Experiences in Russia

Trans-Siberian sample tour itineraries
We are glad to offer you several Trans-Siberian tours. Trans-Siberian travel is a great chance to get acquainted with true Russia’s life and views. You will pass through various time zones, cross some greatest Eurasian rivers, see one of the most interesting highlights of Siberia, Baikal Lake, and finally, through Mongolia, find yourself in Beijing, the capital of China.

Trans Siberian Trains
Discover beautiful nature and landscapes of Ural, Siberia and Russian Far East with the fastest and most comfortable trains (so called «firm», or «firmenny», trains) at the Transsib. These trains make the least number of stops, sometimes covering 300-400 km without stopping. Express trains, or «skory» trains, usually make some more stops than «firm» trains (7/8 Novosibirsk/Vladivostok, 43/44 Moscow/Khabarovsk).

The most comfortable and fastest trains at the Trans-Sib are the following: Rossiya (number 1/2, Moscow-Vladivostok), Okean (5/6, Khabarovsk-Vladivostok), Sibiryak (25/26, Moscow-Novosibirsk), Yenisei (55/56, Moscow-Krasnoyarsk) and some other trains of the same class.

History of Trans-Siberian railroad
Some people think that Transsib means the way that connects Ural with Far East and goes through Siberia (Trans-Siberian). But in reality it’s different the contradiction comes from the name that English travellers gave to it — «Trans-Siberian Railway» instead of «Great Siberian Way» (this would be the litteral translation from Russian) but then this name have been rooted in Russian language.

And now the term Transsib means the way, that connects Center and Pacific Ocean, Moscow and Vladivostok and in broader meaning — ports of West with Russian capital and ways to Europe (Moscow, Saint Petersburg, Brest, Kaliningrad) with ports of the East and ways to Asia. Transsib — is the road that gave an impulse to the settling and developing of eastern areas of Russia and involvment of them into economy of the other part of great country.

Nowadays Jaroslavskiy train station in Moscow is Transsib’s starting point and a final point of the way is Vladivostok train station. But not always it was so. Before the middle of the 20th century Kazanskiy train station was the main gate to Siberia and Far East and Kursko-Nizhegorodskiy (nowadays Kurskiy) train station of Moscow was located at very beginning of Transsib (beginning of 20th century). It’s also important to mention that before the October revolution Moscow train station of Saint Petersburg, which was the capital of Russian Empire at that time was considered to be the starting point of the Great Siberian Way. Vladivostok also wasn`t considered to be the permanent final point, for some time (from 90’s of 19th century till the crucial land battles of Russian-Japanese war in 1904-1905), contemporaries considered naval fortress and town of Port Arthur, which is located on the shore of East-Chinese Sea on the Lao Dun peninnsula, rented by Russian Empire from China to be the end of the Great Road.

Grand laying took place of the 19th century of May 1891 near Vladivostok and in the presence of prince Nikolay Aleksandrovitch (Emperor Nikolay The Second in future).

But actually costruction started a little bit earlier at the beginning of March 1891 with building of the railway from Miass to Chelyabinsk.

The regular communication between the Empire’s capital — Saint-Petersburg and ports in the Pacific ocean — Vladivostok and Dalniy by the railroad was established in July 1903 when the East-Chinese Sea railway that comes through Manchuria was put to operation and began to function routinely. But still there was a break in the railway. Trains were transported through the Baykal Lke by the special ferry boat.

The continued railway between Saint Petersburg and Vladivostok appeared after the finishing of Circum-Baykal railway construction (18th Septemper of 1904). A yer after it was put in regular operation as a part of The Great Siberian Way. And regular passenger trains for a first time in history have an ability to follow rails from the Atlantic (Western Europe) to the Pacific ocean (Vladivostok) without using of any ferry crossings.
The final step in history of Transsib’s construction was putting in the operation the bridge over Amur river near Khabarovsk and beginning of train communication over the Amur.

International Trans-Siberian railroad
The Transsib is not only a great way that connects central Russia and Pacific shores, Moscow and Vladivostok but also a way to Asia, one of the most important roads to Far East countries like China and Korea. By the way, at present time, this is the only way to get to China and Mongolia by train.

7 Top Places to Visit While on a Trans Siberian Trip
A Trans-Siberian trip is the perfect tour to unravel some of the region’s most unique and awe-inspiring tourist destinations. A journey by train gives visitors a glimpse of the area’s most dramatic photogenic locations as well as indigenous wildlife.

Major cities along the way such as Yekaterinburg and Kazan are also worth checking out. The following is an outline of some of the top spots to revel in during a Trans-Siberian tour.

Moscow
Of course, a journey through Trans-Siberia should ideally begin in the grandiose city of Moscow. It is one of the most populous cities in the world and has a rich cultural background that promises to enthral even the most jaded of connoisseurs.

