One of the longest rail journeys in the world (although not quite the longest) is made between Moscow and Vladivostok on the Trans-Siberian Railway.
You have the choice to travel on the more expensive and faster Rossiya service, or alternatively it is possible to book tickets for slower, less expensive and less comfortable alternatives (Route 904). Most travellers will want to take the faster Rossiya service however, so this page is dedicated to this specific journey.
The seven-day journey is made every other day, in either direction. It is considered to be one of the best Russian train services, due to punctuality, staff service and level of upkeep. Two class options are available:
- 1st Class - 2 berth compartments - Spalny Wagon (SV)
- 2nd Class - 4 berth compartments - Kupé
Traveller's shouldn't feel like they have to do the journey in one go. Why not take the chance to visit a few of the destinations en route. You may be particularly interested in Novosibirsk, Irkutsk and Ulan-Ude.
Every carriage has a communal toilet and bathroom. While they do get cleaned fairly regularly, you are almost certainly going to come across some unpleasant conditions once or twice on your journey, so bring some cleaning materials with you to make the journey that little bit more pleasant! There may also be showers on your service, in a separate carriage, which cost money if you want to use them (around $1 for 10mins). You will want/need to bring your own towel, and aim to shower just before dinner to benefit from vaguely warm water.
There is a conductor in each carriage to make sure all the passengers are comfortable, and that the train is as secure as possible. The conductor is also able to sell tea bags for the tea-boiler, as well as snacks for the journey.
The different classes are detailed below.
Spalny Wagon:
1st Class accommdation is relatively comfortable, with more space than 2nd Class accommodation. Once you get past the distinctly Russian decoration, you will be right at home in your cosy compartment. The Spalny Wagon also tends to be the cleanest and quietest. Most of the other travellers in this class are wealthy or foreigners. You are unlikely to run into groups of backpackers (maybe a good or bad thing).
1st Class passengers benefit from showers in each carriage, which tend to be in slightly better condition than the 2nd class shower carriage.
Buying 1st Class tickets in Summer can be difficult, as most of the tickets are reserved for travel agencies and the Chinese Embassy.
Kupé:
Kupé is the cheapest accommodation option (for this particular journey). There are around eight Kupé compartments in each carriage, with four sleeping spaces in each compartment. All the compartments feature a lock for security, as well as space for luggage. Unless you are travelling with three other friends, you will be sharing your Kupé compartment with other travellers, which may or may not be to your liking. If you are after a private compartment, you are best off finding a friend and travelling 1st Class in the Spalny Wagon.
The Journey:
When purchasing your ticket, you may be given the option to include 'services'. For a very reasonable additional fee (around £30 2nd class, £50 1st class) passengers may have all their meals included served in the buffet car or in their compartment. If you want a more adventurous option, passengers can wait for the major station stops to buy food from the locals waiting on the platform edge (at your own risk!). If you were planning ahead, you could buy enough food to last the journey in Moscow, but you probably won't want to have to carry around 20 Pot Noodles!
There tends to be a power socket in each carriage for passengers to charge mobile phones, iPods, shavers etc. Of course, you will probably want to stay with your valuables while they are being charged.
Visas:
The benefit of the Moscow - Vladivostok route is that you only need one visa (Russia). Make sure you allow plenty of time before your journey to ensure that you have the appropriate visa for your route. If you are booking your journey through an agent (like Real Russia), they may be able to sort out your visa for you. This is likely to occur a commission fee, but could be much less stressful in the long-run. Make sure you hold on to any customs forms you are given along the way to avoid problems later down the line.