Trans-Siberian Railway. Including Guides to Russia, Mongolia, China and More

789 Pages·2012·47.04 MB·English

by  Lonely Planet

TABLE OF CONTENTS
Cover
How to Use This Guide
Trans Siberian Railway Map
PLAN YOUR TRIP
ON THE ROAD
UNDERSTAND YOUR JOURNEY
SURVIVAL GUIDE
Behind the Scenes
Map Legend
Our Writers
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Plan Your Trip
Welcome to the Trans-Siberian Railway
Top Experiences
Need to Know
What’s New
If You Like…
Month by Month
Itineraries
Booking Tickets
Arranging Your Visas
Life on the Rails
Choosing Your Route
Regions at a Glance
Welcome to the
Trans-Siberian
Railway Top of section
Endless taiga, crackling or snow-dusted steppe, mountains, the
Gobi Desert and the Great Wall – the Trans-Siberian routes
across Asia unite landscapes and experiences into the journey
of a lifetime.
Trans-Siberian journey through autumnal Russian landscapes
WOLFGANG KAEHLER / CORBIS ©
The ‘Track of the Camel’
We often talk about the Trans-Siberian as a single railway or even as the
‘express’. Perhaps it was closest to being the Trans-Siberian at the turn
of the 20th century, when this engineering feat was celebrated in a grand
opening. In reality, it is several different routes and experiences. And as
for ‘express’ – well, it was never that, not this magnificently slow ‘track of
the camel’.
Russia. Mongolia. China. Three countries, and plenty of opportunities
to alight and explore any or all of them during stopovers. Regardless of
which route or routes you choose, it’s a magnificently rewarding
experience of changing landscapes and cultures, people, and of life on
the rails.
Russia’s Soul
Today, the track from Russia’s capital to Vladivostok is the classic Trans-
Siberian route. It offers the chance to explore Russia’s regions, and after
completing its length, you’ll have a lasting insight into its people. Involving
a six-day nonstop journey, this route is a rite of passage through the
taiga-bristled soul of Russia.
Cultural Contrast
The Trans-Mongolian, taking you through Russia, China and Mongolia, is
a different experience altogether. Complete this trip nonstop, as is
frequently done, and the experience of travelling on the Chinese trains
K3 from Běijīng or K4 from Moscow might strike you as a cross between
a high-rolling party and a geographical expedition conducted from inside
a train carriage. Make stopovers and catch short-hop trains, however,
and the route offers the chance to explore deeply three very different
countries and cultures.
Mongolia & Manchuria
The Trans-Manchurian is an eclectic and unusual route, traversing much
of Siberia and veering south into the grasslands of Inner Mongolia and
into Manchuria on the flagship Vostok. This is a Russian train staffed by
Russians who, incidentally, are among the most personable staff you will
find anywhere on the world’s rails. A highlight of this route is the
Manchurian town of Hā’ěrbīn (Harbin).
House facade in historic Tobolsk (Click here)
MARTIN MOOS / LONELY PLANET IMAGES ©
Taiga & Tunnels
And then there’s the Baikal-Amur Mainline (Baikalo-Amurskaya Magistral;
BAM). The most recent of the great Russian rail projects so far
completed, it was hailed as the ‘Hero Project of the Century’ and may
one day form part of a rail link across the Bering Strait. If you like
railways, you’ll love the BAM: tunnels, mountains, limitless taiga, and the
beauty of train travel itself, made simply for the sake of a journey.
TOP
experiences Top of section
Moscow’s Kremlin & Red Square
This ancient fortress (Click here) is the founding site of Moscow and
1 the ultimate symbol of political power in Russia. Within its ancient
walls you can admire the artistry of Russia’s greatest icon painters, gawk
at the treasure trove that fuelled a revolution, shed a tear for Russia’s
great and tragic rulers, and climb the tower for an amazing panorama.
Flanking the northeastern wall of the Kremlin, Red Square is dominated
by bold towers and the colourful domes of St Basil’s Cathedral.
JONATHAN SMITH / LONELY PLANET IMAGES ©