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Welcome Aboard!

The Mobile Bay Ferry crosses beautiful Mobile Bay, Alabama and connects SR 193 at Dauphin Island on the west side with SR 180 at Mobile Point on the east. Considered “the Gulf-Coast’s Most Scenic Drive”, the ferry saves travelers hours of driving time plus the high cost of fuel by providing a travel link across the mouth of Mobile Bay.

The trip between Fort Gaines on Dauphin Island and Fort Morgan at Mobile Point provides wonderful views of the two historic forts that have long guarded the entrance of Mobile Bay. The trip takes approximately 40 minutes and is a great way for passengers to view birds, sea life and other boats and ships.

The ferry service utilizes two ferries, the  Fort Morgan  and the  Marissa Mae Nicole  to carry passengers and vehicles across the Bay. At least one ferry operates year-round with both ferries operating during the busy summer months.

Please note:  We will not run the 6:30 PM trip from Dauphin Island or the 7:15 PM trip from Fort Morgan except during Daylight Savings Time.

To see our schedule updates please view our Facebook page here

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The Essential Guide to Ferry Travel

Traveling by ferry is one of the oldest forms of travel. While the logistics have improved over the years, the essence of hopping on a ferry to be transported to your destination hasn’t changed in the past few centuries. 

While airplanes and cars usually transport the bulk of vacationers these days, ferry travel comes with its own set of advantages you can’t find anywhere else. 

Whether you’re considering taking a ferry on your next-day trip, weekend getaway, or summer holiday, this article will help you feel more prepared before you step on the boat. Read on to learn everything you need to know before you make it to the port and how to make the most of your trip once you’re on board. 

How to Plan Your Ferry Trip 

Fortunately, the process is much simpler now if you search with us. On FerryGoGo , you can search for routes based on the country you want to visit, the port you’re leaving from, or the ferry line you want to sail with. It’s a convenient way to find a ferry crossing that suits your travel plans.

You can for instance navigate by different maps on different pages / guides: 

• All ferries in the UK . (a complete overview)
• All (direct) ferries from UK to France .
• Just the Dover-Calais Route .

How far in advance should you book a ferry?

Booking airline tickets well in advance is a prime way to cut travel costs when you’re planning a trip. The same is true when it comes to reserving ferry tickets. If you already know when you'll be traveling, aim to book your ferry ride three to six months in advance. This is usually when you’ll be able to get the best price on your passage fare. 

If possible, the latest you should book your ferry is one month before you plan to travel. Once you get into the days or weeks before your trip, ticket demand usually increases. As a result, prices often increase, as well. This is especially true if you plan to visit a destination during its high tourism season, like the Greek islands during the summer. 

However, if you have a last-minute trip coming up, you may still be able to snag a deal. To do this, though, you’ll probably need to wait until you’re at your destination to reserve your ferry crossing. Sometimes, smaller ferry operators will sell discounted tickets for next-day or day-of passages so they can still turn a profit. 

There’s no guarantee, but it’s worth visiting your ferry line’s main office to ask in person for any last-minute deals they might have. India Amos Tweet

Can I bring my car on the ferry? 

If you’re going on a long holiday, having your own vehicle could add a level of convenience and comfort to your stay in an unfamiliar destination. Some ferries allow you to drive your car onto the boat so it can be safely transported to your destination. If you need your vehicle for your trip, this can be an efficient way to make sure it gets there safely. 

Regardless, remember that bringing your car onto a ferry doesn’t come without a cost. In fact, it can add significant charges to your passage fare. If you plan on spending a few weeks or months at your destination, bringing your car on the ferry  could be cheaper  than renting a car in the city or town where you’ll be staying. 

Before you decide whether to take your car on your trip with you, make sure you find out if it’s possible on your ferry and whether it’s a good financial decision to do so. 

How do I prepare for a ferry trip? 

Now that you’ve booked your ticket, it’s time to get ready for your ferry trip. If this is your first time riding a ferry, there are some basic steps you can take to make sure your voyage is as comfortable as possible. 

1. Figure out the type of ferry you’ll be on. 

Not all ferries are created alike. Bigger vessels are usually ideal for first-time ferry tourists because they absorb more of the motion you would otherwise feel from the waves. Conversely, you’ll probably feel every ebb and flow of the water if you’re on a smaller vessel. 

There are many ways you can  avoid seasickness on a ferry . However, you can reduce your chances of having a rocky ride by booking passage on a larger boat. 

2. Decide if you want to reserve your seat in advance. 

Depending on your ferry route and line, you might have the option of reserving a specific seat on the vessel. Some ferries require you to select a seat assignment when you book your ticket. Other ferries only require it if you choose to purchase a premium or higher-status ticket. In other situations, ferries don’t offer seat selection at all. 

When the option to select a seat assignment is available to you, you may want to take advantage. There are pros and cons to both options. 

On one hand, choosing to forego seat selection can usually save you money. Plus, if you have a ticket on the ferry, you’re guaranteed to get on the boat and travel to your destination. However, you run the risk of having to sit in a noisy part of the ferry. If you’re traveling with friends or family members and aren’t one of the first people on board, there's also a good chance you won't be able to sit with your party. 

On the other hand, selecting your seat assignment in advance can give you peace of mind on your travel day. It usually costs more, but it might be worth it if you loathe feeling rushed or prefer a specific seat on the vessel. For example, if you absolutely want a window seat for your ferry crossing, consider reserving it in advance. 

3. Make sure you have the necessary documents. 

The types of identification you’ll need to bring on the ferry with you depends on where you’re coming from and where you’re going. If you’re going from  Boston to Salem , Massachusetts, for example, you’ll only need to bring your driver’s license or government ID because you’re staying within the United States. 

However, if you want to sail across the Strait of Gibraltar and go from  Spain to Morocco , you’ll need to provide a valid ID. (In 99% of the cases a passport). 

Check with your ferry line to determine the  specific documentation  you’ll need for your voyage. Depending on your trip, you might need: 

• Proof of vaccination. 
• Customs declaration form.
• Printed travel confirmation. 

Make sure to check out our article about the ultimate ferry packing list as well:

What to Wear on a Ferry 

As you get closer to your ferry departure date, it’s important that you consider what you’ll wear on the passage. Many ferries are equipped with AC and heaters so your voyage is comfortable no matter ‘when' you go. 

However, hiccups can occur. To make sure your trip is enjoyable, there are certain items you should wear on the ferry. In general, you should wear: 

• Closed-toed shoes with socks.  This is especially true for longer voyages. You never know if the ship will be cold, so dress accordingly. 
• Layered shirts and jackets.  Temperatures might change on the boat, so you need to be prepared. Dressing in layers will help you be ready for whatever temperature you encounter. 
• Comfortable pants.  When you’re on the ferry, you’ll need to do some walking or standing before you board and then a lot of sitting. Dress so you feel cozy. 

What can I bring on a ferry? 

As you prepare for your upcoming ferry trip, you’re probably wondering how much luggage you can bring with you and what you can pack in your suitcase. If you’re only used to  traveling by airplane , you might be surprised how much more relaxed baggage rules for sea travel can be. 

Generally, ferry luggage size requirements and bag limits vary by the line and voyage type. For longer international trips, you’ll probably be allowed more baggage than if you were going on a local day trip. 

It’s not uncommon for some ferries to allow you to bring an unlimited amount of baggage. However, other lines cap you at one carry-on and two large suitcases. Some might allow you to store it in the boat like a checked bag in an airplane, while others might require you to always keep your luggage with you.  

Avoid confusion on your departure date by confirming this information before you arrive at the port. 

Next, be aware of the types of items you pack in your luggage. Unlike with air travel, you can bring liquids on the ferry with you. Additionally, specific rules regarding the types of weapons or sharp objects you can bring on the ferry vary by country and ferry line. Make sure you check your destination’s government website to determine what you can legally transport into the country. 

How do I board a ferry? 

Now that you’ve made your preparations, it’s time to finally get on the ferry. 

Boarding for an International Ferry Trip

For international passages, the boarding procedure is similar to what you’d experience at the airport. Because of this, plan to arrive at the port at least two hours before your boat is set to sail. There might be unexpected changes to your check-in procedure, so make sure you have enough time to pivot before you board.

You’ll then pass through a check-in counter. Here, you’ll need to show your ticket and identification. If your ferry line allows you to store your luggage under the boat, you might be able to drop it off here. 

Next, you will pass through security. Usually, you’ll need to put your belongings through an X-ray machine. Then, you will need to walk through a metal detector. Unlike at the airport, they probably won’t ask you to remove your shoes. 

Afterward, you will go through immigration. This is where you will show your passport and answer the officer’s questions about your trip. Once you complete this step, you should be able to wait in the port lounge until your boarding number is called. 

Boarding for a Domestic Ferry Trip

 A picture I made from actually boarding my ferry in Greece © FerryGoGo

Since you are traveling in the same country, your arrival process should be shorter. If you’re going on a day trip, you’ll probably only need to go to a check-in counter. There, you’ll show your boarding ticket and identification. Then, they’ll either let you board immediately or wait until it’s your time to get on the boat. 

Make sure you’re on time for your trip. Otherwise, you might get left behind. This could result in your ticket being canceled or the ferry line rebooking you on a later passage. 

Tips for Traveling on a Ferry

Now that you know what to expect for your ferry voyage, here are some additional tips for traveling on a ferry to make your experience even more pleasant. 

• Save money by bringing drinks and snacks with you on board.  Most ferries sell food and beverages on board. However, they’re almost guaranteed to be overpriced. By bringing your own snacks with you, you can eliminate this unnecessary charge on your trip.
• Keep your valuables with you at all times.  This goes for secure documents like your ID or passport, wallet, or phone. Keep them in your purse or in your pocket, and carry them with you wherever you go. 
• Don’t abandon your bags.  It can be tempting to leave your bags near your seat and go out on deck to see the water. Don’t. No matter where you go on the boat, make sure you take your carry-on items with you. 
• Be proactive about
• A picture I made from actually boarding our ferry in Greece
• seasickness.  Feeling nauseous your whole ferry ride is miserable. Make sure you bring medication or supplements to help with motion sickness before you board the ferry. 

If you have any other helpful tips or questions, let me know in the comments! 

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Thanks Ferry Go Go, this article highlights the timeless appeal of ferry travel and offers valuable insights on how to plan a ferry trip. We are a family of 5 and are planning a trip next summer, so this has been very helpful.

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At FerryGoGo, we aim to make ferry travel accessible and straightforward for everyone. By offering practical information on ferry routes, guides, and alternatives, we help you make the best choice for your journey, whether you prioritize comfort or speed. Discover the ferry routes that best suit your preferences and needs with FerryGoGo.

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cruise ship & Ferry To St Petersburg find out how to get to russia's northern capital by sea & visa free

Planning a trip by cruise ship or ferry to St Petersburg, Russia? If so, learn more on your Baltic Cruise with our best insights and recommendations.

In the last few years, travelling by cruise ship or ferry to St Petersburg has become one of the most popular ways to get to Russia. Currently, more than 600,000 passengers come to visit St. Petersburg on a cruise ship because it is fun, easy, and relaxing. And, it can be a romantic idea for a weekend getaway or a great short break destination in summer .

By sea, you can enjoy a wonderful scenery across the Baltic Sea and the Scandinavian coastlines while drinking, eating, and relaxing on the ship, and most importantly, you will be able to enter Russia without a Visa by taking advantage of a little loophole.

Many first-time visitors from the USA and Canada choose to cruise on a big ship liner, while others, mostly Europeans such Germans , prefer to come on a ferry cruise. Naturally, between ferries and cruise liners, there are some differences when it comes to cost, comfort, and onboard service but there are also some tiny travel restrictions on arrival that may limit your visit to the cultural capital of Russia.

Cruise ships tend to be more expensive than Ferries for obvious reasons, but nowadays both are easy ways to travel to Russia thanks to the new law that allows cruise ship passengers to visit the city of St Petersburg without Russian visa for up 72 hours if they meet certain requirements (more on that later).

This magical visit Russia visa free loophole is available only by cruise. It is operated exclusively via the St Peter line ferry onboard Princess Anastasia as well as via several international major cruise liners (see list at the end of the page).

We , Anastasia and I (Davide) , have been travelling by ferry to St Petersburg on several occasions, and we still remember that time when we were chilling out on the deck and looking at the beautiful Baltic Sea and blue Gulf of Finland while passing through the coastlines of Finland and Estonia on the way to Russia . It was amazing! ☺

HOW TO TRAVEL BY FERRY TO ST PETERSBURG

Now let's get into the content of ferry to St Petersburg and see what cruise ship or ferry you should keep an eye on to get here. To get started just click on the links below or scroll down the page. Happy reading!

Quick Links:

Getting to St Petersburg by Sea

Should I go by Ferry or by Ship Cruise?

About St. Peter Line Ferry

Where to Buy Tickets

Good to Know

The Two Passenger Terminals

From the Sea Port to Downtown

Tips and Recommendations

List of Major Cruise Ships

GETTING TO ST PETERSBURG BY SEA

Saint Petersburg , sitting at the eastern end of the Baltic Sea, has been a major port city and an attractive destination for sea travellers since its foundation by Peter the Great . So getting to Russia's Imperial Capital by sea won't be difficult, but just a long pleasant trip.

Today, if you would like to travel by sea you have two options : you can take one of the major international ship cruise lines such as Princess , Norwegian , Royal Caribbean , Holland America , Carnival , Cunard Line , Celebrity , MSC , and so forth. Or you can take the popular St. Peter Line Ferry , the only operator offering both a ferry cruise and a cargo ship directly to Saint Petersburg, Russia .

Alternatively, if you are looking for other options that are not going direct to St. Petersburg, then you could also take a ferry from Stockholm to Helsinki and from Stockholm to Tallinn, including from/to Riga with Tallink & Silja Lines or Viking Cruises . Both are two established European shipping companies offering access to the entire Baltic Sea region with the most modern fleet. From there, you can continue your trip to St Petersburg by bus , by train , or by car .

