Trans-Siberian (Dec 2017)

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nbsswap

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Hi guys. I am going to embark on a 15 solo days Trans-Siberian trip this December.

Rough itinerary as follows:

Sample itinerary assuming the trains operate on the day.
Day 1 to 3 - Moscow
Day 4 - Train 118Е departs Moscow at 1.10pm
Day 5 - Arrives Yekaterinburg next day at 6.02pm
Day 6 - Yekaterinburg

Flights from Yekaterinburg to Irkutsk is not daily.
One flight arrives Irkutsk at 11.20pm while the other flights arrive at around 3.30am.

Day 6 - Departs Yekaterinburg at around 8.30pm Ural Airlines 315
Day 7 - Arrives Irkutsk at 3.30am [http://www.baikalex.com/travel/winterolkhon.html]
Day 7 - Baikal / Lake Baikal will likely be frozen
Day 8 - To Olkhon island
Day 9 - Olkhon to Irkutsk [6pm]
Day 10 - Irkutsk
Day 11 - Departs Irkutsk on train 362Ы at 9pm MOSCOW TIME / Irkutsk time 2am
Day 12 - On the train
Day 13 - Arrives UB at 5.45am
Day 14- UB
Day 15 - UB to Bejing on Air China 902
Day 15 - Arrives Beijing at 1:55pm
Day 15 - Beijing back to SG

Feel free to comment :)
 
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sendtolee

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nbsswap said:
Hi guys. I am going to embark on a 15 days Trans-Siberian trip this December.

Rough itinerary as follows:

Moscow (3 days)
Yekaterinburg (2 days)
Flight to Irkutsk from Yekaterinburg
Irkutsk, Lake baikal (3 days)
Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia ( 3 days)
Beijing (2 days)

Is this doable?
Click to expand...

Is it the normal cabin or the luxury cabin?
The normal cabin no shower facilities.
 
belgarathc

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Wow, isn't it very cold? But this will be a cool winter trip. Have been wanting to do this for a while. Have fun. :)
 
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dilphinus

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nbsswap said:
Hi guys. I am going to embark on a 15 days Trans-Siberian trip this December.

Rough itinerary as follows:

Moscow (3 days)
Yekaterinburg (2 days)
Flight to Irkutsk from Yekaterinburg
Irkutsk, Lake baikal (3 days)
Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia ( 3 days)
Beijing (2 days)

Is this doable?
Click to expand...

Not doable. Did you factorized the duration of the train journeys?

You not doing the Moscow to Irkutsk by train, how can it be the Trans Sibera? Mongolia to Beijing is the Trans Mongolian.

Moscow to Irktusk takes 5 days.

Arrival into Irktusk day 1. 2nd day, take the mini bus to Baikal. 3rd day sightseeing in Baikal. 4th day, return to Irktusk. If you arrive early enough on day 1, you can take the mini bus to Baikal. If not, have to stay one day in Irktusk.

Moscow to Ekaterinburg takes 25.5 hours.
UB to Beijing takes 27 hours.
Irkutsk to UB train does not run daily and will take 30+ hours.

Reduce the number of days in UB since you arent going to the outback. There's nothing in UB.

Dont forget trains in Russia run on Moscow time.
 
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dilphinus

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sendtolee said:
Is it the normal cabin or the luxury cabin?
The normal cabin no shower facilities.
Click to expand...

There is no need to shower in winter and being on the train. Not much one can do on a train to get dirty enough to warrant a shower.
 
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nbsswap

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dilphinus said:
Not doable. Did you factorized the duration of the train journeys?

You not doing the Moscow to Irkutsk by train, how can it be the Trans Sibera? Mongolia to Beijing is the Trans Mongolian.

Moscow to Irktusk takes 5 days.

Arrival into Irktusk day 1. 2nd day, take the mini bus to Baikal. 3rd day sightseeing in Baikal. 4th day, return to Irktusk. If you arrive early enough on day 1, you can take the mini bus to Baikal. If not, have to stay one day in Irktusk.

Moscow to Ekaterinburg takes 25.5 hours.
UB to Beijing takes 27 hours.
Irkutsk to UB train does not run daily and will take 30+ hours.

Reduce the number of days in UB since you arent going to the outback. There's nothing in UB.

