10 tips for Trans Siberian Train/Railway, a short guide to help you

[@ThisWayUpTravel]

Some other useful content I created: Trans siberian playlist: kzbin.info/www/bejne/sH7YeH6ZprqfbLs Cost breakdown docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1GO_sIE6erstc-40vgUIjZZgrHvcONFvZKQrHq4wWC8Q/edit#gid=0 Blog post www.thiswayuptravel.tv/2019/02/10/10-tips-for-the-trans-siberian-train-journey/

[@coperfield9188]

Thnks m8

[@AratjaUjotOurstories]

My wife did it more than 10 years ago. She has been promising our kids we will do it together sometime. We are just waiting they will be a bit bigger. Subbed to the channel. Cheers

[@ThisWayUpTravel]

Interesting! I wonder what has changed since she went? As a family of four I bet the 4 bed sleeper would be perfect for you guys.

[@AratjaUjotOurstories]

@@ThisWayUpTravel Yes, I am sure we would take a 4 bed cabin. But the kids are only 7 and 10. I think it would be too much for them a week in the train. IPad's batteries don't last that long... :D By the way, how was charging possibilities on the track?

[@martinyearly]

Love this - definitely bookmarking for when I'm planning my inevitable trip!

[@ThisWayUpTravel]

there's been a few update since this video but yeah, defo go! Russia is such an interesting country!

[@janellek21]

My friend (who speaks nearly fluent Russian) and I did the Trans-Sib 2 years ago from Moscow to Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia. We stopped in Novosibirsk, Krasnoyarsk, Irkutsk and Ulan Ude along the way. We spent extra for 1st class because we didn't want to risk having to share a berth with strange men. It was probably the most amazing travel experience I've ever had. Some tips: (1) Try to befriend the provodnik/nitsa. If they become your friend you'll get much better service. We had a great provodnitsa between Moscow and Novosibirsk, we ended up giving her a mani-pedi, and she's still my friend to this day. (2) Stock up on fresh fruit and veg as much as you can. If you try to live on ramen noodles and breadstuffs for too long your digestive system will give you problems. We picked up fruit, melons, carrots and cucumbers in Moscow and bought whatever produce we could at train stations along the way. (3) If you're a single woman and don't want to spend the extra money for 1st class, then plastkartny is safer than 2nd class. In plastkartny all the sleeping areas are open and in plain view of the provodnitsa and everyone else who passes by, so it's much more difficult to get away with bad behaviour.

[@ThisWayUpTravel]

That is amazing! I so want to do it again when Lake Baikal is frozen over and also chekc out the alternative routes like the Kazan route. I agree with not pissing off the provodnita, I saw the same thing ;) Definitely a good tip on having more of a varied diet! I found Eastern Russia very interesting. I so enjoyed Mongolia as well. What did you get up to?

[@janellek21]

@@ThisWayUpTravel In Mongolia we spent 3 days in UB and then 3 days in Tsetserleg, including one night with a nomadic family. Mongolia is my favourite country that I've been to so far. Krasnoyarsk was my favourite Siberian city - it's the cleanest and seemed the most economically prosperous, and it's got some amazing scenery just outside the city, like the Stolby. Irkutsk was a bit of a letdown - felt very 1960s USSRish, but Lake Baikal is only an hour and a half away and we took a boat out into the lake and had a great time.

[@ThisWayUpTravel]

@@janellek21 Indeed, I only spent a few days in Mongolia and hoping to do a fuller trek around the place. What's in Tsetserleg? yea, I think everyone goes to Irkutsk as its a stop off before Lake Baikal.

[@janellek21]

@@ThisWayUpTravel It's about an 8hr bus ride from UB. There's an amazing Buddhist temple just outside town, and it's got some of the most scenic countryside in Mongolia and it's a great place to start out from if you're going trekking into the bush or staying with nomads.

[@morenofranco9235]

Sounds like quite a blast.

[@theRTWguys]

Great tips for the train ride! Eventually we will be doing the Trans Siberian someday, and can't wait to put all of your tips to the test! Since we will be traveling as a couple, we will be going first class - although third class seems to be much more fun! Overall, great tips - thanks, Joe!

