Travel Advice for the Trans-Siberian Railway

Whether you have already read about my experiences on the Trans-Siberian, you may still be thinking that the Trans-Siberian as an independent traveler is a rather difficult and complex itinerary to plan. However, this is simply not too true, especially if compared to say a decade ago. This Trans-Siberian Railway Guide will show you that though in some ways the Trans-Siberian Railway can be intimidating, especially if you know no Russian whatsoever, it is still do-able like some new traveler friends of mine will confirm.

What is it

This guide is based on my experiences while on the Trans-Siberian Railway. In that regard, it may be different than the experiences of others. Hopefully, your experiences will be similar, or even better! This is not an exhaustive guide. For that, I suggest Seat61, who I consider a train travel expert.

If you wish to experience the entire journey through my eyes, please check out my dedicated travel blog starting from Vladivostok.

Booking options

This depends entirely on what kind of traveler you are: Are you more time, or money minded? Are you flexible with dates/times, or do you have to be somewhere at a predetermined date? Will you be making plans then and there, or will you plan months or even a year in advance?

In-Person

The traditional way is to go to the ticketing booth at any main train terminal and purchase a train ticket. This way is convenient if you don't have reliable internet, are very flexible with the options available, and prepared to book your ticket in Russian if you're not in any of the main western Russian cities where English speakers are more likely to be found. You will obtain a physical ticket and confirmation on the spot, at the current going price of the route/compartment class/the time of the year (noticeably more doing Summer and peak season)

Online

Booking online is relatively straightforward and can be straight through the railway itself https://pass.rzd.ru/main-pass/public/en The website is in both Russian and English, with the English translated quite sufficiently. You will be able to download your ticket and receive a copy via email after payment confirmation. These official tickets are in both Russian and English so you won't need to worry about mistranslating anything.

It is also possible to book through agencies and intermediaries who provide the entire booking service in English, with additional support as well. Russian Trains https://www.russiantrains.com/ has been in the business for over 20 years and are one of the better-known intermediaries. You pay the price of the fare plus a very little premium on top.

What class and compartment to choose

When booking online or at the ticketing office, you will have a few choices to make. First of all, you choose the class of the compartment you wish to travel in. There are three options depending on your comfort requirements, confidence, and outgoingness:

• Spalny Vagon (first class)

This class provides all the luxuries that are commonplace in western European trains. The compartments are private 2-berth rooms. The providnicas usually know English, and look after their passengers very well, including room service and regular cleaning. This class is high priced, even when compared to Western European and American prices, and train fares from Moscow to Vladivostok will be more considerably more than the equivalent flights.

The fitout of the compartment will depend on the age and type of train you travel in. Many trains were recently completely renovated and refurnished, so there is a strong chance that even with an older looking train you will experience a compartment with Russian style luxurious surroundings. The compartments also include TVs with DVD access.

Spalny compartment guests will receive free shower access, a free meal once a day, and a complimentary toiletries kit.

• Kupe (second class)

These closed compartments consist of 4 bunk beds with relative comfort, akin to a budget hotel. While not as furnished and accommodating as spalny class, these compartments still offer privacy from other compartments and inhabitants from the rest of the carriage and train.

Kupe guests also receive free shower access on most of the trains.

• Platskartny (economy/third class)

This is the Trans-Siberian Railway class I traveled in for the entire trip, and I don't regret it. It is significantly cheaper than the previous two options, making it very affordable for longer travel, even when doing the length of the Trans-Siberian Railway, and more. There is no better way of meeting and getting to know everyday Russians. These are open compartments without much privacy, which might not be for everybody. Every overnight/long-distance passenger receives fresh bedding upon arrival at the compartment.

Non-stop or multiple-stop

Will you be living on the train for 7 days, or jumping off at every occasion. It isn't possible to purchase a hop-on-hop-off ticket and get off at any time (not to say you can't just get off at a random stop, although you will need to purchase another ticket). There is a constant revolving door of passengers and should you do a multiple-day journey, every day you will find new and different people in your carriage. You can still briefly leave the train at the longer stops, however, make sure you get a confirmation of the departure time from the providnica, so you don't miss the train like my new Australian friends did somewhere in Eastern Siberia.

This is an important consideration when booking your place. A private room is preferred when traveling non-stop the entire length of the railway. Platzkartny may get loud due to children running about all day every day, the smell and aroma of fish, bread, and jars of various pickled food being swapped about. However, a non-stop journey will provide you with the greatest sense of the sheer size and vastness of this country.