Dont forget trains in Russia run on Moscow time.
Click to expand...

Thank you for the useful suggestions! I did not factorize the durations of the train journeys.

Here is my revised itinerary.

Moscow (Day 1-3)
Train from Moscow to Yekaterinburg (Day 4)
Yekaterinburg (Day 5-6)
Flight from Yekaterinburg to Irkutsk (Day 7)
Irkutsk (Day 7)
Mini bus to Lake baikal (Day 8 and 9)
Mini bus Irkutsk and to Ulaanbaatar (Day 10-11)
Ulaanbaatar (Day 11-13)
Train from Ulaanbaatar to Beijing (Day 13)
Beijing (Day 14-15)

Is it possible to do a side day trip in the outback of Ulaanbaatar? I am also fine with scraping my 2 days in Beijing for more days in the Russia/Mongolia.

Please feel free to comment :)
 
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dilphinus

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nbsswap said:
Thank you for the useful suggestions! I did not factorize the durations of the train journeys.

Here is my revised itinerary.

Moscow (3 days)
Train from Moscow to Yekaterinburg (1 day)
Yekaterinburg (2 days)
Flight to Irkutsk from Yekaterinburg
Irkutsk (1 day)
Mini bus to Lake baikal (2 days)
Mini bus Irkutsk and to Ulaanbaatar (1 day)
Ulaanbaatar ( 2 days)
Train from Ulaanbaatar to Beijing (1 day)
Beijing (2 days)

Is it possible to do a side day trip in the outback of Ulaanbaatar? I am also fine with scraping my 2 days in Beijing for more days in the Russia/Mongolia.

Please feel free to comment :)
Click to expand...

I suggest you include the train timings (departure and arrival) in your research.

2 days Baikal is not doable. One day to get from Irkutsk to Baikal. One day in Baikal. One day from Baikal to Irktusk. Total three days.
 
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sendtolee

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nbsswap said:
Thank you for the useful suggestions! I did not factorize the durations of the train journeys.

Here is my revised itinerary.

Moscow (Day 1-3)
Train from Moscow to Yekaterinburg (Day 4)
Yekaterinburg (Day 5-6)
Flight from Yekaterinburg to Irkutsk (Day 7)
Irkutsk (Day 7)
Mini bus to Lake baikal (Day 8 and 9)
Mini bus Irkutsk and to Ulaanbaatar (Day 10-11)
Ulaanbaatar (Day 11-13)
Train from Ulaanbaatar to Beijing (Day 13)
Beijing (Day 14-15)

Is it possible to do a side day trip in the outback of Ulaanbaatar? I am also fine with scraping my 2 days in Beijing for more days in the Russia/Mongolia.

Please feel free to comment :)
Click to expand...

Have you factor in the train stop time between countries for the train to change the rails due to different track widths?
Have you plan in the different time zones across the whole journey?

http://dereklow.co/one-month-on-the-worlds-longest-train-ride-for-1000/

Look at this blog to give you ideas on the traveling time.
 
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invisible999

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Why do you want to waste your time sitting in train and bus? With 15 days the same only option available is flight. If yiu want to have train journeys you need to have at least three weeks.
 
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dilphinus

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dilphinus

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Do note that some trains don't have a daily departure. You have to work your schedule around it. UB to Beijing is not daily.

Sample itinerary assuming the trains operate on the day.
Day 1 to 3 - Moscow
Day 4 - Train 118Е departs Moscow at 1.10pm
Day 5 - Arrives Yekaterinburg next day at 6.02pm
Day 6 to 7 - Yekaterinburg

Flights from Yekaterinburg to Irkutsk is not daily.
One flight arrives Irkutsk at 11.20pm while the other flights arrive at around 3.30am.

Assuming you are taking the flight that arrives Irkutsk at 3.30am, you can take the minibus to Baikal on the same day.

Day 7 - Departs Yekaterinburg at around 8.30pm
Day 8 - Arrives Irkutsk at 3.30am / Irkutsk to Baikal in the morning
Day 9 - Baikal / Lake Baikal will likely be frozen.
Day 10 - Baikal to Irkutsk
Day 11 - Departs Irkutsk on train 362Ы at 9pm MOSCOW TIME / Irkutsk time 2am
Day 11 - On the train
Day 12 - Arrives UB at 5.45am
Day 13- UB
Day 14 - China train 43, departs UB at 7.30am (I would take the Mongolian train rather than the Chinese train)
Day 15 - Arrives Beijing at 11.40am

Where's your 2 days in Beijing going to come from, from your '15 days trip'? Have you also accounted for international flights?