If you are on a tight budget then you could also try your luck with freight travel . We know that there is a direct ferry to St. Petersburg, Russia from countries such as Germany, Poland, Spain, UK, Belgium, Denmark, Finland, Estonia, and Sweden operated by Finnlines Cargo-Passengers Ships , but we're not sure if they still board passengers, so before you go check the company for yourself.

The most popular routes by ferry or cruise ship from Northern Europe are Helsinki to St. Petersburg, Stockholm to Helsinki and St. Petersburg, or Tallinn to St. Petersburg or Stockholm, and reverse. Instead, all the international ship cruise lines have a route to St. Petersburg, but they include several stops in some European capital cities, and even worldwide, if you board from the USA, China, or Australia for instance.

Speaking of travel time, if you travel by ferry to St Petersburg from the Baltic States it may take from 14hrs to 38hrs , depending on the route chosen. Instead, if you're going with one of the international ship cruises it may take days or even weeks.

SHOULD I GO BY FERRY OR by CRUISE SHIP?

Going on a cruise ship is totally a different travel experience than going on a ferry to St Petersburg. Cruise ships are ships to entertain passengers, and a big cruise ship lasts for 1 or 2 weeks. Ferries, on the other hand, are used to only transport passengers (or cargo) from one point to another and they are cheaper.

If you travel on a big ship cruise , for example, with Princess , Carnival , or Costa cruises , you can make friends on board, relax with all the services provided (sauna, massage, gym, swimming pool, jacuzzi, etc), sleep comfortably, eat delicious food a' la carte, and enjoy the onboard entertainment (shows, night clubs, bars, casino, etc) together with great sea scenery.

On the contrary, if you go on a ferry to St Petersburg, for example, with St. Peter Line Ferry you can relax on the deck and have a meal or drink and enjoy your cruise by watching the Gulf of Finland but don't expect any luxury. The ship is vintage with fake gold handrails, dark maroon carpets, and basic sparse cabins. Based on our research we can tell you that nowadays most people prefer big ship cruises to ferries because they're all-inclusive, very comfortable, and give you the chance to truly unplug and see more cities along the way. However, you should know that between the two ships there is also another difference, which is notable and lies on the Visa loophole .

When you arrive in Saint Petersburg by an international ship cruise in order to go ashore you must book a group tour offered by the cruise company ( This option gives you less freedom of movement unless you book an alternative tour with an authorized local company ). Instead, if you arrive with St. Peter Line in order to leave the ship you must book the mandatory city bus tour along with other things ( This option gives you complete freedom to wander off in the city alone but you may feel disoriented without any guide ).

Personally speaking, for the greatest amount of freedom of movement, it is worth the effort to obtain a Russian Tourist Visa . Today the Visa process is not arduous or slower or costly as it used to be in the past but it is very easy to do it. With a visa, you can freely come and go from the ship as you please without being tied to any guided tour unless you want one, and you can visit other Russian cities.

Lastly, but no less important, the cruise ticket price varie s according to the cabin category and cruise package you choose, the season you are travelling, and the time or date you are planning to leave. Our advice is to plan your trip via ferry to St Petersburg early. And, most importantly, don't forget to book your sightseeing program in the city before you go as you will surely need and should have one regardless of how you come.

about ST. PETER LINE FERRY

If you're thinking to go via ferry to St Petersburg, remember that currently, the only ferry operator working this route is St. Peter Line . The ship sails from Stockholm, Helsinki, and Tallinn directly to St. Petersburg and reverse. Here is a short introduction to the company.

The St. Peter Line is a famous Russian based ferry operator that offers moderate high-class Baltic cruises on Princess Maria and Princess Anastasia ferries, as well as on a regular cargo ship. Today, the company is owned by Moby SPL Limited.

Cargo ship won't be of interest we think, so let's look in more details at the two most popular cruise ferries, Princess Maria and her sister Anastasia , the only options that will bring you directly to St Petersburg Visa-free if you decide to go with them of course. ☺

As far as we know, these ferries were named after daughters of the last Russian tsar, who were murdered by the Bolshevik secret police after the Red Revolution . They both offer a good level of service and entertainment onboard but not similar to those big cruise liners. However, cabins are basic by cruise standards but lavish compared to a ferry. Lucky for you the prices are more like ferries too.

To give you an indication of the prices, a one-way trip starts at €38/$43 in a shared cabin below the car deck, while a two-berth cabin on an upper deck starts at €165/$186 . Alternatively, a B-class private cabin for yourself, both ways, costs around €356/$400 (including the mandatory city bus tour).

Certainly, you could economize your journey by buying a special offer package, sharing a cabin with someone else, or booking a few months early. Just do your research and book in advance!

On the ship you can expect a few cruise-ship features, such as an entertainment lounge, casino, tax-free shop, cinema, sauna, and even a small swimming pool deep in the bowels of the ship.

Not too bad for being a mix of a ferry and cruise, is it? But there is more!

When taking St. Peter Line, you can also benefit from luggage delivery to your cabin, hotel or excursions packages, and you can even bring your pet onboard, at a price obviously. But the best part, the one we suppose why you might choose to go with them, is that if you buy their city bus tour at the same time as you book your ferry trip, you qualify for the 72 hours visa-free rule .

This mandatory city bus tour is actually no more than a shuttle bus that would take you to the city from the port and back to the port. It costs 25Euro per person and set you free up to 72 hours. However, keep in mind that you are not hiring a tour guide but you are buying a shuttle bus ticket only. So, if you need a local guide to tour the city you will need to book one separately.

That said, the difference between the two ships is their sea route.

If you sail with Princess Maria , you will cruise directly from Helsinki to St. Petersburg, and reverse (average time 15 hrs), while if you sail with Princess Anastasia , you will cruise from Stockholm to St. Petersburg or from Tallinn to St. Petersburg, and  reverse (average time 40 hrs).

WHERE TO BUY CRUISE TICKETS

If you're wondering where to buy the ticket for your ferry to St Petersburg you basically have two options: you can ask a travel agency or book online directly through the ferry or ship cruise company.

The best thing to do would be to find the website for the cruise company of your choice, and then see if they provide a ticket reservation service online. Alternatively, you can find a travel agency that represents the cruise company you have chosen and ask them to arrange the tickets for you. Nowadays there are many Baltic tours available and so many travel agencies you can contact, so choose well! 

Remember , by buying online, you can avoid the inflated prices of some tour operators or the travel agent service fees, and you won't need to call or go to the agency. So, online is really the way to go as you can get a better deal while booking comfortably from your home.

To find the best cruise deals you should start looking through some of the most popular cruise search engines such as Expedia , Kayak , CruiseDirect , CruiseCritic , CruiseWatch , to name just a few. However, keep in mind that these cruise websites are actually a cruise line’s own site - since technically, cruise booking websites aren’t allowed to undercut the prices that the cruise lines set.

Our best recommendation when buying your cruise tickets is to keep your schedule flexible. Play around with the dates of sailing to ensure you maximize your visa-free period. ☺

good to know

If you plan a trip by ship or ferry to St Petersburg you must know that to qualify for the Visa-free access you have to meet some requirements, which between the one and the other are slightly different.

So Read on carefully... If you arrive on an international cruise ship in Saint Petersburg, Russia you can go ashore on the condition that you stay no longer than 72 hours , you are accompanied by an authorized tour guide , and stay overnight in the ship . This means that from the moment you leave the ship in the morning (usually about 8 AM) until the moment you return to it (around 5 PM), you will have to follow the arranged schedule and you will not have the opportunity to visit the city or other cities on your own.

Please note that this regulation applies not only if you arrive in Saint Petersburg but also if you arrive from any of the following Russian ports: Anadyr, Arkhangelsk, Kaliningrad, Korsakov, Novorossiysk, Murmansk, Sevastopol, Sochi, Vladivostok, Vyborg, and Zarubino.

On the contrary, if you arrive with St. Peter Line Ferry you can go ashore on the condition that you stay no longer than 72 hours , you book accommodation by yourself ( Hotel , Hostels , or Flat ), and you buy a round-trip ticket with the same company.

In addition to that, you must also book a " City Bus Tour ", which has nothing to do with an organized excursion group but it has the pretense to do so . This way the ferry trip is classified as a cruise ship and you can benefit from this visa loophole.

For your information , the city bus tour through St. Peter Line is actually no more than a shuttle bus that would take you from the port to the city center of St.Petersburg to the St.Isaac’s Square and reverse. As soon as the driver drops you off you're free to go anywhere in the city without a tour guide, free to use public transportation, visit museums , palaces , monuments , theaters , Russian restaurants , shops , etc.

Speaking of the tours, we don't recommend package shore tours provided by the ship cruises because most of the time they offer only expensive standard city tours in large groups with zero flexibility. Instead, if you book a private tour with a local company you are sure to get a better introduction to the city, have fun and see more. Also, you enjoy much more freedom of movement and choice because you can choose what to see and what to do.

We do also recommend booking a private guided tour even if you take advantage of the Visa loophole offered by St Peter Line Ferry because, with only 72 hrs, which effectively is only 2 nights stay and 1 day and half of sightseeing, you will not have enough time to see all the city's main attractions , especially if you plan to tour the city by yourself.

With the help and knowledge of a local guide, you are sure to maximize your cruise to St Petersburg and make your short visit an unforgettable vacation. ☺

THE TWO PASSENGER TERMINALS

If you are wondering where your ship will dock when sailing to St Petersburg you should know that the city has two sea passenger terminals: one for sea passengers and one for river passengers.

If you will be travelling by cruise ship or ferry to St Petersburg , you will dock at the new Sea Passenger Port ( Marine Facade ), while if you will be travelling by ship via the Volga river, then you will dock at the old River Passengers Port ( Rechnoy Vokzal ).

Specifically, the new terminal of Marine Façade is the place where you will arrive when taking a ferry to St Petersburg with St. Peter Line or any other major ship cruise lines such as MSC, Norwegian Star, Queen Elizabeth, and so on (See the full list below).

Built-in 2011 and located in the Harbor of Vasilevsky Island the Sea Terminal Marine Facade comprises a modern building, with a total area of 18,500 square meters and landing-stages capable of taking four ships at once. Inside you will find comfortable and spacious arrival halls, ATM machines with a currency exchange function, cafes, a souvenir shop, post office, duty-free shop, information desk, VIP waiting area, and much more.

Today , the seaport handles more than 200,000 passengers each year and provides ferry connections with the cities of Tallinn, Helsinki, and Stockholm, and also sea trips, excursions, and cruises.

On the contrary, the old River Passenger Terminal Rechnoy Vokzal , welcomes all Russian river cruises travelling on the Volga River between Moscow and St. Petersburg or between Moscow and Kazan, Nizhny Novgorod, Saratov, or Volgograd, including cruises on the river going vessels along the Neva as well to the islands of Valaam and Kizhi (the most beautiful Russian islands located in the Ladoga lake).

FROM THE SEA PORT TO THE DOWNTOWN

If you're planning to go by ferry to St Petersburg, and you hold all the necessary documents  to go ashore ( your boarding card, city bus tour, and passport ), then keep reading the information below, while if you are a cruise passenger skip this paragraph, as you cannot leave the ship on your own.

Upon your arrival in Saint Petersburg, from the Sea Passenger Port Terminal ( Marine Facade ) into the city you can take the Bus № 158 or the Minibus ( Marshrutka ) which goes to metro station Primorskaya (Green line), two stops from the famous Nevsky Prospekt in the city center. When you get off the bus, walk past the many shops and street vendors to get to the metro station.

If you don't like taking the bus or the subway, then you can always arrange a taxi from the information desk at the seaport to go downtown, or much better, you can book a taxi with us before you come. ☺

The price should be less than €13 or $15 for a taxi, while 44Rubles (€0.50/$060) for the Marshrutka . The car trip from the port to the city is 40 Km and takes approximately 20 minutes.

However , if you travel by ferry to St Petersburg with St Peter Ferry Line, once you're outside look for the signs for the City Bus/Shuttle Bus with the Moby/St Peter logo, if you have booked a tour with them. There is a helpful attendant who will guide you to the right bus.

The bus is comfortable with space for luggage storage underneath. The journey into downtown St. Petersburg will take around 40 minutes. You will be dropped off at St Isaac’s Square near the beautiful St. Isaac Cathedral and the oldest Astoria Hotel.

Instead, if you arrive from the River Passenger Terminal ( Rechnoy Vokzal ) to the city you can easily walk to the nearest metro station Proletarskaya (Green line) - it takes about 10 minutes - and from there, take the metro , taxi , or bus to reach the central part of the city.

TIPS AND RECOMMENDATIONS

Below we have summed up what we think is the most important information you need to know to travel by ferry to St Petersburg . Hope you find our tips and recommendations helpful for the planning of your trip to St Petersburg , Russia.

