Trans-Siberian Railway Group tour Budget option We have designed this tour to provide a great value and at the same time to be affordable for more people. With our flexible approach you can choose between budget and comfort option for accommodation. Excursion packages in Moscow and Beijing can be booked as optional extensions and our tour-leader can be available also during these extra days depending on the group size. With this trip you enjoy the advantages of an excellently organized group journey along with the freedom of individual travel - buy the main package and choose the extras you wish! Itinerary: Day 1. Moscow Arrival to Moscow. In the evening meeting with your group and tour-leader at Hotel Cosmos. Short briefing by the guide about the fortcoming trip. Meeting time with the tour-leader is at the lobby of the hotel at 19:30 h. During the short briefing, you will get practical information about the train journey, info-packs including train schedules, maps, tips for the free time, etc. NB! Those of you who have booked the Moscow Welcome Package should arrive one day before. Cosmos hotel, twin standard room Dinner at hotel Cosmos (buffet), Russian music and Dance show Kostroma, Welcome package in Moscow (2 days). Travel tips & Customs: Time to be at the airport is at least 2 hours before departure unless otherwise required by your airline. You should check your luggage in on your own (check the strict rules about hand luggage, particularly liquids) and board the flight after receiving boarding passes with the particular seat location. International flights arrive at Moscow International airport (Sheremetyevo-2). Due to the time difference, you should make your clocks according to the local time. In the plane you will be handed the so-called "migration card" which has to be filled with personal data and information about entry and exit. After leaving the plane, you get to passport control. Here, passport, visa and filled migration card are displayed. It is important to save that part of the migration card, which you get back, along with passport and visa for the duration of your stay in Russia. If you do not do this, you risk being refused accommodation at a hotel. Besides, the card has to be shown again on exit. Then you receive your baggage and go through the green end, unless you have anything to declare (for example cash over 9000 USD or large valuables like expensive jewellery). If you haven t booked an arrival transfer, Aero Express Train is the best option for transport from the airport. Check here http://aeroexpress.ru/en/sheremetyevo.html. Moscow Welcome Package (2 days) This is an optional package and to book it, you should arrive 1 day earlier than the official start of the group tour. The first day of the welcome package starts with meeting at the airport upon arrival and transfer to the hotel. After a short rest, we do an excursion in the underground (metro) of Moscow, where we see some of the most beautiful stations, which impress with magnificent marble pillars, crystal chandeliers and ornate ceilings. We also go for a walk on the famous pedestrian old street Arbat. Overnight is in hotel Cosmos with breakfast included.
On the second day we have a full-day city tour in Moscow. We see the Red Square with Vasiliy's Cathedral and the most famous buildings and streets in Moscow. After lunch, which you pay on your own, the excursion continues to Kremlin, where we see the many cathedrals and the impressive Armoury - one of the richest treasuries in the world. Back to the hotel in the evening, in time for the meeting with your group. Day 2. Moscow, departure Free day in Moscow. You have plenty of options for the free time such as boat cruise on Moskva River, visit to Tretyakovskaya gallery / Pushkin Fine Arts Museum or stroll through the beautiful parks and shopping streets. Check out is until 12:00 h. The room of the tour-leader will be available for storage of luggage till 22:00 h. In the morning the guide will provide a time when luggage can be moved to the room. There is a supermarket near the hotel where you can shop before the train journey. In the evening, the whole group will be transferred to Yaroslavskiy train station, where we get aboard the train. Departure is at 00:35 h. Train Moscow Ulan Bator, berth in compartment shared by 4 people (2nd class), shared toilet, restaurant car Breakfast included Boat cruise on Moskva River, visit to Tretyakovskaya gallery / Pushkin Fine Arts Museum Day 3-5. On the train. We pass through the Ural mountains with million-cities Perm and Ekaterinburg. Further east (in Western Siberia) we come through great cities such as Novosibirsk and Krasnoyarsk. The landscape in this part of the line switch between needle and birch forests and small villages, where development is clearly still far behind Moscow and other major cities. You should take care of the catering during the trip, but there is a restaurant carriage on the train (see further below). The train stops several times on the way, here are mentioned just some of the largest cities and major hubs. Day 6. Irkutsk Arrival in Irkutsk in the evening at 21:30. Pick up at the train station and transfer to the hostel. You should move your clock five hours forward compared to Moscow time. Irkutsk hostel, twin/double room with private facilities Day 7. Irkutsk & Lake Baikal Pack your luggage and leave it at the reception for storage during the trip to Baikal. In the morning city tour with visit to the Decembrists Museum. Transport to the village of Listvyanka (65 km) on the shore of Baikal. After lunch at a local restaurant, we visit the wooden church and Baikal museum. Don t miss to purchase souvenirs in the local market among which is the special Baikal fish ("Omul"), sold in all varieties. In the late afternoon, we sail north on Lake Baikal (30 min) to the small village of Bolshie Koty which is beautifully situated on the lake's western shore. In Bolshye Koty we stay in a comfortable wooden house and get a traditional Russian lunch with our local hosts. In the evening, relax with a bath in a real Russian "Banya" (a kind of Finnish sauna) with heat from a stove, birch twigs and all accessories that go with it. Most people would love to run from the sauna to the lake jumping in the cold waters with average temperature of 8 C in summer months.