[@sonechka100]

One more tip - buy tickets on official РЖД site (Russian railroads).They will be cheaper.

[@leehartung2549]

You got that right, some are 50% higher from what I have seen.

[@PriyabrataMohapatraiitmadras]

Do you have the URL link?

[@Federation42movies]

G'day! I'm planning on the Trans-Siberian next year. Your video is super helpful. Cheers, mate!!

[@ThisWayUpTravel]

Glad you like. I was planning to do a follow up video. Got any more q's?

[@PocketTrailblazer]

Great tips video - I honestly had never thought about doing this adventure before but your videos have made me want to try it!

[@jacqueshuysman3351]

Pocket Trailblazer pull,ok

[@augustinedennis4865]

Pocket Trailblazer do

[@curtisjudd]

Nice work, Joe, good practical info!

[@ThisWayUpTravel]

🤯Thanks for the kind words! LOVE your content 😃

[@becausewecamp]

Really useful info. We're planning on the Moscow to Vladivostok route and these tips were really helpful. Keep up the good work!

[@ThisWayUpTravel]

+Because We Camp thanks! Love your content as well! 😀#starstruck

[@premkumarbajpai702]

Because We Camp wawwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwWWwwWWwWwWAAWWw

[@ThisWayUpTravel]

I’ll have what you’re having 😅

[@tomcondon6169]

Hi, You speak quickly, I deciphered Yekaterinburg, and I got Lake Baikal, which made me reasonably sure, what I heard as an accented, "Tusk," was Irkutsk. Trying to help, not insult.

[@ThisWayUpTravel]

Fair enough. I am a fast talker!

[@gerritduplessis7122]

!!!! YOWWW! AWESOME!! INCREDIBLE!! THANK YOU! BLESSINGS!

[@alecapin]

Muy bueno tu video! Lo voy a hacer en julio 2020 desde Vladivostok hasta Moscú. 0:21 #1 excelente consejo. 1:16 омуль 1:19 es самовар (samovar) 3:45 Екатеринбург (Yekaterinburg) 3:57 Иркутск (Irkutsk) 4:14 проводница (provodnitsa)

[@ThisWayUpTravel]

Gracias!

[@damianmcdonagh7908]

Great video, thanks for posting. I've done Moscow to Volgograd in 3rd Class.

[@ThisWayUpTravel]

No worries! I am definitely doing it again and also trying for 3rd class plus try out the alternative train lines!

[@LexUniverse]

really appreciated! I have been planning on taking this train journey for so long :)

[@ThisWayUpTravel]

You should! I'm doing a follow up video at some point. Let me know if you have any questions!

[@WesleyAnna]

Just finished up a trip through Russia, can't wait to go back and ride the trans siberian railway at some point in the future! Keep up the good work

[@ThisWayUpTravel]

Thanks! Where did you go in Russia? I want to go back and visit St Petersburg at some point. I've heard it's great when it's snowing

[@WesleyAnna]

@@ThisWayUpTravel Went to Moscow and St. Petersburg! It was spring/summer, I'd also love to see them in snow :)

[@oOcitizenOo]

My recommendation (in case you travel from Moscow) is to buy food in advance in any chain store ( Pyaterochka, Magnit, Lenta and others) since it would not make you spend a fortune. Instant noodles, instant mashed potatoe, tangerines/oranges, apples, bars of chocolate, sweets and small cakes or cookies are the products that have a long "shelf-life". And, you should also buy miminum 3-5 drinking water bottles since it could be stuffy in the cabin and you would really be thirsty. For first 2 days you can also buy sliced cheese (hohland), sliced ham/sasuages and a rye bread (i bet there is none like that in Europe/USA) Don't forget to buy a pack of wet wipes, they come in handy all the time :) When taking a third class trip remember to have a small waist belt /shoulder mini-bag where you would keep all of your passports, money, tickets. You never know whether your valuables are safe or not

[@julianaayu]

Great tips. I'm doing the Trans Siberian in Oct and transferring to Trans Mongolian towards Ulaanbaatar.. Yours are really helpful in my planning for this trip.