Time Zones

In Russia, there are 11 time zones, from UTC+2 Kaliningrad time all the way to UTC+12 Kamchatka time. The Railway, however, runs in accordance with Moscow time. This means that should you depart Moscow or Vladivostok, all you need to do to make sure you catch your train on time is have your watch on Moscow time. It can be quite a funny experience, entering Russia from East China early in the morning and setting your watch several hours back, to the previous day!

UPDATE: Russia has recently changed this. All long-distance trains, including those on the Trans-Siberian Railway, now run according to local time. This applies to all departure and arrivals times and you will notice the large black display boards at the stations reflecting this.

In light of this, when traveling on the Trans-Siberian in 2020 onwards, make sure to change your watch at the earliest convenience once you cross a time zone so that you keep up with your arrival time.

Some Russian Language Knowledge

As with all languages, it requires much time and effort to learn and master. The additional difficulty for speakers of non-Cyrillic based languages is the alphabet or azbuka. Russian is an Eastern Slavic language, and it might be easier to grasp in varying degrees if you are familiar with any other Slavic language.

I'd like to stress how incredibly useful it is to know basic Russian and a grasp of the alphabet. It isn't as difficult as you think, and many of the letters retain the same sound as its Latin alphabet equivalent. I advise having at least a dictionary, and access to Google Translate. It is also possible to download the language using your google translate app on ios and android.

As a rule of thumb, the more east you travel (even more so if north-east), the less likely English will be used and understood. If without any Russian knowledge, head to the local tourist information office, or ask for assistance at the main railway terminal. Today, many young Russian students are learning English at school and may know enough for a basic conversation. You are also more likely to come across other travelers on the restaurant carriage.

Some useful phrases

• Hello - Здравствуйте (zdravstvuyte)
• Thank you - Спасибо (spa’siba)
• You're welcome/please - Пожалуйста (pa’zhalusta)
• Yes -Да (da)
• No - Нет (nyet)
• I don't understand - Я не понимаю. (ya ne poniyu)
• Excuse me - Извините. (iz’vinIt’ye)
• I don't speak Russian - Я не говорю по-Русски. (ya ne govor’yu po Russki)
• Do you speak English - Ты говорите по-Английски? (vi govorite po angliyski?)

Many more words and phrases can be found on Omniglot.

Local customs and respect

• Don't be condescending
• Don't smile excessively - In Russia, smiling for no reason is considered ungenuine and in some cases akin to stupidity. The same applies to laughter
  • If however somebody smiles warmly to you, feel free to smile back
• Partake in vodka drinking with locals for a more genuine experience - know your limits especially if you have never drunk hard spirits like vodka before
• If somebody is trying to tell you something and you don't understand, politely nod say ya nie panimayu
• Avoid political discussions
  • Don't discuss the Ukraine or Crimea incidents, unless you are on familiar terms with the person and even then it is better to withhold opinions.

The Train

Eating

• Restaurant car

There are a few options in this regard, depending on personal preference and budget. Every train has a restaurant carriage that is accessible to all passengers, and on certain trains, an exclusive restaurant car is provided to first-class occupants. The food and beverage selection is typically Russian and continental cuisine, with the usual bottled water, juice, soft drinks, as well as beer and plenty of vodka.

• Local sellers

It is also possible to buy baked goods, fish, dried meat, and fresh fruit and vegetables from the local sellers either on the train platform at a stop, or while they walk the corridors displaying their wares.

• Supermarkets/convenient stores

Lastly, many passengers bring food with them, especially if traveling for no longer than one day. Most longer stops have a supermarket nearby where it is possible to purchase various dry and travel-friendly food. Alcohol is also decidedly cheaper at the supermarkets than when purchased in the restaurant car. Just make sure to not consume it in view of providnicas or police.

Toilets

Each carriage class has a toilet. First-class compartments on select trains have their own toilets and showers. The toilets are cleaned regularly, even on platzkartny carriages. Make sure to bring toilet paper with you.

Storage

This depends on the carriage class you travel in. In a first-class carriage all to yourself, you can simply leave your belonging in your room before locking it. The same applies to second class compartments however if you are sharing it with strangers, it still may make sense to lock it in the box under the bed if on the lower levels, or on the baggage rack above the bed if on the upper levels.

In Platzkartny, properly securing belongings is even more important due to the total lack of privacy. I suggest keeping your most valued belongings out of view, and in the luggage boxes under the lower level beds. The only way to get in there is to open and fold the bed.

Some Common Sense

While many are obvious to seasoned travelers, the following can be insightful to newly independent travelers:

• Avoid groups of people, particularly if they are paying attention to you, staring, or otherwise intimidating you with their presence
• Don't break laws - unless you are prepared for the consequences, and they can be harsh
• Even though I am very much a proponent of platskartny/3rd class, if you are shy/introverted, or feel uneasy around strangers, better purchase a spalny carriage ticket