• Remember , if you want to take advantage of the visa-free access you have to options: you can book the guided tour offered by your international cruise ship, or you can book one of the guided tours offered by many other local authorized companies like us.
• Learn more about our St Petersburg shore excursions , or get in touch with us if you need more help or still have some questions about how to travel by ferry to St Petersburg. We can arrange individual, family, and group VISA-FREE customized shore excursions in St. Petersburg, and more. ☺
• For your information, the main cruise lines that visit St. Petersburg are Carnival Corporation & plc, Royal Caribbean, Norwegian Cruise Line, and MSC Cruises.
• The best time to come by ferry to St. Petersburg is in the summer, though the sea navigation starts at the end of April until November.
• You should know that the port authority in St. Petersburg prohibits independent tour operators from entering the port for 90 minutes after a ship docks in St. Petersburg. Instead, guests who booked a tour via the cruise ship will not be delayed and will be given priority disembarkation.
• If you travel by ferry to St Petersburg with St. Peter Line Ferry we recommend buying Priority Exit, which costs 20Euro, and later to pick the line with the Europeans, if you want to get through the Russian immigration faster.
• Remember, to leave the sea terminal and return, you’ll have to make sure you carry your passport and cruise card, including the slip you will be issued by the Russian immigration. Keep that slip safe together with your passport until you depart.
• Give yourself plenty of time to get through immigration, especially if you’re meeting a tour group. Depending on the time of day, it can take up to 45 minutes to get through passport control.
• When going through immigration at the cruise terminal, you must show the mandatory tour pass or confirmation tour voucher along with a passport valid 6 months beyond intended stay. The tour pass is similar to the confirmation tour voucher but is provided by the international cruise ship, which offers direct assistance while on an excursion, insurance, priority disembarkation, and much more. Instead, the confirmation tour voucher is provided by a local authorized tour company like us, which takes care of your excursion in the city, disembarkation, transportation, and your safety.
• After you get through immigration, there’s a fairly large shopping area where you can buy Russian souvenirs , get coffee or a snack at the café, and exchange money.
• Keep in mind that your cruise boarding pass serves as your Visa during your stay in the imperial city. You will NOT get a visa in your passport, you'll simply carry around the boarding cruise pass with you at all times, along with your passport, and of course your Russian travel insurance .
• When you take a ferry to St Petersburg with St. Peter Line bear in mind that if you arrive from outside the Schengen area , you must have a multiple entry Schengen Visa to enter back to Finland after the cruise. See here for more info ! And, if you aren’t on top of your Schengen situation or even know what this refers to, check out also this helpful article .
• You should know that passengers arriving under the Visa-free regime must stay within the territory defined by the pre-paid excursion program. This means you can't visit other towns or cities in Russia! Also, if you arrive in St. Petersburg on a cruise but want to leave Russia by plane, train, or other modes of transportation, then you need to apply for a Russian Visa .
• Remember , in the event you're taking a ferry to St Petersburg from Stockholm, Helsinki or Tallinn with St. Peter Line you don't need to book a hotel if you leave on the same day as your arrival, but you must return in the same way as you came.
• If you miss your cruise ship or ferry to St Petersburg, then you will need a Visa to be able to leave Russia by some alternative means of transportation. Keep in mind that the Russian authorities can take up to 20 days to approve an exit visa, during which time you will have to deal with the costs.
•  We suggest returning to the ship 2 hours before your scheduled ship departure.
• If you go on a ferry to St Petersburg with St. Peter Line you'll need to present at the passport control your hotel confirmation, your return ferry-ticket, and the mandatory city bus tour along with your passport. In the event, you rent a flat (We don't recommend it) an invitation letter is also requested. You can get an invitation letter here!
• From 1st October 2019 , some cruise passengers visiting Saint Petersburg can do so with an e-Visa, available for some nationalities only, to be obtained before boarding the cruise. Alternatively, the current procedure of Visa-free remains in place.
• Remember , the Visa-free program is basically set up so that ferry or cruise passengers book tours and/or accommodation with them. But you should know that booking accommodation elsewhere is fine even if you read somewhere on the official cruise or ferry websites that is not. So don't be afraid to arranged tours with someone else. ☺
• Please note that to take the river cruises on the Volga river is compulsory to process the Russian Visa and obtain a letter of invitation, specifying the main cities in which you will be.
• You might find it interesting to know that in addition to St. Peter Line, it is also possible to go into the city of St. Petersburg or Vyborg without a Visa by traveling from Lappeenranta with the Finnish company Saimaa Travel and purchasing some of their guided tours.
• Finally, keep in mind that if your passport is lost or stolen while you are visiting St. Petersburg, you will not be allowed to return to your ship until you get a new passport through your country’s Embassy or Consulate, so be very careful not to lose your passport.

Happy ferry to St Petersburg, Russia! ☺

list of major cruise ships going to st petersburg

Below you can find a list of the main international cruise liners travelling to St. Petersburg, Russia.

AIDA Cruises (Germany) - Ships: AIDAcara, AIDAdiva, AIDAmar, AIDAprima, AIDAluna.

MSC Cruises (Italy-Switzerland) - Ships: MSC Meraviglia, MSC Poesia.

Costa Cruises (Italy) - Ships: Costa Magica, Costa Pacifica.

Norwegian Cruise Line (USA) - Ships: Norwegian Getaway, Norwegian Pearl, Norwegian Spirit.

P&O Cruises (UK) - Ships: Arcadia, Aurora, Azura.

Olsen Cruise Lines (Norway) - Ships: Balmoral.

Royal Caribbean (Norway) - Ships: Brilliance of the Seas, Serenade of the Seas, Explorer ot the Seas.

Celebrity Cruises (Greece) - Ships: Celebrity Silhouette, Celebrity Reflection.

Cruise & Maritime Voyages (UK) - Ships: Columbus, Magellan, Vasco da Gama.

Marella Cruises – TUI UK (UK) - Ships: Marella Explorer, Mein Schiff 1 NEW, Mein Schiff 3, Mein Schiff 4.

Ocean Cruises (USA) - Ships: Marina.

Holland Amercia Line (USA) - Ships: Nieuw Statendam, Rotterdam.

Cunard Line (USA) - Ships: Queen Victoria, Queen Elizabeth.

Princess Cuises (USA) - Ships: Regal Princess, Sapphire Princess, Pacific Princess.

Saga Cruises (UK) - Ships: Saga Sapphire.

Regent Seven Seas Cruises (USA) - Ships: Seven Seas Explorer.

Viking Ocean Cruises (Switzerland) - Ships: Viking Jupiter, Viking Sky, Viking Sun, Viking Sea.

Pullmantur (Spain) - Ships: Zenith.

Disney Cruise Line (USA) - Ships: Disney Magic.

Seabourn Cruise Line (USA) - Ships: Seabourn Ovation.

Hapag-Lloyd Cruises (Germany) - Ships: Europa 2.

Please note that all these cruise ships listed above arrive at “ Marine Façade ”, the maritime passenger terminal of St. Petersburg located in the western part of Vasilievsky Island. For more information about the seaport please click here .

Hello! We are Davide & Anastasia the founders of st-petersburg-essentialguide.com . ☺

We would like to let you know that apart from writing unique content for our travel website we can also help with the arrangement of your Airport Transfer , Private City Tour , and Russian Visa Support , or anything else you may need during your stay or the planning of your trip to St Petersburg Russia . Just get in touch with us today for more info!

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The Man in Seat 61

Europe to China or Japan by

Trans-siberian railway.

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Train travel UK & Ireland...

Train travel in europe..., train travel in asia..., train travel in africa..., train travel in america..., train travel in australasia, how to travel overland between europe & china or japan....

A journey on the Trans-Siberian Railway should be on everyone's bucket list.  It's safe, comfortable & affordable.  On this page I'll explain the routes, trains, classes, prices, answer your questions, and help you plan & book your trip.  Page last updated March 2022

IMPORTANT UPDATE 2024:   All travel to Russia inadvisable .  All international Trans-Siberian trains between Russia & China have been suspended since February 2020, originally due to Covid-19.  They remain suspended until further notice, although a weekly Irkutsk-Ulan Bator train resumed in late 2022.  All international trains between western Europe & Russia are suspended because of the war with Ukraine and sanctions.  Russian domestic trains are running including Moscow-Vladivostok.  However, the Foreign Office advises against all travel to Russia because of the war, see www.gov.uk/foreign-travel-advice/russia .  I have left this page as was pre-pandemic, but various companies including Real Russia are longer trading.

Trans-Siberian trains, fares, tickets

Connecting trains & ferries

What is the trans-siberian railway.

The Trans-Siberian Railway is just one part of the massive Russian railway network, transporting passengers and freight safely at affordable prices.  It connects the European rail network at one end with either Vladivostok or the Chinese rail network at the other.  Take a look at the route map below to see where the Trans-Siberian Railway goes.  You can use it to travel overland in either direction between London, Paris or anywhere in Europe and China, Japan, Korea or even Southeast Asia...

Interactive map : Trans-Siberian, Trans-Mongolian, Trans-Manchurian

There's also a less well-travelled route to China via Kazakhstan, sometimes known as the Silk Route, for details click here .

An overview of the 3 routes

Moscow to Vladivostok :   Every day, the Rossiya (the Russia, train number 2 eastbound, train 1 westbound) leaves Moscow on its 9,259 km (5,752 mile) journey to Vladivostok, taking 8 nights/7 days.  In addition, 3 times a week you'll also find un-named train 61 westbound & 62 eastbound which link Moscow with Vladivostok with fewer stops in just 7 nights/6 days.  This is almost the longest train ride of them all, 9,259 km or 5,752 miles.  Trains 1/2 & 61/62 have 2nd class 4-berth compartments called kupé , open-plan bunks called platskartny & a restaurant car, see the photos below .  There are no longer any 2-berth spalny vagon sleepers on these trains, at least not at the moment, but if you like you can pay for 4 tickets to get sole occupancy of a 4-berth sleeper for one, two or three people.  These trains now have dynamic pricing, one-way fares from Moscow to Vladivostok start at around 11,500 rubles ($170 or £140) in kupé with a bed in a 4-berth sleeper, more if booked through an agency.  See a brief account of the journey .  There is a weekly ferry from Vladivostok to South Korea & Japan taking 2 nights & 1 day, although this was discontinued in February 2020, it has been resurrected by another company using the same ship, and should start taking passengers when borders reopen after the pandemic.

Two routes to China :   Although the main Trans-Siberian line runs from Moscow to Vladivostok, most western travellers head for China on one of two branches, the Trans-Mongolian line (completed in the 1950s) or the Trans-Manchurian line (built around 1900), see the route map .  There are two direct trains each week between Moscow & Beijing, train 3/4 via Mongolia using Chinese coaches and train 19/20 Vostok via Manchuria using Russian coaches.

Moscow to Beijing via Mongolia :   This is arguably the most interesting Trans-Siberian route to take.  The weekly Trans-Mongolian train (train 4 eastbound, train 3 westbound) leaves Moscow for Beijing every Tuesday night.  The 7,621 km (4,735 mile) journey takes 6 nights.  This train crosses Siberia, cuts across Mongolia and the Gobi desert, then enters China.  Westbound, it leaves Beijing every Wednesday morning.  This train uses Chinese rolling stock and has deluxe 2-berth compartments (with shared shower), 1st class 4-berth compartments & 2nd class 4-berth compartments.  Booked through a local Russian agency, journey costs around $805 or £555 one-way in 2nd class 4-berth or $1130 or £780 in 1st class 2-berth.  See an illustrated account of the journey .

Moscow to Beijing via Manchuria: The weekly Trans-Manchurian train (the Vostok , train 20 eastbound, train 19 westbound, using Russian rolling stock) leaves Moscow on Saturday nights for Beijing via Manchuria, taking just over six days to cover the 8,986km (5,623 miles).  Westbound, it leaves Beijing every Saturday night.  There are 2-berth 1st class compartments (spalny vagon) and 4-berth 2nd class compartments (kupé).  Prices are similar to the Chinese train.

Other Trans-Siberian trains:   These aren't the only Trans-Siberian trains.  Far from it!  Many other trains run over parts of these routes.  There's even a slightly slower Moscow-Vladivostok train, train 100 taking 7 nights instead of 6...  See the Trans-Siberian timetable below .

Planning your trip

1.  when to go eastbound or westbound is it safe.

Yes, the Trans-Siberian is perfectly safe, even for families or solo females.  It's the way Russian families and women travel, after all.

You can go at any time of year as the Trans-Siberian Railway operates all year round.  Naturally, the summer months from May to September have the best weather and the longest daylight hours so are the most popular.  In winter it's easier to get tickets, the trains are warmly heated and the Siberian landscape beautiful in the snow, but the hours of daylight will be shorter and stretching your legs at stations or visiting the cities will be chillier.  In many ways it's the slushy thaw around April that's least attractive. 

On board the trains, Kupé 4-berth sleepers (2nd class) is the usual comfortable choice for most westerners.  2-berth Spalny Vagon (1st class) is now quite rare, but you can pay for 4 tickets in kupé to get sole occupancy or a 4-berth compartment if you like.

You can travel the Trans-Siberian Railway either eastbound or westbound, it's up to you, although eastbound tends to be more popular with westerners, perhaps because going out by rail from your local station and flying back is more romantic than starting your trip with a flight.  On this page I cover both directions, remember that any comments written from an eastbound perspective usually apply westbound too!

See the Trans-Siberian travel tips for more advice & answering all your FAQs .

2.  Decide on your route & final destination

The Trans-Siberian Railway doesn't just go to Vladivostok.  It links Europe with China, Japan, Korea, even Vietnam and South East Asia.  How about  going to Beijing?  Shanghai?  Hong Kong?  Tokyo?  Tibet?  See the Trans-Siberian route map to open your mind to all the possibilities which the Trans-Siberian Railway offers.  You can even reach Hanoi, Saigon, Bangkok or Singapore overland from London.

Vladivostok is an interesting place for a day or two if you're passing through before catching the ferry to Japan or Korea , but probably not worth a 7 day journey from Moscow just for its own sake.  Beijing is a far better choice of destination as it's an absolutely amazing city that's well worth the overland trip from Europe.

The Trans-Mongolian is easily the most interesting of the three routes, even though it means an extra visa, there are superb views of the Gobi desert and a chance to stop off in Mongolia on the way. 

But why end your trip in Beijing?  Shanghai or Xian are just a few hours high-speed train ride away.  There are trains from Beijing to Hong Kong . How about Japan?  There are ferries from Shanghai to Osaka .  There's even a twice-weekly direct train from Beijing to Hanoi in Vietnam taking 2 nights, 1 day ( see the Vietnam page ), then you can take daily trains to Saigon, a bus to Phnom Penh and on to Bangkok, then a train to Malaysia & Singapore, see the Cambodia & Thailand pages.

3.  Do you want to stop off?

You cannot buy an open ticket and hop on and off, as the Trans-Siberian is an all-reserved long-distance railway where everyone gets their own sleeping-berth and every ticket comes printed with a specific date, train number, car & berth number.  However, you can easily arrange stopovers along the way using a separate ticket for each train, easily pre-booked especially if you use the Trans-Siberian Trip Planner .

