16-Day Private Train Journey on the Trans-Siberian Railroad from Moscow to Beijing
Zarengold: Moscow to BeijingExperience one of the last great travel adventures. Your journey along the Trans-Siberian Railroad, one of the world’s most fascinating and safest train routes, is even more interesting, comfortable, and entertaining with our privately chartered train.
from6,540 $per person
What Makes Your Journey Unique
City of Lights evening tour through Moscow
The Kremlin in Kazan
Welcome ceremony with bread and salt in Novosibirsk
Siberian wooden houses in Irkutsk
Panoramic train route directly alongside Lake Baikal
Picnic on the shores of Lake Baikal (weather permitting)
Mongolian archery demonstration
Beijing’s Forbidden City and the Great Wall of China
Daily talks on the region’s culture and people
Vodka tasting with traditional Russian snacks and red caviar
You are greeted at the airport by your friendly tour director and accompanied to your hotel. Our City of Lights tour shows you around the exquisitely illuminated Russian capital. You notice that Moscow is clearly on a par with Europe’s other great metropolitan cities such as Madrid and Paris. You stroll across the famous Red Square with your travel director and take a short trip on the underground to view several of Moscow’s particularly beautiful metro stations. Overnight: InterContinental Tverskaya/Radisson Royal Ukraina (or similar). Meals included: Dinner (D)
Day 2. Moscow from Its Most Beautiful Side
In the morning, you take an informative tour of Moscow, including the impressive Kremlin grounds and its magnificent cathedral from tsarist times. In the evening, you are greeted aboard your private train prior to departure. A relaxed get-together in the dining car offers the chance to meet your fellow travelers and learn more details about your private train. Overnight on board. Meals included: Breakfast (B), lunch (L) and dinner (D)
Day 3. Kazan
In the morning, you arrive in Kazan, the capital of Tatarstan. You take a tour of the Kazan Kremlin (a UNESCO World Heritage Site), which has a wonderful panoramic view over the Volga River, where you learn about the turbulent history of the relationship between the Tatars, the Cossacks and the Russians. Your train resumes its journey east in the evening. Overnight on board (BLD)
Day 4. Yekaterinburg
Your train stops around noon in Yekaterinburg, the historical capital of the Urals. The city is remembered as the place where the Russian tsar Nicholas II and his family were murdered in 1918. During a brief tour you see the Church on Blood, built in 2003 in commemoration of that tragic historic event; and the city center, beautifully restored in 2009. Back on board, you continue on your journey through the vast steppes of western Siberia. Overnight on board (BLD)
Day 5. Novosibirsk
You arrive in Novosibirsk, the heart of Siberia, where you are welcomed in the traditional Russian way, with bread and salt. During a short city tour, you experience the most Soviet of all cities during your journey. You see the enormous Trans-Siberian Monument and the mighty Ob River. Overnight on board (BLD)
Day 6. Across Siberia
Your train crosses the wide Yenisei River and rolls on through Siberia. The train’s chefs once again demonstrate their skills as they serve guests Russian specialties in a Tsar’s Feast. A vodka tasting accompanied by Russian snacks and clever toasts offers you a very enjoyable opportunity to combine pleasure and local hospitality. Your train passes by villages with their typical wooden houses and through birch forests set against a background of impressive mountainscapes and, hopefully, ample sunshine. Overnight on board (BLD)
Day 7. Irkutsk
Today your train reaches Irkutsk, the capital of Eastern Siberia in tsarist times. During your city tour you see, among other things, picturesque Siberian wooden houses and a memorial to Tsar Alexander III (the initiator of the Tran-Siberian Railroad), which was erected in 2003 where the Trans-Siberian Obelisk previously stood. After lunch you take an excursion to an informative open-air museum of life and work in historical Siberia. Overnight: Irkutsk (or similar) (BLD)
Day 8. Lake Baikal
Today you go by bus to Listvyanka, a Siberian village on the shores of Lake Baikal, the largest reservoir of non-frozen freshwater in the world. From the village, a boat brings you across the lake’s deep waters to Port Baikal, where your private train is waiting. You then travel for several hours directly alongside Lake Baikal, on the original route of the Trans-Siberian Railroad. Your train stops for several hours at a particularly scenic spot, for you to truly enjoy the majestic calm of this unique natural wonder. Dinner is served as a picnic on the shores of Lake Baikal, weather permitting. Overnight on board (BLD)
