Exploring Russia by Train

Whether you travel on a Trans-Siberian train or take a short express ride, a trip by a Russian train is a wonderful way to see and reach the remote and least explored places - Oxana Salazar, who lived in Siberia and developed a strong affinity to the Russian train travel, shares her insight.

Trains are still the most popular and practical means of travel between cities and towns in Russia. In fact, a train ride might be one of the best experiences you have while visiting Russia. Whether you travel across the country or take a short express ride, a trip by train is a wonderful way to see and reach the remote and least explored places.

Train Ride Spirit

Traveling to the Eastern part of Russia on a Trans–Siberian train can be the most exciting trip you will have ever taken. Most travelers go in the summer to see the flowering nature and easily explore the towns along the way. Winter offers its own magic show with beautiful views of endless white flatlands and mountains.

Throughout my childhood, my family moved around the country quite often. At one point we lived in Tynda, the main railway junction of the Baikal-Amur Mainline. Every summer we visited my grandmother in Nizhny Novgorod, a large city in central Russia. In order to travel this great distance, about three thousand miles, we took two different trains using the Baikal-Amur mainline and the Trans-Siberian railway. As I recall, those five or six days on a train were always a fascinating adventure for me. I loved the comforting rhythm of the tracks as I enjoyed spending time with my parents and playing cards with my traveling friends.

A train ride has a romantic feeling to it. Travelers admire rural countryside, meet and interact with other passengers while sipping Russian tea with lemon and cookies. While on a train, you will get a perfect chance to catch up on reading a book, starting your personal travel journal, or listening to your favorite music on an iPod.

Grand Trans-Siberian Tours

During the days when the train makes short stops, the view from the window and the interaction with passengers can be an adventure all to itself. The longer stops on the way will give you an excellent opportunity to explore the Russian and Mongolian sights.

Traveling on a Grand Trans-Siberian tour with 3 and 4-day stops in Irkutsk and Ulan-Bator, you will see the major highlights and places off the beaten track. The further east you travel, the more spectacular, wild and remote the scenery becomes.

One of the high points of your trip will be a stay in Irkutsk and a trip to the lake Baikal. You will have a comprehensive city tour and will visit the museums with unique exhibits of the lake Baikal’s flora and fauna. Lake Baikal, the deepest and largest freshwater lake in the world, is often called “the Pearl of Siberia”. You will be charmed and impressed by the beauty and mystery hidden in the forests, wilderness, streams, and clear waters of the lake.

In Ulan Bator, the magnificent capital of Mongolia, you will experience firsthand and learn about the traditional lifestyle of nomadic families, their customs and habits. You will go hiking, enjoy the marvelous landscapes of steppes, explore local markets, and taste authentic food. It will be one of the most unforgettable journeys of your lifetime!

Traveling Essentials

Travel All Russia will provide you with first- or second-class train tickets and will make sure that you have a comfortable and pleasant train ride. First-class train cars are the best choice for two traveling companions and for long-distance travels. First-class compartments have only two beds. The advantages are the privacy, the size of the room, wide beds and the crisp clean bedding.

Second-class compartments are generally spacious but have four beds. The merit of the second class trains is the interesting company of your traveling companions, the little light beside your bed, and clean and soft beds.

For clothing, you will want to wear comfortable, loose pants, a shirt, and flip-flops for walking around the car. Most people wear the same clothes for the entire trip and usually change into a nicer outfit just before arrival.

Getting out at the stations en route might be an interesting and fun way to get to know local people and to take a brief look at local culture. You will have twenty- and thirty-minute stops in the schedule. Always check with your train attendant how long the stop will be. Sometimes if the train is running behind schedule, the train manager shortens stops.

Oxana Salazar

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