15 nights from UK £ 2,195 / US $ 3,080 per person*
*Price based on 2 people travelling in a shared 4 berth second class cabin. Upgrade to your own cabin from UK £ 625 / US$ 880 per person. These prices are based on 2021 rates and are here to give guidance. Final quotes vary by date, exchange rates and are subject to availability.
PRIVATE TOUR - NOT A GROUP TOUR - CAN BE TAILORED
SEASON - NOVEMBER TO MARCH WITH DAILY DEPARTURES
TOUR CODE : TS-W-M-09
MAP & DESTINATIONS
THE STOPS VISITED ON THIS TOUR
?? MOSCOW - 2 nights
Russia’s vast and iconic capital and the start of this railway adventure.
?? EKATERINBURG - 2 nights
City in the beautiful Ural Mountains where the Romanovs met their fate.
?? IRKUTSK & BAIKAL - 2 nights
Forward looking Siberian city and gateway to Lake Baikal.
?? VLADIVOSTOK - 1 night
Russia’s Eastern Port city is a heavily influenced by nearby China & Japan.
ON THE TRAINS - total 8 nights
We use the most comfortable and reliable trains possible for each leg.
OUR EXCLUSIVE TRIP GUIDEBOOK
This trip includes our exclusive 200+ page guidebook personalised to your trip with sections about the trains, destinations, timetables and emergency contacts and allowing you to be fully prepared for your trip of a lifetime - an invaluable resource!
DAY BY DAY ITINERARY
DAILY DESCRIPTIONS OF ACTIVITIES, MEALS & OVERNIGHT ACCOMMODATION
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DAY 1 - MOSCOW
YOUR TRANS-SIBERIAN ADVENTURE STARTS IN RUSSIA’S CAPITAL OF MOSCOW
Welcome to Moscow, Russia’s capital and its largest city with more than 12 million people. It is the political and economic centre of this vast country and has many of Russia’s most famous sights, not least Red Square and St Basil’s Cathedral. With over 800 years of history there is also a wealth of architecture, museums and monuments to a colourful past. Transfer by private car with an English speaking driver to your hotel. The rest of the day is free to start exploring this stunning city.
A FASCINATING 3 HOUR TOUR BY CAR OF CENTRAL MOSCOW WITH A FREE AFTERNOON
The perfect introductory tour of central Moscow designed to orientate and open up its hidden treasures. Your guide will take you along the main streets and less visited back roads to see the diversity of architectural styles from the austere and restrained Russian style to richly decorated Moscow Baroque, elegant Empire, fascinating Art Nouveau and even Pseudo-Chinese and Moorish. Hear stories and legends not found in the guidebooks as well as passing the most important sites in the city including the Bolshoi Theatre, Tverskaya street, GUM Department store, Red Square and St Basil’s Cathedral.
The rest of the day is free to further explore Moscow. The exclusive Trip Guidebook we send you before your trip is full of ideas and useful information to ensure you get the most out of your time in this iconic city.
FREE TIME TO EXPLORE MOSCOW BEFORE AN AFTERNOON DEPARTURE TO EKATERINBURG
Free time to explore Moscow before your departure on the Trans-Mongolian train. The city has much to offer whatever the weather from the famous museums such as Pushkin Fine Arts and Tretyakov Art Gallery to more outdoor areas including the Park of the Fallen Idols and Novodevitchy Convent. Of course, if the weather is not so good Moscow is one of the few cities where a day spent on the metro is a tourist attraction with many beautiful stations to visit and all for the price of a single ticket! For relaxing we recommend the bars, galleries and cafes of the Red October district or the fabulous Gorky Park.
Transfer to the station for a late afternoon departure from Moscow’s Kazanskaya station. Settle into your compartment as the suburbs of Moscow are replaced by forest and countryside.
FULL DAY ON THE TRAIN BEFORE AN EVENING ARRIVAL IN EKATERINBURG
With luck the gentle rhythm of the train led a good night’s sleep! A full day on the train through a region of farms, small towns and villages interspersed with birch forests. Towards the end of the day you cross the Europe-Asia continental border arriving in Ekaterinburg a short time afterwards. Ekaterinburg is a more representative experience of a Russian city than, say, Moscow and has a rich and fascinating history. It is surrounded by beautiful, rolling countryside dotted with traditional Siberian villages. Transfer from Ekaterinburg’s handsome station to your hotel to overnight.
MEALS: None today - however the train does have a dining car.
LEARN TO DRIVE A DOG SLEDGE THROUGH THE WINTER FOREST & RUSSIAN BANYA
After a good breakfast you will be picked up at your hotel by our expert in dog sledging and driven to an area to the west of the city. Here you meet the real Siberian 'Khaski" dogs who will be pulling your traditional sledge for 7 km through the beautiful ice encrusted winter forest. Full instruction will be given and whilst sledging there is a back up vehicle. Picnic lunch in the forest.
The perfect way to relax after the exertion and cold of sledging is with 2 hours in the steam bath known as a “Banya”, one of the great Russian traditions. Your guide will instruct you in the etiquette and method of using the facilities including the tradition of being beaten with birch branches!
CITY TOUR, VISIT THE ROMANOVS SECRET GRAVE & STAND ASTRIDE THE EUROPE-ASIA BORDER
This morning your guide will take you on a 3 hour tour by car of the city’s highlights. Stop at the central square and see statues of Ekaterinburg’s founders and leaders and learn local stories, legends (and a few jokes!) related to them. Continue to the 1905 Revolution square before the most compelling story will be told at the beautiful Church of Spilled Blood located at the Romanovs’ Death Site and Chapel of St Elizabeth. We also see views of the city from the Hill of Ascension and visit the powerful Afghanistan memorial at the Square of the Red Army.