[@ThisWayUpTravel]

+julianaayu glad I can help. Are you doing a tour In Mongolia?

[@julianaayu]

This Way Up World Yes, I'm doing a half day city tour before going to Terelj National Park for an overnight stay in a yurt.

[@ThisWayUpTravel]

Very nice! Mongolian is pretty amazing I recommend also checking out the massive silver statue of Genghis Khan, it's just outside ulaanbaatar. It has a really cool museum below the statue as well if you're interested in his history.

[@umikomidaradzuki7985]

Tip12. Buy cup of tea or coffee from provodnitsa. You can use the glass for the of your journey and just return ut before leaving the train

[@ThisWayUpTravel]

Most of my provodnitsas on my rides always seems kinda scary! 🤣 If its the same glass I'm thinking of, it's very nice and is a great souvenir!

[@peterlowe5960]

Hi there. Very useful information sir ! Planning to go in the spring West to East and your tips will come in very useful

[@ThisWayUpTravel]

+PETER LOWE glad you liked. If you have any questions I would love to do a follow up to this one.

[@stevebee5840]

Great video..thanks for the useful tips. Cheers

[@ThisWayUpTravel]

Glad to help 😁

[@taceldi]

I’m aiming to do this. Thank you for sharing!

[@ThisWayUpTravel]

Glad to help. If you have any more questions, feel free to ask. I'm going to do an update video with a few more tips including a costing breakdown

[@WorlderingAround]

I was thinking about doing it at some point. It looks like fun :) Thanks for all the tips!

[@ajsarhisan5910]

Great video brother

[@ThisWayUpTravel]

Cheers! I appreciate your support :)

[@saihaarish5635]

Very nice tips, thanks very much.

[@ThisWayUpTravel]

Glad you like and thanks for the sub :)

[@morenofranco9235]

Wish I could do this trip. For the adventure.

[@ThisWayUpTravel]

Its definitely an adventure! And quite a big harder to do now!

[@zarinadel3155]

Wow what a great informative video ...sounds so interesting

[@ThisWayUpTravel]

Glad you liked! 😁

[@fvdysar10]

Great tips. Thanks! Have been looking into this. Definitely a trip I will take some time.

[@ThisWayUpTravel]

awesome! Any q's feel free to send them my way :)

[@janevolesky1089]

Thank you so much really helpful.

[@ThisWayUpTravel]

I'm glad I can be useful. If you have questions, let me know here or drop me a message. I'm thinking of doing another follow up to this as I've had so many people sending me messages about it as well!

[@roamonurowncom]

Travelling from Trans Siberian train is in my bucketlist and this guide will really be handy and useful when we will planning. Woah, there was no shower🤔?? Thanks for such an amazing information

[@ThisWayUpTravel]

I am here to serve my audience as a beacon of useful travel knowledge. Feel free to ask anything...I might even be able to answer it! :)

[@francisleesc]

Thank you for sharing....👍👍👍👏👏👏

[@ThisWayUpTravel]

Thank you too

[@travellingbellies3221]

Great video and good tips! Maybe we'll do it one day, it has to be a great experience!

[@ThisWayUpTravel]

Definitely, such an adventure and it feels like you are adding to the history!

[@mmmyyy4714]

Thank you, Very useful info.

[@ThisWayUpTravel]

No worries. Hope you have a good trip!

[@KSHITIJVRFILMS]

THNX FOR THE TIPS MATE:) ALL THE BEST ::)

[@ThisWayUpTravel]

I'm glad you found it useful. Are you planning to do it soon?

[@KSHITIJVRFILMS]

@@ThisWayUpTravel YES MATE :)

[@gerritduplessis7122]

MONSIEUR, THOU ART VERY VERY BRAVE!!

[@sanjacobs6261]

I realize this is an old video, but I'll comment anyway. This video is missing a couple of things, which I just thought I'd share. Music, sound effects and b-roll. You are using pictures of things, but having video to show of those same things would really be much better. Not stock footage, but stuff you've filmed when traveling. Anyway, good video. Cheers! ✌

[@ThisWayUpTravel]

Thanks for swinging by, check out my other video kzbin.info/www/bejne/lWeZlYR-erKJqKc

[@oooonions]

good work, thanks for the costs breakdown google docs

[@ThisWayUpTravel]

Glad it's useful 😊

[@haleemahsaida9772]

excellent advise

[@ThisWayUpTravel]

+Haleemah Saida thanks! If you have any more questions let me know!

