Grand Trans-Siberian Express «Eastbound Moscow – Beijing»

Moscow – Yekaterinburg – Novosibirsk – Krasnoyarsk – Irkutsk – Lake Baikal – Ulan Ude –

Ulaanbaatar – Beijing

Tours start between May and August

Day1 ArrivalMoscow

Arrival in Moscow. You will be met at Moscow airport and transferred to your hotel. Accommodation in Moscow.

Day2 Moscow

A full day sightseeing tour shows you the magnificent Red Square, the Kremlin grounds and other highlights of Moscow. You will forget old stories about Moscow being grey and dark. It has become a vibrant city, full of life, comparable to Paris or Rome. In the afternoon transfer to the railway station where your private train Grand Trans-Siberian Express is ready for you to board for the first leg of the almost 8000 km long journey to Beijing. Welcome dinner and accommodation on board the Grand Trans-SiberianExpress.

Day3 Full day on thetrain

Today you enjoy a typical day on the Trans-Siberian Railway. Your private train passes through endless scenery of forests, lakes and small settlements, followed by the Ural Mountains. A day to relax, watch the landscape and listen to lectures about Russia and its people. In the evening you arrive in Yekaterinburg, the “Capital of the Ural Mountains”.

Accommodation in Yekaterinburg.

Day4 Yekaterinburg

Yekaterinburg – “Capital of the Ural Mountains”. The city was founded in 1723 by Czar Peter I as the center of metallurgical industry. By the 20th century it had become one of the largest and the most important financial, industrial and cultural centers of Russia. Yekaterinburg is located at the geographical border defined by scientists between Europe and Asia.

In the morning a sightseeing tour shows you the city center and you visit a place of remarkable importance for Russian history: the “Cathedral on The Blood” which was built at the place where Czar Nicholas II and his family were executed by the Bolsheviks in 1918.

In the afternoon an excursion into the Ural forests takes you to Ganina Yama, which today is considered by Russians as a “holy place”. It is an assemble of small wooden chapels which were erected in the 1990’s to honor the last Czar’s family of the Romanov dynasty who were buried in Ganina Yama.

Accommodation on board the Grand Trans-Siberian Express.

Day5 Novosibirsk

Again an almost full day of relaxation and lectures on the train, today you are passing through the plains of Western Siberia and reach Novosibirsk in the late afternoon. With 1,5 million inhabitants Russia’s third largest city and the biggest of Siberia, it is widely regarded as the centre of Siberia. It was founded in 1893 as the future site of the Trans-Siberian railway bridge crossing the Siberian River Ob.

Accommodation in Novosibirsk.

 Day6 Novosibirsk

In the morning a sightseeing tour shows you some remarkable orthodox churches which have survived the Soviet period, and you see the famous Opera House which is the largest of Russia, situated in the center of the city at Lenin Square. In the afternoon, an excursion takes you out of the city into the Taiga, the “real Siberian forest”. About 30 km out of the city you have the opportunity of visiting the largest open air railway museum of Russia, a collection of more than 60 showpieces of steam, diesel and electric locomotives as well as several historical passenger cars – a perfect insight into the development of the trains on the Trans-Siberian Railway. On a boat tour on the River Ob you cruise under the mighty railway bridge of the Trans-Siberianrailway.

Accommodation on board the Grand Trans-Siberian Express.

 Day7 Krasnoyarsk

Krasnoyarsk, like Yekaterinburg and Ulan-Ude used to be a “closed city” during Soviet times – closed to foreigners and also to most Soviet citizens at that time. It is located along the Yenissei River which is the greatest river system flowing to the Arctic Ocean. A sightseeing tour shows you several view points and the main shopping street which is fascinating as the local mayor decided to decorate it with palm trees in summer time – in the middle ofSiberia!

Accommodation on board the Grand Trans-Siberian Express.

Day8 Irkutsk

Irkutsk is famous for its trade with Mongolia and China and used to be called “Paris of Siberia” because of its colourful life style during the time of the Tsars. You visit the old town with its large quarters still consisting of wooden houses only, before invited to the cultural highlight of the tour, a private classical concert in a palace of historical background.

Accommodation in Irkutsk.

Day9 LakeBaikal

Today one of the top highlights of the tour with the Grand Trans-Siberian Express will amaze you for the rest of the day. Lake Baikal holds the biggest fresh water reserves in the world. It stretches up to 26 miles from east to west and more than 370 miles from north to south. Lake Baikal is the deepest lake of the world, reaching 1.620 meters at its deepest part. The mountain ranges around Lake Baikal and the deep blue water of the lake, you will never forget.