The varied scenery and camaraderie on board the direct Moscow-Beijing trains makes non-stop travel on these trains an enjoyable option and maximises your time in China.  On the other hand, travelling to Vladivostok non-stop in 7 days can be tedious (I should know) and it's better the break up the journey and see something of Siberia.  And even if you're heading for China, there's lots worth stopping off for on the way if you have time.

The obvious stopovers are Irkutsk in Siberia for Lake Baikal and Ulan Bator in Mongolia, for a side trip into the Gobi desert.  If you have more time, Ekaterinberg & Ulan Ude are also worth a stop.

To help decide where to stop off, buy a copy of Bryn Thomas' excellent Trans-Siberian Handbook , with journey planning information, town guides, the history of the line, and best of all, a mile-by-mile guide to the sights you can see from the train, which really helps you get the most from the trip. The Lonely Planet Trans-Siberian Railways guide is also good.

Most western travellers pre-book all their tickets, but if you have lots of time and are determined to stay flexible and buy tickets at stations as you go, read this section about buying tickets at the station .

4.  Plan your Trans-Siberian trains

There is no such train as the Trans-Siberian Express but a whole range of trains across Siberia, including countless Russian domestic trains plus a handful of direct international trains to Mongolia and China.  Plan your trains using the Trans-Siberian timetable below or the Trans-Siberian trip planner .  Within Russia, there are both faster quality trains & slower cheaper trains, it's your call which you take.

So for example, if you chose to travel from Moscow to Beijing straight through without stopovers, you'd obviously book one of the weekly direct Moscow-Beijing trains, trains 4 or 20.  But if, say, you wanted to go from Moscow to Beijing with stopovers at Irkutsk and Ulan Bator, you might first take any regular daily Russian domestic train from Moscow to Irkutsk, and it might be nice to ride the Moscow-Vladivostok Rossiya for this bit unless a cheaper ticket for a slower lower-quality train better suited your budget.  Then you might take train 6 from Irkutsk to Ulan Bator 4 times a week, as this is easier to get berths on and more frequent than waiting for weekly train 4.  Then you might pick up trains 4 or 24 from Ulan Bator to Beijing.  Browse the Trans-Siberian timetable or use the Trans-Siberian trip planner .

5.  How much will it cost?  How long does it take?

To give you a rough idea, the cheapest trip put together yourself would include a Moscow-Beijing 2nd class train ticket from around £442 or $590, plus a London-Moscow train ticket for around £200.  You'll also need at least 1 night in a hotel in Moscow, and of course you need to budget for visas for Russia, China and possibly Mongolia and Belarus, plus travel insurance .  But it all depends on what you want to do, and how economically or luxuriously you want to travel.

Fares are shown in the fares section below , although what you actually pay depends on how you buy your tickets as the various booking agencies add differing mark-ups.  You can use the Real Russia Trans-Siberian trip planner to get a good idea of cost including stopovers.

In terms of time, London to Beijing with a one day stopover in Moscow takes around 10 days, London to Beijing with 2-days in Irkutsk and 3 days in Ulan Bator in Mongolia would take 15 days.  London to Tokyo or Hanoi with stopovers in Moscow and Vladivostok takes about 14 days.  You could reach Bangkok in around 20 days.  But where and how long you stop off is up to you.  I suggest sketching out an itinerary and budget using the method explained on the How to plan an itinerary & budget page .

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Booking your trip

Step 1, buy your trans-siberian train tickets.

When you have planned your journey, the first thing to arrange are your Trans-Siberian train tickets.  There are several ways to buy tickets, some cheaper but more effort, others easier but more expensive.  See the how to buy tickets section below for an explanation of all the options, but I'd recommend the Real Russia Trans-Siberian trip planner as arguably the best compromise between cheapness & simplicity for arranging your tickets.

Step 2, book connecting trains, ferries & flights

After booking your Trans-Siberian train ticket, book any onward trains within China , the Beijing-Hanoi (Vietnam) train , a China-Japan ferry , the Vladivostok-Japan ferry or a ferry to South Korea .  You may also need to book a one-way flight if you are going one way by train, the other by air.

Step 3, book your hotels

To find & book hotels in Moscow, Beijing, Vladivostok or in cities along the way, I usually use www.booking.com , as you can usually book their hotels with free cancellation, so you can safely book your accommodation as soon as you decide on your travel dates without any risk of losing money, before confirming your train tickets or visas.  Any hotel with a review score over 8.0 will usually be great.

Step 4, arrange your visas

Once you have booked the Trans-Sib train, you need to arrange your visas.  You can apply for a visa for Russia 6 months or less before your date of entry, although for other countries it's usually 3 months or less.  See the visa section below for details of how to do this .

Step 5, book your train from London to Moscow

Finally, arrange travel from London to Moscow to connect with the Trans-Siberian, see the London to Russia page .  You can also travel to Moscow by direct sleeping-car from Paris, Berlin, Vienna, Prague, Helsinki and many other places, to find train times, use int.bahn.de .  Bookings for European trains typically open 3 months before departure, you can't book until reservations open, so do this bit last.

Step 6, don't forget insurance

Remember to take out travel insurance, ideally immediately after you've booked the first part of the trip, as cancellation cover starts as soon as you buy the insurance.  You might also want to get a VPN for safe browsing on public WiFi during your travels, and perhaps a Curve card to save on exchange rates & foreign transaction fees.  See the section on insurance, Curve card & VPNs .

Don't fly to Moscow!

Flying to Moscow to pick up the Trans-Siberian Railway is like entering a marathon and then accepting a lift in someone's car for the first hundred yards...  Don't cheat!  If you're going to go overland to the Far East, do it properly, starting at London St Pancras and staying firmly on the ground.  It's easy to travel from London to Moscow by train, click here for train times, fares & how to buy tickets .  How about starting your Trans-Siberian trip with Eurostar from London to Paris and then a ride on the excellent Paris-Moscow Express ?  

What are the trains like ?

The Trans-Siberian Railway is a regular railway, a means of transport vital to the people living along it.  It's not run for tourists, so you won't find bar cars with pianos or deluxe suites with en suite showers (although one or two tourist cruise trains now operate on the Trans-Siberian from time to time, details here ).  However, all passengers get a proper flat berth to sleep in, provided with all necessary bedding, convertible to a seat for day use.  There are washrooms and toilets along the corridor, and a restaurant car for meals.  Whichever train you take, the Trans-Siberian is a safe and comfortable way to reach China and the Far East.  You'll find more details about food, showers & toilets in the Travel tips & FAQ section .

A request:  If you get any good current interior or exterior photos to illustrate trains 1/2, 3/4, 5/6, 56, 61/62, 305/306, 23/24, please let me know !

Trains 1 & 2, the Moscow to Vladivostok Rossiya

The famous Rossiya (the Russia) runs from Moscow to Vladivostok every day all year round, 9,259 km (5,752 miles) in 8 nights.  It has 2nd class 4-berth 2nd sleepers (called kupé ), 3rd class open-plan sleeper bunks (called platskartny ) and a restaurant car.  There are no longer any 1st class 2-berth sleepers (called SV or spalny vagon ), at least not at the moment, but you can pay for 4 tickets in kupé to get sole occupancy of a 4-berth compartment for 1, 2 or 3 people.

It's a very comfortable train, re-equipped with the latest air-conditioned sleeping-cars in July 2020 featuring power sockets & USB ports for every passenger, a mini-combination safe for valuables for each passenger and a hot shower in each car.  The bunks convert to seats for daytime use.  There are toilets & washrooms at the end of the corridor, room for luggage under the lower berths and above the door to the corridor.  Compartment doors lock securely from the inside.  The new cars are shown here:  www.tvz.ru/catalog/passenger/item_detail.php?ELEMENT_ID=1374 .

Changes in July 2020:   Train 1/2 Rossiya has always been the fastest train between Moscow & Vladivostok, taking 7 nights.  Until July 2020 it only ran every two days and there was a second slower train between Moscow & Vladivostok, train 99/100 leaving every day, making around 70 more station stops than the Rossiya and taking 8 nights.  Train 99/100 was gradually re-equipped with the very latest cars, and from 9 July 2020 this slower train 99/100 was renumbered 1/2 and became the Rossiya, whilst the former faster train 1/2 was renumbered 61/62.

So travellers now have a choice between riding the famous Rossiya , train 1 westbound & train 2 eastbound with daily departures and the latest rolling stock, but taking 8 nights, or riding nameless train 61/62 running only 3 days a week with slightly older rolling stock, but with 70 fewer stops, taking only 7 nights from Moscow to Vladivostok and saving a whole day & night.  Personally, I'd take the Rossiya , for the name as well as the hot shower in every car!

The photos below show the Rossiya pre-July 2020, courtesy of Yves Goovaerts, David Smith, Nicholas Stone & Hilary Onno.  It's possible that this rolling stock is now used on train 61/62, whilst even newer stock is used on train 1/2 Rossiya.

What's the journey to Vladivostok like ?

The Man in Seat 61 says:   "A journey from Moscow to Vladivostok on the Rossiya was a totally different experience from a previous journey from Moscow to Beijing on train 4.  Travelling to Japan via Vladivostok, my 1st class 2-berth car was comfortable, spotlessly clean and even air-conditioned.  I usually ate in the restaurant car, and by the end of the trip Mischa in the kitchen would have my ham & eggs in the frying pan for breakfast as soon as I appeared in the restaurant.  In contrast to the vibrant international community on board train 4 to Beijing, on train 2 I was the sole Westerner aboard until Irkutsk.  And also unlike the Moscow-Beijing train where almost everyone is making the complete journey, very few passengers on the Rossiya are going all the way to Vladivostok.  The Rossiya is used for all sorts of shorter intermediate journeys, with Russians getting on and off at every station.  I had a compartment all to myself on leaving Moscow, then shared it with a professional Russian ice hockey player from Yaroslavl to Perm, on his way to trial for the team there.  His place was taken by a Russian lady from Yekaterinburg to Irkutsk who said very little.  In Irkutsk two professors from Alabama joined the train and became my meal companions in the restaurant.  The train stops several times a day, usually only for 10-20 minutes, but you can stretch your legs and take photographs.  Arrival in Vladivostok was a full two minutes ahead of schedule, seven days after leaving Moscow. The ocean terminal is adjacent to the station, but you may need to spend a night in Vladivostok to be sure of a safe connection.  Vladivostok is an interesting city, and a day or two spent there will not be wasted.  Overall, the Moscow-Vladivostok route is 7 days of Siberia on a train with few fellow westerners and indeed few Russians making the whole trip.  This makes for a much less interesting journey that the Moscow-Mongolia-Beijing train, and one that it would be good to break up with stopovers rather than make in one go. "

Trains 3 & 4, the Moscow to Beijing Trans-Mongolian Express

Trains 3 (westbound) and 4 (eastbound) link Moscow & Beijing once a week all year round, taking the shorter and most interesting route via Mongolia and the Gobi desert, 4,735 miles in 6 nights.  The train is Chinese, and has Chinese carriage attendants.  Using the correct Chinese terminology it has deluxe soft sleepers (2-berth), soft sleepers (4-berth) and hard sleepers (also 4-berth).  Most westerners are content to use the fairly comfortable & economical 4-berth hard sleepers, which are essentially the equivalent of 4-berth kupé on the Russian trains.  The 4-berth soft sleepers are not worth the extra money as they are virtually identical to the 4-berth hard sleepers, just slightly larger, though not so as you'd notice without getting your tape measure out.  However, the 2-berth deluxe soft sleepers are definitely worth the extra cash if you can get one, as they have upper & lower berths and an armchair in one corner, a small table and access to a compact en suite washroom with shower head shared with the adjacent compartment, see the deluxe sleeper photo here .  Don't expect too much of the shower head though!  There are both western and squat toilets at the end of each car, along with washrooms.  A Russian restaurant car is attached whilst the train is in Russia, a Mongolian one in Mongolia and a Chinese one whilst it is in China, see food details here .

What's a journey to Beijing like?   Click here for an illustrated account...

How to avoid confusion over classes...   Remember that this train is Chinese, not Russian.  Deluxe soft sleeper , soft sleeper & hard sleeper are usually translated for westerners as 1st class 2-berth, 1st class 4-berth & 2nd class 4-berth, certainly by agencies at the Chinese end.  In my opinion that's an appropriate translation as the Chinese 4-berth hard sleepers are equivalent to 4-berth kupé sleepers on Russian trains, and so can safely be thought of as 2nd class, not 3rd.  However, some Russian agencies including the reliable Real Russia booking system translate the deluxe soft sleeper , soft sleeper & hard sleeper on this Chinese train as 1st, 2nd and 3rd class, where 2nd class means a 1st class 4-berth soft sleeper that's not worth the extra money and 3rd class means a comfortable 4-berth hard sleeper which is more accurately thought of as 2nd class and which I would recommend for most budget travellers.  I hope that's clear!  Oh, and train 4, train 004, train 004Z (or in Cyrillic, what is often mistaken for 0043) are all the same train, train 4...

Train 5 & 6 Moscow - Ulan Bator

Train 5 westbound, train 6 eastbound, uses modern air-conditioned Mongolian Railways (MTZ) sleeping-cars, newly-delivered in 2017.  It has 4-berth kupé (2nd class) compartments and spalny vagon (1st class) 2-berth compartments.  These new Mongolian cars have similar interiors to the cars on train 1 & 2 Rossiya .  A Russian restaurant car is attached whilst in Russia.

Trains 19 & 20 Vostok , the Trans-Manchurian train between Moscow & Beijing

Train 19 westbound, train 20 eastbound, the Vostok is the Russian train linking Moscow and Beijing once a week.  It by-passes Mongolia, crossing directly from Russia into China via the older and slightly longer route through Manchuria, 8,986km (5,623 miles) in 7 nights.  The name Vostok simply means 'East'.  The Vostok was given a makeover in 2012-2013, and the photos below show the new red and grey colour scheme and smart refurbished interior.  The train has Russian-style 2-berth & 4-berth sleepers, and a restaurant car - a Russian restaurant when in Russia and a Chinese one when in China.  There are power sockets for laptops, cameras or mobiles in every compartment.  Unlike the Chinese 2-berth sleepers on train 3/4, the Russian 1st class 2-berths on this train are of the Russian spalny vagon type with two lower berths, think of it as a 4-berth with the upper berths removed, but no washbasin or adjacent washroom, as in the 4-berth sleepers there are toilets and washrooms at the end of the corridor.  For an account of this journey, see Angie Bradshaw's blog here .

