Baikal railroad was part of the main Trans-Siberian line and it runs along the Northern shore of the Southern part of the Lake Baikal from Slyudyanka village to Port Baikal settlement. Besides stunning views of the lake and surrounding mountains you will also be impressed by unique engineering achievement of the Circum-Baikal railroad designers: the railway contains 38 tunnels for a total length of 9,063 m (the longest tunnel “Polovinniy” is 777.5 m long), 18 galleries, 248 bridges and viaducts. This is a whole day guided excursion with lunch that starts either from Irkutsk or Port Baikal. Circum-Baikal Railroad tour details http://www.justgorussia.co.uk/en/circumbaikal_railway.html
MONGOLIA
- Visit the South Gobi. Take a 4WD drive to the South Gobi and explore Khongor dunes – the largest sand dunes in Mongolia and visit the famous Flaming Cliffs (Bayan Zag) - the Gobi Dinosaurs Cemetery.
- Karakorum. Once the capital of the Mongol Empire it was founded at the beginning of 13th century by Genghis Khan. The remaining temples and stupas of Erdene-Zuu Buddhist monastery still demonstrate the former grandeur and importance of the city. You can get to Karakorum by a 4WD jeep from Ulan–Bator.
CHINA
- Xian. Visit the city of Terracotta warriors - a collection of sculptures dating from 210 BC depicting the armies of Qin Shi Huang, the First Chinese Emperor; see the well preserved city wall and the Great Wild Goose Pagoda which stores the translations of Buddhist sutras obtained from India. You can go to Xian by an overnight train from Beijing or alternatively take a return flight and have a day round trip.
- Shanghai. This is the financial and commercial centre of China where you will be impressed by its modern and ever-expanding Pudong skyline including the Oriental Pearl Tower. The most popular tourist destinations in Shanghai are the Bund, City God Temple and Shanghai Museum featuring ancient Chinese art. You can get to Shanghai either by train from Beijing or Xian, or take a flight.
- Hong Kong - special administrative regions (SARs) of China, the place where “East meets West” meaning a mixture of Asian culture with Western influence. Hong Kong is renowned for its expansive skyline and is considered to be the most vertical city in the world. It is one of the world financial centres. However, on the surrounding islands which can be easily reached by ferries you will find fantastic beaches, tranquil places for relaxation and hiking. You can get to Hong Kong either by train from Beijing or Shanghai, or take a flight.
STEP 4. TRAVEL STYLE. Depending on your personal preferences you can choose from
- Full guided programme. Our guided packages will offer you a well-organised must see programme that gives you the best value for money and covers the major highlights of any place you visit. You should not worry about entrance tickets or ways to get to the sightseeing destination. Our professional guide will be there to give you personal advice and there is always some flexibility and space to cater to personal requirements, as well as time for your own pursuits after the excursions.
- Independent arrangements. Best suitable for travellers with an independent mindset, who want to explore without a set programme. We’ll just make sure you have your basic trip elements arranged: accommodation, train tickets, transfers and you can build your own programme, based on your preferences. You can also join our group tours but pre-booking is necessary.
STEP 5. DEPARTURE DATE. We run our tours all-year-round. Please note all three countries (Russia, Mongolia and China) have continental climate and there are huge annual variations in temperature. If you are traveling in winter please be prepared to cold weather and snow and take appropriate clothing.
STEP 6. TRAVEL CLASS. A train will be your primary accommodation for a number of days. On our tours we use comfortable 4 berth compartments; however upgraded 2 berth compartments are also available. There is little difference between 1st and 2nd class other than the number of berths in the compartments, and slightly more space in 1st class. Please note there is no 1st class on train 362 between Russia and Mongolia, so if you have upgraded your train journey and requested 1st class we will buyout the whole 4 berth compartment for you, so you will have your privacy and comfort. Read
more information on trains.
STEP 7. BOOK A TRIP. We hope this short guide has helped you make-up your mind and choose your tour easier. However, if you are still uncertain or think you need to talk to someone regarding your most appropriate option, please give us a call on
+44 (0)20 33 55 77 17 or
send us an email and our dedicated travel consultants will be able to assist you. You can book a Trans-Siberian or Trans-Mongolian tour online by clicking the “Book” button on the tour you have chosen. Alternatively we take bookings over the phone or by email. Please also check
“Special Offers” section on our website for available promotions and free upgrades.
OUR TOURS
