Adapted from ‘Around the World: 6 Countries in 6 Months‘
Words & Pictures by Shaun Troke
The Trans-Siberian Railway, the longest railway in the world.
My journey across the vast expanse of Russia began in St Petersburg, though, the official starting point for the Trans-Siberian Railway is Moscow.
And, from both of these departure points, I was first introduced to the mega-low budget form transportation known as THIRD CLASS train travel.
Third Class means that you’ll be sharing your open cabin with the entire carriage of the train…
Sleeping opposite/below/above anyone & everyone!
And, while it may seem that this would be a most intense & chaotic environment to travel in, it’s actually the language barrier that caused the most problems…
Which is why, if you’re visiting Russia for the first time, this first tip is the most essential pre-warned one:
Tip #1: Learn a little Russian
Even if it’s just a handful of useful phrases, these will help you get around a lot easier.
My own personal experience, lined with English-speaking arrogance, is that I’d come to expect that most countries around the world would always have an English translations underneath signs such as ‘Exit’, ‘Enter’, ‘Way Out’, etc…
But, this isn’t the case in Russia.
Their alien letters & symbols make words unrecognisable, that led to issues when transferring from the airport to the city centre.
So, learn some Russian to avoid the feeling of isolation.
During the first two legs of my Trans-Siberian journey (from St Petersburg to Moscow, then Moscow to Yekaterinburg), the trains had mostly Russian passengers on board: Russian’s rarely speak English, and, if your own Russian vocabulary is zilch, well, then your time in Russia could end up quite mute, making travelling alone feel even more lonelier…
You have been warned!
The 28-hour journey from Moscow to Yekaterinburg was 28-hours of total silence, not speaking a word to anyone…not even myself!
Yet, from Yekaterinburg, things picked up.
Not only did I stay with someone in Yekaterinburg who did speak good English, but the next leg of the Trans-Siberian journey was a train full of travellers, from all over the world….
And, the Third Class cabins were much nicer this time, too!
This next leg of the Trans-Siberian was going to be the longest, for 3 days in a row in fact!
My next stop-off point would be Ulan Bator, in Mongolia, a whole 2,598 miles from Yekaterinburg, leading me to the next tip:
Tip #2: Stock up on long-life food
By ‘life-long’ I mean food in sealed containers & tins etc.
Such as those pot meals you just add water to (there’s plenty of hot water available on the train!), crisps (or chips, if you’re American), chocolate, water, sweets…
Basically, just don’t buy anything that will go-off in a day or two, unless you’re going to eat it immediately, of course.
Fruit is the more healthy option to stock up on, and fresh fruits are often available at the food & drink stands on the station platforms, wherever the train has a scheduled stop.
Restaurants are also on board the train…
But, splashing out on these would depend on your budget.
Crossing Russia is better to be experienced rather than explained: Travelling through different climates, from the snow in Siberia, to the sunshine in the countryside, is hard to describe in words.
Tip #3: Prepare for the border crossing
Your passports & visas will be checked TWICE as you cross the Russia/Mongolia borders.
The Russian authorities are a lot tougher than the Mongolian authorities…
And, I actually witnessed someone being ejected from the train, due to not having the correct visa.
At Ulan Ude in Mongolia, the train we were on changed its ‘wheels’, and we were switched from the Trans-Siberian line to the Trans-Mongolian line, to continue the journey to Ulan Bator, and China after that.
Tip #4: Disembark whenever you can
By the end of those 75hrs on a train, I felt ‘wobbly’ and had a feeling of swaying for around 12hrs afterwards.
Where possible, try to spend all available time OFF the train when it pulls into a station, even it’s just to sit down outside.
After Mongolia, my train journey’s continued all the way to China, and down through China to Hong Kong…which leaves me with one more piece of info to give you:
Tip #5: Third Class in China is tougher!
Though the interior of the Chinese trains were always clean, the cabins are 3-bunks high instead of 2 (like in Russia), meaning that the fall to the floor is greater, if you were to roll out of bed!
Sometimes, the toilet on a Chinese train is pretty much just a hole in the floor to squat over (I had to put toilet duties on hold for 12 hours)
End of the Tale
What’s written above may inject a lot of fear into those considering riding the Trans-Siberian Railway lines, but please don’t let this put your off…
My own trip was carried out on a super-low budget, and I had to make financial decisions based on what I could afford at the time….which was the toughest & roughest way to travel.
One day, I would like to do this journey again, and, for now I can at least say that I’ve travelled the Trans-Siberian Railway…
But, the next time I do it will be in first class – in more comfort, allowing for much more enjoyment on this 7-day adventure!
Coming Next: The next adaptation from ‘Around The World: 6 Countries in 6 Months‘ …
Going Gobi: A Day in the Desert
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