Our Railroad Tours | Train Schedule | Make most of your Trans-Siberian adventure | When to go | On board
It’s the journey nearly everyone wants to do, perhaps because it’s commonly said to be the longest you can make on a single train. You will get a unique local experience of being in usual train with locals at many cultural, historical and natural places of interest. The journey can be arranged in sections with overnight stays in the local hotels. The most popular stops are Irkutsk (Baikal Lake) and Ulaanbaatar (capital of Mongolia) but there are many more interesting cities to be discovered if times allows. Korea Konsult is an expert in Trans-Siberian tours and will be happy to arrange a journey on your request!
At present, the longest non-stop train route in the world is between Moscow and Pyongyang, it covers 10267 km and takes eight days. Foreign tourists have to leave the train in Tumangang (North Korean border city).
The longest non-stop route on the Russian territory is between Moscow and the Pacific Terminus of Vladivostok. The train passes through whole Siberia and makes 9288 km in 6-7 days.
Every year on May 9 in Vladivostok there is Victory Parade - the biggest celebration in Russia
Big cities on the route: Perm, Yekaterinburg, Omsk, Novosibirsk, Krasnoyarsk, Irkutsk, Ulan-Ude, Chita and Khabarovsk
The Trans-Mongolian is the most popular route, it goes from Moscow to Beijing via Mongolia, total distance is 7826 km. This train crosses the Western part of Siberia, cuts across Mongolia and the Gobi desert, then enters China.
1 departure a week from Moscow to Beijing (Chinese train) and 1-2 more weekly departures to Ulaanbaatar (Mongolian or Russian train).
It is one of the most popular routes to travel in all seasons.
Every year in mid-July you may attend the famous Naadam Festival - the major Mongolian festival of nomadic culture
Big cities on the route: Perm, Yekaterinburg, Omsk, Novosibirsk, Krasnoyarsk, Irkutsk, Ulan-Ude, Ulaanbaatar
It goes from Moscow to Beijing via Harbin, Manchuria. The train journey is 8984 km. This route could be convenient for North Korea travellers as this train stops in Shenyang. From Shenyang it takes less than 1,5 hours to Dandong, the Chinese border city with North Korea.
One departure a week from Moscow by Russian train “Vostok”.
In Jan-Feb Harbin is the home of International Ice and Snow Sculpture Festival - a major attraction during the winter, one of the biggest and popular ice shows in Asia
Big cities on the route: Perm, Yekaterinburg, Omsk, Novosibirsk, Krasnoyarsk, Irkutsk, Ulan-Ude, Chita, Harbin, Shenyang
The list below is NOT complete list of our Trans-Siberian tours. If you cannot find the tour which suits your needs please contact us directly: postmaster@koreakonsult.com. We will be happy to assist you and prepare tailor-made itinerary for you.
CLASSIC TOURS | SHORT TOURS | |
Moscow-Vladivostok every day |
12 days / 11 nights stops in Yekaterinburg, Irkutsk, Ulan-Ude, Khabarovsk |
9 days / 8 nights stops in Irkutsk |
Vladivostok-Moscow every day |
12 days / 11 nights stops in Khabarovsk, Ulan-Ude, Irkutsk, Yekaterinburg |
9 days / 8 nights stops in Irkutsk |
CLASSIC TOURS | SHORT TOURS | |
Moscow-Tumangang 4 times a month |
10 days / 9 nights stops in Irkutsk |
8 days / 7 nights direct train/ no stops |
Tumangang-Moscow 4 times a month |
10 days / 9 nights stops in Irkutsk |
8 days / 7 nights direct train/ no stops |
CLASSIC TOURS | SHORT TOURS | |
Moscow-Beijing | 11 days / 10 nights stops in Irkutsk, Harbin starts on Thursday |
9 days / 8 nights stops in Harbin starts on Saturday |
Beijing-Moscow | 11 days / 10 nights stops in Harbin, Irkutsk starts on Friday |
8 days / 7 nights stops in Harbin starts on Friday |