Wooden house, twin/double room with shared facilities. Lunch and dinner Day 8. Lake Baikal Whole day to admire the splendid nature on the shores of Baikal possibility for hiking along the shores, sun-bathing, swimming, etc. The village offers magnificent views to Baikal from all sides and hiking along the shore is a rewarding experience. The 600 km long Baikal Lake is not only the world's deepest lake (1637 m) but also the world's largest freshwater reservoir. It is particularly habitat for the Baikal seal and many other species which live only here. Wooden house, twin/double room with shared facilities. Breakfast, lunch and dinner Day 9. Lake Baikal Irkutsk Departure in the morning by boat back to Listvyanka and from there drive back to Irkutsk. On the way we visit Taltsi Ethnographic Museum (open-air museum) with unique Russian wooden architecture. Here we get an insight into the region's history and architecture from the Siberian tsar times. Arrival in Irkutsk at lunch time, free time in the afternoon. Irkutsk hostel, twin/double room with private facilities Breakfast Lunch and dinner at local restaurant Day 10. Irkutsk, departure Early in the morning (07:50), departure by train to the Mongolian capital, Ulan Bator (approx. 25 hours). The train winds its way along the shores of Baikal giving oportunities for awesome photographs. We pass by the capital of the Buddhist province of Buryatia, Ulan-Ude. The small town of Naushki is the last Russian line (border) in Mongolia. You will be handed a customs declaration to be completed and returned to the customs and border along with the passport. The procedure usually takes several hours. The train continues across the border into Mongolia, where the procedure is repeated in the Mongolian border town Sukhbaatar. The whole procedure of passport and visa check, and customs inspections is typically very slow. Then the train continues to Ulan Bator. Train Irkutsk-Ulan Bator berth in compartment shared by 4 people (second class), shared toilet, restaurant car Day 11. Ulan Bator Arrival in Ulan Bator in the morning. Pick-up at the train station and drive to local restaurant for breakfast. Then city tour with visit to Gandan Khiid Buddhist Monastery and the Museum of National History telling about the glorious time of Chenghiz Khan and the Mongolian empire. Check-in at the hostel. After lunch, time is at your own disposal. UB Guesthouse, bed in dormitory, shared facilities Breakfast and lunch
Day 12. Ulan Bator After breakfast we drive from Ulan Bator up to Terelj National park (approx. 75 km) occupying wide territory amidst the vast Mongolian steppes. Here we visit the imposing Turtle Rock and the spiritual centre Aryabal. We will be guests in nomad family and have the oportunity to taste local food and drinks. Ger camp (Mongolian traditional round white felt tents), twin, shared facilities in separate building Breakfast, lunch and dinner More than half of Mongolia's population lives as nomads in the steppes, where they live in round white felt tents (similar to mushroom in a field), also called "ger". At some places there are decorated "ger-camps" specially built for tourists who are the ones we use on this trip. There are showers and toilets in a separate building and a huge ger housing the restaurant. We stay up to four in the felt tents (gers) that are equipped with beds and fitted with carpets. Gers are heated, so there is no trouble to keep the heat if it is cold at night. Day 13. Terelj Park Free time in Terelj. Possibility for hiking and horse-riding in the beautiful countriside. At noon, drive back to Ulan Bator with visit on the way of Chenghiz Khan Memorial Complex with a 40-meter high monument of Chenghiz Khan on a horse. Lunch in the restaurant and proceed back to Ulan Bator. Evening folklore show with Mongolian throat singing and traditional music. UB Guesthouse, bed in dormitory, shared facilities Breakfast, lunch and dinner Horse-riding at Terelj National Park Day 14. Ulan Bator Beijing In the morning (07:15) transfer to the train station and departure by train to China's capital Beijing (approx. 30 hours). The train runs through the eastern Gobi Desert, and come in the evening to the Mongolian border (Zamyn- Uud), where the customs declaration must be completed and passports collected (may take several hours). Then the train continues to the Chinese border (Erlian) where the same procedure occurs. Here carriages will have the wheels replaced because of the different track width in China. Everything usually happens at midnight. You should take care of your meals during the trip. Train Ulan Bator-Beijing, berth in compartment shared by 4 people (second class), shared toilet, restaurant car Day 15. Beijing Arrival in Beijing at 11:40 am. Transportation to the hotel and accommodation. Free day to explore Beijing. You can do a wonderful hutong tour or enjoy the colourful markets. Your guide will offer you numerous tips for the free time. Hotel Rainbow, twin standard room Beijing Roast Duck Dinner, Hutong Tour, Kung Fu Show
