Trans-Siberian Route Description

Moscow - Vladivostok Khabarovsk - Vladivostok Moscow - Khabarovsk Moscow - Ulan-Ude Moscow - Irkutsk Moscow - Krasnoyarsk Moscow - Novosibirsk - Kemerovo Moscow - Novosibirsk - Novokuznetsk Moscow - Novosibirsk Moscow - Ekaterinburg Moscow - Ekaterinburg - Nizhnevartovsk Moscow - Perm Moscow - Nizhny Novgorod Moscow - Yoshkar-Ola

Click on the map to enlarge

The Trans-Mongolian and Chinese route branches out from the main Trains-Siberian route at Zaudinskiy, 8 km away from Ulan-Ude. The distance between Ulan-Ude and the Russian-Mongolian border is 250 km.
The Trans-Mongolian follows an ancient tea-caravan route from China to Russia and further on to Europe. The railway between Ulan-Ude and the border with Mongolia was built in 1940.

	Ulan-Ude: 0 km Ulan-Ude(founded 1666) is the capital of the Buryat Autonomous Republic, which in the 13th - 17th centuries was part of the vast Mongolian Empire. The city is a classic example of the Eastern influence in Russia.
	Zaudinskiy: 8 km Zaudinskiy is a small town with beautiful surroundings in a suburb of Ulan-Ude. It has a large bread factory. The train makes only a stop-over here.
	Sayantuy: 35-36 km The train goes through a little station at Sayantuy and then crosses the west bank of a river and heads to Ubukun. The stop-over is only 2 minutes.
	Zagustay: 127 km The village is only 6 km away from the large coal mining town of Gusinoozersk. The stop-over is 1-5 minutes.
	Gusinoe ozero (Goose lake): 129-157 km The train goes along the western shore of Gusinoe Ozero. The town has a Buddhist temple (datsan) built in 1741 which is one of the main datsan in northern Mongolia (although the town is officially part of Russia). The datsan is opened for viewing but the stop-over is only 1-5 minutes.
	Gusinoe ozero town: 138 km This is a picturesque area with valleys surrounded by mountains. The train travels along the Selenga River and makes a short stop-over in Selendum village.
	Dzhida: 210 km This is a little village which was originally built for an airbase. The stop-over is 1-5 minutes.
	Naushki: 253/0 km This is a Russian border line where the train stops for 2 or more hours. The stop-over is from 1-3 hours depending on which train.
	Sukhbaatar: 21km Sukhbaatar was founded in 1940 on the banks of the Selenga and Orkhnon rivers. The town was named after the Mongolian warrior leader Suhbaatar. Today it is the capital of the Selenge Province (aimak) with a total population of 20,000. This is the Mongolian side of the border. All luggage is always carefully inspected by customs officers. Please do not take any photos at this stop, if you are caught, your film and possibly camera will be confiscated. The stop-over is approximately 1,5 - 3 hours depending on the train.
	Darkhan: 123 km It takes about 8 hours to travel from Sukhbaatar to Darkhan (380 km). This is the second largest city in Mongolia with a population of 95,5 thousand. Darkhan is an urban city. The south part of Darkhan is quite picturesque. The stop-over is 30-50 minutes.
	Ulaanbaatar: 404 km Ulaanbaatar, the capital of Mongolia. Often described as sunny, peaceful and open, Ulaanbaatar is a city of contrast where modern life comfortably blends with Mongolian traditional lifestyle.
	425-470 km From this point, the train climes uphill, and then slopes down the serpentine of the railway tracks, leaving you with the great opportunity to capture the beauty of this terrane.
	Chojr: 649 km The Chojr station features a statue of VVT Ertvuntz, the first Mongolian cosmonaut. This town was an airbase during the Soviet period. Chojr is right in the middle of the Gobi Desert and has a population of approximately 13,000. The train stop-over is 15 minutes.
	Dzamin Ude: 1113 km This is the Mongolian border with China. Here you will have to present your customs declaration and immigration forms. The luggage of Chinese and Mongolia traders and foreign travelers is checked more carefully than others. The whole procedure takes 1-1,5 hours.
	Erlyaní (China): from Beijing 842 km At the station, the wheels of the train are changed to fit the Chinese railway tracks. If you will plan to step off the train , it is recommended you grab some warm clothes. The stop-over is approximately 4 hours.
	415 km This is where, the train crosses the Great Wall of China for the first time.
	Datong (China): 371 km This is a large industrial city with a population of over 2 million. The city is known as an industrial center and for coal mines. One of the main attractions is a group of Buddhist cave temples ñ Yungang for Grottoes. However, the stop-over is short - 8 minutes.
	295-272 km At this point, the train travels along the Great Wall. The best view is around the 284 km mark.
	Beijing (China): 0 km Beijing is the capital of China, one of the centers of early human civilization. Beijing is China's second largest city, after Shanghai. It is a major transportation hub, with dozens of railways, roads and highways passing through the city.

