Towns N Kilometers N Small Bits of Info
14.04.2000
The following entry is not filled with personal details. It is a very full run down on towns, kilometers to Moscow, the different sections of the journey and a little information as well. I guess it wasn't until I looked at the amount of towns that the train goes through that the journeys length really hit me.
Total Distance: 9289 km - Vladivostok to Moscow 9651 km - Beijing to St Petersburg
Accommodation: around 7 nights onboard Time Zones: 7 time zones Total Amount of stations: 295
<u>PASSPORTS & VISAS: </u>Make sure you have a passport with at least six months validity from the date of departure, and any visas necessary to enter or transit any countries involved in the journey. Also MAKE SURE you go to a police station WITHIN three days of entering Russia. If your VISA is stapled into your passport I can guarantee that on the side you can't see there will be a note telling you to do this. I met several people whom had the same experience as me and were fined for not doing so.
<u>INSURANCE & MEDICAL</u> Vaccinations: When I went there are no compulsory vaccinations requirements for entry purposes. If you worry about your health then the following are recommended: flu, typhoid, meningitis (Mongolia), hepatitis and diphtheria.
<u>PERSONAL SPENDING MONEY:</u> Unless you travel first class you need to beg, borrow or steal all your meals. When the train stops at a large station it is usually for awhile. Get off and buy something that is green and good for you. I know that my journey wasn't 'the normal' journey so I'm unsure if the restaurant carriage ALWAYS runs out of food. On my journey it was barely open and when it was it ran out of food faster that the train was going. Stock up on dried noodles, the ones you add water to. Take fresh fruit with you. You will also need to hire linen. I had my sleeping bag but was made to use the linen. Probably because it was already on the bed when I boarded. Costs bugger all so it didn't really bother me.
<u>LUGGAGE</u> Only Take What You Can Carry! Take a backpack, it's the only way to travel. Give up the suit case mate!
<u>ACCOMMODATION</u> You will be sharing with three others in your cabin that is unless you have requested and paid for a twin share, nice move! In your little shared home you will find a table, reading lamp a comfortable bunk each.
<u>TOILETS & HOT WATER</u> On the Chinese trains: washing and toilet facilities are at the end of each carriage. You WILL have a squat style toilet! There will also be a little wash basin next to it. For hot water you will have 2 large thermos flasks in your compartment.
On Russian Trails washing and toilet facilities are at both ends of each carriage. For hot water there is an urn at the end of each carriage.
On ALL trains there are no showers! ___________________________________
If you join the Trans Siberian from the Trans Mongolian like I did, here is a run down of towns etc
ULAN-UDE, SAUDINSKIY: (5654kms to Moscow): This is where the junction of the Trans Mongolian Railway branches off. (In operation since 1965). It crosses the boarder at Naushki ,
ULAN-UDE: (5647kms to Moscow): The Buryat Autonomous Republic: established in 1958 and was known as the Buryat-Mongol Autonomous Republic. The Buryats were nomadic pastoralists until the 17th Century when the Russians arrived. The Buryats are related to the Mongols.
DIVIZIONNAYA: TATAUROVO: TALOVKA: SELENGA: TIMLYUY: POSOLSKAYA: MYSOVAYA5482kms to Moscow) on the eastern shore of Lake Baikal PEREYEMNAYA: KEDROVAYA: VIDRINO: MURINO: BAIKALSK: UTULIK: SLYUDYANKA: on the southern tip of Lake Baikal KULTUK: BAIKAL: KULTUK: PODKAMENNAYA: BOLSHOI LUG GONCHAROVO: KAYA:
LAKE BAIKAL - 'The Glorious Sea'
Spanning 640km (400 miles) in length, 80kms (50 miles) in width and a depth of 1620 meters (1 mile), Lake Baikal is not only the worlds deepest lake, but holds the largest volume of fresh water on the planet. There are 22 islands in the lake, the largest being Olkhon (little forest).
