Trans-Siberian Railway: Moscow to Beijing
Cross Russia by train in stages, traveling through Lake Baikal and the Mongolian steppes to Beijing.
A hop-on, hop-off journey along the classic Trans-Mongolian route: stop at Moscow, Yekaterinburg, Novosibirsk, Krasnoyarsk, Irkutsk, Ulan-Ude, and Ulaanbaatar, spending one or two days at each station. There is no direct train for the entire journey, so you will need to change trains in Irkutsk or along the line, and again in Ulaanbaatar. This long journey with strict schedules is perfect for railway enthusiasts with plenty of time; Olkhon Island is not included.
The Moscow–Beijing K3/K4 train is suspended, and services between Russia–Mongolia and Mongolia–China are infrequent, so cross-border tickets must be secured first.
Day by day
Day 1 · Moscow Red Square Area
Moscow（Red Square、Saint Basil's Cathedral、GUM Department Store）
After arrival, take the metro to the city center and explore the sights around Red Square on foot.
Stay: Kitay-Gorod
Day 2 · The Kremlin & Tretyakov Gallery
Moscow（Moscow Kremlin、Alexander Garden & Tomb of the Unknown Soldier、Tretyakov Gallery、Moscow Metro）
Walk to the Kremlin in the morning, take the metro or walk across the river to the gallery in the afternoon, and explore the metro stations in the evening.
Buy tickets for the Kremlin and the gallery online in advance, and avoid planning this on Mondays or Tuesdays when they are closed.
Stay: Kitay-Gorod
Day 3 · Half Day in Moscow & Board Train East
Moscow（Cathedral of Christ the Saviour、Arbat Street）
Explore by metro during the day, and board the train from Yaroslavsky Station at night for a 26-hour journey to Yekaterinburg.
Tickets are released progressively; check schedules on the Russian Railways website first.
Day 4 · Cross the Urals to Yekaterinburg
Spend the whole day on the train, arriving in Yekaterinburg at night, and take a taxi to the city center (approx. 15 mins).
Stay: Plotinka and City Center
Day 5 · Yekaterinburg City Center
Yekaterinburg（Church on the Blood、Plotinka & Historical Square、Boris Yeltsin Presidential Center）
Explore the city center mainly on foot; walk or take a taxi to the Yeltsin Center (approx. 10 mins).
Stay: Plotinka and City Center
Day 6 · Eurasia Border Monument & Continue East
Yekaterinburg（Ganina Yama Monastery、Europe-Asia Border Monument）
Charter a vehicle for a half-day trip (approx. 80 km) to two suburban sites, and board the train in the evening for a 24-hour journey to Novosibirsk.
Day 7 · Train across the Omsk Steppe
Novosibirsk（Novosibirsk-Glavny Railway Station）
Spend the whole day on the train, arriving at Novosibirsk Main Station around evening, and take a taxi to the city center (approx. 15 mins).
Stay: Lenin Square and Krasny Prospekt
Day 8 · Novosibirsk City Center
Novosibirsk（Lenin Square、Novosibirsk Opera and Ballet Theatre、Chapel of St. Nicholas、Alexander Nevsky Cathedral）
Explore the city center on foot and by metro, covering the area from Lenin Square to Krasny Prospekt in one day.
Stay: Lenin Square and Krasny Prospekt
Day 9 · Akademgorodok & Overnight Train to Krasnoyarsk
Novosibirsk（Museum of Railway Technology、Akademgorodok、Ob Sea (Novosibirsk Reservoir)）
Take a taxi to the southern suburbs (approx. 1 hour), return to the main station at night, and take a 12.5-hour overnight train to Krasnoyarsk.
The Railway Museum is generally open from Wednesday to Sunday; avoid Mondays and Tuesdays for this leg.
Day 10 · Krasnoyarsk Old Town
Krasnoyarsk（Karaulnaya Hill & Paraskeva Pyatnitsa Chapel、Krasnoyarsk Regional Museum、Yenisei Embankment & Kommunalny Bridge）
Arrive in the morning, take a taxi up to the Paraskeva Pyatnitsa Chapel, and walk along Mira Avenue and the riverfront.
Stay: Mira Avenue City Centre
Day 11 · Stolby Nature Reserve Hike
Krasnoyarsk（Stolby Nature Reserve）
Take a bus to the reserve entrance (approx. 40 mins), and spend most of the day hiking the loop trail.
Stay: Mira Avenue City Centre
Day 12 · Board Train to Irkutsk in the Afternoon
Krasnoyarsk（Svyatitel Nikolai Steamship Museum）
Visit the Steamship Museum in the morning, and board the train to Irkutsk in the afternoon (approx. 18–20 hours).