** - except 31st | |||||||
Train
|
Route |
Distance
|
Travel time
|
Dep. day
|
Dep.time
|
Arrival day
|
Arr.time
|
4
|
Moscow-Beijing |
7826 km
|
131:29
|
Tuesday
|
23:55
|
Monday
|
11:40
|
Trans-Mongolian train via Irkutsk, Naushki, Ulaanbataar | |||||||
20
|
Moscow-Beijing |
8984 km
|
146:01
|
Saturday
|
23:55
|
next Saturday
|
05:49
|
Trans-Manchurian train via Irkutsk, Zabaikalsk, Harbin, Shenyang | |||||||
2
|
Moscow-Vladivostok** |
9288 km
|
143:20
|
odd days
|
23:45
|
6 days later
|
06:55
|
train "Rossiya" via Irkutsk, Khabarovsk, Ussuriisk | |||||||
100
|
Moscow-Vladivostok |
9288 km
|
163:28
|
even days
|
00:35
|
7 days later
|
06:40
|
via Irkutsk, Khabarovsk, Ussuriisk | |||||||
002щ
|
Moscow-Tumangang |
9412 km
|
159:25
|
4 times a month
|
23:45
|
7 days later
|
11:15
|
Trans-Siberian via Irkutsk, Ulan-Ude, Ussurijsk, Khasan | |||||||
4
|
Moscow-Ulaanbataar |
6266 km
|
98:50
|
Tuesday
|
23:55
|
Sunday
|
06:50
|
Trans-Mongolian train via Irkutsk, Naushk | |||||||
6
|
Moscow-Ulaanbataar |
6266 km
|
98:50
|
Wednesday & Thursday
|
23:55
|
Monday & Tuesday
|
06:50
|
Trans-Mongolian train via Irkutsk, Naushki | |||||||
20
|
Moscow-Harbin |
7573 km
|
129:06
|
Saturday
|
23:55
|
Friday
|
12:50
|
Trans-Manchurian train via Irkutsk, Zabaikalsk | |||||||
24
|
Ulaanbataar-Beijing |
1346 km
|
30:50
|
Thursday
|
07:30
|
Friday
|
11:40
|
via Zamyn-Uud, Erenhot | |||||||
362
|
Irkutsk-Ulaanbataar |
1113 km
|
32:38
|
daily
|
21:00
|
2 days later
|
05:45
|
via Naushki, Sükhbaatar | |||||||
4
|
Irkutsk-Beijing |
2469 km
|
56:39
|
Saturday
|
08:12
|
Monday
|
11:40
|
Trans-Mongolian train via Naushki, Ulaanbataar | |||||||
20
|
Irkutsk-Beijing |
3808 km
|
70:05
|
Wednesday
|
08:12
|
Sat
|
05:49
|
Trans-Manchurian train via Zabaikalsk | |||||||
20
|
Irkutsk-Harbin |
2420 km
|
52:56
|
Wednesday
|
08:12
|
Friday
|
12:50
|
Trans-Manchurian train via Zabaikalsk |
Train |
Route |
Distance |
Travel time |
Dep. day |
Dep.time |
Arrival day |
Arr.time |
3 |
Beijing-Moscow | 7862 km |
131:29 |
Wednesday |
11:22 |
Monday |
13:58 |
Trans-Mongolian train via Ulaanbataar, Naushki, Irkutsk | |||||||
19 |
Beijing-Moscow | 8984 km |
144:36 |
Saturday |
23:00 |
Friday |
17:58 |
Trans-Manchurian train via Shenyang, Harbin, Zabaikalsk, Irkutsk | |||||||
1 |
Vladivostok-Moscow | 9288 km |
145:59 |
even days |
19:10 |
6 days later |
14:13 |
train "Rossiya" via Ussuriisk, Khabarovsk, Irkutsk | |||||||
99 |
Vladivostok-Moscow | 9288 km |
162:08 |
odd days |
1:02 |
7 days later |
11:13 |
via Ussuriisk, Khabarovsk, Irkutsk | |||||||
651 |
Tumangang-Moscow | 9412 km |
159:25 |
4 times a month on specific dates |
15:00 |
7 days later |
11:13 |
via Irkutsk, Ulan-Ude, Ussurijsk, Khasan | |||||||
3 |
Ulaanbataar-Moscow | 6266 km |
98:33 |
Thursday |
15:22 |
Monday |
13:58 |
Trans-Mongolian train via Naushki, Irkutsk | |||||||
5 |
Ulaanbataar-Moscow | 6266 km |
98:33 |
Tuesday & Friday |
15:22 |
Saturday & Tuesday |
13:58 |
Trans-Mongolian train via Naushki, Irkutsk | |||||||
19 |
Harbin-Moscow | 7573 km |
129:06 |
Sunday |
15:42 |
Friday |
17:58 |
Trans-Manchurian train via Zabaikalsk, Irkutsk | |||||||
23 |
Beijing-Ulaanbaatar
|
1346 km |
30:50 |
Tuesday & Wednesday |
11:22 |
Wednesday & Thursday |
14:35 |
via Erenhot, Zamyn-Uud | |||||||
263 |
Ulaanbaatar-Irkutsk | 1113 km |
33:50 |
daily |
20:35 |
2 days later |
07:15 |
via Naushki, Sükhbaatar |
There is no such train as the Trans-Siberian Express but a whole range of trains across Siberia, including countless Russian domestic trains plus a handful of direct international trains to Mongolia and China. You can plan your stops in cities alоng the way and book trains using the Trans-Siberian timetable above, or book one of our tours.