Trains between Germany and Russia

There are many ways to travel into Russia from Europe. You can arrive from Germany, Finland, and from Poland. You can also enter Russia through Latvia, Estonia, or Ukraine. Please note: a transit visa is required for trains that stop or go via Belarus. The following are just a few options we can recommend for a quick and efficient trip into the Russian cities of Moscow or St. Petersburg.

If you travel from Germany there are 2 non-transit trains to Russia. Also there are a few daily trains from Berlin to Warsaw.

Moscow - Berlin

Train # 13, Moscow - Berlin		Beginning July 10, 2004, a luxury carriage was added to train No. 13/246-247/14 Moscow-Berlin which is in service regularly 3 times a week: departs Moscow on Mondays, Wednesdays, and Saturdays and leaves Berlin on Tuesdays, Thursdays, and Sundays. The carriage has four double compartments and a bar. Each compartment is equipped with a sofa transferable to a full bed, an additional upper sleeping berth, air conditioning system, a bathroom with heated floor, and a shower cabin. The compartments are also equipped with LCD TV monitors with a DVD/VHS player. There are 1st and 2nd class compartments as well. The 1st class has sleeping berths for 2 people. The 2nd class has sleeping berths for 4 people. The train also features nice dining car.
Departs from Moscow (Belorusskaya station):	08:39 (Mon,Wed,SatñWINTER; daily, except FriñSUMMER)
Arrives to Berlin:	10:23
Travel time:	1d 3h 44m
#014 Berlin ñ Moscow
Departs from Berlin:	13:34 (Tue,Thu,SunñWINTER;daily, except SatñSUMMER)
Arrives to Moscow (Belorusskaya station):	20:20
Travel time:	1d 4h 46m
Total: km/miles:	1907/1185

Train: #013 Moscow - Berlin
Departs: Moscow, Belorusskaya railway station [only on Monday, Wednesday, Saturday at 08:39]
Arrives: Berlin [in 1 d 3hr 44 mins., at 10:23]

Train: #014 Moscow - Berlin
Departs: Berlin [only on Tuesday, Thursday, Sunday at 13:34]
Arrives: Moscow, Belorusskaya railway station [in 1 d 4hr 46 mins., at 20:20]

Berlin-Saint-Petersburg

Train # 019, Saint-Petersburg ñ Berlin		This is a Fast train with higher class of service Firmenny train. Both 1st and 2nd class compartments are available. 1st class has sleeping berths for 2 people. 2nd class has sleeping berths for 4 people.
Departs from Saint-Petersburg (Vitebsliy station):	23:40 (Tue, Fri, Sun-summer; Mon, Wed, Fri - winter)
Arrival Warsaw:	06:25
Arrives to Berlin:	10:23
Train #247 Berlin - Saint-Petersburg
Departs from Berlin:	13:41 (Tue, Thu, Sun ñ summer; Wed, Fri, Sun ñ winter)
Arrives to Saint-Petersburg (Vitebsliy station):	06:15
Travel time:	36:40
Total: km/miles:	2019/1254

Berlin-Warsaw