Day 13 · Arrive in Irkutsk & Explore the Old Town
Irkutsk & Lake Baikal（130 Kvartal、Moscow Triumphal Gates & Angara Embankment、Decembrist House Museum）
Arrive in the morning, take a taxi across the river to the city center, and explore the Old Town on foot.
Stay: Irkutsk City Center
Day 14 · Taltsy & Lake Baikal Lakeside
Irkutsk & Lake Baikal（Taltsy Museum、Baikal Museum、Listvyanka）
Travel along the Baikal Highway for about 70 km to Listvyanka by bus or chartered vehicle (approx. 1.5 hours).
Stay: Listvyanka
Day 15 · Return to City & Take Overnight Train
Irkutsk & Lake Baikal（Church of Our Lady of Kazan、Irkutsk Central Market）
Return to the city in the morning (approx. 1 hour), board the train around 7:30 PM, and travel approx. 10 hours to Ulan-Ude.
Day 16 · Ulan-Ude Lenin Head & Temple
Ulan-Ude（Lenin Head Monument (Soviets Square)、Lenin Street Pedestrian Zone & Triumphal Arch、Ivolginsky Datsan）
Arrive in the early morning, drop off your luggage, walk around the city, and take a taxi to Ivolginsky Datsan in the afternoon (approx. 1 hour).
Stay: Soviet Square and Lenin Street
Day 17 · Ethnographic Museum & Hilltop Temple
Ulan-Ude（Ethnographic Museum of Transbaikal Peoples、Rinpoche Bagsha Datsan）
Take a taxi to the open-air museum in the suburbs (approx. 20 mins), then head to the Rinpoche Bagsha Datsan in the north; a half day is sufficient.
Stay: Soviet Square and Lenin Street
Day 18 · Board International Train to Mongolia
Ulan-Ude（Odigitrievsky Cathedral）
Board the Irkutsk–Ulaanbaatar train in Ulan-Ude in the afternoon, crossing the border at Naushki, with border control taking about 4–6 hours.
This train runs at most once or twice a week; you must plan the preceding days backward based on this schedule.
Day 19 · Arrive in Ulaanbaatar
Ulaanbaatar & Terelj（Sükhbaatar Square、Chinggis Khaan National Museum、Gandantegchinlen Monastery）
Arrive at the station, take a taxi to the city center (approx. 15 mins), and explore the square area on foot.
Stay: Around Sükhbaatar Square
Day 20 · Terelj National Park Yurt Stay
Ulaanbaatar & Terelj（Turtle Rock、Gorkhi-Terelj National Park）
Charter a vehicle to Terelj (approx. 1.5 hours), stopping to see Turtle Rock on the way, and stay at a tourist camp tonight.
Stay: Terelj Ger Camps
Day 21 · Genghis Khan Equestrian Statue
Ulaanbaatar & Terelj（Genghis Khan Equestrian Statue、Zaisan Memorial）
Travel from the camp to the statue (approx. 1 hour), return to Ulaanbaatar (approx. 1 hour), and explore the city in the afternoon.
Stay: Around Sükhbaatar Square
Day 22 · Board International Train to Beijing
Take Train 24 from Ulaanbaatar in the early morning for a 31-hour journey, including a 6-hour bogie exchange at Erlian.
Schedules indicate a Thursday departure; plan the entire itinerary backward from this departure and confirm ticket availability.
Day 23 · Arrive in Beijing
Arrive at Beijing Railway Station around 2:35 PM, and take a taxi or metro to your accommodation (approx. half an hour).
Stay: Wangfujing
Day 24 · The Palace Museum & Jingshan Park
Beijing（The Palace Museum (Forbidden City)、Jingshan Park）
Walk from Wangfujing to the Palace Museum (approx. 20 mins), exit through the north gate to Jingshan Park, and then head to the airport or station.
The Palace Museum requires real-name booking in advance and is closed on Mondays.
Similar itineraries
- Novosibirsk to Krasnoyarsk Railway
- Trans-Siberian Railway Eastern Section: Vladivostok to Lake Baikal
- Beijing to Mongolia International Train 7-Day Round Trip
- Vladimir & Suzdal White-Stone Cities Tour
- Beijing Central Axis & Mutianyu Great Wall
- Lake Baikal Summer Classic Loop
- Chengde Route: Mountain Resort, Temples & Jinshanling
- Ulaanbaatar, Hustai & Terelj