Dear Rolf,

I’m interested in traveling on the Trans-Siberian Express from Moscow to Beijing. Have you done this? How long does it take, and would I need a visa for Russia?

—Geoff, Vancouver, Canada

Dear Geoff,

I have indeed traveled the Trans-Siberian Express between Moscow and Beijing, and it was a fascinating experience that I recommend to anyone with the fortitude to travel such a great distance by train. Indeed, it is one of the few classic land journeys left on the planet (and, if you’re really adventurous, the full Moscow-to-Vladivostok express is the longest regular train trip in the world—covering 5,778 miles in the course of eight or nine days).

How long your railroad journey takes will depend upon how often you want to stop. A Moscow-Beijing trip with no stop-offs along the way takes more than six days. You’ll have two routes to choose from—the slightly faster Trans-Manchurian express (which skips Mongolia en route to China), or the more interesting Trans-Mongolian. Whichever route you choose, I’d recommend planning several stop-offs along the way. Irkutsk (with access
to nearby Lake Baikal) is probably the most popular stop-off in Siberia, though Ekaterinberg, Novosibersk, and Krasnoyarsk make fascinating diversions as well. The amazing land and culture of Mongolia make it worthwhile to take the Trans-Mongolian route—and I highly recommend stopping off at Ulan Bator and journeying inland by jeep or horse for a few days.

As for visas, you will indeed need one for Russia—and for China as well (and Mongolia, if you go there). These can be acquired independently, or through the tour operator that arranges your journey. And while I’m a big proponent of fully independent travel in most contexts, the Trans-Siberian is one journey I’d recommend planning through an operator—at least for your first experience. Not only will tour operators take the hassle out of buying tickets and getting visas, they can also arrange your stop-offs (and lodging) along the way.

A dependable and reasonably priced operator for journeys originating in Moscow is The Russia Experience. If you decide to begin your journey in Beijing, Monkey Business is an old backpacker standby (I’ve used them twice—once for a Beijing-to-Moscow journey; once for a trip from Beijing to Mongolia and back—and I recommend their services).

However you choose to travel, be it independently or through an operator, the classic guidebook for the journey is Bryn Thomas’ Trans-Siberian Handbook.

Good luck on the journey! I guarantee you’ll never forget it.

Columnist Rolf Potts is the author of Vagabonding: An Uncommon Guide to the Art of Long-Term World Travel.

Send your questions to .

Related on World Hum:
* Siberia by Train on Microsoft’s Dime