IRKUTSK TO ZIMA : IRKUTSK: (5184kms to Moscow - the half way point between Moscow and Vladivostok): The regional centre of Eastern Siberia. Origins traced back to 1652 when the Cossacks made a winter camp. In 1661 the camp received its present name after fortification. Known as 'the Paris of Siberia'. IRKUTSK-SORT: MEGET: ANGARSK: KITOY: TELMA: USOLYE-SIBIRSKOYE: BELAYA: POLOVINA: CHEREMKHOVO: ZABITUY: KUTULIK: GOLOVINSKAYA: ZALARI: TIRET: ZIMA: (4941kms to Moscow) Name meaning 'Winter' in Russian.
KIMELTEY TO NIZHNEUDINSK
KIMELTEY: KHARIK: KUYTUN: TULYUSHKA: SHUBA: TULUN: UTAY: SHEBERTA: KHUDOYELANSKAYA: KHINGUY: NIZHENEUDINSK:
UK TO SOLYANKA
UK: KAMISHET: ALZAMAY: RAZGON: TAYSHET: (4521kms to Moscow): (BAM Baikal Amur Mainline). Beginning in Tayshet and ending in Imperatorskaya Gavan (Sovetskaya Gavan) on the Pacific, the BAM is the northern part of the Trans Siberian Railway. Thought of in the 1920's, construction took place in the early 1940's and after many years of rail damage and bombing, construction began anew in 1976 and was completed in 1990 (the fifty year plan).
BIRYUSINSK: YURTI: KLYUCHI: RESHOTI: TINSKAYA: INGASHSKAYA: ILANSKI: KANSK: BOSHNYAKOVO: SOLYANKA:
KAMALA TO KOZULKA
KAMALA: ZAOZERNAYA: UYAR: BALAY: KAMARCHAGA: SOROKINO: ZIKOVO: ZLOBINO: KRASNOYARSK: (3920kms to Moscow): Founded as a Russian Trading Post in 1628. Closed to foreigners until 1991 due to its Military Industrial Plants. MININO: KACHA: ZELEDEYEVO: KOZULKA:
THE END OF EASTERN SIBERIA & THE BEGINNINGS OF WESTERN SIBERIA
CHERNORYECHENSKAYA TO SUSLOVO
CHERNORYECHENSKAYA: ACHINSK: (3920kms to Moscow) KRITOVO: BOGOTOL: ITAT: TYAZHIN: SUSLOVO:
MARINSK TO TALMENKA
MARINSK: ANTIBESSKIY: BERIKULSKAYA: IZHMORSKAYA: ANZHERSKAYA: PIKHTACH: TAIGA: (3571kms to Moscow): KHOPKINO: YASHKINO: TALMENKA:
YURGA TO CHULIMSKAYA
YURGA: BOLOTNAYA: CHEBULA: OYASH: MOSHKOVO: SOKUR: MOCHISHCHE: NOVOSIBIRSK: (3343kms to Moscow). Founded in 1893 in honor of Tsar Nicolas II. Novosibirsk is the largest city in Siberia and the fifth largest in Russia. Known as the Chicago of Siberia. The Turkistan-Siberian railway joins the Trans Siberian Railway here. OB: CHIK: LESNAYA POLYANA: DUPLENSKAYA: CHULIMSKAYA:
KOKOSHINO TO KALACHINSKAYA
KOKOSHINO: KARGAT: UBINSKAYA: KOZHURLA: BARABINSK: TEBISSKAYA: KOSHKUL: OZERO KARACHINSKOYE: CHANY: KABAKLY: TATARSKAYA: KARATKANSK: IVANOVKA: KALACHINSKAYA:
KORMILOVKA TO MASLYANSKAYA
KORMILOVKA: OMSK: (2716kms to Moscow): Founded in 1717 on the banks of the river Irtysh. LYUBINSKAYA: DRAGUNSKAYA: NAZIVAYEVSKAYA: MANGUT: NOVO-ANDREYEVSKIY: MASLYANSKAYA:
ISHIM TO KARMAK
ISHIM: KARASULSKAYA: GOLISHMANOVO: LAMYENSKAYA: OMUTINSKAYA: VUGAY: NOVAYAZAIMKA: ZAVODOUKOVSKAYA: YALUTOROVSK: BOGANDINSKAYA: VINZILI: OZERO ANDREYEVSKOYE: VOYNOVKA: TYUMEN: (2144kms to Moscow) Founded in 1586, Tyumen is the oldest settlement in Siberia. KARMAK:
THE END OF WESTERN SIBERIA (The last section of the journey)
TUGULYM TO EKATERINBURG (SVERDLOVSK)
TUGULYM: BAKHMETSKOYE: YUSHALA: TALITSA: PROSELOK: OSHCHEPKOVO: AKSARIKA: ELANSK: PISHMINSKAYA: BOGDANOVICH: GRYAZNOVSKAYA: BAZHENOVO: GAGARSKIY: KOSULINO: PUTEVKA: SHARTASH:
EKATERINBURG: (1818kms to Moscow): Founded in 1721 during the reign of Catherine the Great. Known as Sverdlovsk between 1924 and 1992).
