Your were able to see the main cities on the Trans -Siberian route in Part I.
And this very article will allow me to tell you more about the train that can take you directly from Moscow to Vladivostok. I am afraid this article will be a bit too long (though as the trip itself :) but I keep so much information I wish to share and would love to fit it in Part II.
And it is train no 2 called Rossiya.
A journey on the Trans-Siberian Express Rossia is the longest train ride in the world. The train is decorated in typical Russian style including its trade mark gold and red colors. The train is considered one of the best trains in Russia in terms of service, friendliness of staff and upkeep.The train has 1st and 2nd class compartments. The 2nd class compartments have a unique style with green curtains embroidered with pictures of all of the Russian cities through which the train passes. The 1st class compartments are decked out in Russian style red and gold colors. Each compartment also has a TV. The train also has a nice dining car that has a special menu for the passengers.
In newer carriages it will be possible to move the lower bed up to 10 cm away from the wall, giving a wider sleeping area.
Train “Rossiya” includes 1 or several baggage carriages; 1 restaurant-car, 1 administration carriage where the Train Chief and Train electrician are. There is a radio-compartment in this carriage, a children compartment -it is a real play room with lots of toys and two Sony Play Stations and two TVsets, laundry room, iron and a shower. And this carriage can be attended only upon a “mutual agreement” with a travelling carriage attendant and for an additional cost.
Russian trains can be subdivided into three main categories:
Firmeniy trains (фирменный).
Firmeniy trains are privately run trains offering high quality service with higher prices as well. Each train has a specific interior design based on the operator. Some cities have their own original trains that they are quite proud of and try to make as comfortable as possible – these trains typically have names such as Kama (a train run by the city of Perm). The train numbers for Firmeniy trains consist of a zero followed by 2 numbers and one letter. For example, train 002M “Rossia” Moscow-Vladivostok is a Firmeniy train. These trains typically have 1st and 2nd class compartments and have a restaurant car.
Express trains (скорый) are quite good, fast trains however they are a bit less comfortable than Firmeniy trains and usually make a few more stops. They usually serve long distance routes and are quite popular with travelers. Like the Firmeniy the number consists of a zero, 2 more numbers and a letter. The trains run regularly. Express trains have 2nd and 3rd class compartments, a restaurant car and sometimes a 1st class compartment.
Regular train (пассажирский) this train stops at every station along the route so it really takes a while to get where you want to go on these, however, these trains offer a great opportunity to see Russia SLOWLY!!! The number consists of 3 numbers and a letter.
Other types of specific trains:-
Electric suburban train (пригородный); These are those green trains that run on electricity and connect large and provincial cities with their suburbs and outlying rural regions. They are pretty rickety, have funny wooden seats typically and aren't the most comfortable form of transport. And, watch out, on the weekends and whenever the weather is nice they get packed. You won't find a seat. Russians like to go to their dachas (summer houses) and most of these trains are the best way for them to get their. Tickets are cheap and can be purchased at all the train stations.
Types of compartments:
1st Class (SV)First is the most comfortable and expensive option: the SV ticket. This is a first class compartment for only two people and contains two lower couches that convert into beds and a table next to the window. Also sometimes on some trains which run a long journey there are showers in those SV compartments that also adds some comfort to your journey. If you would like to travel by yourself there is a possibility to buy two tickets for the couches at the same compartment. So this could be almost the VIP traveling.
2nd Class (coupe)The next option is a less expensive class (2nd class) that is organized in compartments, each of which contain two lower and two upper berths. These are called coupes in Russian. Just like an SV, coupes have a door which locks from the inside, and thus privacy between the four people is kept inside the compartment.
Both 1st and 2nd class can be with or without services. Services would normally mean a meal and bed linen included in the ticket cost. And the number of meals a trip can be different and totally depend on the trip duration and train quality. As well as the food provided can be different and vary from a snack box to a proper menu you choose several dishes from and then arrange a preferred time to be served with it.
The options without services would include bed linen only and for the 2nd class it might be without the bed linen but then it woud be easily obtained from a carriage attendant and will cost a minimum fee a trip. And in any case there will be no need to take a sleeping bag with you.