Trans-Siberian train times

Here is a summary of all the most important trains on the Trans-Siberian Railway.  Make sure you read the notes!  The times shown are departure times unless it says otherwise, at most stations you can assume the arrival time will be 5 to 15 minutes before departure.  There are other slower trains not shown here, simply use the Real Russia online system here to find train times for all possible trains, or to confirm these times.

All times shown below are local time...  Russian trains used to run to Moscow time whilst in Russia, even if local time was 7 hours ahead of Moscow.  However, but RZD Russian Railways ended this century-old practice from August 2018 and now use local time in all their timetables and booking systems.

Fun with time zones...   Russia made Daylight Saving Time (DST) permanent in 2011 making Moscow GMT+4 all year round but in 2014 they changed their minds and abolished it altogether, so Moscow is now GMT+3 all year round.  So China is now permanently 5 hours ahead of Moscow as they too have no DST.  Mongolia was also permanently 5 hours ahead of Moscow and on the same time as Beijing, until the Mongolians changed their minds and reintroduced DST in March 2015 making them GMT+8 (Moscow +5, Beijing+0) in winter but GMT+9 (Moscow+6, Beijing+1) in summer.  But in 2017 they've changed their minds again and have once more abolished DST so Mongolia is now GMT+8 or Moscow time +5 all year round.  Until someone changes their mind again, of course.

IMPORTANT UPDATE 2024:  The timetable below is the pre-pandemic, pre-war-in-Ukraine timetable, for information only.

Eastbound timetable

* Mongolia reintroduced Daylight Saving Time in March 2015.  The times with an asterisk will therefore be approx one hour later from late March to late September.

** Moscow-Beijing is 7,622 km (4,735 miles) via Ulan Bator or 8,986 km (5,623 miles) via Harbin.    Map of Moscow showing Yaroslavsky station

Time zones:   Moscow time is GMT+3 all year.  Mongolia is GMT+8 from late September to late March or GMT+9 from late March to late September.  China is GMT+8 all year.  Mongolia re-introduced daylight saving time in 2015, whilst Russia made DST permanent in 2011 then abolished it in 2014.  Do keep up!

Trains stop for only 1 or 2 minutes at small stations, but 15-50 minutes at major stations, long enough to stretch your legs.

Note A:   Rossiya .  High-quality train, see here for photos & more information .  Runs daily (increased from running every 2 days from 9 July 2020).  Uses the latest air-conditioned cars with a hot shower in every car, 2nd class 4-berth kupé sleepers, 3rd class platskartny berths & restaurant car.  There are now no 1st class 2-berth spalny vagon sleepers, but you can pay for 4 tickets to have sole occupancy of a 4-berth compartment for 1-3 passengers.

Note B:   Moscow-Beijing Trans-Mongolian express , see here for photos & information & see here for an illustrated account of the journey .  Leaves Moscow every Tuesday eastbound, leaves Beijing every Wednesday westbound.  Operated with Chinese coaches & staff.  1st class 2-berth, 1st class 4-berth, 2nd class 4-berth.  Russian restaurant car whilst in Russia, Mongolian restaurant in Mongolia, Chinese restaurant in China.  Note that if you're trying to buy a ticket from Ulan Bator to Beijing, berths on train 4 can only be booked within 24h of departure from Ulan Bator, so you'll find it much easier to use train 24 instead.  Train 4 can be shown online variously as train 4, train 004, train 004Z or with a Russian letter Z as a suffix so it looks like train 0043.  They all mean train 4.  And similarly for train 3.

Note C:   Train 6 runs from Moscow on most Wednesdays, train 5 runs from Ulan Bator on most Fridays.  It has modern Mongolian Railways spalny vagon (1st class) 2-berth   sleepers and kupé (2nd class) 4-berth sleepers.  A restaurant car is attached in Mongolia & in Russia.  It runs every week between late May & late September, but only on alternate weeks off-season, check departure dates using the Real Russia online system .  See here for photos & more information

Note D:   Vostok .  Moscow-Beijing trans-Manchurian express.  Leaves Moscow every Saturday.  Westbound, leaves Beijing every Saturday.  Operates with Russian coaches & staff.  2-berth spalny vagon, 4-berth kupé.  There is a Russian restaurant car whilst in Russia and a Chinese restaurant car in China.  From December 2017 it runs in the similar timings to the Rossiya between Moscow & Ulan Ude and when running days of both trains coincide it will be coupled to the Rossiya .

Note E:   Runs daily.  Fast high-quality train with spalny vagon 2-berth sleepers, kupé  4-berth sleepers, platskartny (open-plan bunks) between St Petersburg & Ekaterinberg.  The St Petersburg-Irkutsk Baikal was discontinued in 2013.  Train 71/72 is now the principal direct link between St Petersburg & Siberia unless you go via Moscow.

Note F:   Train 61/62 is a faster, but un-named alternative to the Rossiya , taking 7 nights rather than the Rossiya's 8, but only running 3 times a week and using slightly older rolling sock, probably that formerly used by the Rossiya pre-2020.  The carriages are still modern and air-conditioned, but without a shower in every car, for example.  Train 61/62 has 2-berth spalny vagon , 4-berth kupé, open-plan platskartny bunks and a restaurant car.

Note G:   Train 305/306 runs 3 times a week, check dates using the online system .  It has 4-berth kupé sleepers on all departures, but only the Monday & Friday departures from Irkutsk have 2-berth spalny vagon sleepers.  The Mongolians claim all 3 departures per week have spalny vagon in the other direction, but I suspect the Monday departure from UB may not have 2-berth spalny vagon if the Wednesday departure in the other direction doesn't.  The Mon & Fri departures from Irkutsk and the Tues & Sat departures from UB use older non-air-con Russian cars, the Wednesday departure from Irkutsk & the Monday departure from UB use Mongolian cars.  All together, trains 3/4, 5/6 & 305/306 link Irkutsk & Ulan Bator 4 or 5 times a week.  There's no restaurant car so bring your own provisions.

Note H:   Runs once a week all year, twice a week in summer.  This train is operated by the Mongolian Railways one year and Chinese Railways the next year, switching over each year at the end of May when the days of operation also change.  Assuming the pattern continues, this is how it should work...

From May 2017 to May 2018 and from May 2019 to May 2020 , Chinese Railways run the main all-year-round service with train 23 from Beijing to Ulan Bator running every Tuesday, train 24 from Ulan Bator to Beijing running every Thursday.  The Mongolians then run an additional weekly departure in summer from late June to early September, train 24 Ulan Bator to Beijing also running on Saturdays, train 23 Beijing to Ulan Bator also running on Mondays. 

From May 2018 to May 2019 , Mongolian Railways run the main all-year-round service with train 23 from Beijing to Ulan Bator running every Saturday, train 24 from Ulan Bator to Beijing running every Thursday.  The Chinese then run an additional weekly departure in summer from late June to early September, train 24 Ulan Bator to Beijing running additionally on Fridays, train 23 Beijing to Ulan Bator running additionally on Tuesdays.

The Chinese train has deluxe soft sleeper (2-berth), soft sleeper (4-berth) & hard sleeper (4-berth).  The Mongolian train has spalny vagon (1st class 2-berth) & kupé (2nd class 4-berth). 

Note that's it's much easier to buy a ticket from Ulan Bator to Beijing on train 24 than to get a berth on train 4 coming through from Moscow.  There are alternative, less convenient but more frequent ways to get from Ulan Bator to Beijing, with changes of train, click here for details .

Trains 3/4, 5/6 & 19/20 between Moscow, Ulan Bator & Beijing are mainly for passengers making international journeys e.g. Moscow to Beijing, Irkutsk to Beijing or Moscow to Ulan Bator) although they may offer berths for domestic Russian journeys.  But if you want to stop off at Ekaterinberg or Irkutsk for example, you would normally take a Russian internal train between Moscow, Ekaterinberg & Irkutsk such as the Rossiya or train 100 as these run more frequently.

Westbound timetable

For trains between Moscow and London, Paris, Amsterdam, Berlin or Warsaw, see the London to Russia page .

For trains within China between Beijing and Shanghai, Hong Kong, Tibet, Xian or the Great wall at Badaling, see the Train travel in China page .

For the trains between Beijing and Hanoi in Vietnam, see the Vietnam page .

For the weekly ferry linking Vladivostok with South Korea & Japan, see the information below .

For ferries between China and Japan, see the ferries section on the China page .

For ferries between China and Korea, see the South Korea page .

Alternative transport between Ulan Bator & Beijing, if you can't get a berth on trains 3/4 or 23/24

If you're trying to do the Trans-Mongolian route flexibly, buying tickets as you go, this is relatively easy between Moscow & Ulan Bator as there are a whole range of domestic trains every day between Moscow, Irkutsk & Ulan Ude and you'll usually find places available even on the day of travel, even if not always on your first choice of class or train.  There's then a daily train between Irkutsk or Ulan Ude and Ulan Bator, although only one carriage of this train goes through to/from Ulan Bator, but there's often places available at short notice.

The real pinch-point is between Ulan Bator and Beijing where there are just two or three direct trains per week.  And one of those is train 4 coming through from Moscow on which only limited berths are available for passengers joining at UB and these are only released for sale 24 hours before departure from UB.  However, there are alternative Mongolian domestic trains between Ulan Bator and the Chinese border, so you're very unlikely to be stranded.  Here are the alternative trains, which are not shown in the timetable above:

Southbound:  Ulan Bator to the Chinese border & onwards to Beijing:   (1)  There is a daily overnight sleeper train (number 276) from Ulan Bator to Zamin Uud on the Mongolian side of the Chinese border, just 10km from the Chinese border post at Erlian.  It leaves Ulan Bator at 17:20 and arrives Dzamin Uud at 07:07 next morning, the fare in a soft sleeper is around 40,000 Mongolian Tugrik ($22).  (2) Local buses or taxis are available to Erlian - a taxi will cost around 40-50 RMB, about $7.  (3) There is then at least one daily train from Erlian to Jining South (Jining Nan) taking 6h50, fare for a hard seat around $7.  (4) There are then various daily trains from Jining South to Beijing, journey between 5h00 and 9h30 depending on the train, fare about $12 for a hard seat.  You can check train times for China using the planner at www.chinahighlights.com .

Northbound:  Beijing to the Chinese border for a train to Ulan Bator:   (1) Take one of the various daily trains from Beijing to Jining South (= Jining Nan), journey 5h00-9h30 depending on the train, fare in a hard seat around $12, you can find train times using the planner at www.chinahighlights.com .  (2) Then use www.chinahighlights.com again to find a train between Jining South and Erlian, there's at least one per day taking 6h50, fare for a hard seat around $7.  (3) Erlian is the Chinese border post, so you'll need to take local transport such as a local taxi the 10km or so across the border to Dzamin Uud on the Mongolian side.  (4) From Dzamin Uud, train 275 runs to UB daily leaving Dzamin Uud at 18:20 and arriving Ulan Bator at 08:55 next morning.  The fare in a soft sleeper is around 40,000 Mongolian Tugrik ($22).

Alternatively, on Mondays & Fridays, a hard class sleeper train (train 34) leaves Ulan Bator at 20:50 arriving Jining South (Jining Nan) around 19:00 next day - the train's final destination is Hohhot.  There are then several daily trains from Jining Nan to Beijing, journey 9 hours, fare about $7 with soft class seat.  www.chinahighlights.com/china-trains will confirm train times for any journey within China, just be aware that trains 3, 4, 23, 24 aren't daily.

On Thursdays & Sundays, a hard class sleeper train (train 22) leaves Ulan Bator at 20:50 for Erlian, just on the Chinese side of the border, arriving next morning.  There are daily trains from Erlian to Jining Nan (Jining South) then a number of daily trains from Jining Nan to Beijing.  Use www.chinahighlights.com/china-trains to find trains within China.

You can check current times for all these Mongolian trains - international and domestic - using the Mongolian Railways website ubtz.mn - English button top right.  If you have more information on these alternative UB-Beijing journey, please e-mail me !

How much does it cost?

In a nutshell....

As little as £492 or $686 buys you a one-way train ticket from Moscow to Beijing on train 4 including a bed in a 4-berth sleeper, pre-booked through a reliable agency such as Real Russia .  For almost 5,000 miles of travel, a bed for 6 nights and a memorable world-class travel experience, that's a bargain!  If you want a bed in a 2-bed sleeper, make that around £787 or $1,097.

Moscow-Vladivostok is an even greater bargain, 7 or 8 nights and 9,000km from as little as 14,500 rubles, about $210 or £170 with a bed in a shared 4-berth sleeper.  You can buy 4 tickets to get sole occupancy of a whole 4-berth compartment for 1, 2 or 3 of you.

If you want to stop off at places on the way, that increases the ticket price a bit, but not hugely.

Add train tickets from London to Moscow for around £250 and you're all set for an epic journey from the UK to China.

You should budget for at least one night in a hotel in Moscow, £40 upwards depending on how classy a hotel you want.

Don't forget visas.  This could add £140-£240 depending on which visas you need.  Russia, China, possibly Mongolia & Belarus.

The full story...

First, a reality check.  People expect me to tell them 'the fare' between Moscow and Vladivostok or Beijing.  It ain't like that!  True, the Russian have a set international tariff for trains to China, which may or may not be the same as the Chinese Railways international tariff for journeys westbound to Russia.  But the direct international trains often leave fully-booked, at least in summer, so you usually have to buy through an agency, and these agencies know that demand exceeds supply and resell tickets with whatever mark-up or added fees the market will bear.  So you have to shop around for quotes, rather than expecting to pay the official price.  And then there are both international and domestic tariffs.  So if you're stopping off in Russia, the fare for a domestic train will be different from the international rate, and will vary significantly by time of year and how high-quality the train in question is.  It's a bit of a black art, but I'll guide you through the jungle...