Among the top places to visit is the Kremlin, which is a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
The majestic fortified complex is situated at the centre of Moscow and overlooks Saint Basil’s Cathedral, the Red Square, and the Alexander Garden. Currently the official residence of the Russian President, it attracts millions of visitors every year. The site is several centuries old and its buildings have been destroyed and rebuilt numerous times due to waves of skirmishes and dynasty changes.

For entertainment, the Bolshoi Theatre won’t disappoint. It offers some of the city’s most captivating ballet performances.

Yekaterinburg
Widely referred to as Sverdlovsk during the USSR era, Yekaterinburg is located between Asia and Europe and is generally a bit laid-back when compared to other Russian cities. It boasts more than 600 cultural monuments built between the 18th and 19th centuries.

One of its most impressive monuments is the famous Keyboard Monument which is built at a scale of approximately 30:1. Constructed in 2005 by Anatoly Vyatkin, it is made up of 86 keys. Each key weighs at least 100 pounds.
For music fans, Yekaterinburg also has a Memorial centre dedicated to The Beatles. It also offers some amazing music festivals such as the Ural Music Night to indulge.

Kazan
A Trans-Siberian trip would be incomplete without a stop at Kazan. The city is culturally significant and is situated between the Volga and Kazanka rivers. It has both traditional and modern influences which exist in almost perfect harmony.

Among the main highlights in the city is the Kazan Kremlin Fortress. Demarcated as a UNESCO World Heritage Site, it is hailed as the only Tatar fortress in the country. It was conquered in the mid-sixteenth century by Ivan the Terrible.

Krasnoyarsk
Krasnoyarsk is located close to the Yenisei River and surrounded by various mountains which include Mount Karaulnaya. It also has the must-visit ‘Stolby’ Nature Reserve which rock-climbers will love. The area also abounds with hiking trails featuring photogenic views and backdrops.

Lake Baikal
Lake Baikal is located in Eastern Siberia. It is believed to the biggest and deepest lake in the world. While here, visitors can indulge in a range of activities including fishing, relaxing in thermal saunas, and taking in the natural sights that surround the water body.

Situated in Eastern Siberia, the glimmering blue lake is among the most popular attractions in the region. Its frozen wave effects during winter are world-famous. Visitors can also indulge in a bit of mountain climbing at Chersky Mountain, and marvel at the Circum-Baikal Railway which is a popular architectural monument.

For accommodation, Listvyanka which is situated at the shores of the lake offers visitors a wide range of lodging options. Olkhon Island, the biggest island on Lake Baikal, is also preferred by many tourists.

Mongolia
Visitors would be remiss to skip Mongolia in their Trans-Siberian trip itinerary. The country which is located between China and Russia is landlocked. It is a secluded haven full of lash picturesque sights and wildlife as well as beautiful mountains and valleys.

Among the main tourist hotspots is the Mongolian Steppe which has unique wildlife such as the Siberian ibex, argali sheep, and cinereous vultures. The amazing wilderness also offers glimpses of the Mongolian horse-riding and herdsmen culture.

Beijing
Beijing can be reached if you use the Trans-Manchurian Railway secondary route. The capital of China, it gives visitors a chance to immerse themselves in exotic oriental culture.

There are stark differences between the Western and Chinese cultures, and they range from culinary delights to religious practices, and so Beijing offers a unique experience for everyone.

Main attractions include the Forbidden City. It was the main imperial palace for the Chinese dynastic leadership centre between the years 1420 and 1912 and was built during the Ming Dynasty. For sightseeing tours, Beihai Park and Nanluoguxiang won’t disappoint.

Zaryadye Park: new symbol of Moscow
Being located in the very heart of Moscow, next to the Kremlin walls, Zaryadye Park is not just an ordinary park. It is a cultural and educational center with a unique botanical collection of plants taken from some nature zones of Russia (forest, steppe, meadow and northern landscape), that comprises more than 1 million green plants, including rare species listed in the Red book.

Unique media complexes in the Park “Time machine” and “Soaring”, that have no analogues in Russia, invite guests of “Zaryadye” to take a virtual tour to the past, to witness important historical events in the life of the capital and to fly over the main sights of Moscow and the whole Russia.

Visitors of the Park will see the most spectacular views, the best examples of ancient and modern architecture, nature reserves, monuments and parks, the main waterways of the country and experience a real flight.

In “Zaryadye” you can as well visit the “Ice cave”, Underground interactive archaeological museum, greenhouse complex “Florarium” with soilless plant growing techniques, biotechnological scientific and educational “Nature center”. Zaryadye “Hospitality Center” staff will tell you what interesting things can be seen in the pavilions, help you buy tickets and give an informative tour around the park.

