The Trans-Siberian Express should be on your bucket list

Are you ready for something different in terms of vacation? Have you done backpacking through Asia, vacationing in Ibiza, city trips to New York or hitting hotspots in Bali seen it all? It's still fun, of course, but sometimes it's time for something new. What has been on my bucket list for years is what I'm going to sell to you now, namely the Trans-Siberian Express. It is indeed still on there, but it seems that I am finally going to do it now. And you want this too. This is something different than traveling with NS.

The train journey

The train journey has four different routes, of which the Trans-Siberian Express is the most famous. Below is a brief summary of the route they all take:

Trans-Siberian Express: Moscow – Lake Baikal – Vladivostok

Trans-Mongolian Express: Moscow – Lake Baikal – Beijing

Trans-Manchurian Express: Moscow – Manchuria – Beijing

Baikal-Amur Express: Moscow – Tynda – Vladivostok

All routes start in the Russian capital Moscow, a city where you definitely want to spend a day or two. Team Amayzine has already been to this city and they have experienced it, and it is fully approved. If you really want to get everything out of your adventure, you can also start in St. Petersburg (which is also an incredibly beautiful city) and from there take the train to Moscow.

Which route suits you best is of course purely personal. I personally want to take the Trans-Mongolian Express because it goes via Lake Baikal along Ulaanbaatar. This is the capital of Mongolia and is said to be a beautiful stopover. The official endpoint is Beijing – also a city not to be missed, but you can possibly extend it to Vladivostok. You guessed it: that is the route that seems the most fun to me, but check all the routes yourself to see what you like best.

Good to know:

• You can book the train journey in different ways. You can buy a ticket that allows you to rush straight to the endpoint (which are very cheap), but then you cannot get off. That is really a no-go. So make sure you buy a ticket that allows you to get on and off whenever you want.
• Arrange your own excursions in advance, know what you want to do, or book the entire trip including accommodations through an organization. Of course, there are many beautiful sights at each stop. If you book your train journey yourself, you will have to arrange all of this yourself as well. If you have the money for it and are not so much into organizing, there are many organizations that provide a complete trip, including accommodations and excursions. I would personally recommend this, as few people speak English at the stops. Suppose something goes wrong, it is nice that you booked through an organization.
• All stops must be registered in advance. Also, at each stop, your tourist visa is registered, so it is very important that you already know where you want to get off and how many days you want to stay at a stop. The trains are often full (also with locals, so practice a bit on your Russian), which is why this is necessary.
• As I mentioned above: the train can be full of locals. Make the most of this and bring a little book (or put it on your phone) with some Russian phrases. Locals often find it very interesting to talk to you, so it's nice if you can show some photos from home. You will immediately be treated to a Russian vodka and have a nice conversation. Win-win.
• You need a visa for each country you pass through. So keep in mind the time it takes to apply for them and the extra costs involved.

Lake Baikal

This is the deepest and largest freshwater lake in the world. How big? Well, comparable to all of Belgium, so it covers a considerable area. All four routes go past Lake Baikal, only the Baikal-Amur Express goes above, the rest below. You can (if you want) snowboard, ice fish, or go on hiking trips here. Do keep in mind the time of year you are going. In winter, it is not only very cold but also much quieter in terms of tourists. If you are going alone and would like to meet new people, these may not be the best months to go.

Lake Baikal is also the first stop for most travelers where they get off. Make sure you have enough entertainment on the way; this journey lasts three days. 72 hours on the train, yes. At the stopovers, you can stretch your legs, and I guess you won't get bored for a moment with this view. If you really don't want that, you can of course arrange a stop along the way. And good to know: this is also the longest part of all train journeys.

Mongolia/Ulaanbaatar

This is the capital of Mongolia, and you might not expect it, but this city is quite Western. And it's not a small city either: Ulaanbaatar has over a million inhabitants and also skyscrapers, four-lane roads, and especially incredibly chaotic traffic. It's nice to combine this city with the countryside of Mongolia. It's especially handy if you book the excursions with an organization, because you can go horseback riding and camel racing (how fun?). You also eat and sleep with the local population. And that sleeping, you do in a yurt. So make sure you wear warm clothing, as Mongolia is not exactly a warm country.

Beijing

This is the endpoint of the Trans-Mongolian Express, but you can also continue by train to this Chinese city from Vladivostok. Especially the train journey from Ulaanbaatar to Beijing is said to be incredibly impressive because of the scenery you pass through. Beijing itself doesn't really need an introduction anymore. The highlights you must not miss are of course the Forbidden City, Drum Towers, the Great Wall, Hutongs, Summer Palace, and Temple of Heaven. So the best thing is to plan at least two days here, so you have a bit of time to explore the city. And of course, eat as much dim sum as possible.

Vladivostok

The endpoint of the Trans-Siberian Express is this Russian port city. The city is surrounded by only green nature (and is also the habitat of the Siberian tiger, although the chance of spotting one is of course not very high). The town itself is nice to see but not to stay for days. Just relax from the journey and move on, or back home of course. Depending on how long you took for the stops along the way, you are now about two weeks into your journey from Moscow. After this, you can of course fly back to Schiphol, or you can continue (which is of course the best recommendation). From Vladivostok, you can go in many directions. You can head towards China, South Korea, or Japan. Of course, there are also flights to Southeast Asia. What secretly becomes my final destination (hopefully)? You can take the train from Vladivostok to North Korea, which seems very interesting to me. Okay, maybe not the most relaxing vacation, but very impressive.

The train

Like all trains, this Express also has multiple classes. Most trains have three classes: the first has a closed compartment with two beds, the second a closed compartment with four beds, and the third class is an open space with dozens of beds. Personally, I would go for the second class: you have the coziness of people around you, but not the situation where you are packed like sardines and have no privacy at all. If you are going as a pair and really want to experience it together, then first class is of course a good option. Each train also has a restaurant car, where you can order Russian dishes. Authentic borscht, indeed. Curious about what the train looks like? Check here the virtual tour, so you get a bit of an idea of what the compartments look like.

How to book?

As I mentioned earlier, you can book different tickets. Organizations like Mevo Reizen, Tiara Tours, and Bolsjoj specialize in organizing these train journeys. They offer various packages for almost every budget (the cheapest train journey is for example less than €600). You can also go to them with all your questions if you want to make adjustments or want to put together your own trip.

Okay, I don't know about you, but I am already mapping out the entire train journey in my head. Next spring is my goal. Am I just in time to brush up my Russian a bit (I have already downloaded the Duolingo app). Na zdorovj. спасибо. Okay, I just got that last one from Google Translate, because I really wouldn't know how to pronounce it. Just need to practice a bit more.