Trans-Siberian Railway

The trans-siberian railway connects Russia with China and Mongolia. The route splits into three separate parts after Ulan-Ude. The three lines continue on to Vladivostok (Trans-Siberian), to Ulan Bator and Beijing (Trans-Mongolian) and to Beijing (Trans-Manchurian).
The most common route is the Trans-Siberian line, connecting Moscow with Vladivostok, taking around six days to complete and travelling over 9,000km. Trains leave every other day from Moscow. Fares for this route start at around £200 for a one-way, second class seat in a four person berth. For a little more privacy, around £370 will get you a seat in a two person berth. The seats within the berths convert to beds when required.
Depending on your reasons for travelling, you may or may not want to stop off on the way. Whilst this is certainly a good idea if you want to make the most out of your time travelling, do bare in mind that this can add to the total price of your ticket. The actual process of buying the tickets can be quite tricky. The cheapest way to do it is to buy your ticket from a ticket office in Moscow – not that handy if you can’t speak Russian. It is also important to note that availability on some of the trains is extremely limited, especially on the full length routes to Beijing and Ulan Bator.
Our advice is to book well in advance of your trip. You can do this either through a Russian travel agent over the internet, or through a British travel agent. It should come as no surprise that the British option is the more expensive of the two. The Russian agency is also likely to be more expensive than buying your ticket in person, but at least you should end up with the right tickets, to the right place, travelling at the right time! Grounded Travel’s usual train agents don’t sell Trans-Siberian tickets, so here are a few links to get you going. Don’t be scared to shop around to get the cheapest deal!
Real Russia
Trans Experience
Ost-West
Don’t forget that there are visa requirements for China, Russia and Mongolia. Also, if you travel to Moscow overland – which you should – you may need visas for the countries you pass through en route. Check the rest of the site to find out more about routes to Moscow and potential visa requirements.
There is plenty of more detailed information out there if you search around. If you have a specific question, contact us!