The Trans-Siberian Railway from Omsk to Beijing

Travel Tips

• Planning – I won’t go into all of the specifics around planning the trip as there are other websites that specialise in this – in particular I would recommend Seat 61 Trans-Siberian which is excellent.  The one bit of advice that I would give though is be prepared that getting things done in Russia can be painful – the need for confirmation of every night’s hotel accommodation before train tickets and before visas is a mountain of admin.  Instead, just pay an agent to do all of this for you.  Its not expensive and they save you hours / days of faff
• Where to stop – the whole route from Moscow to Vladivostok / Beijing can be done in 6/7 days and, whilst the journey on the train is a key part of the experience, you’ll want to stop to see some of the highlights on the way, and also just to have a break from the train!
  • Lake Baikal is the highlight.   Everything about it is in the extreme -deepest lake in the world, largest by volume and second longest by length.  300+ rivers flowing into it and centre of the world’s largest landmass that its is slowly splitting in two.  Winters so extreme that the temperature can drop down to minus 50 Celsius / minus 57 Fahrenheit and freeze the lake so deep that trucks use it as a highway.  Yet it is the cute serene island of Olkhon on the western shore that offers the best experience and a journey on the Trans-Siberian wouldn’t be complete without it.  You can see more tips in the travel entry Three days by Lake Baikal’s Olkhon Island in October
  • Stop in only one of Omsk, Krasnoyarsk, Irkutsk or Ulan Ude.  Considering you’ll be stopping in Irkutsk for Lake Baikal and Olkhon Island (you can access Baikal from Ulan Ude, but you’re on the wrong side for Olkhon Island), this means I suggest sacking off the other 3.  They are not particularly attractive grey Siberian cities that should be way down the priority list when it comes for the highlights to be seen on the railway journey
  • Definitely stop in Ulan Bator – so that you can have a wonderful experience accessing the surrounding national parks / steppes and staying overnight in an isolated set of Mongolian gers (felt yurt huts).  Ulan Bator itself is maybe a little more interesting than the Siberian towns, but only just!  You can see more tips on the trip out to the national park in this travel entry – Hiking, horse-riding and staying in yurts in Gorkhi-Terelj National Park–
  • Give yourself the right amount of time for Beijing – one of the world’s great cities with one of the wonders of the world nearby.  A fantastic way to finish your trip and see this travel entry for more tips on how make the most of a 2 day stay – Beijing highlights for 2 days – 10 tips
• Russians LOVE drinking – I’d like to think I’ve been exposed to heavy drinkers, but the Russians seem to take it to another level.  I remember (vaguely) the various dinners and toasts with no pause between the first and second shots and 8 toasts to love, Russia, whatever as a minimum.  I also remember seeing nearly a quarter of a morning bus in Krasnoyarsk putting their hands in the pockets to pull out a bottle of vodka for a swig and what felt like most of the people waiting for the bus having a drink at the bus stand (which also functioned as a bar).  This is great for the train as it encourages you to say hello, but just be aware when you’re off the train – drunk Russians can be a bit Russian Roulette with foreigners
• Train etiquette – be sure to offer food and drinks to your fellow cabin passengers.  It’s good manners but also often gets the conversations started.  Bear in mind that chances are that one of you will be getting off at the next stop, so don’t wait for a day later to say hi.  Also, make sure you don’t get on the wrong side of the Provodnitsa (the lady in charge of the carriage, strangely almost always called Svetlana) – she is in charge.   No democracy, no second opinions.  Do what she says
• Books to read on the way – you’re going to have a lot of time.  Sure it’s a great adventure, but you’ve got 6/7 days on a train.  Travelling across Russia it’s hard not to go with the Tolstoy classics of War and Peace and Anna Karenina, but I’d also really recommend, as you’re going through Mongolia, the Conqueror Series by Conn Iggulden – the historical fiction rollercoaster story of Ghangis Khan through to Kublai Khan and, in my opinion, the best historical fictions books in the world
• Why start in Omsk? – there isn’t much in Omsk, but it is the part of the railway you would join if arriving from an adventure in Central Asia.  There are regular trains up from Almaty via Astana to Omsk, and I would highly recommend the stunning Charyn Canyon near Almaty and the wonderful, untouched hiking and thermal springs around the Ak-Suu mountain region just over the border in Kyrgyzstan.  For more details see Hiking near the hot springs of Altyn Arashan near Karakol and Hiking through the Charyn Canyon and staying overnight in yurts