[@peterlowe5960]

Thanks for your very quick reply ! Was actually just contemplating where to stay in Moscow. Am tactically looking at low budget hotels close to the departing train station. Same again at the Vladivostok end - so you perhaps could cover accommodation types prior to and after riding on the train (in my case to Vladivostok).

[@ThisWayUpTravel]

I'll make a note thanks! I definitely recommend getting a place near the train station on either side if you arrive at awkward times. Saying that, there usually are taxis on most of the stops so shouldnt be an issue. Just make sure you set a price before you head off!

[@peterlowe5960]

Thanks for that, appreciated. I'm pretty sure i will think of some other questions as i pick my way through the planning process !

[@BEEPERBEEFARMY]

Got you with our second channel too! This video looks great

[@sanjeevsharma6386]

Useful trips. Thanks

[@ThisWayUpTravel]

Thanks! Have a great trip!

[@TonyR1999]

Superb

[@ThisWayUpTravel]

too kind :)

[@Isarog1055]

Thanks for the tip.

[@zanie4343]

You do a great job! I just joined.

[@JanetNewenham]

This was so helpful!! I'm getting so excited for my trip next week. How long are the stops at stations??

[@ThisWayUpTravel]

Between a few minutes to up to 20 minutes. I double checked by asking the provodniks or just tapping my watch :) Some trains had a schedule in the hallway which showed the waiting time and scheduled arrival time of the stations.

[@DOUGandNIKI]

Well...you have to ask the obvious question. What does it smell like on the train where there are no working showers and you are on there for days? That sounds like it could be pretty terrible. Your idea of baby wipes is amazing but I'm sure not everyone is on the ball. Wow! The trans Mongolian train looked so cool! Was that the Belmond train?

[@remotedarren]

Great tips, and would love to do this trip. Do you have any videos or plan to do any videos on the cost of travel on this route? I've seen travel agencies offer this package and it usually costs £1,000 as a basic package - I'd rather organise it myself rather than pay for them to do it all for me.

[@ThisWayUpTravel]

Heya! Check out my epic spreadsheet docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1GO_sIE6erstc-40vgUIjZZgrHvcONFvZKQrHq4wWC8Q/edit#gid=0 Booking it yourself is definitely the way to go. The only reason you would book with an agency for this route is the other people you'll meet in the group travelling together but you'll find loads of others. I'm planning to do a follow up video as I had a few people asking for more information like what I would differently. Would you be interested? Thanks for visiting. Really enjoy your content!

[@StephenRBeet]

You would pay about $200 if you booked on rzd

[@CreativeGinge]

Great tips thanks for sharing. We have subbed.

[@ThisWayUpTravel]

I'm glad you found it useful :) Are you planning to go soon?

[@CreativeGinge]

@@ThisWayUpTravel We are planning a trip around SE Asia, so currently trying to absorb as much info as we can. Haha

[@ThisWayUpTravel]

@@CreativeGinge epicness!😊 Sounds like you're having a bit of a trip around the place. What's on your list?

[@CreativeGinge]

@@ThisWayUpTravel most of SE Asia! We are very very excited :)

[@ThisWayUpTravel]

@@CreativeGinge awesome! Have you done much of that part of the world before? One of my personal highlights of that part of the world is Malaysia. Such an interesting blend of cultures which means GREAT food 🤤

[@lauratimmermans64397]

Love this video!!! How much time do you get when stopping at a station? Really want to do this trip but slightly terrified the train will leave without me at some random train station 😂😂😂

[@ThisWayUpTravel]

Sorry thought I replied to this msg! Don't worry about being left behind as long as you keep an eye out for the train conductor, you're fine and just follow the local hanging outside. I kept an eye out for the families with kids who usually get on board pretty sharpish! It varies from a few minutes to 30mins or so. If you see the babushkas selling stuff on the platforms, you probably have a bit longer.

