Trans-Siberian Railway

The world's longest railway, about 9,288 km from Moscow to Vladivostok, crossing the Urals, Siberia and Lake Baikal.

The Trans-Siberian Railway is the main rail line linking Moscow with the Pacific port of Vladivostok. It runs about 9,288 km across 7 time zones, mostly through Siberia and the Far East in Asia, and is the world's most famous long-distance train journey. The broader "Trans-Siberian journey" also includes two branch routes: the Trans-Mongolian line via Ulan-Ude and Ulaanbaatar to Beijing, and the Trans-Manchurian line into China via Manzhouli. Classic stops include Moscow; Kazan, capital of Tatarstan; Yekaterinburg in the Ural Mountains; Novosibirsk; Irkutsk and Lake Baikal; Ulan-Ude in Buryatia; Khabarovsk; and the terminus, Vladivostok. A direct train without stops takes about 7 days, but it is best to travel in sections and break the trip in places such as Kazan, Yekaterinburg, Irkutsk and Ulaanbaatar, for a total of 2–3 weeks. Carriages come in second class (kupe, closed compartments) and third class (platzkart, open-plan berths). Hot water is available on board, so you can bring instant noodles and your own tea things, and at major stations you can get off to buy supplies during the stop. Note whether Russian Railways timetables are given in Moscow time or local time. International travel currently faces many restrictions on visas, cross-border trains and payments, so be sure to check the latest situation before departure.

Destinations

• Moscow
• Kazan
• Irkutsk & Lake Baikal
• Ulan-Ude
• Ulaanbaatar & Terelj
• Khabarovsk
• Vladivostok
• Yekaterinburg
• Novosibirsk

Itineraries

• Trans-Siberian Railway: Moscow to Beijing – Cross Russia by train in stages, traveling through Lake Baikal and the Mongolian steppes to Beijing.
• Trans-Siberian Railway Eastern Section: Vladivostok to Lake Baikal – Travel west along the railway via Khabarovsk and Ulan-Ude to Irkutsk and Olkhon Island.
• Vladivostok City & Coast Classic – A short first-time route based in the city center, covering Golden Horn Bay, Russky Island, and Tokarevsky Lighthouse.
• Vladimir & Suzdal White-Stone Cities Tour – Travel from Moscow by train and local bus to see the Golden Ring's most concentrated white-stone churches and ancient t…
• Lake Baikal Summer Classic Loop – Depart from Irkutsk, head up to Olkhon Island, and finish with the Circum-Baikal Railway to Listvyanka.
• Ulaanbaatar, Hustai & Terelj – One day in the capital plus two nearby national parks: see wild horses, stay in a ger, and experience the steppe even o…
• Nizhny Novgorod & Kazan Volga Rail Journey – Connect two historic Volga River cities by rail to explore red-brick kremlins, the Old Tatar Quarter, and an island mon…
• Golden Ring & Volga River Loop Tour – Charter a car to travel counter-clockwise around the Golden Ring, connecting monasteries, Volga River towns, and white-…
• Lake Baikal Winter Blue Ice – Head to Olkhon Island during the frozen period to explore the northern and southern routes, see blue ice and ice caves…
• Classic South Gobi Loop – Charter a car from Ulaanbaatar to loop through the Gobi, connecting Tsagaan Suvarga, Yolyn Am, sand dunes, the Flaming…
• Yekaterinburg & Perm Urals Rail Journey – A two-city rail route crossing the Ural Mountains to see Romanov heritage sites, the Europe-Asia border, and a former G…
• Lake Baikal Eastern Shore & Barguzin – Enter and exit via Ulan-Ude, travel through the Barguzin Valley and Svyatoy Nos Peninsula, and explore Chivyrkuisky Bay.