The good news is that a Trans-Siberian journey needn't be expensive if you travel independently rather than with an inclusive tour.  It's a real railway with regular fares, not an expensive tourist attraction.  But what you pay varies significantly depending on:

Which class you choose .  Most western travellers go 2nd class 4-berth (kupé).  1st class 2-berth (spalny vagon ) is nice if you can afford it, but twice the price of kupé so only worth it if money is no object.  3rd class (platskartny open-plan bunks) is a bit basic for most western travellers and not available on every train, but some adventurous low-budget travellers go for it.

Which train quality you choose :  For journeys wholly within Russia, you can travel on a firmeny fast quality train (recommended) such as train 2 Rossiya or a slow unnamed lower-quality train such as trains 240, 340 or 100 which have cheaper fares.  As a general rule, low train numbers are quality trains, slower low-quality trains have three-digit train numbers.  When you contact an agency, make sure you know what specific train number you're being quoted a fare for so you compare like with like.

Whether you travel independently (cheaper) or book an all-inclusive tour (more expensive).

How you buy :  If travelling independently, you can buy your ticket through a Russian travel agency like Real Russia (cheaper, recommended, easy to use with English language after-sales service), or a western travel agency (more expensive), or book direct with Russian Railways at rzd.ru (fiddly, but works and accepts most people's credit cards) or at the ticket office (cheapest, but not always practical if you need to be sure of being on a certain train on a certain date).

If booking through an agency, which agency you use .  Demand for the two weekly Moscow-Beijing trains exceeds supply, Russian Railways sells off tickets to travel agencies before bookings open to the public, and these agencies sell tickets to tourists for whatever price they can get for them.  So you need to shop around!

Some quality trains such as the Rossiya offer tickets with or without 'services'.  'With services' just means that one or more cooked meals is included in the price, either served in your compartment or eaten in the restaurant car, like the meal shown in these photos .  A number shows the number of meals you get on the whole trip.  It might just be one meal, even on a 7-day journey!  Other meals you'll need to pay for in the restaurant, or bring your own supplies.

Prices if you buy tickets at the ticket office in Moscow

Here are typical fares charged by Russian Railways, taken from the Russian Railways website www.rzd.ru .  In the search results, 2-cl sleeping compt. = kupé 4-berth.  3-cl sleeping = platskartny .  Russian fares for key trains now dynamic, so vary according to demand like air fares.  www.rzd.ru also lets you buy Russian domestic train tickets online, but not tickets for the international trains to Mongolia or China, and it may struggle with some overseas credit cards.

With or without services?   On the best trains you can buy tickets without services meaning without any meals, or with services meaning with some meals included, either served in the restaurant or in your compartment.   On the Real Russia booking system , a knife & fork logo with a number against that class (with a У1, У4, and so on appearing if you hover over it) in the class column indicates a 'with services' price where the number shows the number of meals provided.  On www.rzd.ru a 'with services' carriage is shown with a У1, У4 and so on against it in the category column - no 'У' and no number means without services .  Don't get too excited:  On the Moscow-Vladivostok Rossiya a 'with services' ticket means you get just one meal, even on a 7 day trip!

Prices if you buy tickets from Real Russia or other Russian agency

Unless you have lots of time and can afford to take pot luck when you get to Moscow, you should book your trains in advance.  Most westerners buy tickets through a travel agency, either a local Russian one such as the excellent Real Russia or other reputable Russian agencies (recommended) or a specialist western agency (sometimes less hassle, but significantly more expensive).  Different agencies charge completely different prices for the same journey, so shop around for the best deal.  However, to give you a rough idea, here are the prices charged by Real Russia, including their agency mark-up.  'Shopping around' means emailing each agency for a specific quote, not just looking at their website, as some agencies don't update their sites when prices rise - and Russian & Chinese railways have imposed some big fare rises in recent years.  When emailing an agency, be specific about which train you want, and remember to ask about their delivery charges & credit card fees.  I've seen websites quote very competitive prices for (say) Moscow-Irkutsk which turn out to be for a low-quality slow train, and the price they charge for a quality train such as the Rossiya is much higher and less competitive.  When you get quotes, make sure you compare like with like!  And some agencies charge credit card fees of up to 12% on top of their advertised fares (Real Russia charge 2.5%), so make sure the quote explains these.  How to buy tickets from Russian travel agencies .

Where did I get these fares?  How can you check current fares & fares for other journeys?  See the Real Russia Trans-Siberian trip planner .

Prices if you buy tickets from a western travel agency

There are various western agencies who specialise in Trans-Siberian travel.  They can sell you a package tour or arrange a tailor-made tour for you, but they can also sell just a train ticket if you like.  Their prices vary enormously, so shop around.  With higher overheads to support, a western agency will charge much more than a local Russian agency.  More about arranging your trip through a western tour agency .

Prices if you buy at the ticket office in Ulan Bator

Ulan Bator to Irkutsk costs around 109,500 togrog ($54) in 4-berth soft sleeper on train 263 or 137,500 togrog in 4-berth soft sleeper on train 5.

Ulan Bator to Beijing costs around 178,050 togrog (about $90) in a 4-bed sleeper on train 24.

More about buying tickets in Ulan Bator

Prices if you buy tickets in Beijing or from www.chinahighlights.com

You can buy tickets in person at Beijing main station or via the Chinese state tourist agency CITS, or arguably most easily online from reliable China-based agency www.chinahighlights.com/china-trains with ticket delivery to any hotel or address in China, Hong Kong or Macau.  see the full story below about how to buy westbound tickets from Beijing .

Check Trans-Siberian train times & prices online

Use www.realrussia.co.uk/Trains to check train times & prices and buy tickets for any individual train on the Trans-Siberian Railway.

How to buy tickets

There are several ways to book a trip on the Trans-Siberian Railway, each with advantages & disadvantages:

Option 1 : Buy tickets at the station

Is buying tickets at the station a practical proposition.

If you have a definite itinerary and limited time, and want to be sure of confirmed reservations, you should go straight to option 2 below to pre-book your tickets in advance through a reputable agency.  However, if you have lots of time, want to stay free and flexible, and are willing to take pot luck on what places you find available, it is indeed possible to buy your tickets at stations as you go along, at least for journeys wholly within Russia.  It's not usually difficult to get a ticket for a Russian internal journey a day or two before departure, for example Moscow-Ekaterinberg, Moscow-Irkutsk or even Moscow-Vladivostok, assuming you can be flexible about your exact departure date, time and class of travel.  The daily Irkutsk-Ulan Bator train is not too difficult to book at the ticket office, either.

But for travel between Russia and Mongolia or China, here's a reality check:  Demand exceeds supply for the two weekly Moscow-Beijing Trans-Mongolian & Trans-Manchurian trains (trains 4 & 20), also the weekly Moscow-Ulan Bator train (train 6), at least in the busy May-September peak summer season.  Russian Railways opens bookings 60 days before departure, and Russian travel agencies buy up all the tickets to resell them at a mark-up.  Station staff might tell you that these trains are all sold out even if you went to the station soon after bookings opened to the public, although you may be able to buy tickets if you called one of the agencies.  If you want to use these trains, you should pre-book through an agency as shown in option 2 or 3 below .  Ulan Bator to Beijing is also a pinch-point, as there are only 2 trains a week, so this too is best booked in advance through an agency.

How to buy tickets in Moscow & Russia

How to buy tickets in ulan bator.

You can buy tickets in Ulan Bator at the international booking office which is now located on the 2nd floor of the building next to the station, see station & ticket office location map .

The office is open 08:00-20:00 Monday-Friday.  At weekends use the normal booking windows.  Credit cards are not accepted, but there is an ATM on the first floor of the building.

International trains to Irkutsk, Moscow and Beijing can be booked up to 30 days in advance, except for berths on the Moscow-Beijing and Beijing-Moscow trains 3/4, on which berths for passengers joining at UB are only sold 24 hours before departure. 

If you are travelling to Beijing and find trains 4 & 24 fully-booked, don't worry, there are alternative trains from Ulan Bator to northern China, where you can change trains for Beijing, and indeed a daily overnight train from Ulan Bator to Dzamin Uud on the Chinese border from where you can easily reach Beijing any day of the week, see here for details of these alternatives .

How to buy tickets in Beijing

You can buy westbound Trans-Siberian tickets in Beijing at one of the designated reservation offices, although not at any of Beijing's stations.  The two weekly Beijing-Moscow trains often get booked up well in advance, so buy tickets as far ahead as you can.  However, don't despair if you need to travel in the near future, as it's not impossible to get tickets from Beijing to Moscow a week or two ahead, certainly outside peak season.  Westbound trains are generally easier to get berths on than eastbound trains, and it's easier finding a place in winter than in the May-September peak season.  Train 3 to Moscow via Mongolia is often fully booked a couple of weeks in advance especially in summer, although it can be easier to get a berth on train 19 via Manchuria, which occasionally has berths available even a few days before departure, but obviously not always!  So the basic message is this:  If you positively have to be on a specific train on a specific date, forget booking at the ticket office, you should pre-book via CITS or some other agency and pay their extra fee.  But if you're living in Beijing, or plan to be there for some time before leaving, and can be a bit flexible about exactly what date you leave, booking in person can be an option.  You can buy Trans-Siberian train tickets in Beijing at:

The CITS international train booking office on the ground floor of the Beijing International Hotel .  This is about 5 minutes walk north of Beijing railway station on Jianguo Men Nei Dajie, see location map .  It's open 09:00-12:00 & 13:30-17:00 Monday-Friday, 09:00-12:00 on weekends and holidays.  It's not well-signed, but simply go through the hotel's main entrance and turn left, looking for a passageway at the far left side if the reception desks.  It's unlikely to be crowded.  The staff speak basic English and leaflets are available with international train times & fares in English.  See the section above for fares. 

Alternatively, try BTG Travel & Tours who have various agency offices around the city.

You cannot buy Trans-Siberian tickets at Beijing stations.

Option 2: Buy tickets using the Real Russia Trans-Siberian planner

Most western travellers want their Trans-Siberian reservations confirmed in advance before they leave home.  The best option is to buy tickets over the internet through a reputable local agency such as Real Russia, www.realrussia.co.uk .  Real Russia have developed an online trip planner that makes planning a Trans-Siberian journey & ordering tickets easy, eastbound or westbound, with or without stopovers.  In terms of price, simplicity & a sound reputation for customer care, they're one of the best agencies.  The company was started by a Brit with links to Russia, hence the .co.uk.  The prices shown on the Real Russia system are the Russian railways price plus a mark-up (all agencies mark up the base price).  Their system is linked to the actual Russian Railways database for train times, prices & availability, orders are fulfilled manually when made online, with good English-language after-sales service if you need it.

Option 3:  Other agencies who can arrange Trans-Siberian tickets

For journeys within or starting in russia, use a russian agency.

Real Russia is one of several reputable Russian agencies who can arrange Trans-Siberian train tickets, here are the best of the rest... 

Svezhy Veter ( www.svezhyveter.ru )

Way to russia ( www.waytorussia.net ), ost west ( www.ostwest.com ).

These agencies may keep their own waiting lists and will take Trans-Siberian bookings months ahead, well before the 60 day point when they can buy up the actual ticket, so contact a booking agency as far ahead as you can. 

All these agencies have been recommended by Seat61 correspondents and are all reputable, although further feedback is always welcome.  Booking through one of these Russian agencies is much cheaper than booking through a western travel agency , but prices vary enormously from agency to agency, so shop around.  Make sure that you compare like with like, so any quote you get is inclusive of credit card fees, and you know whether it's for a slow low-quality train (3-digit train numbers) or one of the fast quality trains such as the Rossiya (one or two-digit train numbers & usually a name).

Tickets can be picked up at their offices in Moscow or sent to you for a courier fee.  Some agencies (but not Real Russia) may ask you to fax them a photocopy of your credit card and/or passport, which sounds dodgy, but is not unusual when dealing with Russian companies.  Be prepared for a 7%-12% credit card fee (Real Russia charge only 2.5%), but using a credit card is still a safer way to buy tickets than using a money transfer.  These Russian agencies can also book hotels in Moscow and other Russian cities, and they can arrange a visa support letter for Russia (or use the recommended visa service at www.realrussia.co.uk ).

For booking trains 3/4, 5/6 & 19/20 on the Trans-Mongolian and Trans-Manchurian routes, it helps to know how the system works:  Russian Railways open up bookings for these trains 60 days before departure.  Knowing that demand for these trains exceeds supply, Russian agencies buy up blocks of tickets, leaving few or none for sale at the ticket office.  The agencies then re-sell these tickets for whatever price they can get, which may bear no relation to the face value of the ticket.  Trans-Mongolian train number 4 is particularly popular, and 1st class deluxe 2-berth on this train can sell out very quickly indeed, with more travel agencies trying to fulfil orders from rich privacy-loving westerners for deluxe berths than there are deluxe berths on the train.  So these particular trains should be booked well in advance.  You'll sometimes be told by one agency says the train is full, but another agency has speculatively bought a block of tickets and has some left, or knows a rival agency that it can buy tickets from.  So once again, the message is shop around !

Most of these agencies can also book journeys starting in China or Ulan Bator through their contacts in those countries, but as these contacts also take a 'cut' you'll usually find it cheaper to book journeys starting in Beijing direct with CITS as described below.

Remember that an agency cannot 100% confirm your reservation until Russian Railways opens reservations, 60 days ahead.  However, travel agencies will take your booking (and money) several months ahead as they keep their own internal waiting lists for the most popular trains such as the Moscow-Beijing Trans-Mongolian & Trans-Manchurian trains.  They will make your reservation with Russian Railways the moment bookings open, 60 days ahead.  99.9% of the time there's no problem, but very occasionally there are more tourists wanting berths than there are berths, especially for the deluxe 2-berth 1st class on Trans-Mongolian trains 3/4 as this is very popular with rich shower-loving westerners.  If you're trying for the deluxe 1st class, tell your agency in advance that you'll accept a 1st or 2nd class 4-berth ticket (or that you're willing to pay for dual occupancy of a 4-berth compartment) if the deluxe 2-berth is sold out.

