Korean Job Discussion Forums

[shorain]

Hi,

I'm planning on doing the Trans-Siberian from Beijing to Moscow in November & early December (roughly 4-6 weeks).

Does anyone have any experience of travelling through Mongolia & Russia in Winter. Are the temperatrues very low & are you limited in the places you can see and the type of activities you can do as i'd like to make a good few stops along the way such as Ulan Bator, Terelj National Park, Irkutsk, Moscow etc.

I'll be travelling independently & hope to do and see as much as possible. Any advice is appreciated! thanks

[Tony_Balony]

4-6 weeks in winter? why? The travel takes 7 days. Do you want to tour and visit in the rest of the time? I wouldn't.

[shorain]

ya like i said i'm planning on stopping off to see a few places and spend a week or two in Mongolia, visit Lake Bakail, Irtrusk, Moscow & St. Petersburg.

is it really that bad?? i don't think i could take 7 days straight on a train! cabin fever and all that.

[shoeboy]

Just did it last Jan-Feb. Never went in the summer but I can't see it being better than winter. I was worried at first but now that Ive done it I would never go again unless there was snow on the ground. Make sure to get a good coat as Mongolia is VERY cold. Got to -20 when I was out in the country. The ger tents you'll be sleeping in get nice and warm though.
The cities of Siberia are great. Ice sculptures everywhere. Irtusk had a whole ice city. Seeing SAint Basils in Moscow while it was snowing was great.
Russia is expensive as hell though.
I suggest getting both the lonely planet and the trans siberian handbook. Both are good. Buy the lonely planet russian phrasebook as well.
I did the whole thing without flying from Korea. Take ferry to Quingdao in China then train to Beijing. was cool.
4-6 weeks may seem like alot but with all the places you're planning to visit you'll prob be closer to 6 than 4. You wont have time for 2 weeks in Mongolia but make sure to stop there as its excellent. Check the train times out of beijing cause I think the one straight to Ulan is only once a week in winter. I got stuck in China for an extra week cause o that.
And do not just do the whole thing in 7 days straight. Waste of time.

[xtchr]

Moscow and St Petersburg are fantastic in winter! Everything is still up and running and open, but there are no queues to speak of, e.g to get into the Hermitage etc.
Make sure you dress in layers, as interior temperatures are usually stifling which is a huge change from the big freeze outside.

[shorain]

oh that's great to hear - i must just get organised then. were there many foreigners on the trains at that time as i'll be travelling alone & would like to meet up with a few people along the way.


do you have any recommendations on place to see & activities to do. i was looking at dog-sleding, ice fishing etc somewhere along the way. i assume you don't have to be part of an organised tour to those these things right??

i think i'm just gonna spend a week in Mongolia just enough time to visit Ulan Bator & Terelj N.P.

[shoeboy]

As far as English speaking Westerners I met none. VERY few people I met spoke english anywhere.
Mongolia was the best.
No need for tours.

[Masta_Don]

I too am looking at doing the Trans-Siberian this winter (Dec/Jan). I have a few questions.

What are people's takes on starting from Beijing and starting from Vladivostok?

It seems like buying tickets online is a lot more money. If I'm already planning on visiting Beijing for a bit and going in the off season, then do I need to book in advance?

I read that you can get a 10 day Russian visa if you start in Beijing? How's that work? How does the Mongolia one work as well? Do I have to process it in advance?

How much of a party is this party train number 20?

You can't get off the train, right? I can buy tickets so that I stop in Mongolia and that's it, right?