tours in russia - trans-siberian railway
You mentioned the Trans-siberian Railway on the radio. Are there companies offering trips that cover the towns/cities of interest along the route from
Moscow to Vladivostok, including Mongolia - Ulan Bator, Irkutsk, and Lake Baikal? Does the train allow one or two day stops in these places to explore them? What would you recommend to be the best way to tour these places for a single senior lady?
jill
goleta, ca usa 11/11/12
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Usual disclaimer: This information is based on my experience and research putting together the Trans-Siberian trip I did last year (In reverse chronological order here: http://seattleflyerguy.blogspot.com/search/label/Transsiberian)
1) There are, of course, tour operators that can put together a trip across Russia on the trans-Siberian. They tend to be a little bit pricey and limit the number of stops you can make because making stops introduces some logistical issues (for example, like when had to catch the train at 4:02am because that was the only good connection http://seattleflyerguy.blogspot.com/2011/09/irkutsk-and-lake-baikal-across-russia.html). Usually, they start in Moscow, take you to Irkutsk for Lake Baikal, and from there split. Vladivostok is not on the same railway as Ulaanbaatar. At Ulan Ude (home of the World's largest Lenin head!), the Trans-Siberian railway splits. The Trans-Mongolian starts there and heads south through Mongolia to Beijing, while the Trans-Siberian continues east to Vladivostok (and also the Trans-Manchurian, if you would prefer to visit Harbin on your way to Beijing). If you head south, the may stop in ulaanbaatar and then end in Beijing. When I was looking up this option, most of them seemed to be the basics and not a full guided tour.
2) The tickets for the Trans-Siberian are point to point. If you want a layover somewhere, then you buy a ticket to the city you want to go to and then another a few days later. There IS, from what I understand, technically a way to refund unused portions of the tickets and apply it to a new ticket, but unless you are fluent in Russian I wouldn't go that route. Moscow to Irkutsk is easy (The #2, #10, and #30 are all straight shots there. The journey takes a couple days.) Check out the man in Seat 61's website for more info: http://www.seat61.com/Trans-Siberian.htm#.UJ_ifIdvmSo
You mentioned the Trans-siberian Railway on the radio.
jill,
it sounds like you may think you have reached Rick Steves or his ETBD gang. They underwrite this Helpline but we are nothing to do with them - we are all fellow travelers who all help each other. None of us, unless specifically identifying themselves as staff, are.
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travellallrussia.com
This is a Russian tour agency with their US base in Wash DC. They do Trans-Siberian railroad tours. A 21 day tour is $6400, so it's right in line with RS tour costs.
OR
You can ride the railroad from Moscow to Vladivastock on their virtual train tour. That tour is free.....complete with rumbling train wheel sounds effects.
I'm busy planning my own trip. I'm using the "Trans-Siberian Handbook" by Bryn Thomas. It's answering ALL of my questions. the ISBN number is 1-905864-36-2
Roger
I suggest you get a copy of the Lonely Planet guidebook that will provide you with a lot of details. This may be the same one the previous poster referenced.
No - I was warned off the other guide book by people who had done the trip and found too many inaccuracies in it.