After lunch (own arrangement) drive 15 km north-west to a monastery dedicated to the Romanov’s family located on the spot where the Bolsheviks tried to hide the corpses of the Tsar and his family in a secret grave. Continue on to the continental border of Europe and Asia 20 km west of the city. On the way we make a short stop at the Memorial of Victims of the GULAGs. The Main Obelisk “Between Europe & Asia” allows you to straddle the continental divide and you also get a Certificate with a glass of sparkling wine!
Return to the city with some free time before an evening transfer to the station for your onward train. From this point on you have entered Siberia!
YOUR FIRST DAY IN SIBERIA & THE VASTNESS OF CENTRAL RUSSIA
The scenery today is flat, often swampy or forested and with few large settlements. The major city is Omsk but there are also a few other large stops. This is a day for relaxing, socializing and getting into a good book!
MEALS: None today - however the train does have a dining car.
The last full day on the train in this section of the trip passing prosperous Krasnoyarsk after which the scenery is particularly pleasant consisting of gently rolling hills and dense forests of larch, pine and, of course, birch trees. There are many rivers and ponds and if it hasn’t happened before now you will start to comprehend just how vast and untouched this part of Russia is as the sun sets on the endless taiga of Siberia.
MEALS: None today - however the train does have a dining car.
ARRIVAL IN IRKUTSK TRANSFERRING TO LISTVYANKA VILLAGE ON THE SHORES OF BAIKAL
Early arrival in Irkutsk, regarded as the modern day cultural capital of Siberia, famed for its traditional wooden architecture, complimented by a vibrant cafe and restaurant culture.
Transfer from the station the 1 hour drive following the route of the Angara River down to the village of Listvyanka located close to where the river meets beautiful Lake Baikal. The lake is among the deepest in the world at 1,642 meters and has exceptionally clear water - or perhaps ice when you are here!
After breakfast your guide will take you on a 4 hour walking tour of the village. You will see the beautiful church and visit the Limnological Museum to learn about the Lake itself and its unique flora and fauna. We will also take chairlift up to a view point for some of the best lake vistas.
Return to the guesthouse with the rest of the day free.
FREE DAY IN LISTVYANKA TO EXPLORE THE VILLAGE & SURROUNDINGS FURTHER
Today is free or we can arrange day trips snowmobiling or dogsledding or, if the lake is frozen enough, you may want to venture out onto the surface by foot or by hiring a bike. Just ask us for details as wha tis available will depend on your dates.
The village also has a banya (Russian sauna) you can arrange to visit and which we heartily recommend as the quintessential Siberian experience!
RETURN TO IRKUTSK WITH A CITY TOUR AND FREE TIME BEFORE DEPARTURE
Agree morning to further explore Listvyanka. Early afternoon drive the 1 hour back to Irkutsk arriving late morning at your hotel. Once settled in you will have a 2 hour walking tour of the city centre including the park and War Memorial, some of the beautiful churches along the Angara river, the main city centre streets and the statue of Alexander III - the Tzar responsible for the Trans-Siberian railway.
Free time in the city before an evening transfer to the station for your train on Eastbound.
PASS THE IMPORTANT JUNCTION OF ULAN UDE & ENTER RUSSIA’S FAR EAST
Early this morning you reach Ulan Ude, the capital of Buryatia with its strong cultural ties to Mongolia. This city is a major junction on the railway where the line splits with the Trans-Mongolian route heading south and your route to Vladivostok continuing eastbound. From here the route is remote and with a hint of an older Asian culture ever present.
MEALS: None today - however the train does have a dining car.
CONTINUE THROUGH THE RUSSIAN FAR EAST PASSING KHABAROVSK
Settle in to remote towns and lots of uninhabited scenery in between them. This afternoon pass vibrant Khabarovsk with its 2.6km bridge which crosses the Amur river just before the lengthy stop in this pleasant city.
MEALS: None today - however the train does have a dining car.
YOUR LAST DAY ON THE TRAIN AS VLADIVOSTOK IS APPROACHED
A day of many stops as the Trans-Siberian rumbles on towards Vladivostok. Much of the route is close to the Chinese border and you can feel the proximity to China from the faces on the platforms at many of the stops.
MEALS: None today - however the train does have a dining car.
EARLY MORNING ARRIVAL WITH TIME TO FRESHEN UP & A 4 HOUR TOUR OF THE CITY’S HIGHLIGHTS
Early morning arrival at Vladivostok’s attractive station with the satisfaction of knowing you have completed the longest single train route in the world - you have arrived!
Transfer to your hotel where we have booked early check-in and breakfast for you so you will have the opportunity to freshen up and eat before starting to explore the city.
Today you have a 4 hour city tour of Vladivostok covering the main attractions and more including the historic Vladivostok Railway Station and the C-56 submarine as well as passing many historic, cultural and architectural landmarks and view points. After the tour return to your hotel with free time this evening.
DEPART RUSSIA’S FAR EASTERN PORT CITY OF VLADIVOSTOK
Free time today until a transfer to the airport, station or ferry terminal for your onward travel from Vladivostok and the end of your trip across Russia!
MEALS: Hotel Breakfast.
Thank you so very much. We had the best time!
AMY WEGERHOFF
"Your company really did an amazing job on this trip."
ENGELA POTGIETER
"Nothing short of outstanding & the fulfilment of a lifetimes dream."
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