Practical Trans Siberian Tips

I had never dreamed of this trip, wasn’t even considering it when I first moved to Moscow, but a few months in the seeds had been planted — sliding through Russia on the Trans Siberian train, one of the greatest journeys in the world. When I started planning my Trans Siberian trip, I found there was a lot of great information out there. I found it relatively easy to work out the logistics for an independent trip, dragging my friend Janet Newenham along from the ride. But while you can fully be prepared for timetables and hostel bookings, there are some… well, special peculiarities that we learned about this train journey only when we were doing it. So here are the best practical Trans Siberian tips from my experience planning it on my own.

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Preparing for the Trans Siberian

Do

Check your Russian visa dates

The Russian authorities are notorious for being sticklers for visa entry and exit dates. I once heard a story about a guy whose flight was due to arrive at 23:50 the night before his visa started — and he wasn’t allowed to board the plane. The same goes for leaving the country, so it’s best to give yourself a day or two of flexibility on either end when applying for your visa.

Be prepared to fight with the RZD website

The RZD website has vastly improved in recent years. It now has an English version and it’s fairly user-friendly. However, I still struggled at times. First of all, it frequently rejects non-Russian credit cards. Additionally, some cities have more than one train station — or the website can’t find a train station that exists (I only had this problem with smaller towns). If you can’t find the station you want, try switching to the Russian version of the site.

Learn some Russian before you go

While you can get through with miming, especially once you get the hang out the train routines, you will vastly benefit from a little bit of Russian. First make sure you have all the polite phrases one uses while traveling, then try to pick up some ‘train language,’ directions, numbers, ticket vocabulary, etc.

Download the RZD app

The RZD app is incredibly useful. Not only does it provide a digital copy of your ticket if you purchased them online, but it also tracks the progress of the trains and shows you which stops are coming up. I referenced it frequently.

Pay attention to what is included in your ticket

Ah, the cryptic Trans-Siberian ticket. However, if you can crack the code, you’ll know what kind of train you’re traveling on and what amenities are offered.  

Get a Russian SIM card once you’re on the ground

Russian SIM cards are cheap and easy to get. Whether for Google Translate, taxi apps, or directions, having a connection was trip-saving. (Don’t expect to have service when the train is in motion, though!)

Don’t

Panic if you mess up your details

It’s relatively easy to change the information on your ticket — as we found out when I had to update Janet’s passport number. I just took the tickets into one of the train stations in Moscow, paid a minimal fee, and got issued new tickets. There was a bit of miming and it took some time, but it wasn’t all that tricky in the end.

Book first class all the way

How boring! I’m not saying you have to ride in the open carriage of third class, but first class cabins are isolating. Train trips are half about the people you meet along the way, so don’t limit yourself with these two-berth cabins.

Assume there will be a restaurant car

Of all the Trans Siberian tips I’ve read, I never came across this one — which ended up having a huge impact on our trip. Ever single train we took at the beginning of our journey had a restaurant car, and every time there was a restaurant car we were given a little snack box included in our ticket. All except for the last train, the three day train from Ulan-Ude to Vladivostok. Rumor has it that restaurant cars are being phased out due to lack of demand (and I’m not surprised — it was mostly foreigners and overly intoxicated people we saw there), so be prepared. You can check to see if your Tran Siberian train has a restaurant car on the RZD website. Pay attention to the train number, not the destination cities. 

Neglect smaller towns in your planning

The Trans-Siberian is a long journey in it of itself, and if you have limited time to travel you might stick to the major stops along the way. The big cities draw the most attention, but you’ll get more of a feel for Russian life if you are open-minded to smaller (and potentially ‘more boring’) places. I really enjoyed our time in Perm and Krasnoyarsk because I felt like people were more open to foreign visitors, since they get them less frequently than places like Yekaterinburg. I wish that we had spent more time in eastern Siberia – I felt like I missed an entire (and significant) part of the country. 

Assume it has to be expensive

You’d think a six day journey across the world’s biggest country will cost you a bit, wouldn’t you? But actually, the Trans Siberian train is affordable! I bought a combination of second and third class tickets for July for $450. There are a couple big ways to save when booking Trans Siberian tickets:

• Get them as early as possible.
• Book them yourself on the RZD (Russian Railways) website.
• Avoid first-class.
• Book top bunks when you’re traveling mostly at night.
• Travel in the shoulder or off season.

