Picturesque Shores near Irkutsk (VChokan via Panoramio)

By now you know that the Trans-Siberian Railway is the world's longest and Russia's most famous route. Foreign travellers long to go on this journey to explore the country in relative comfort, while Russians regularly go on a TransSib train to hop from one of central cities to a far-flung town in Siberia. You also know, perhaps, that the Trans-Siberian railroad is used for three different routes: one goes to Vladivostok on Russia's Pacific Coast, another to Beijing via North-Eastern China and Harbin, and the third crosses Mongolia to also arrive to Beijing in China. It's easy to be confused, but worry not, we are here to help. We used Google Maps to create a version of the route, so that you may see exactly how much you will be able to experience, once on the train.

View Trans-Siberian, Trans-Mongolian, and Trans-Machurian Railways on a larger map

Trans-Siberian Railway: Essential Facts

• this is the world's longest railway, crossing 9,289km of taiga, steppe, and desert, connecting Moscow to Russia's Pacific Coast;
• the journey takes 6 and a half days - nearly a week. There are 15-20 mins. stops in major cities along the way, so you can stretch your legs and stack up on food and drinks at the station's kiosks;
• the branded Rossia Train departs from Moscow's Yaroslavsky Station every other day;
• the train crosses 8 time zones. The train runs on Moscow time, but local time is displayed at the station stops;
• if you wish to stop in any Russian city overnight, you may want to book tickets for each leg of the journey. The train carriages are cosy sleeping compartments, so you can travel on the Trans-Siberian Railway even in winter.

Tickets and Luggage As we already said, you can securely book your tickets online, using the form supplied by our partners. In terms of luggage, travelling light is the best option, even if this means having one big backpack. There is usually a plenty of space to accommodate your belongings, although, as everywhere, you are advised to keep your passports, tickets, money, and any jewellery with you at all times.

Best Time for Travel This is absolutely up to you and the time when you manage to get your visa for. You need to remember, however, that not only will you be travelling through different time zones, you will change a few climatic zones, too. In effect, considering Russia's climate, each season will have its pros and contras. Summer may be extremely hot, but you will not get cold and better yet, your stereotype of Russia's perpetual winter will fall into pieces. The rivers and lakes should be particularly beautiful sights to behold. Autumn is great for riding through taiga, when the trees change colours right in front of your eyes, and then one morning may lose all leaves at once. And yet winter is the epitome of a distant wonderland where miracle can happen. You will also likely to get a glimpse of the Northern Lights in North Siberia at this time.

Book your Trans-Siberian Railway tickets here! 

Send Us Your Trans-Siberian Railways Stories and Photos Although many of us have blogs these days, or share their experiences on Twitter and Facebook, having your story published on a website is something different. Russia-InfoCentre has a dedicated audience of some 40,000 people globally, so why not tell us the story of you taking the Trans-Siberian, Trans-Mongolian, or Trans-Manchurian train? What did you enjoy the most? What you found odd? What made you uncomfortable? You don't even have to narrate the story of the entire journey: you can send us a photo that for you has become the symbol of your journey across Russia. Your stories and photos will be published in Share your experiences section.