[@leehartung2549]

Ad extra toilet paper. Instant coffee, tea bags and so no. If u can afford it go 1st class. 2nd class if you have 2-3 people traveling with you. I feel Mongolian route is best? Why not see another country? And it really does not take any longer then the route that stays in side Russia the whole trip. Babushka food at stops is great. Experience real Russian food. Buy the train souvenir cup for coffee, tea etc. Ornate metal holder, with glass cup that fit's inside. Real cool cup. Buy what u can from the lady attendant on the train, they have quotas of what they must sell, and be nice to them, they are on that train for a week, and are far from their families. Personally I give them a few bucks, or at least buy stuff/supplies through them. Makes their job much more easy. Remember, almost ZERO internet. Bring books etc.

[@ikandanudang]

Very helpful. Four of us plan to do the full Moscow to Vladivostok in 2018. Apart from the Summer and depths of Winter, what are the differences between Spring and Fall seasons? Thanks again

[@ThisWayUpTravel]

What stops are you planning to do and how long do you have? That will influence what time is best and what type of things you do you want to check out. Spring is good for some of the more lovely flower blooming I've heard. Summer (July/August) is crazy busy and with a larger group you need to book early and you have less flexibility to move about. Winter would be gorgeous, white st petersburg and lake baikal frozen over but at the same time you need to pack more warm stuff and the provodnitsa tend to bump up the heat in the carriages too high. I've only ever been in autumn so that I can avoid the extremes of the weather but be able to wonder around without loads of layers.

[@AdventureEverywhere]

Hey Joe. We're new to the channel (392). Are you still posting videos? If so, would love to see them.

[@ThisWayUpTravel]

I am indeed. Posted a couple recently. Thanks for swinging by! You keep up the good work as well!

[@AdventureEverywhere]

Thanks!

[@sadashivrao6445]

It's really wonderful & excellent information, thank you sir, but I have doubts like, what is total time taken from Moscow to Beijing, price for 2 class in US dollars, Food supplied or individual have to buy on their own..? Can we expect Asian Veg food on entire journey..? Thanks in advance.

[@ThisWayUpTravel]

Hi Sadash. Thanks for your kind words! To answer your questions: 1) Moscow to Beijing = Non-stop is about 10-14 days depending on the scheduled train times. You may have to wait some days before catching the next train 2) 2nd class USD dollars, it varies depending on when you book. I recommend using realrussia.co.uk/Trains as a rough estimate 3) Food supplied can be part of ticket. But I recommend you don't do that and just buy your own. Especially if you have dietary requirements. There is definitely not a Asian Veg option for the entire journey I'm afraid I will be creating a follow up video at some point in the future, subscribe and let me know if you have any more questions.

[@murderouskitten2577]

step 4 is unnessecery if you speak russian :D

[@nestadventure4444]

Waooo! It sounds so amazing. And great tips. How many days does it take to get Beijing from London?

[@ThisWayUpTravel]

Glad you liked! You could do the whole of my trip in less than 2 weeks but all you would see is the inside of a train! If you click on the cost breakdown spreadsheet, I detail all my costs and schedule. Link is in the description.

[@gerritduplessis7122]

OOOOH BOY...

[@Cunneen92]

Hey, what's the rough total cost for first class from Moscow to Vladivostock?

[@ThisWayUpTravel]

Andrew Cunneen chk out some of the links in the description for exact prices, real Russia has an online booking form which is good. Do you want to do the while thing in one go?

[@angelsvsdevil]

Upwards of 10k without air travel

[@perseoeridano4182]

👏🏻👏🏻

[@ThisWayUpTravel]

👍

[@Onlydip007]

I am from India, how many countries visa needed to do this. And what are they and whats the procees.

[@ThisWayUpTravel]

Hi Dipesh. Thanks so much for watching my content and your questions. Do you want to follow my whole route or just the Trans Siberian, Trans Mongolian (the Mongolia) or Trans Manchurian?

[@Onlydip007]

From Moscow till far east russia.