Your biggest expenses will probably be your flights over and your visa. Russia (outside of Saint Petersburg and Moscow) is a very affordable country to travel in. Janet and I stayed mostly in private twin rooms in hostels, and we were only spending $10-15 a night each. The Trans Siberian is a bucket list trip, but it doesn’t have to be a blowout expense.

Take only the top bunk

So it is cheaper to book the top bunk. It’s worth it when you’re traveling overnight or just for a short distance. But try to avoid it on longer journeys, even that’s when it will look significantly cheaper. The top bunks are not particularly comfortable to sit up on and you can’t see out the window.

Packing for the Trans Siberian

Do

Think of a packing strategy

There is not a lot of room in the cabins, so you need to be able to access things in your luggage quickly and easily. Toiletries, train clothes, entertainment, tech, put all that stuff in a quick-grab location.

Pack specifically for the train

The temperature inside the train, despite AC or heating, might run to extremes and be vastly different than the temperature outside the train. Layers are the way to go here.

It used to be that people wore specific ‘train clothes,’ as you were lounging around on the very places where you would be sleeping. And while it’s true that you will probably want different clothes for the train, it’s more about being comfortable than being clean. However — don’t wear super baggy trousers. They tend to drag on the floor in the toilet. 

Pack well for the toilet

Besides avoiding baggy pants, you want to make sure you’re well-equipped for the toilet. Bring hand sanitizer, tissues, water for your toothbrush. Take the hand towel provided. I bought a toiletry case with a hook so I could hang it up when I went to the toilet, and I found that was the best choice to keep things clean and dry.

Don’t

Forget your train shoes!

This is maybe the most important of my Trans Siberian tips — Russians do not like outside shoes inside, and the train is considered inside space. Bring a clean pair of flip flops (with a sturdy sole) or… heaven-forbid Crocs… to slip into for roaming around the carriages.

On the Trans Siberian

Do

Drinks lots of water

You may not be active so you might not realize you’re getting dehydrated. But you need to keep up a good water intake, so stock up on bottled water before you head out. Bring a filtering water bottle so you can drink the train water or buy drinks from the train attendant (‘provodnitsa’ for women and ‘provodnik’ for men).

Go the dining car

If your cabin mates are sleepy, head to the dining car! Not only do you get to stretch your legs, but you’re also way more likely to meet chatty people. But also…

Watch out for drunk people in the dining car

Half the time I went to the dining car, a drunk passenger asked me to buy them a beer (or straight up to give them money for one). Be firm but say no (…well, unless you want to). Make sure you communicate to the provodnitsa attending the dining car that no, you are not buying, as this is not a situation where you want to get stuck lost in translation.  

Eat some fruits and vegetables

Halfway through our 68 dining car-less hours on the last part of our trip, I managed to get my hands on some expensive, hard, dry oranges. It was the most excitement our cabin experienced on that leg. There is food on the train, whether it is instant noodles or platform vareniki, but plan ahead by packing some fresh produce.

Get out of your comfort zone

It’s so easy to cocoon yourself on this trip, especially if you don’t have time to get off the train much. If you find yourself stuck in a cabin with introverted people, you might pass through Russia silently. Make sure you’re pushing yourself for small adventures on the train. But it’s not just about the train! Step outside of your comfort zone when you stop along the way too. Janet and I went hiking in Krasnoyarsk and took an alpine bobsled down the mountain, things that aren’t typical for me. I got invited on a boat ride on the Sea of Japan the night I was in Vladivostok and I jumped on it. Because most people only get to do this trip once, so make sure you take full advantage of it!

If you’d like to see more of our adventures, Janet made a great Trans Siberian video series!

Buy things from locals at the train stops

One of my favorite parts of the Trans Siberian was the leg between Ulan-Ude and Vladivostok, when we were forced to buy food from entrepreneuring locals. No dining car? No problem! I’ll just eat vareniki out of a plastic bag that I bought from a babushka selling homemade goods off a card table.