For journeys starting in Beijing , use www.chinahighlights.com/china-trains

To book Trans-Siberian trains which start in Beijing, whether you want a ticket all the way to Moscow or only as far as Ulan Bator or Irkutsk, one of the best agencies to use is  is www.chinahighlights.com/china-trains .  Their online system makes booking easier than with most other agencies including CITS, especially if there's any doubt about what days your train runs, you can pay by credit card, they are reliable and get good reports.  They charge in US$ with a $20-$60 service fee and will deliver tickets to any hotel or private address in mainland China, Hong Kong or Macau.  By all means shop around, but their prices are usually pretty competitive even compared to CITS, for example Beijing to Moscow on train 3 for $569 in a 2nd class (hard class) 4-bed sleeper.  Chinahighlights can only arrange tickets starting in China, so if you wanted to stop off in Irkutsk for example, you'd need to buy the onward Irkutsk to Moscow ticket from Real Russia or a Russian agency .  Feedback is always appreciated.

...or China International Travel Service (CITS)

CITS are the official Chinese state tourist agency, and they're usually one of the cheapest ways to buy westbound Trans-Sib tickets from Beijing.  You can book trains from Beijing to Moscow, Irkutsk or Ulan Bator by emailing [email protected] or by calling CITS on + 86 10 6522 2991, lines open Monday-Friday 09:00-17:00 GMT+8.  The CITS website is www.cits.net , direct link www.cits.net/china-tour/trans-siberian-trains .  Expect to pay by bank transfer rather than credit card.  Reports suggest they can't book Beijing-Irkutsk tickets on train 3, only Beijing-Krasnoyarsk and beyond, so by all means ask for Beijing-Irkutsk, but be prepared to accept an offer of a Beijing-Krasnoyarsk ticket and simply get off in Irkutsk (though their website shows Beijing-Irkutsk fares!).  As with most other Chinese agencies CITS can only arrange tickets starting in China, so if for example you wanted to stop off in Irkutsk, you'd need to buy the onward Irkutsk to Moscow ticket from Real Russia or a Russian agency .  Further feedback on the CITS booking situation would be welcome.

...or Monkeyshrine

Monkey Shrine ( www.monkeyshrine.com ) is an experienced China-based tour agency who can arrange a tailor-made itinerary with stop-overs and hotels along the way, plus help with visas.  Monkeyshrine offer a good service, but are naturally more expensive than booking it all yourself via CITS or Chinatripadvisor.  A key advantage is being able to arrange onward tickets, not just tickets starting in Beijing, and to arrange hotels or tours along the way.  They charge €649 (about $850) for a one-way Beijing to Moscow ticket in 4-berth on train 3.

For journeys starting in Ulan Bator, use a Mongolian agency...

To reserve tickets starting in Ulan Bator from outside Mongolia, try www.traintomongolia.com or www.mongoliatraintickets.com , two competing Mongolian train travel agencies that have both been recommended by seat61 correspondents. 

Alternatively, contact a local hotel, guesthouse or travel agency in Ulan Bator for example, www.discovermongolia.mn or www.legendtour.ru .  If these approaches fail you can use the Real Russia online system or contact one of the Russian agencies as most have contacts in Mongolia who can arrange tickets starting in Ulan Bator.

Option 4:  Buy online at www.rzd .ru

You can now buy Russian train tickets online using the RZD (Russian Railways) website www.rzd.ru , with no fees or mark-up.  You usually print your own ticket.  It now has an English version.  It's a bit fiddly and not as user-friendly as Real Russia, but it does work if you persevere.  It accepts some overseas credit cards, but can struggle with others.  It sells all Russian domestic tickets including Russian domestic Trans-Siberian trains, also some international trains, but it cannot sell eastbound tickets from Ulan Bator to Beijing or westbound tickets from Beijing or Ulan Bator into Russia.  Rzd.ru may reject some US-issued cards.

Option 5:  Let a specialist western agency arrange your whole trip

The most hassle-free way of arranging a Trans-Siberian trip, but the most expensive, is to arrange a tailor-made itinerary through one of the western travel agencies who specialise in independent travel to Russia.  There are various agencies in the UK, USA, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, and so on.  They can arrange your Russian visa, your hotel in Moscow, your Trans-Siberian train reservation, stop-overs and tours if you want them in places like Irkutsk or Mongolia, connecting trains in China and even the ship to Japan.  You can go in either direction, as they can make all the necessary arrangements through contacts in each country.  Here are some top agencies to contact for a quote...

How to arrange tickets for connecting trains & ferries

Train tickets london - moscow.

Alternatively, you can book westbound train tickets from Moscow to many European cities from a Russian agency such as the four agencies listed in option 4 above, though the final Eurostar leg to London will need to be booked separately online.  See the London to Russia page for train information from Moscow to London.

T rain tickets Beijing - Shanghai, Xian, Hong Kong, Vietnam

Ferry tickets vladivostok - korea - japan, ferry tickets between china & korea or japan, if you want a one-way flight.

How to arrange visas

After sorting out your Trans-Siberian tickets, you need to get your visas.

How to arrange a Russian visa

How to arrange a belarus transit visa, how to arrange a mongolian visa, how to arrange a chinese visa, travel tips & faq, when should you go.

The Trans-Siberian Railway runs all year round, so you can go at any time of year.  May to September are the peak months for foreign tourists, with the warmest weather and the longest hours of daylight.  This makes booking a specific date more difficult (you need to book well ahead) but you might like the party atmosphere amongst like-minded travellers on Moscow-Beijing trains 4 and 20.  On the other hand, Siberia in winter is a sight to see - the trains are well heated, warm and cosy, you'll just need to wrap up well when you get off for a stroll at station stops!  Traveller Rebecca Day reports from a February trip from Ulan Bator to Moscow:  "The train was really warm and comfortable.  For the outside I had snow boots, a jumper and a long wool coat, and this was fine most of the time. The temperature drops significantly once the sun goes down, but as long as I was wearing a hat and gloves I felt warm. I also brought a North Face down filled body warmer which was like a heater in itself! I ended up not wearing this most of the time, but it packs up really small and I'd probably bring it again if I were travelling in winter."

Should you travel 1st or 2nd class?

On the Russian internal trains there are normally 3 classes:  Spalny vagon 2-berth compartments, often described as 1st class (and sometimes called myagky or lyux );  kupé 4-berth compartments, usually described as 2nd class;  and platskartny open-plan dormitory cars, sometimes described as 3rd class.  The Russian Trans-Manchurian train (trains 19 & 20) only has spalny vagon 2-berth and kupé 4-berth, there's no platskartny.  Kupé is the way most travellers go, and can be considered the normal class of travel.  Spalny vagon gives you much more privacy, with 2 people instead of 4 in the same size compartment, but it costs twice as much.  The choice is yours.  Platskartny is a bit rough for most western travellers, but some budget-minded backpackers enjoy it.  The Chinese Trans-Mongolian train (trains 3 & 4) has 1st class deluxe 2-berth, 1st class 4-berth and 2nd class 4-berth.  1st class deluxe 2-berth is expensive but worth the extra if you can afford it as it has two beds, an armchair, and a private washroom with showerhead shared with the next door compartment.  It gets booked out very quickly!  However, 1st class 4-berth on train 3/4 is virtually identical to 2nd class 4-berth (see for yourself in the photo gallery !) and is probably not worth the extra.

What do you do on a train for 6 or 7 days?

This is the question most people ask.  Well, you put your feet up and relax.  You read, watch the scenery, look out for the sights listed on your Trans-Siberian Handbook, go to meals in the restaurant car, sleep in your own comfortable bed at night, meet people, talk, play chess, drink tea, drink vodka, get off at station stops and take photographs....  The Moscow-Mongolia-Beijing route is arguably the most interesting because of both the people on board and the sights and scenery on the way.  You are unlikely to be bored - the time just goes!

Is not speaking Russian a problem?

What about food .

All the main Trans-Siberian trains have a restaurant car, a Russian one when in Russia, a Mongolian one in Mongolia and a Chinese one in China.  Few people go to Russia for the cuisine, but contrary to what you might have heard, Russian restaurant car food is quite edible and not expensive.  The prices shown here are from 2013, further feedback is always appreciated.

Russian restaurant cars:   A soup (chicken or meat borsht) costs around 350 rubles (£7.50 or $12), a main course of steak or fish with rice or potatoes costs around 480 roubles (£11 or $17).  Don't expect an extensive menu or everything shown on the menu to be available!  Typical meals include ham and fried eggs for breakfast, schnitzel and potatoes for lunch or dinner, with soups and salads for starters.  The restaurant car also sells beer, Russian champagne and (of course) vodka, chocolate and snacks.  You can pay in rubles, although they may also accept euro or dollar notes.  See sample menu .

Mongolian dining-cars usually offer rice and mutton, and they accept euros, US dollars, Russian Rubles & Chinese RMB as well as Mongolian currency.  Fried rice costs RMB 40  (£4 or $6), a beer RMB 10 (£1 or $1.50).  See sample menu .

Chinese dining cars have a selection of excellent Chinese dishes, each for around RMB 15-20 (£1.50-£2 or $2-$3), but check if your ticket includes meals on the Chinese section of route, as it's reported that some tickets do.  A beer costs around RMB 10 (£1 or $1.50).

If you don't want to buy food & drink from the restaurant car, you can also buy food from the many vendors or kiosks on station platforms when the train stops.  But don't venture far from the train, as stops aren't long.

What about security?  Is it safe for families or women travelling alone?

Do the trains have power sockets & wifi.

Suddenly, no westerner can travel anywhere without a whole array of electrical gadgets, cameras, PDAs, iPods and mobile phones that need charging.  The situation varies by train.  All Russian, Mongolian & Chinese trains have shaver sockets in the corridor and washrooms which can be used to recharge things with the right adaptor.  Some trains have one or two similar sockets in the corridor that can be used to recharge things if you keep an eye on them.  The very latest Russian trains including train 1/2 Rossiya and Trans-Manchurian train 19/20 have a power socket in each compartment for charging laptops, mobile phones or digital cameras, although train 3/4 doesn't.  Your carriage attendant may be willing to charge items using the socket in their own compartment, for a small tip.

Your default assumption should be that there's no WiFi on Trans-Siberian trains, although you'll find WiFi in hotels and other public places along the route.  If you plan to use WiFi, consider getting a VPN .  There's data reception along much of the route, so contact your mobile network provider about data packages for Russia, Mongolia and China.

Toilets & showers

Do trans-siberian trains run on time, can you stop off on the way, can you take a car, bike or motorcycle, is this the longest train ride in the world  no.  well...  sort of..., a brief history of the trans-siberian railway.

In the late 19th century, Japan, Britain and America all managed to gain footholds on the Chinese coast as bases for their trade with China and the Orient.  Russia too needed to secure her foothold on the east as well as securing the vast expanses of Siberia, so in 1891 Tsar Alexander III approved a plan for a trans-continental line linking Moscow and St Petersburg with Vladivostok on the Pacific coast, as this was the only year-round ice-free port on Russian territory.  

A railway had been built as far as Ekaterinberg as early as 1878, and this was steadily extended Eastwards.  Omsk was reached in 1894, Irkutsk and Lake Baikal in 1898.  The Trans-Siberian Railway finally reached Vladivostok in 1901, but for several years passengers had to cross Lake Baikal by ice-breaking ferry to connect with a second train on the other side - only in 1904 was the line around Lake Baikal completed and the whole journey from Moscow to Vladivostok possible on a single train.  Until 1916, the eastern end of the journey involved cutting across China, over part of what is now the Trans-Manchurian route - you can see how the Trans-Manchurian line initially heads towards Vladivostok on the Trans-Siberian route map above.  The Russians secured the right to build and maintain this route across China thanks to a treaty signed after they made a generous loan to China to help them pay off their debts to Japan.  From 1916, the complete journey could be made from Moscow to Vladivostok within Russia, taking the route followed by today's 'Rossiya' and skirting the Chinese border to the north via Khabarovsk.  The Trans-Mongolian line is a relatively recent addition to the Trans-Siberian network - construction started in 1940, it reached Ulan Bator in 1949, and it was completed into China by 1956.

The Trans-Siberian Railway today...

The best resource for further information about the Trans-Siberian Railway is www.transsib.ru/Eng/ .

Trans-Siberian web resources

These sites are very useful in planning a Trans-Siberian train journey:

www.transsib.ru/Eng/   - the Trans-Siberian web encyclopaedia.

www.trans-siberia.com - an independent site, based on a traveller's experiences.

www.myazcomputerguy.com/everbrite/Page9   - excellent advice from Ruth Imershein, an experienced and regular traveller to Russia.

http://trans-siberian-railway-encyclopedia.com

Across Siberia by luxury train

If cost isn't an issue, you can ride the Trans-Siberian Railway in luxury with deluxe accommodation and 3-course meals with stopovers & tours included, using one of these two of privately-run deluxe cruise trains.  Expect fares of quite a few thousand pounds per person!

Golden Eagle cruise train:  Moscow - Mongolia - Vladivostok in 15 days

The luxurious Golden Eagle links Moscow with Vladivostok roughly once a month May to August, with a side trip to Mongolia. 

The Golden Eagle is sold by a number of travel agencies who can put together accommodation and travel to and from Moscow by train or air.  Here are two reliable agencies well worth contacting:

Railbookers - for trips on the Golden Eagle

Railbookers is a train travel specialist who can arrange train travel from the UK to Moscow, a trip on the luxury Golden Eagle train from Moscow to Vladivostok or Moscow to Beijing, and flights back to the UK.  A 15-night trips costs from around £5,300 from Moscow to Beijing or £9,700 from Moscow to Vladivostok, excluding flights, visas and travel to Moscow.