Day 9. From Lake Baikal to Ulan-Ude and on to Mongolia
The journey continues along the banks of seemingly endless Lake Baikal and then through the splendid Selenga Valley and the wild solitude of Eastern Siberia’s mountainous steppes. You take a tour of Ulan-Ude during an intermediate stop there. Border formalities at the Russia–Mongolia border are painlessly carried out on board. Overnight on board (BLD)
Day 10. Ulan Bator
Today early risers are treated to central Mongolia’s spectacular scenery, set in a mountain landscape dotted with colorful yurt camps and inhabited by solitary riders on horseback. In the morning, you arrive in Ulan Bator, the capital of Mongolia. As always, you can leave your large luggage safely in your compartment. During your city tour you see the impressive Gandan Buddhist Monastery and the unique Choijin Lama Temple, among other things. Afterward, you have the unique chance to attend a performance of traditional Mongolian folk arts including throat singing, the horsehead fiddle, national costumes, and dances—tickets are €14/$15, to be paid on site. Overnight: Ramada Hotel (or similar) (BLD)
On request, we can organize alternative lodging in a yurt in the beautiful landscape of the Mongolian Alps for a supplement of €35/$40; please let us know upon booking. This is a rare experience and a dream come true for nature lovers.
Day 11. Ulan Bator and the Mongolian Alps
After breakfast a bus brings you to Terelj National Park, east of Ulan Bator. Here you get to see the nomadic herdsmen’s exotic settlements of traditional tents, horse herds, and scraggly yaks, a type of wild Tibetan cattle. A small Mongolian archery demonstration is put on especially for you and you enjoy a picnic lunch served in these splendid surroundings. In the evening, you continue aboard your train towards China. Overnight on board (BLD)
Day 12. Crossing the Gobi Desert
Around noon you arrive at the Mongolia–China border, where your chartered Chinese train is waiting. The Russian private train cannot continue towards Beijing because of the different track gauge in China. Your train reaches the Chinese capital in approximately 16 hours. The Chinese train does not include wagons in the Nostalgic Comfort or Bolshoi categories. Overnight on board (BLD)
Day 13. Beijing
You arrive in the hustle and bustle of Beijing in the morning. After transferring to your hotel, the rest of the day is yours to do with as you please. Overnight: Capital Hotel (or similar) (BL)
Day 14. Temple of Heaven and Tiananmen Square
A tour lasting several hours takes you to Beijing’s most beautiful and important sights, including the photogenic Temple of Heaven and its park; the huge Tiananmen Square; and some of the city’s contemporary architectural achievements, such as the Bird’s Nest Olympic stadium and several futuristic sky scrapers. In the afternoon, you are able to enter the Forbidden City, the former imperial palace, and view its numerous temples and halls. Overnight: Capital Hotel (or similar) (BL)
Day 15. The Great Wall of China and Ming Tombs
Your tour today takes you to the Great Wall, the eighth wonder of the world. The giant wall extends for more than 6,000 kilometers through the countryside. On the way, you visit the Ming Tombs, the burial site of 13 Ming emperors, with its impressive Spirit Way. In the evening, you enjoy a farewell dinner of world-famous Peking Duck. Overnight: Capital Hotel (or similar) (BLD)
Day 16. Departure from Beijing for Home
After breakfast, you transfer to the airport. (B)
(B) = Breakfast, (L) = Lunch, (D) = Dinner
Your journey along the Trans-Siberian Railroad, one of the world’s most fascinating and safest train routes, is even more interesting, comfortable, and entertaining with our privately chartered train. This grand private train journey from Moscow to Beijing via Lake Baikal and Mongolia is your chance to fulfill the dream of a lifetime.
Our trips are accompanied by an experienced multilingual tour director and a physician traveling on the train. A sophisticated on board program complements a comprehensive excursion and sightseeing package to make your journey truly memorable. Take advantage of the extensive array of services offered by Europe’s most experienced travel organizer on this route.
Rates Include
Journey with guaranteed lodging in the booked category aboard the exclusively chartered train to the Chinese border (Erlian). From Erlian to Beijing (approximately 16 hours): accommodation in a 2- or 4-bed compartment in a Chinese sleeping car. The Chinese train does not include cars in the Nostalgic Comfort or Bolshoi categories.