THE WHITE OBELISK - Column of Tears The division of Asia & Europe
(Vot granitsa): The Boundary where hundreds of thousands of men, women and children (Princes, nobles & peasants) said good bye to all friends, family and their homes forever. Made of plastered brick, 4 meters or 13ft high, this square pillar bears the Coat of Arms of the European province of Perm on one side and that of the Asiatic province of Tobolsk
PERVOURALSK TO VERESHCHAGINO
PERVOURALSK: (1,777kms to Moscow - 4 ½ Hours to Perm): KUZINO: SABIK: SARGA: SHALYA: SHAMARY: KORDON: TULUMBASI: SHUMKOVO: KISHERT: KUNGUR: (1537kms to Moscow): YERGACH: YUG: MULYANKA: FERMA:
PERM: (1437kms to Russia): Known as Molotov (1940 to 1957). Before the Trans Siberian was constructed, Perm was the start of the Trakt or Great Siberian Post Road. This muddy or dusty narrow track ran to Irkutsk and the Nerchinsk Silver Mines. Perm is also an extensive Ship Yard. KURYA: OVERYATA: SHABUNICHI: CHAYKOVSKAYA: GRIGORYEVSKAYA: MENDELEYEVO: ZYUKAY VERESHCHAGINO:
SUBBOTNIKI TO STRIZHI
SUBBOTNIKI: BORODULINO: KUZMA: KABALUD: KEZ: CHEPTSA: PIBANSHUR: BALEZINO: GLAZOV: KOZHIL: YAR: FALENKI: KOSA: ZUYEVKA: REKHINO: ARDASHI: PROSNITSA: BUMKOMBINAT: POLOY: POZDINO: KRASNOSYELSKIY: VYATKA (KIROV): (957kms to Moscow): CHUKHLOMINSKIY: LYANGASOVO: STRIZHI:
ORICHI TO MANTUROVO
ORICHI: BISTRYAGI: KOTELNICH: DAROVITSA: ATSVEZH: KAPIDANTSI: YUMA: SVECHA: SHABALINO: GOSTOVSHAYA: METIL: SUPROTIVNIY: BURUNDUCHIKHA: YAKSHANGA: ZEBLYAKI: VARAKINSKIY: SHEKSHEMA: VOCHEROVA: MANTUROVO:
KOSTRIKHA TO DANILOV
KOSTRIKHA: PETRUSHINO: BRANTOVKA: NEYA: NELSHA: YELENSKIY: NOMZHA: NIKOL-POLOMA NIKOLO-UGOL: ANTROLOVO: MONAKOVO: LOPARUEVO: KRASILNIKOVO: GALICH: KHRAMKI: ROSSOLOVO: BUY: KOREGA: BRODNI: SEKSHA: LYUBIM: SOT: DANILOV
YAROSLAVL (THE URALS) TO MOSCOW (Mockba)
YAROSLAVL: (282kms to Moscow): Founded almost 1000 years ago by Prince Yaroslav the wise. The Trans Siberian crosses the Volga River which is the longest river in Europe.
KOZMODEMYANSK: SEMIBRATOVO: ROSTOV-YAROSLAVL: (224kms to Moscow): built on the banks of Lake Nero. One of Russia's oldest settlements.
PETROVSK: SILNITSI: RYAZANTSEVO: BERENDEYEVO: BALAKIRYEVO: ALEKSANDROV: (112kms to Moscow) SERGIEV POSAD: (70kms to Moscow): Founded 1340 by St Sergius of Radonezh (Builder of Russia).
And Finally MOSCOW!
Posted by eddakath 17:00 Archived in Mongolia Comments (0)