Day 16. Beijing Our tour ends after breakfast. We recommend you to do an extension with our Welcome package and/or continue exploring China by train. Breakfast Beijing Highlights Extension Package (3 days) Beijing Extension Package (3 days): This package includes 2 full days with sightseeing and 2 overnights at hotel Rainbow in twin room with breakfast included. Day 1. We start with city tour in Beijing. We visit Tiananmen Square and Forbidden City, where Ming and Qing Dynasties have ruled. Here we see a selection from 800 impressive buildings which are said to contain 9,999 rooms. After lunch, which you pay on your own, visit to Summer Palace with boat trip in the lake. We are back to the hotel in the late afternoon. Day 2. We continue the program to the culmination of the trip in China: the Great Wall. It is an unforgettable experience to stand at this impressive structure, stretching over 6,000 km across the country. After lunch, which you pay on your own, back to Beijing where we visit Ming Tomb (one of the 13 Ming Tombs). The rest of the day on your own disposal. Day 3. Transfer to the airport for your flight back home. NB! You can add additional overnights in Beijing. Optional services / tours: Place Optionals Price per Min. Booking & person participants Payment Moscow Transfer from SVO airport to Cosmos Hotel 32 EUR 2 In advance Moscow Buffet dinner at Cosmos Hotel 20 EUR 1 In advance Moscow Russian music and dance show Kostroma at 34 EUR 1 In advance Cosmos Hotel Moscow Extra night at Cosmos Hotel (dbl/sgl room) 48 / 83 EUR - In advance Moscow Welcome package in Moscow (2 days) 195 EUR 8 In advance Moscow Tretyakovskaya Gallery (3 hrs) 57 EUR 4 In advance Moscow Pushkin Fine Arts Museum (3 hrs) 58 EUR 4 In advance Moscow Boat cruise on Moskva River 500 RUB 1 On spot Irkutsk Lunch / dinner in local restaurant 8-15 EUR - On spot Terelj Park, Horse-riding, 1 hour 5 USD 2 On spot Mongolia Beijing Beijing Highlights Extension Package 268 EUR 8 In advance Beijing Hutong tour 180 CNY 4 On spot Beijing Kung Fu Show 240 CNY 4 On spot Beijing Beijing Roast Duck Dinner 160-200 CNY - On spot Beijing Extra night at Rainbow Hotel (dbl/sgl room) 44 / 79 EUR - In advance Beijing Transfer to the airport 40 EUR 2 In advance *Prices for tours booked on spot are just indicative and may change without prior notice
TRAINS The trains we are travelling with are not arranged especially for tourists. They are used as public transport and you are guaranteed to meet local people - not only on board the train, but also on the major stations along the way, where the train typically stays for 15-20 minutes. Stations are often transformed into bustling markets, which sold everything from homemade dishes, fruits and beverages to souvenirs, animals and clothing. We use sleeping-cars throughout the train journey. At second class, there are four people sharing one compartment. At first class there are two people sharing one compartment (either first-class compartment or a whole compartment at second class). The real first-class compartments are so few that they are rarely offered for groups of this size, and therefore it is most likely that it will be an entire compartment of second class which we have assigned to the first-class travellers. Compartments are equipped with carpets and cushions, and are provided with bed linen when the train starts. There is a shared toilet and a sink in each end of the wagon. In each carriage, there is a train stewardess, who takes care of the daily cleaning. Smoking is only allowed in the corridor between carriages. FOOD ON BOARD THE TRAIN There is a restaurant car on all the trains where you can eat 3 times a day. The opening hours are approx. 10-23 h (local time). The quality and variety of the food and services in the restaurant cars varies widely from train to train. At some trains you will be lucky having the menu translated into English and the staff speaking basic English while on others, you will get a menu in Russian with or without pictures and should be prepared to use your body language in order to be understood well enough. It is difficult to predict which of the options will be as there are no commonly accepted standards for service by Railways. We always advise to take some foods on board. In Moscow there is a supermarket near the hotel where you can shop for the longest leg of the train journey. Water from the tap in the toilet is not drinkable. You can buy from Moscow 2-3 bottles of water per person in order to start with. Water, drinks and snacks can be purchased on the train from the restaurant trolleys and on the train stations. The train makes stops at the major stations on the way. Here the locals often sell everything from souviners to hot food, drinks, ice cream, bread, etc. If you buy hot food, you always run a health risk, because you do not know whether