THE TRANS-MONGOLIAN RAILWAY
From the palaces of Beijing, across the Gobi desert to the Mongolian steppes, up through snow covered Siberia and finishing with the opulence of Moscow and St Petersburg.
Find everything you need to know about this transcontinental bucket list adventure here!
The Trans-Siberian Railway is one of those adventures that conjures up dreamy scenes of snowy tundras, exotic oriental cities, onion domed churches and fur-coat wrapped bubushkas, all washed down with a few shots of vodka for good measure. There’s something so whimsically enticing about it all - cozying up in a train carriage whilst being whisked across the barren expanse of Siberia and the Gobi Desert makes this trip a once-in-a-lifetime experience.
And to confirm, a journey on the Trans-Siberian Railway lives up to all of the expectations.
THE TRANS-MONGOLIAN RAILWAY
Surprisingly, the Trans-Siberian Railway is not just one complete train line that you jump on and ride from beginning to end (though that is an option!) - it’s actually a network of routes with different destinations, different types of trains, and different places to stop off at!
There are three complete routes all starting or ending in Russia, though it’s also possible to go for just a portion of the railway rather than the whole thing. The main routes are:
THE ‘CLASSIC’ TRANS-SIBERIAN
Running between Moscow to Vladivostok and taking 8 nights non-stop and covering over 9,000km.
THE TRANS-MANCHURIAN
Running between Moscow and Beijing via northern China and taking 7 nights non-stop and covering just under 9,000km.
THE TRANS-MONGOLIAN
Running between Moscow and Beijing via Mongolia and taking 6 nights non-stop and covering over 7,600km.
The Trans-Mongolian Railway is often regarded as the most interesting of the three journeys, and with the option to stop over in a third country, this was an easy choice for my adventure!
PLANNING A TRIP ON THE TRANS-MONGOLIAN RAILWAY
An adventure on the Trans-Mongolian Railway is an epic trip that does require a bit of planning. To keep the articles manageable, I’ve broken the details down into a series to make it all a bit more digestible.
The Trans-Mongolian Railway Part One: Beijing to Ulaanbaatar | will cover the Trans-Mongolians basics, pre-booking tickets for the Beijing to Ulaanbaatar leg, train carriage options, arranging a chinese tourist visa, how to collect your tickets once in Beijing, what to expect on train 3/4, the border crossing from China to Mongolia, and safety as a solo female on the Trans-Mongolian trains.
The Trans-Mongolian Railway Part Two: Ulaanbaatar to Irkutsk | will cover arranging Mongolian and Russian visas, booking tickets for the Ulaanbaatar to Irkutsk leg, train carriage options, what to expect on train MT3-263, the border crossing from Mongolia to Russia, the best time of year to visit and what to pack for a trip on the Trans-Mongolian Railway.
The Trans-Mongolian Railway Part Three: Irkutsk to Moscow | will cover booking tickets for the Irkutsk to Moscow leg, train carriage options, what to expect on a regional Russian train, overall costs for a trip on the Trans-Mongolian Railway, why you should learn the Cyrillic alphabet, navigating the Moscow metro system and onwards travel from Moscow.
PLACES TO STOP OFF ALONG THE WAY
There are such a diverse range of options for stopping off along the way on the Trans-Mongolian Railway. Here are some of my favourites:
Badaling, Mutianyu or Jinshaling? Visit the Great Wall of China | Why you should visit the Jinshanling section of the Great Wall of China and how to get to Jinshanling.
Ger Camps & Camel Festivals: What to Expect on a Tour of Terelj National Park | What to see and do on a stopover in Ulaanbaatar & Terejl National Park
Explore Siberia: Things to Do in Irkutsk in Winter | What to see and do on a stopover in Irkutsk & Lake Baikal
Let’s go!
The Trans-Mongolian Railway Part One: From Beijing to Ulaanbaatar by Train
The Trans-Mongolian Railway Part Three: From Irkutsk to Moscow by Train
The Trans-Mongolian Railway Part Two: From Ulaanbaatar to Irkutsk by Train
Badaling, Mutianyu or Jinshanling? Why you should visit Jinshanling Great Wall of China and how to get there.
Ger Camps & Camel Festivals: What to Expect on a Tour of Terelj National Park, Mongolia
Explore Siberia: Things to do in Irkutsk & Lake Baikal in Winter