Moscow is connected by direct trains with Paris, Berlin, Helsinki, Nice, Prague, Vena, Warsaw etc. It's also easy to travel from London to Moscow by connecting several trains - start your Trans-Siberian trip with Eurostar from London to Paris and then a ride on the excellent Paris-Moscow Express!
It can be a great idea to combine your Trans-Siberian journey with visiting other places along the way - be it Mongolia, China, South Korea, Japan or North Korea. We will be glad to help you get the most out of your time in this part of the world
You can go at any time of year as the Trans-Siberian Railway operates all year round. Naturally, the summer months from May to September have the best weather and the longest daylight hours so are the most popular. In winter (except for Christmas and New Year holidays) it's easier to get tickets, the trains are warmly heated and the Siberian landscape beautiful in the snow, but the hours of daylight will be shorter and stretching your legs at stations or visiting the cities will be chillier. In many ways it's the slushy thaw around April that's least attractive.
On the regular public trains, bedding is supplied in first- and second-class carriages, the berths being folded into seats by day. Each sleeping-car has at least two western-style toilets and a washroom with sinks. The only public trains offering showers for a small fee are the Trans-Mongolian Moscow–Beijing train (train 3/4), and Rossiya Moscow-Vladivostok train (train 1/2) - these trains offer a shower hose in the small shared bathroom located in a special household carriage.
Each carriage has a (male) provodnik or more usually a (female) provodnitsa who cleans, maintains the samovar and puts out steps at stations, so it’s as well to keep on the right side of them.
The Trans-Siberian is safe for families or solo females - it's the way Russian families and women travel. Most trains in Russia have 3 classes of cabins to choose from:
Food quality is generally adequate, though menus are limited, in Russia typically ham and fried eggs for breakfast, schnitzel and potatoes for lunch or dinner, with soups and salads for starters. Beer, Russian champagne, vodka, chocolate and snacks are sold at the bar. The Mongolian Railways restaurant car normally serves rice and mutton, while the Chinese dining car has a good variety of Chinese dishes.
In every train car there is a pot with boiling water available for making hot drinks (bring your own tea, but the water is free). Carriage attendants also sell tea and coffee, and it's usually possible to buy soft drinks and beer in the restaurant carriage to bring back to your carriage.
Stops at stations allow food to be bought from platform vendors or shops; fare depends on location and season, but usually includes fruit, bread, boiled eggs, pot noodles, beer and soft drinks. Be wary of cold meats and salads and always make sure you know how long each stop is (some are no more than five minutes) before venturing far from the coach – people have been left behind.
Stops at stations allow food to be bought from platform vendors or shops; fare depends on location and season, but usually includes fruit, bread, boiled eggs, pot noodles, beer and soft drinks. Be wary of cold meats and salads and always make sure you know how long each stop is (some are no more than than five minutes) before venturing far from the coach – people have been left behind.
Thin clothes in summer; thick and warm in winter (when temperatures can fall as low as -40°C) with scarves, gloves, warm hat and even thermal underwear if you are planning to spend any length of time outside. But the trains are warm all year round, so you’ll want lighter clothing as well. If travelling by service train, be ready to make the most of the unlimited supply of boiling water from the samovar at the end of each coach. Also useful are slippers, a money belt (worn inside), gaffer tape, ear plugs, clothes pegs, sunglasses (even in winter), sterilized wipes, a small torch, a universal bath plug and a folding umbrella. Spare camera batteries/recharger are vital in winter as cold weather quickly depletes the charge.