Get out and stretch your legs

On those long legs, you will go stir crazy or limp with lethargy. Fight off both of them by going for walks when the stops are long enough. It’s a great way to see more of local Russian life too, even if it’s just a snapshot.

Respect the rules about alcohol

Technically, alcohol isn’t allowed in the cabins on the Trans-Siberian trains. … If you decide to break this rule, think about doing it with consideration to your cabin mates and your provodnitsa (the trip I got was to buy something from them first). To be on the safe side, buy and consume your booze in the dining car.

Allow the top bunk passenger to sit on the lower bunk

Top bunks are not very comfortable to sit on all day long, so it’s appreciated if the lower bunk person rolls up (or smooshes aside) their bedding and invites the top bunk passenger to sit comfortably next to them. If you arethe top bunk passenger, it’s best to wait for your lower bunkmate to indicate it’s alright to sit down next to them.

Talk to People

In all honesty, the countryside is not that interesting. The people are.

Don’t

Bring too much food

The first few legs we brought overstocked on the snacks, which became cumbersome and annoying. When you’re sitting on a train all day, you’re not expending so much energy so you don’t need to eat so much. Also, it’s likely that at least one meal is included in your ticket and the provodnitsa has snacks to sell.

Be afraid of the toilet

Oh, the horror stories about the toilets. It’s true — they are not lovely. But honestly they aren’t all that bad either. You need to stay hydrated and hygienic, so come to grips with the moving toilet situation quickly.

Sleep all day

Ooooh the temptation. There’s not much to do unless you bring your own entertainment, and even then the drowsy, lethargic atmosphere that settles over the train can lull you into dozing all day. But what’s the point of doing this magnificent journey if you’re going to sleep through all of it?

Be afraid of your provodnitsa

The train attendants, provodnitsas and provodniks, have a reputation for being a bit… standoff-ish. They’re not, but they also aren’t exactly rolling out the red carpet and cracking jokes. It’s just not part of the culture. So don’t be intimidated! Be polite, listen to what they say, attempt some Russian (and buy something from them), and they’ll take care of you. All of our provodnitsas were great, whether they went out of their way to make us feel welcome or they simply did their job with efficiency.

Drink the water from the bathroom tap

Yuck. Get a water bottle with a filter and a reusable water pouch to make sure you stay hydrated.

Getting On and Off the Trans Siberian

Do

Double check the train stations

Some cities have more than one train station. You might arrive at one and depart from another, so make sure you pay special attention to it.

Get to the platform before your train arrives

There could be a swarm of people getting off the train and stations don’t always have the best pedestrian flow set up. Avoid having to fight a current of people by arrive on the platform before your train.

Don’t

Stop at Ulan-Ude if you’re short on time

Sure, it has the world’s largest Lenin head statue. And, in many ways, it felt like the most real city we went to. But I would still rather spend my time in a different place to ‘get a feel’ for Siberian life.

Use the toilet when the train stops

Look, the plumbing systems on some of these older trains are not complex. You’re basically just hovering above a hole in the train. Normally the toilets are locked when approaching a station so passengers can’t use them, because if you do… everyone on the platform will witness the flush.

Dawdle outside at stops

Russian trains pull out of the station promptly, and the provodnitsa is hauling up the stairs several minutes before departure time. Don’t get left behind — make sure you’re back on the train at least five minutes before departure.

Final thoughts…

Looking back, I’m not sure when I decided to spend three weeks of my precious summer holiday coped up on a train, miming to communicate, and eating way too many Snickers and Pringles than is good for me. Perhaps it was when I read The Great Railway Bazaar by Paul Theroux, and then it was bolstered with Natasha’s Dance by Orlando Figes and In Siberia by Colin Thubron. But mostly, I think it came from the creeping desire to know more of Russia than just Moscow and Saint Petersburg and seeing the rare opportunity to do it before I left Russia (losing my Russian work visa).

The Trans Siberian train trip is an experience — probably not the one you were expecting, but one that’s worth doing all the same. And if you see that you have the opportunity to do it, or if you’re ready to make an opportunity, I heartily recommend going for it.