[@anandutsav3329]

Hi Joe is it possible to get vegetarian on this trans siberian journey

[@ThisWayUpTravel]

definitely but your options are limited. For example in the train restaurant you might have some potatoes and borscht soup but available can be varied. Many people buy from stores or the ladies selling by the train. When are you thinking of going and on what route?

[@joapps8135]

Can first class rooms be locked and if yes, how secure would it be to leave your semi-valuable belongings in the room to go eat in the dining car, stepping off the train, etc?

[@ThisWayUpTravel]

Yes, both 2nd and 1st class have lockable carriages. I felt very safe with my belongings left in my carriage, obviously don't leave it in plain sight. Your attendant (especially first class) really helps with dealing with shady characters. I personally don't think first class is worth it, if you have the time I would just use the money to book into a nice hotel for a day or two.

[@joapps8135]

This Way Up Travel Thanks so much!

[@ThisWayUpTravel]

@@joapps8135 it is my absolute pleasure. If you have any other questions please let me know. I'm thinking of creating more content on the trans siberian around frequently asked questions I get asked here and emailed on.

[@joapps8135]

This Way Up Travel Do the attendants speak sufficient English? Thanks!

[@ThisWayUpTravel]

Language can be a problem outside of Moscow including the trans siberian. I went old school with the phrase book but I think you can always try offline Google translate?

[@ShweMyaukMyauk]

45L is more than enough

[@ThisWayUpTravel]

You should definitely tell that to a few of the other people I met on the way!

[@ShweMyaukMyauk]

This Way Up Travel I just laughed at them. I traveled one year without returning home with 45l

[@veeruveer]

How abt charging electronics?

[@ThisWayUpTravel]

Dont rely on it. There's usually a charger in the communal hallway on some of the second and first class carriages when I went but it's usually very popular/in use. There might be plugs in the food cart as well I recommend taking a power bank or just not relying on electronics. If you are doing a longer leg ie >12 hours then dont bother as on the Trans Sib line the connection can be sketchy in parts. You only really need it when you get off the train I guess so I kept it off or put it into airplane mode

[@moderngrandtour]

How d'you get so many views in this video? Lend me some!

[@froggylegspeople]

How would it be if I started the journey in Beijing going to Moscow

[@ThisWayUpTravel]

sure not a big problem. Are you crossing to Europe after?

[@froggylegspeople]

This Way Up World I would like to spend some time in Moscow

[@user-on8vj2ue8v]

Я один тут русский?Да и к тому же с Сибири?

[@per_ringnes]

do the train staff speak or understand english?

[@ThisWayUpTravel]

Not really. I recommend using google translate/phrase book (so you can point at the phrase) or if you're in the 1st/2nd class carriages you'll often find english speakers who may be able to help you.

[@mihailraskin2912]

AFAIK, RZD is going to teach Trans-Siberian staff some English because this route becomes more and more popular

[@manxautraivlog]

Hello ! Very good video Good luck, remember to come to my house to interact and develop together!

[@Righteous1ist]

Are you Russian or Asian? Actually you look mixed.

[@ThisWayUpTravel]

Lol, thanks. My parents are from China/Hong Kong.

[@Righteous1ist]

@@ThisWayUpTravel Oh cool

[@ThisWayUpTravel]

@@Righteous1ist But I am very British in every way :)

[@zerodistance2988]

Are u malays

[@ThisWayUpTravel]

Nope. But thanks for the comment

[@tandemcompound2]

no showers. ugh. no English. and many drunk Russians

[@ThisWayUpTravel]

tandem compound unfortunately with some types of travel you may have to sacrifice some comforts. Plus not all russians drink so don't worry about that. What's your situation? Are you doing it solo and which parts of it interests you?

[@tandemcompound2]

I was thinking about doing it First Class with my Russia gf. She said Nyet, and said Da to Aeroflot.

[@ThisWayUpTravel]

A bit cheesey I know but the question you need to ask is the travel about the journey or the destination? I get better as a traveller when I learn to be grateful for what I have and it's the little random adventures/people you meet that make this trip so fulfilling. But yes, if you just want to get to the end of the line quick, take a flight ;)

[@rmkpilates]

get you some vodka

[@ThisWayUpTravel]

Already my best friend 😁