the food is fresh or just heated again! At some stations, the local police have banned the sale of food on the platform - nevertheless you will usually be able to buy biscuits, instant noodles, beverages, etc. in the local platform-kiosk. TOUR -LEADER AND LOCAL GUIDES An English-speaking tour-leader will escort the group on the trip. She/he will meet you on the first day at Hotel Cosmos and will be with the group during the whole trip until the last day in Beijing. The tour-leader s mission is primarily to keep the group together and solve practical problems and issues that arise during the trip. During all excursions in Russia, Mongolia and China we are using local English-speaking guides who have extensive knowledge of their countries. These are the guides who will inform on the history and interesting sights that we see on the way. TIMEZONES The whole Russian railway timetable is in Moscow time. The clock at the railway station in Irkutsk, for example, always shows Moscow time. Departure times on Russian tickets are also given in Moscow time, while the Mongolian tickets are in the local time of Ulan Bator. On the train, time is usually in Moscow time as well, but it does not mean that the restaurant wagon will suddenly open in the middle of the night! One adapts naturally to the circadian rhythms on the way, as far as possible. BRING WITH YOU We recommend that you bring:
Comfortable clothes and shoes. Evenings and nights can still be cool during the summer at both Baikal Lake and Mongolia (see also the temperature table below) and you should have a warm sweater and a windproof coats available. Also make sure to bring raincoat (perhaps an umbrella) and comfortable shoes that you can wear all day during sightseeing tours. Beijing is noticeably warmer than the other cities on the route. We advise to pack your luggage in a backpack or a suitcase both are good, but a backpack would be much easier to carry when getting off at the train station / hotel and out of the bus, etc. Toilet paper (you should not expect that there is always paper in the train s toilet, but it can also be useful at private accommodation by Baikal Lake and ger camps in Mongolia). Towel (especially on the train and during the stay in Mongolia) Spoon, knife and the mugs + possible jackknife with tin-opener (for use during train journey). Photocopies of passports, tickets, visas and travel insurance policy (stored in a place far from the originals). Can be of great help if you would be so unfortunate to lose the originals. Medicine and little travel pharmacy for your own consumption. Playing cards, chess, books, etc. While there is much to look on the way, it can be nice with a little entertainment!! Also remember to bring your passport, travel insurance policy, cash, credit card, flight tickets and travel documents. CLIMATE Below are tables with the average temperature (in C) and precipitation in (mm) for selected cities on the route: Moscow March April May June July August September October Temperature -2 6 13 17 18 16 11 5 Precipitation 34 40 58 76 92 74 64 58 Irkutsk March April May June July August September October Temperature -8 1 9 15 18 15 9 1 Precipitation 13 18 33 62 119 80 49 28 Ulan Bator March April May June July August September October Temperature -7 2 10 15 18 16 8 0 Precipitation 3 5 10 28 76 51 23 5
Beijing March April May June July August September October Temperature 5 13 20 24 26 24 19 12 Precipitation 9 19 33 78 193 212 57 24 VACCINATIONS There are no obligatory vaccines for this trip. WHO recommends protection against diphtheria, infectious hepatitis and tetanus. Be also aware of bites by forest ticks during your stay in Bolshiye Koty at Baikal. A small part of the ticks are infected with the Central European encephalitis (TBE), against which a vaccine is available. The vaccine, however, is rather expensive and an alternative may be to check yourselves for bites or avoid walking in high grass where the ticks are usually staying. Contact always your physician or visit the website of WHO (World Health Organization) to know the latest recommendations. TRAVEL INSURANCE It is mandatory to have a medical insurance with coverage for Russia, Mongolia and China. VISAS There is a visa to Russia, Mongolia and China for most nationals. All visas will be placed in the passport and stamped on entry and exit. Check before departure that you have all visas and visa periods consistent with the travel period. NEW! By the end of 2015 (31.12.2015) 42 countries are exempt from Mongolian visa. Check the list of countries here. TICKETS At home (about 10 days before departure), you get delivered the flight tickets. The tour-leader has vouchers (travel documents) for hotels, tickets and programme underway. CURRENCY It is best to always have cash available when traveling outside of Moscow and St. Petersburg. You can exchange to Russian Rouble and Chinese Renminbi at home before departure. By changing at home you can