Travel for several hours along the Trans-Siberian Railroad panoramic route directly on the shores of Lake Baikal, with photo stops
Tour director with pertinent knowledge of the travelled route throughout the journey
Freedom of Choice program: flexible excursions and sightseeing
Competent tour guides for each group of no more than 26 guests throughout the tour
Experienced local tour guides
All transfers and bus trips according to itinerary
All excursions and sightseeing according to itinerary, including all entry fees
All meals according to itinerary
Drinks (except premium beverages) during meal times on board the train for guests traveling in Bolshoi and Bolshoi Platinum categories
Porter service at all train stations
Vodka tasting with traditional Russian snacks
Concise informational talks on the Trans-Siberian Railroad, regional geography, culture, and history of the countries along the route
A physician on board the train from the Moscow to the Chinese border
Shower facilities on board
Informational booklet about the region and the private train for each compartment booked
1 overnight in a high-end hotel in Moscow
1 overnight in Irkutsk in mid-range hotel
1 overnight in Ulan Bator in a good, centrally located mid-range hotel
3 overnights in a high-end hotel in Beijing
Hotels Planned
Moscow: 1 night, InterContinental Tverskaya/Radisson Royal Ukraina Irkutsk: 1 night, Hotel Irkutsk Ulan Bator: 1 night, Ramada Hotel Beijing: 3 nights, Capital Hotel
Not Included
Visa fees
Gratuities
International flights
Personal expenses
Optional evening performance in Ulan Bator (Day 10): tickets are €14/$15 (to be paid on site)
Optional overnight in a yurt in the Mongolian Alps (Day 10): supplement of €35/$40 (upon request, please let us know upon booking)
Entry Requirements
Passport and visas required
No vaccinations are prescribed
Important Notes
We regret that due to the intricate logistics of this tour, itinerary changes are sometimes unavoidable
This journey is generally not for guests with limited mobility or who depend on CPAP machines. Please contact us for more information about your specific requirements before booking
Minimum number of tour participants: 120
Cat. V - Bolshoi Platinum
Number and Size of Beds
Sleeps up to 2 guests
1 lower bed sized
47.2 × 72.4 in/120 × 184 cm
1 upper bed sized
32.3 × 68.5 in/82 × 174 cm
Features
Large compartment sized
77 sq ft/7.15 sq m
Small sofa
Table
Window
Large closet
Private bathroom with sink, toilet and separate shower
5 compartments per car
Cat. IV - Bolshoi
Number and Size of Beds
Sleeps up to 2 guests
1 lower bed sized
43.3 × 72.4 in/110 × 184 cm
1 upper bed sized
31.5 × 68.5 in/80 × 174 cm
Features
Large compartment sized
60 sq ft/5.57 sq m
Small sofa
Table
Window
Small closet
Private bathroom with sink, toilet and integrated shower
6 compartments per car
Cat. III - Nostalgic Comfort
Number and Size of Beds
Sleeps up to 2 guests
1 lower and 1 upper bed
31.5 × 72.8 in/80 × 185 cm
Features
Large window
Table
Armchair
2 shared bathrooms with sink and toilet per car
Semi-private shower with sink shared between 2 compartments
8 compartments per car
Nostalgic interior design
Cat. II - Superior
Number and Size of Beds
Sleeps up to 2 guests
2 lower beds
26.7 × 73.6 in/68 × 185 cm
Features
Large window
Table
2 shared bathrooms with sink and toilet per car
Shower shared between 1 to 3 cars
9 compartments per car
Distinctive interior design
Cat. II - Classic
Number and Size of Beds
Sleeps up to 2 guests
2 lower beds
26.7 × 73.6 in/68 × 187 cm
Features
Large window
Table
2 shared bathrooms with sink and toilet per car
Shower shared between 2 to 4 cars
9 compartments per car
Cat. I - Standard
Number and Size of Beds
Sleeps up to 4 guests
2 lower and 2 upper beds
26.7 × 73.6 in/68 × 187 cm
Features
Large window
Table
2 shared bathrooms with sink and toilet per car
9 compartments per car
3-person occupancy is available for a supplemental charge