Russia is a country that lives in a cold for several months and that is the main reason why our trains are equipped with a very well developed heating system for a cold period. If you plan to travel in the winter then please, take some light clothes with you as it might get very hot on board.
And the last and the least comfortable option is
3rd Class (Platzkart) -it is cheaper still and is called Platzkart in Russian (3rd class). This means that the entire wagon is open and there are no closed compartments or curtains. There are two lower and two upper berths, a small and narrow corridor and another two berths that are located on the opposite side near the window. So instead of a compartment there are six berths and no doors, thus there is no possibility to lock anything or for people to have any privacy. Platzcart tickets are convenient tickets if you have a short journey or if you are not interested in comfort but want to save money. In some cases, traveling by Platzkart is more convenient for a woman taking a journey by herself. In this case, the woman avoids the possibility of getting stuck in a compartment with 3 strangers. If you travel to the very south of Russia during the mid-summer months, this might be a more comfortable option because the wagons tend to get very humid and stuffy and Platzcart cabins have better ventilation and therefore may be cooler.
The above will give you a better idea on what class to travel when planning your trip and especially such a long trip as Moscow -Vladivostok.
You can certainly break your trip and stop in as many places as possible but then the requirement will be to buy the ticket for each individual leg as in Russia the tickets can be purchased for a certain date, certain person and certain class only and we do not have Open Rail Passes as you do in Europe.
Train no 2 is a very expensive one and I can recommend to break the journey for a day or two and stop, let us say, in Irkutsk – a beautiful place with the lake Baikal. And then the entire trip and especially when to travel with the 2nd or 3d class will be considerably cheaper as here there will be several trains to choose from and they are not to be the dearest.
The most comfortable and fastest trains on Trans Siberian:
5/6 “Ocean” (Khabarovsk-Vladivostok)
9/10 “ Baikal” (Moscow -Irkutsk)
25/26 “ Sibiryak” (Moscow –Novosibirsk)
55/56 “Enisey” (Moscow – Krasnoyarsk) and some more trains of the same class.
The carriages are of German manufacturing, new and with the air conditioning. You should be ready to pay a higher cost for the tickets for the above trains. And the passengers are normally quite wealthy people and a lot of foreign nationals use the above trains and especially during the summer time.
And let me please, give you an idea on how much a trip can cost and the example below will be for a 2nd class travel.
Moscow -Vladivostok
train no 2
leaving on odd dates only at 2125 Moscow time
arriving 7 days later at 0648 Local time
running time is 146.23 hrs
And the prices as available for 25.01.09:
1st class with services (7 meals and bed linen) approx £ 760.00 pp one way
1st class without services (bed linen) approx £ 660.00 pp one way
2nd class with services wapprox £ 420.00 pp one way
2d class without services approx £ 360.00 pp one way
And here there can be special rates applied to make a trip cheaper but this is to be checked only upon an actual request and when you know your travelling dates because this rate can be applied for certain periods only.
And below is an example on how you can make the trip from Moscow to Vladivostok with a stop in Irkutsk:
Moscow -Irkutsk
I will be able to find a train here for any date and for instance
train no 2 Rossiya
leaving on odd dates at 2125 Moscow Time
arriving 4 days later at 0603 Local time
2nd class without services will cost approx £ 250.00 pp one way
Irkutsk-Vladivostok
train no 32 on odd dates
leaving at 0407 Moscow time -0907 Local time
arriving at 0455 Moscow time - 1155 Local time
running time is 72.48 hrs
2nd class will cost approx £ 170.00 pp one way
or to make it cheaper to travel 3d class and it will cost approx £ 83.00 pp one way
There are so many options for travelling this longest route. You can stay on Transib or get off and travel to other places like Tomsk and then come back to Transib again and finally reach Vladivostok and then travel by the ferry to Japan.
I am willing to discuss as many options with you as you wish my dear reader and give my recommendations or find an interesting information for you.
The Trans-Mongolian and Chinese route leaves the main Trains-Siberian route at Zaudinskiy, 8 km from Ulan-Ude. The distance between Ulan-Ude and the Russian-Mongolian border is 250 km.
The Trans-Mongolian Route is my next topic to discuss with you and this trip is the best seller and full of various combinations.
See you later,
Natasha
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