get better rate and avoid unnecessary losses by having to change several times. Mongolian Tugrik can only be purchased on arrival in Ulan Bator - it is advisable to have cash in U.S. Dollars from home for this purpose. Credit cards (Visa Card and Mastercard) can be used for the most part of the journey mainly in the cities. On some trains and in the countryside, you can pay only in cash. On the other hand, credit cards can be used to draw local currency in many places. In Moscow, there are plenty of ATMs on the street but in other Russian provincial towns such as Irkutsk and Listvyanka they are less common but can usually be found in the center and at the hotels. Please note that most credit cards have limit of amount which can be raised per day (ask your bank). Anyway, you can bring two credit cards while travelling - in addition to increasing the amount which can be raised per day, it is also an extra security if one of the cards is stolen. No matter how much you rely on credit cards, it is always a good idea to carry a small amount in cash - the machine can suddenly be out of order! During your stay in Mongolia, we recommend that you only rely on cash, since ATMs are very rare. Traveller's checks can be exchanged at few banks and are therefore not as flexible as the credit card payment. The train's restaurant car uses the currency of the country which it is in. As a rule, the restaurant also accepts U.S. dollars in cash, but the rate is bad. U.S. dollars cannot be exchanged on board the train and
credit cards are rarely accepted on trains. By crossing to Mongolia, there is usually opportunity to exchange excess roubles, but you can never be completely sure, and the rate is usually bad. Russian Roubles and Chinese Renminbi can be easily converted when you are back home. Excess Mongolian Tugriks cannot be exchanged back into any currency outside of Mongolia, at least not at a favourable rate. The easiest way is not to have more tugriks from Ulan Bator than you expect to spend on board the train. Alternatively, you can usually change the currency at border crossing, but here the rate is usually bad. SECURITY, THEFT ETC. On the train, you should certainly be careful about your valuables. Thefts are possible, especially when trains are on the stations. Therefore, you should never leave the compartment without taking money, passports, camera, etc. with you. If you are two who share a compartment, you can ask the train stewardess to lock the door of the compartment outside, and then get her open it again. It is also possible to lock the compartment door from inside at night. In Irkutsk there are no special security problems, while in Ulan Bator you should be extremely vigilant to pick-pockets. This is particularly true in the crowd, which is found in buses, in marketplaces and during Naadam festival. And remember: pick-pockets are smarter than you think! It is not guaranteed to save your money in an inside jacket-pocket. It is seen several times how a jacket-pocket with a closed zipper is cut with a razor blade without the victim discovers something before it is too late. The safest is to keep money in a money belt having the clothes around your belly if you have any. A small amount can be prepared at an easily accessible place on the body. DRINKING WATER We recommend drinking of bottled mineral water during the whole trip (or boiled water, such as tea / coffee), which can be bought cheaply on the way. ELECTRICITY 220 V is standard in Russia, Mongolia and China. On some trains and in the ger camp in Mongolia there are plugs for the charging of cameras, mobile devices, etc. On the train there is a plug for razors (but not inside the compartment, only in the corridors). If you want to be 100% sure to use the sockets on the way, you should have a little adapter in case the connectors in some cases are not always standard. Such an adapter can be purchased at the airport, for example. TIPS In Russia, Mongolia and China it is expected to give tips to the waiter at a restaurant (in the range of max. 10 %). Local guides and drivers will also find it natural to receive tips (typically of the range of 10 USD per person if you have been with a guide for 1-2 full days), but we must, of course, stress that this is not obligatory, since one has already paid for excursions and guides. RUSSIAN LANGUAGE Russian is a Slavic language. In Russia the Cyrillic alphabet is used, and your travel will be easier and more rewarding when you learn the alphabet from home. In this case you will, for example, be better able to recognize street names, names of metro stations, etc. Mongolian and Chinese are so difficult that we will not go into it here! Note: Train schedule is subject to change without prior notice. Above list of accommodations is our first choice but if no rooms are available, we reserve the right to book an alternative accommodation of similar category. THANK YOU FOR TRAVELLING WITH PENGUIN TRAVEL!