If you don't know Russian, I won't suggest you take a train that's arriving in the middle of the night. How would you know when to alight?

Side trip to the outback ideally will take at least 5 days. What are you going to see and do in the outback in winter? There's no heating and no civilisation. Temperatures typically ranging from -20°C to – 45°C.
 
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nbsswap

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dilphinus said:
Do note that some trains don't have a daily departure. You have to work your schedule around it. UB to Beijing is not daily.

Sample itinerary assuming the trains operate on the day.
Day 1 to 3 - Moscow
Day 4 - Train 118Е departs Moscow at 1.10pm
Day 5 - Arrives Yekaterinburg next day at 6.02pm
Day 6 - Yekaterinburg

Flights from Yekaterinburg to Irkutsk is not daily.
One flight arrives Irkutsk at 11.20pm while the other flights arrive at around 3.30am.

Assuming you are taking the flight that arrives Irkutsk at 3.30am, you can take the minibus to Baikal on the same day.

Day 6 - Departs Yekaterinburg at around 8.30pm Ural Airlines 315
Day 7 - Arrives Irkutsk at 3.30am / Irkutsk to Baikal in the morning
Day 8-9 - Baikal / Lake Baikal will likely be frozen.
Day 10 - Baikal to Irkutsk
Day 11 - Departs Irkutsk on train 362Ы at 9pm MOSCOW TIME / Irkutsk time 2am
Day 11 - On the train
Day 12 - Arrives UB at 5.45am
Day 13- UB
Day 14 - UB to Bejing on Air China 902
Day 14 - Arrives Beijing at 1:55pm
Day 15 - Beijing back to SG

Where's your 2 days in Beijing going to come from, from your '15 days trip'? Have you also accounted for international flights?

If you don't know Russian, I won't suggest you take a train that's arriving in the middle of the night. How would you know when to alight?

Side trip to the outback ideally will take at least 5 days. What are you going to see and do in the outback in winter? There's no heating and no civilisation. Temperatures typically ranging from -20°C to – 45°C.
Click to expand...

Thanks for the wonderful feedback once again. Helped me a great deal.

Some changes:
- Indicated the flight / train numbers
- Shortened my stay in Yekaterinburg to 1 day so that I could stay in Lake Baikal for 1 more. It also allowed me to catch the Thursday train to Irkutsk because the next train is on Saturday.
- Flying over from UB to Beijing so that I can have 1 day more in Beijing (I know this is trip is no longer Trans Siberian anymore)

Questions:
- Should 362Ы depart at 4pm MOSCOW TIME instead of 9PM?
- For Baikal, I will be basing in Listvyanka. Any recommendations for accom over there? Will 2 days be too long for Baikal?
 
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dilphinus

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nbsswap said:
Thanks for the wonderful feedback once again. Helped me a great deal.

Some changes:
- Indicated the flight / train numbers
- Shortened my stay in Yekaterinburg to 1 day so that I could stay in Lake Baikal for 1 more. It also allowed me to catch the Thursday train to Irkutsk because the next train is on Saturday.
- Flying over from UB to Beijing so that I can have 1 day more in Beijing (I know this is trip is no longer Trans Siberian anymore)

Questions:
- Should 362Ы depart at 4pm MOSCOW TIME instead of 9PM?
- For Baikal, I will be basing in Listvyanka. Any recommendations for accom over there? Will 2 days be too long for Baikal?
Click to expand...

There's nothing much to do in Baikal. One day is too long. Then, you can't really do less than one day unless you have your own transport. There's the Circum Baikal railway.

UB to Beijing is the Trans Mongolian, not the Trans Siberian.

Can always do Beijing on another trip. So much to do and see in Beijing.
 
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dilphinus

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You are not going to Olkhon Island? The info I've given for Baikal is to Olkhon Island. For your case, then perhaps 2 days is good for Irkutsk and Baikal.

Most people take the mini bus from Irkutsk to Olkhon and accommodation is usually arranged/included.

Check baikaler.com
 
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