RATHER
confusingly, the Trans-Siberian ca nrefer to either a single route from Moscow
to Vladivostok or to several different routes (including BAM) that cross
Siberia. Ticket prices vary widely depending on passenger classes, routes and
the type of train as a rule, expect to pay around £400 for a berth in a four-bunk
cabin, travelling from Moscow to Vladivostok.
Trans Siberian
Eintirely within Russia, the classic Trans Siberian route
runs from Moscow to Valdivostok o Russia’s Pacific Coast, passing through taiga
forests and the Urals. Stops include
Yekaterinburg and the southern shores of Lake Baikal. It takes between five and
10 days nonstop, depending on the service. The most luxurious train on the
route is the Golden Eagle-which for the first part of it s journey out of
Moscow is sometimes steam-hauled (15 days, goldeneagleluxurytrains.com).
Trans Mongolian
the most popular route is the Trans-Mongolian, travelling
from Moscow as fas as Lake Baikal, then forking south towards the Mongolian
capital of Ulanbaatar. The train
hits Beijing five and a half days after departing Moscow.
Trans Manchurian
The Trans-Manchurian can also be used to get between the
Chines and Russian capitals. Trains leave the Trans-Sib east of Lake Baikal,
taking a path to Beijing through little-visited parts of China it’s six and a
half days from Moscow to Beijing on this route.
Booking a trip on the
Bam
BAM is possibly the most off the beaten track of all Russian
railways-hotels are few, English is barely spoken and train services can be
scarce (often operating on alternate days) – all of which mean advance planning
is essential. Real Russia is among
the very few companies which can arrange bespoke tours in the BAM zone –
including guides and hotels in the towns of Severobaikalsk, Tynda and
Komsomolsk-na-Amure (realrussia.co.uk).
It can also arrange tickets for the entire BAM journey and the other Trans-Sib
routes.