St. Petersburg Winter Fairy Tale
The beautiful tradition of riding a horse-drawn carriage dates back to the early years of the Russian Empire. It became as much a symbol of the Christmas season in Russia as the Jingle Bells in the Western world. Imagine yourself dashing through a thick layer of crystal white snow in a richly decorated carriage with amazing strong horses upfront and majestic palaces in the background. Add to this the iconic jingle of the traditional harness bells and you will get the sight and sound of the Russian winter fairy tale.

We offer you to play an integral role in it, to place you in the front seat and indulge yourself in the true spirit of the Russian Christmas culture. Our company provides several fantastic locations to choose: from the Yelagin Island in the heart of St. Petersburg to the more secluded but not less magnificent imperial estates surrounding the city, namely Pavlovsk, Peterhof and Tsarskoye Selo. The services of both professional photographers to capture the moments of joy and experienced tour guides to tell the fascinating stories about the places you visit are also available on request.

Horses and reindeer
There are multiple stables and horse farms in central districts and on the outskirts in Saint Petersburg; some are private or quite difficult to find, however, most of them offer horse riding and horse sledding around Saint Petersburg and its suburbs. The most visited and popular of them are located in historical parks like Central park on Elagin island, Shuvalovskiy park in the northern district “Ozerki”, Krestovskiy island. They offer various opportunities for active leisure: personal riding lessons with instructor, hippotherapy, photo shoots with horses and cart or sledge rent for guided excursions of Saint Petersburg and suburbs. The important thing is to make a pre-booking (especially in high season) to have guaranteed service.

Christmas Festival in Moscow
Christmas fairs and markets invite residents and visitors of Moscow to take part in multiple fun winter activities and New Year shopping.

“Journey into Christmas” is considered to be the biggest in the world New Year Festival and one of the most picturesque annual festivals in Moscow as it combines original traditional elements of Russian Christmas fun fairs and new contemporary ideas for all ages.

Each district of Moscow from December 18 till January 14 will turn into a part of a the festival: 38 venues offer unique art objects, exciting street shows and concerts, master classes on cooking and decoration, traditional food and unusual souvenirs; everyone will be able to participate in exciting contests and quests.

Main objects
The festival starts on Manezh Square and famous huge glowing ball, the one of the most popular sights in Moscow; as a part of “Journey into Christmas” festival it will be turned the biggest Christmas bauble in Russia. Moreover, its size will be significantly increased: the height of the ball will be 17 meters now. The decoration of the ball consists of 9.5 km of LED lights and this is claiming a Guinness record.

Besides the ball, the participants of the festival will see a Russian map shaped labyrinth with a 17-meter high Christmas tree decorated with sparkling LED-lights on Manezh square. Inside the maze the visitors will see exhibitions dedicated to different periods of Russian history, enjoy Soviet posters and get acquainted with Russian fashion of different years.

Both children and adults will enjoy a 100-meter high ice slide — the biggest slide in Russia. It will be built according oldest Russian traditions that were used hundreds years ago for the the winter holiday festivities.

Kids fun
Young Muscovites and guests of Russia will have a plenty of things to do during “Journey into Christmas”. For instance, Tverskoy Boulevard will turn into a “Small town of Storytellers” where experienced instructors will teach children how to do figure skating, snowboarding, play hockey — absolutely free including all sports equipment.

Tverskaya Square is planned to be the main kids attraction for the festival. At this small Christmas town children will dress up a Christmas tree, take a ride on the carousel, learn to sew dolls and cook candies.

Kaliningrad
Kaliningrad region is the unique place in Russia: it has boundaries with European Lithuania and Poland and no boundaries with any Russian regions. Russians love small cities of Kaliningrad regions for its closeness to the Baltic sea; towns Svetlogorsk, Zelenograd and others are the popular sea resorts.

Kaliningrad city is a beautiful medieval city with European spirit and rich history. Before, it used to be German city called Konigsberg and now it keeps the heritage of Poland, Prussia and Germany behind it walls.

Teutonic Knights built Konigsberg Castle in 1255; this was the birth of Konigsberg city. The castle then became a property of Prussian kings, and then was used for the needs of Germany. It was a coronation place of kings, it was visited by Russian emperors and distinguished German people.

During the World War II, the castle was ruined; almost nothing left after bombings and in 1993, when Kaliningrad was already a Russian city, the Russian Academy of Sciences initiated excavations in search of the famous Amber room, as they believed that it was hidden in the castle. They did not find the Amber room, but instead they discovered multiple valuable items of Prussian époque.

Today, the remains of the Konigsberg Castle are the observation deck with a historical exhibition. It is worth visiting during the open-air historical festivals with jousting contests, crafts fairs, archery contests and role-play games.