In the morning a one hour bus drive takes you from the hotel to Lake Baikal. A walk through the village Listvyanka shows you to St Nicholas church, a typical orthodox wooden build church beautifully renovated in the 1990’s. On a great Siberian lunch you can taste the famous Omul fish which lives only in Lake Baikal. In the afternoon a boat takes you on a short cruise on Lake Baikal to the small village of Port Baikal where the private train is waiting foryou.

Today the private train is running at low speed along the scenic Circus Baikal Railway line between Port Baikal and Sludyanka, which for many years has been used only by a few of local trains and tourist trains. A photo stop will be arranged at a small village where you can get off the train, put your feet into the clear and cold water of Lake Baikal and also visit the typical wooden houses of local people. A Baikal barbecue is also a part of theprogram.

Accommodation on board the Grand Trans-Siberian Express.

Day10 Ulan-Ude

Ulan-Ude is the capital of the so-called “Buryat Autonomous Republic” of the Russian Federation. Buryats are an ethnic group close to Mongolians with an amazing mix of cultures and religions. Ulan-Ude is a meeting place between East and West. Like Irkutsk, the city still has large areas with typical Siberian wooden houses. Your sightseeing excursion goes to one of the villages of Orthodox “Old Believers” still practicing their live like people did it centuries ago. You will be hosted for a typical Russian homemade lunch.

When leaving Ulan-Ude, the Grand Trans-Siberian Express switches from the Trans-Siberian mainline to the Trans Mongolian mainline on its way to Ulaanbaatar. In the evening the train reaches the Russian border station Naushki and the Mongolian border station Sukhbaatar. Russian and Mongolian immigration formalities will take place in the train. You may stay in your compartment and don’t have to leave the train.

Accommodation on board the Grand Trans-Siberian Express.

Day11 Ulaanbaatar

In the morning the Grand Trans-Siberian Express arrives in Ulaanbaatar, the capital of Mongolia. During a sightseeing tour you will visit the famous Ghandan Monastery, the central Sukhabaatar Square, the Bogd Khan Museum which used to be formerly the winter and sometimes also the summer palace of the Khans’, as well as the Zaisan monument at a viewpoint high above the city. From there you will have an excellent view of the city which is surrounded by large areas of nomadic yurt settlements. An amazing cultural music and dance show will introduce Mongolian folk music and culture to you. In the evening you experience a traditional Mongolian Hot Pot dinner.

Accommodation in Ulaanbaatar.

Day12 Ulaanbaatar

Today an unforgettable excursion will take you to the Terelj National Park which is famous for its nature. A stone formation called the “turtle” and the beautiful mountainous scenery will fascinate you. In the park area you will have the chance to meet a herder family inside their yurt. A Naadam show specially arranged for the participants of the Grand Trans-Siberian Express demonstrates 3 disciplines of the Mongolian National Naadam festival: Wrestling, Archery and Horseracing.

Accommodation in a **** hotel in Ulaanbaatar.

Day 13Ulaanbaatar &Beijing

Farewell tour around Beijing and excursion to the National Historical Museum & Cashemere Factory. Every year this factory processes an average of 500-600 tons of cashmere, 100-150 tons of camel wool and 20-30 tons of yak wool.

Evening flight to Beijing Accommodation in a **** hotel in Beijing

Day 14Beijing

On this day the one of wonders of the world as Great Wall will wait for you. Imperial Palace is anunique place.For centuries, only the emperor and his whole family lived on this territory. Therefore this place was called the Forbidden City. The entire royal retinue was located outside its walls, until a certain time the entry to ordinary people here was forbidden.

Beijing Duck Dinner

Day15 Beijing &Departure

Airport transfers are provided by our service team to connect with your flight departing Beijing.

Prices Moscow – Beijing per ONE person for the tour

Moscow – Beijing (15 days, 14 nights) – All Rates are in USD, per 1 person.

