Anyone can join a tour or pre-book a route with an agent, but it takes real commitment and savvy to go it your own. Here are three big reasons to “Just Say No” to agents when planning a Trans-Siberian rail journey.
Although it was built more than a millennium after his time, Lao-Tzu may as well have been referring to the Trans-Siberian rail when he said, “A good traveler has no fixed plans, and is not intent on arriving.”
That’s the perfect attitude to keep in mind as you board the Rossiya to begin your journey.
Reason #1: You’ll experience a sense of accomplishment.
Don’t listen to them. I’m talking about the Internet forum posters and naysayers on the road, the ones who tell you how hard it is to buy train tickets if you don’t speak Russian.
Admittedly, it is a bit daunting when you’re face to face with a large, surly babushka, but here’s a secret to break the ice: pass her a hand-written note in your best Cyrillic and chances are she will crack a smile. It will look like children’s writing to her. It works every time.
Once you get that out of the way, your confidence will soar. Then, you’ll wonder what the big fuss was all about.
Tip: Make sure you go armed with a few choices in case your preferred train is sold out. Use the CIS Railway Timetable for a reliable schedule of trains. Note that all train schedules are based on Moscow time, something to keep in mind as you traverse up to eight time zones.
Reason #2: You’ll cut your costs.
Buying tickets at the window will save you a stack of rubles. Savings are amplified if you get adventurous and choose platzkartny, the open carriage in which most locals travel and your best bet for cultural submersion. These tickets can be 25% of the cost of a kupe fare.
Sure, the open carriage also offers 0% of the privacy of a closed berth, but how else are you going to observe the local behaviors and customs? A British couple we met along the way shared a cart with a group of soldiers. By the time they said dasvidanya to the young men, they were plus one set of dog tags, an army ration pack, and a drawing.
Tip: To save even more cash, consider contacting hosts through websites like Hospitality Club and Couch Surfing, especially in Moscow where you can blow a big portion of your budget on accommodation.
Reason #3: You can roam if you want to.
Imagine meeting up with other travelers who are in the midst of organizing an amazing week-long off-road adventure. You’re welcome to join them, they tell you. Problem is, your train tickets have a departure date for tomorrow.
This does happen. In Ulan Bator, a six-day excursion to White Lake was planned with some Aussies we met on the road. While my wife and I leisurely explored the city, our new friends spent most of the day re-booking their onward tickets, and of course coughed up a few thousand togrog for the privilege.
Avoid this by not having a rigid plan. Opportunities will always arise and you won’t know all the options until you arrive at your destination. Once you figure out what you want to do, go ahead and purchase your onward fares.
Visas: A minor detail
Train tickets are one issue, visas another.
Assuming Moscow as the start, depending what your final destination is – Vladivostok or Beijing – and what route you decide on – Trans-Mongolian or Trans-Manchurian – you will need a visa for Russia, Mongolia or China, or all three.
While it is possible to acquire the necessary papers on your own, the Russian visa is not straightforward.
Russia also requires that you register your visa within three business days upon arrival. The hotel or hostel should do this on your behalf or, if you’re staying with friends, they can register you at a post office.
If you have the time and patience, there’s no reason you can’t obtain the visas on your own. But there isn’t much to be gained other than saving a few bucks.
It might be worthwhile having an agent do this for you, freeing you up to practice your spaseebas and pazhalstas and memorizing the Cyrillic alphabet.
Other helpful resources
Two of the more popular Trans-Siberian websites are Way to Russia and The Man in Seat 61.
Both have a plethora of priceless information that explores the minutiae of this exciting trip. Don’t overlook Lonely Planet’s Thorn Tree for up-to-the-minute information from travelers.
The most useful guidebook ever is the Trailblazer Trans-Siberian Handbook
Remember, flexibility is your friend.
Timing is everything. If you’re traveling in the May to September peak season you need to be very flexible as you probably won’t get the tickets you want. In fact, on some of the more popular trains you might be forced to use an agent as they pre-buy seats in bulk, leaving crumbs for the scavengers.
At other times, you’ll have the pick of the crop. We traveled in October with no problems catching our desired trains.
Don’t rush the trip. Remember, travel isn’t about the destination but the experience of getting there.
Community Connection
Love riding the rails? Check out our list of 10 Spectacular Train Rides or take a look at Matador member anne137’s blog and video from her ride on the Trans-Siberian.
If you’re unsure where to stop along the journey, check out Carlo’s companion piece, Trans Siberian Sidetrips: How To Break Your Train Ride.
