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Aren’t visas a nightmare that takes weeks?
They needn’t be! We do the whole thing for you. Russian visas need proof of booking from a Russian registered outfit, and we do all of this behind the scenes. Get your booking form to us at least six weeks before departure and you’ll avoid express visa costs. If you do book less than six weeks prior to departure you will still be able to go if the trip is available, but you will need to pay express fees. Please check with us how much these will be as it depends on which passport you hold and how much time we have. We’ll also need the original of your passport to apply for your visas and this must be the same as the passport you gave us when you first applied.
Can I stay extra nights?
This isn’t a problem in St Petersburg or Moscow, but the train schedules on some of the less frequent routes makes altering the stays almost impossible. We always include two nights in Moscow prior to your Trans-Siberian journey and two nights in St Petersburg is standard if you buy a St Petersburg extra package. There is such a lot to see and the phrase “I wish I’d stayed longer” is amongst our most common traveller feedback!
What should I expect from the host family stays?
Some of our trips feature the option of staying with local families. Although this is sometimes for practical reasons (when no other kind of accommodation is available like the nomad stays in the Gobi desert), it also broadens the trip experience by offering the opportunity to interact with the places and people that live there. We’re not promising luxury, but we are promising a slice of life! People who live in harsh climates and terrains are naturally gregarious and you will learn and experience more with them that you could ever absorb in a month staying in a sterile western style hotel.
I have a special diet, is this OK?
You will quickly see that meat is a central feature in the national cuisine of most of our destinations, but if you are a vegetarian or have any other special dietary requirements you definitely won’t starve! However, you must advise us prior to departure of any particular requirements. If you have anything more complicated than a lacto-vegetarian diet, you should consider that in some remote places this could be a considerable problem, and should therefore stock up accordingly.
How much privacy do you get aboard the train?
All of our standard trips are based on 2nd class rail in Russia, generally a 4-berth compartment. You’ll be sharing with any travelling companions who book with you, plus of course any other train passengers. It’s possible to buy yourself more privacy than that with an upgrade to a 1st class (2-berth compartment) BUT these are in very short supply and some trains don’t have them at all. An alternative is a “buyout” of a 4-berth compartment, which could be for one, two, or three travelling companions – prices are available on request.
Are there showers on board?
Most of the long distance trains (24 hours +) on Russian Railways (but not on Mongolian or Chinese) now have a pay-to-use shower. You have to go to the “Special Services” wagon. One use is R50-90 pp (prices are set by the varying train operators). No towel or soap is included in the price so make sure you bring your own!
Will I meet other travellers?
This is very likely – especially in the summer months. There is only one train a week for instance between Mongolia and Beijing, so cramped conditions are inevitable during the last section.
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