Services not included:

- Flights to Moscow and from Beijing

- Visa Russia, Mongolia, China

Recommendations and Conditions:

Optional Booking: Available for maximum 1 month

Minimum number of tour participants: 80 persons on board the charter private train

Payment Conditions

Deposit Category Standard Economy & Standard Plus From USD 750 per person at the time of booking

Category Deluxe Silver & Deluxe Gold From USD 1.500 per person at the time of booking

Balance 60 days before departure

Cancellation Conditions

Up to 91 days before the tour Deposit

90-61 days before the tour 25 %

60-31 days before the tour 50 %

30-15 days before the tour 75 %

14-01 days before the tour 90 %

No Show 100%

Trans-Siberian Railway Tours

If you have some time available and you would like to experience an extraordinary journey crossing the whole Russia, you can take a Trans-Siberian train. The Trans-Siberian Express will give you the possibility to take the longest train journey in the world and to have one of the most exciting travel adventures in your life.
Forget about any hassle of packing and unpacking every day. Your cabin is your “home on wheels” during the entire rail cruise journey. The train offers a choice of 4 accommodation categories from Economy to Deluxe as well as a restaurant, a bar and a conference area for lectures. Stops for land excursions at the most interesting places along the route are included every day. In selected cities like Ekaterinburg in the Ural Mountains, Irkutsk near Lake Baikal and Ulaanbaatar, the capital of Mongolia, hotel nights in international managed **** hotels are included, allowing you more time to explore these places and enjoy a relaxed journey. The journey may be booked either eastbound, starting in Moscow, or westbound, starting in Beijing. Hotel nights in Moscow and in Beijing in ****/***** star hotels are included as well.

Grand Trans-Siberian Journey Highlights
Moscow, most vibrant and fast developing metropolitan city of Europe
Yekaterinburg, capital of Ural mountains
Siberia, a huge land of extreme dimensions
Boat cruise on Siberia’s mighty River Yenissei or Ob
Private classical concert in a wooden palace in Irkutsk
Lake Baikal, deepest lake and biggest freshwater reserve of the world
Amazing Mongolian steppes, yurts and horses
Cultural show of Mongolian artists
Special Naadam show of Mongolian horse racing, wrestling, archery

Grand Trans-Siberian Private Train Advantages
A choice of 4 different categories of sleeping accommodation from Economy to Deluxe
Possibility of guaranteed double and single accommodation throughout the tour
All sleeping cars are newly build or reconstructed after 2008, equipped with modern vacuum toilets
Modern Deluxe Silver and Deluxe Gold sleeping cars with private lavatory, toilet and shower en suite
Beautifully decorated restaurant cars
A cosy lounge with live piano music in the evening
Conference area for lectures and on board entertainment
Daily shower guaranteed for travellers of all categories
Daily stopovers for sightseeing
European management
Travel in style, safety and comfort

SightseeingExcursions

Sightseeing tours with English, Spanish, Portuguese, French, Italian, German or Chinese speaking guides (other languages onrequest)

Hotels

Moscow & Beijing 5* hotels

Ekaterinburg, Novosibirsk, Irkutsk 4*hotels Ulaanbaatar 4* or 5* hotels

Hotels brands we use (examples): Hilton, Marriott, Novotel, Radisson Blu or similar.

Restaurant Cars
There are restaurant cars on the train which serve breakfast, lunch and dinner as part of the full board service to all passengers of the Grand Trans-Siberian Express. Local cuisine is part of the menu: Russian cuisine in Russia and Mongolia, Chinese cuisine in China. During sightseeing tours in the cities local meals are served in the specially selected restaurants.

Lounge
This is the most popular place of the train and open to all passengers until late. Come, sit down, enjoy the scenery passing by the window and relax while having a drink and listening to the piano entertainment after dinner.

Lecture Area
In the lecture area, part of the lounge or a restaurant car, your tour escorts hold lectures about the history, geography, economy and daily life of the regions visited. On some evenings we show films about Russia, Mongolia and China. Also your tour escorts offer a language course introducing the Russian language to you.

(*) The 72-hour-visa-free-transit in Beijing/China:

Flight passengers from more than 30 countries of the world are entitled to stay in Beijing up to 72 hours without Chinese visa, if they continue their flight journey within 72 hours after arrival at Beijing Capital Airport to a third country. If you wish to make use of the 72-hour-visa-free-transit stopover in Beijing without Chinese visa you need to depart via Beijing Airport to a third country (not return to Mongolia) within 72 hours after arrival in Beijing from Ulaanbaatar.

In other words: As you arrive by flight OM 223 on a Thursday at 20:10 in the evening, you need to leave from Beijing Airport not later than the following Sunday evening at 20:10.