All photos by author.
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16 Comments... join the discussion!
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I have also had it in my head to do this trip next year. Thanks for the advice!
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Carlos, thank you! Comprehensive, honest and right up my alley! I'm in Harbin, northern China and wondering my way around the Russian concepts of travel, especially as I don't do tours… you've totally nailed it for me! Cheers buddy!
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I'd recommend the film Transsiberian that came out this year. It's entertaining and will motivate you to take the trip. Except for the plot, of course.
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Hehe…I just watched that movie a couple months ago. That's funny, I thought it might actually turn people OFF the train! Maybe people will think it's dangerous (and if you think that, remember, it's just a movie!). Thanks for the comments all.
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Great article, Carlo, really well-informed!
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Thanks for this post man!! I plan on taking the TSR next October.
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Hi Carlos, Fantastic article – very informative and reassuring that my dream to do just this is realistic! Sometimes it's worth following your gut instinct and doing things you're pretty sure will turn out ok, even if others tell you it's not possible. That's when the most fulfilling adventures happen.
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I think the Trans Siberian Railway would be great. I was wanting to do it this summer, but with the economy the way it is it would cost much more than I first estimated. If anyone can figure out a cheaper way to get there (from the U.S.A) and wants to go, I'm totally in!
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Great article. The Trans Sib is one of the best journeys I've ever undertaken and should be on every travellers Must Do list Thanks Carlos
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Take the trip a step further and completely avoid the Trans-Siberian….there are cheaper regional trains that ply the same route. The ultimate Russian adventure is to do the whole 9000+ kms in PLATSKART. The best Russian invention since…well…since…uummm…borsht?
Anyways, PLATSKART is an entire wagon without compartments. People hanging and sleeping everywhere. Might sound a little off, but it is easily the best way to meet people, otherwise you may spend 7 days couped up with 2 or 3 people whose pictures are hanging in post offices around the world.
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Thanks for the comment Troy. Just to clarify, because there is a common misconception about the Trans-Siberian…it’s not a train. It’s just the route. So yes, there are lots of trains that go along this route, some more regional, some more long distance. Some are nicer than others.
If you weren’t planning on making stops and going straight through you’d have to take one of the few that run the whole route. But if you’re planning stops in different cities you have your choice of a number of trains.
Patzkart for the entire trip?! Hehe…I totally agree that you can and will probably have the most interesting experiences that way…I wouldn’t do it the whole way, but all the power to you if you do!
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We traveled on the Trans Siberian back in 1997. It was a great experience booking in Moscow and then trying to get visas at the Mongolian embassy. We paid far less than every one else on the train. It is a must do trip and we will do the trip again. Love buying food, beer and vodka from every train stop along the way.
I will do it again but we have our own travel company at the moment.
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Great article Carlo. I’ve always wanted to realise a train journey which Ive never experienced yet. Im very interested in planning for one for my holiday this year, however its not easy to get people committed. Am living in HK and wonder if there’s any adventurous travellers in the middle of similar situations too?
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Fantastic article Carlo! It’s great to read a really positive review that shows issues with communicating as part of the experience rather than a deterrent.
I’ve got my heart set on going Beijing to Moscow next May, possibly June (depends on the $$!), I’m so excited! I agree, I’d like to buy tickets as I go rather than prebook but do you think it will be too busy at that time of year? Also how long do you think you need to do the trip? Oh and is there a lot of theft on the trains? eg. would you reccomend leaving expensive DSLR cameras at home?Thanks!
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Hi Tig, well, from what I’ve read, May-Sept is the peak season (I traveled it in Oct). I am sure you will always be able to get onward fares, but you might have to wait an extra day or two, so if you really need to be somewhere then it might be a good idea to pre-book that particular leg of the journey.
We spent one month in Russia and we started in St. Petersburg and took a sidetrip a bit north. It really depends what you want to do. If you just want to take the train straight through to Moscow (highly unrecommended), then I believe it’s a 6 day journey. If you want to make a few stops for a night or two in some of the cities along the way, then of course you need longer. Check out my companion article for some possible sidetrips.
As far as I know, the max length of a tourist visa is one month, so get your hands on one of those to keep your options open. I think the possibility of theft on the trains is the same as anywhere else, just be mindful and don’t flash your stuff around. A dSLR would be fine to bring, we met lots of travelers with them (and wish we’d bought one beforehand!). We carried a laptop with us and sometimes I would do some writing while in bed (of course, in the more private 4-bed kupe berths, NOT platzkartny). Happy planning!
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