  UK call 0207 864 4600, www.railbookers.co.uk .

  us call free 1-888-829-4775, www.railbookers.com .,   canada call free 1-855-882-2910, www.railbookers.com .,   australia call toll-free 1300 971 526, www.railbookers.com.au .,   new zealand call toll-free 0800 000 554 or see website ., lernidee cruise train:  moscow - mongolia - beijing in 15/16 days.

Roughly once a month May to September, this luxury train links Moscow with China in either direction, with stopover & tours included on a 15 or 16 day itinerary.  It can also be used for shorter sections.  You can book this train direct with the operator at www.transsiberian-travel.com or through Railbookers (UK 0207 864 4600, US/Canada toll-free 1-888-829-4775, Australia toll-free 1300 971 526 .

Vladivostok to Korea & Japan by ferry

Ferry m/v eastern dream.

Update late 2022:   The time-honoured weekly ferry run by Russia's Far East Shipping Company (FESCO) fell victim to the recession in late 2009.  A new company called DBS started a year-round weekly ferry from Vladivostok to South Korea & Japan that same year using a modern ship called the Eastern Dream .  Unfortunately, DBS suspended this ferry in November 2019 and discontinued it in February 2020.  A new company called Duwon Shipping then chartered the Eastern Dream and it started sailing again between Vladivostok, South Korea & Japan, although only carrying freight due to the pandemic.  The service was suspended again in February 2021, but in 2022 it's operating again, only between Vladivostok and South Korea, not Japan.  Please contact them to check the latest situation.

If you find you are unable to travel to Korea or Japan using this ferry from Vladivostok, you can of course take the Trans-Siberian Railway to Beijing and take a ferry from China to Japan or South Korea .

Eastbound : Vladivostok ► Pohang (South Korea) ► Maizuru (Japan)

If & when running, the ferry sails from Vladivostok on Tuesdays, arriving Pohang Port (South Korea, just north of Busan) on Wednesdays, and Maizuru Port (in Japan, on the north coast opposite Kyoto) on Thursdays.  Exact sailing times are not known.

When DBS ran this service there was a departure tax to pay from Vladivostok, around 560 roubles, which wasn't mentioned anywhere on their website, so don't let this come as a surprise.

Westbound : Maizuru (Japan) ► Pohang (South Korea) ► Vladivostok

If & when running, the ferry sails from Maizuru Port (in Japan, on the north coast opposite Kyoto) on Thursdays, sailing from Pohang Port (in South Korea, just north of Busan) Saturdays, arriving Vladivostok on Sundays.

When DBS ran this service, the cheapest fare from Vladivostok to Japan or vice versa is US$235 one-way or $435 return, that's in economy class with a berth in a shared open-plan sleeping area.   Sharing a 2-berth cabin the fare rises to $485 one-way or $825.  Deluxe suites also available.  New fares under Duwon Shipping are not yet known.

How to buy ferry tickets

Due to the covid-19 pandemic, the ferry is not currently taking passengers.  However, their website is www.dwship.co.kr   and their email [email protected] .

On board the m/v Eastern Dream

There are a range of comfortable cabins on board, a restaurant, shop and bar.  You can spend Yen, Won, or US$ on board, but definitely not roubles .  The ship remains on Vladivostok time until 22:00, then the clocks are put back 2 hours to Korean/Japanese time.

Traveller's reports

Traveller Matthew Woodward reports (from when the ferry was run by DBS):   "I travelled on the ship in December 2014, and at this time of the year the published timetable was quite different from normal. There was no crossing at all the week before (owing to Christmas), and on my dates the ship stopped overnight in Donghae, allowing a night to be spent in South Korea. The cabins on board are quite expensive for what they are. I would recommend the third class dormitories which seemed more comfortable than the more expensive but rather claustrophobic second class 8 berth cabins (very hot). The ship has a good bar which serves snack food and a restaurant that serves a Korean buffet (buy tickets from the Purser's office). Do try the Korean "pizza" and the local rice wine drink called "Makgeolli" served in the bar. The ferry terminals in Vladivostok and Donghae are good and have shops selling food, hard currency and souvenirs. Rules were enforced when leaving Donghae that prohibited carrying even pocket penknives onto the ship. The gangplank is a narrow and steep climb, but the ship's crew will happily carry your luggage up for you if you ask."  See Mathew's illustrated blog about the Eastern Dream at www.matthew-woodward.com/2014/12/kings-of-the-wild-frontier.html .

Recommended guidebooks

Trans-siberian railway guides - buy at amazon.co.uk.

Bryn Thomas' excellent Trans-Siberian Handbook has journey planning information, town guides, train information, the history of the line, and most importantly, a mile-by-mile guide to the sights you can see from the train, to help you get the most from your trip.  The Lonely Planet guide to the Trans-Siberian Railway is also highly recommended.  Buying one or both of these Trans-Siberian guidebooks is well worth it, both for planning your trip and on the go.

Or buy from Amazon.com in the USA .

General country guidebooks - click the images to buy online

You should also take a good general guidebook for the countries you are visiting, and perhaps a Russian phrasebook, too.  I think the Lonely Planets and Rough Guides are about the best ones out there for the serious independent traveller, with plenty of historical and cultural background as well as stacks of practical information on accommodation, places to eat, things to see, visas, transport, dangers and annoyances.  You won't regret buying any of these..!  If you buy anything at Amazon through these links, Seat61 gets a small commission which helps support the site.

Hotels & accommodation

Book a hotel in moscow, siberian cities or beijing..., tripadvisor hotel reviews....

www.tripadvisor.com is a good place to find independent travellers' reviews of the main hotels.  It also has the low-down on all the sights & attractions too.

Backpacker hostels...

www.hostelworld.com :  If you're on a budget, don't forget the backpacker hostels.  Hostelworld has online booking of cheap private rooms or dorm beds in backpacker hostels in most Indian cities at rock-bottom prices.

Travel insurance & other tips

Always take out travel insurance.

Never travel overseas without travel insurance from a reliable insurer, with at least £1m or preferably £5m medical cover.  It should also cover cancellation and loss of cash and belongings, up to a sensible limit.  An annual multi-trip policy is usually cheaper than several single-trip policies even for just 2 or 3 trips a year, I have an annual policy with Staysure.co.uk myself.  Here are some suggested insurers.  Seat61 gets a small commission if you buy through these links.

Get an eSIM with mobile data package

Don't rely on WiFi, download an eSIM with a mobile data package for the country you're visiting and stay connected.  Most newer mobile phones can download a virtual SIM card so you don't need to buy a physical SIM, including iPhone 11 & later, see device compatibility list .  Maya.net is a reliable eSIM data retailer with a 4.5 out of 5 Trustpilot rating and a range of packages including unlimited data .

Get a Curve card for foreign travel

Most banks give you a poor exchange rate, then add a foreign transaction fee on top.  A Curve MasterCard means no foreign transaction fees and gives you the mid-market exchange rate, at least up to a certain limit, £500 per month at time of writing.  The money you spend on your Curve card goes straight onto one of your existing debit or credit cards.

How it works:   1. Download the Curve app for iPhone or Android .  2. Enter your details & they'll send you a Curve MasterCard - they send to the UK and most European addresses.  3. Link your existing credit & debit cards to the app, you can link up to two cards with the free version of Curve, I link my normal debit card and my normal credit card.  4. Now use the Curve MasterCard to buy things online or in person or take cash from ATMs, exactly like a normal MasterCard. Curve does the currency conversion and puts the balance in your own currency onto whichever debit or credit card is currently selected in the Curve app.  You can even change your mind about which card it goes onto, within 14 days of the transaction.

I have a Curve Blue card myself, it means I can buy a coffee on a foreign station on a card without being stung by fees and lousy exchange rates, just by tapping the Curve card on their card reader.  The money goes through Curve to my normal debit card and is taken directly from my account (in fact I have the Curve card set up as payment card on Apple Pay on my iPhone, so can double-click my phone, let it do Face ID then tap the reader with the phone - even easier than digging a card out).  I get a little commission if you sign up to Curve, but I recommend it here because I think it's great.  See details, download the app and get a Curve card , they'll give you £5 cashback through that link.

Get a VPN for safe browsing.  W hy you need a VPN

When you're travelling you often use free WiFi in public places which may not be secure.  A VPN encrypts your connection so it's always secure, even on unsecured WiFi.  It also means you can select the geographic location of the IP address you browse with, to get around geoblocking which a surprising number of websites apply.  See VPNs & why you need one explained .  ExpressVPN is a best buy with a 4.7 out of 5 Trustpilot ranking which I use myself - I've signed up as an ExpressVPN affiliate, and if you go with expressvpn.com using the links on this page, you should see a special deal, 3 months free with an annual subscription.  I get a small commission to help support this site.

Carry an Anker powerbank

Tickets, reservations, vaccination records and Interrail or Eurail passes are often held digitally on your mobile phone, so it's vital to keep it charged.  I always carry an Anker powerbank which can recharge my phone several times over if I can't get to a power outlet.  Buy from Amazon.co.uk or from buy from Amazon.com .

Explore Russia Visa Free by Ferry from Helsinki: St. Petersburg - Moscow - 5 days (VF-01)

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The Russian Odyssey

An extended 'South to North' view of Russia from Astrakhan to St. Petersburg through Moscow.

Explore Moscow, St. Petersburg and Russia’s Golden Ring in greater depth. Stay at gorgeous Four Seasons hotels. Enjoy special access to iconic cultural sites.

Lower Volga

Treat yourself to an unforgettable experience cruising the Volga river from Moscow to Astrakhan. The tour includes 2 nights in Moscow.

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A Volga river cruise is more than a geographical voyage; it’s also a journey through Russia’s rich and captivating history. No other experience takes you so completely to another place and time. The Volga is Europe’s longest and largest river; it meanders through the stories of Ivan the Terrible and his rise to power, the two historic ‘Greats’ Peter and Catherine, and then on into today. It’s a unique opportunity to see modern Russia in the context of its intriguing history, ably assisted by friendly and professional academics and tour guides. A Volga Dream Russian river tour promises to leave you with an unforgettable afterglow of fond memories.

Moscow to St. Petersburg River Cruise

Moscow and St. Petersburg are Russia’s best-known cities, but the towns of Russia’s historic Golden Ring are delightful too. The luxurious Volga Dream offers a unique opportunity to visit these Russian gems by sailing gently along the Volga River on an unforgettable cruising experience. In small, exclusive groups you’ll enjoy preferential access to some of Russia’s most significant cultural sites.

Moscow to Astrakhan River Cruise

Your River Cruise on the luxurious MS Volga Dream takes you from Moscow along Russia’s grand Volga River to the legend that is Volgograd (formerly Stalingrad) and Astrakhan on the Caspian Sea. Along the way, you’ll discover the treasures of Yaroslavl, the oldest city on the Volga, medieval Nizhniy Novgorod and beautiful Kazan, the ancient Tatar capital. We plan our tour carefully to combine the very best of Moscow with a world-class Volga River cruise.

Discover Russia with MS Volga Dream - Click-through map

We love hearing from guests about their time in Russia and one comment often hear is how surprised people are by the Russian capital. We can’t say for certain what people expected but we do know that it’s always far removed from what they imagined! It’s been called a modern metropolis, a cosmopolitan city, an historic gem, an architectural treasure and a cultural powerhouse, among other descriptions. Majestic Moscow has always surprised our guests and left them with lasting and fond memories.

Russia’s famous Golden Ring is an archipelago of historic towns surrounding Moscow. Uglich is one of the oldest and was founded under Igor, the last Varangian prince. It once resisted the Mongol invasion and its ancient walls saw the grisly murder of young Dmitri, son of Ivan the Terrible. The impressive Church of St. Dmitri on the Blood, with its classic onion domes and blood red walls, is a fine example of classic Russian architecture. The tour ends with an enchanting choral concert.

This, the oldest city on the Volga River, and now a UNESCO World Heritage site, boasts a wealth of ancient orthodox treasures. The impressive Transfiguration of the Savior, adorned with murals depicting St. John’s apocalyptic visions can be seen in the Spassky Monastery. The Church of St. Elijah the Prophet is decorated with an awe-inspiring selection of rich frescoes. For a real taste of pre-revolutionary Russia, visitors are entertained by a costumed reception at the Governor’s House.

Close to the shores of White Lake once were the ‘tsar’s fishing grounds’. It lies in a place so serene that ancient monks chose to build no fewer than three holy sites here, including the Ferapontov Monastery. Listed as a UNESCO World Heritage site, its chapels boast magnificent frescoes by Dionysius, one of Russia’s most renowned icon painters. The Kirillo-Belozersky Monastery was a refuge for many nobles during tumultuous times and later a fortress that successfully repelled invading armies.

The Karelia region is a vast and naturally beautiful wilderness that spreads all the way from St. Petersburg to the Arctic Circle. The glorious island village of Kizhi consists almost entirely of the traditionally styled wooden buildings of ‘Old Russia’. Among them is the famous Transfiguration Church built in 1714. Remarkably, and in testament to the craftsmen of the time, not a single nail was used in its construction! Kizhi is one of the favorite stops on the river cruise to St. Petersburg.

A typical rural hamlet brought to life by warm and welcoming villagers. Volga Dream guests are invited into local homes to enjoy classic Russian fare, tea with jam and ‘pirozhki’ (pies). Enthusiastic hosts share Russian traditions and the appeal of village life while proudly showing off their scrupulously kept homes and kitchen gardens. The tour continues with a brief bus ride to see a unique World War II memorial and then, for a real glimpse of Russian life, a visit to a local primary school.

Nizhny Novgorod

This was once a wealthy city thanks to its proximity to rich eastern trading routes. During the Soviet era, the city was closed to outsiders because of its military importance. It’s also where many political prisoners were sent to live out their days in exile. The 16th-century Kremlin ramparts offer spectacular views and the city is known for its elaborately decorated churches. For Volga Dream cruise guests, the highlight of the day is an evening folk concert performed by local children.

Sailing along the Volga river, the riverbank gradually ceases to be dominated by Orthodox churches. Instead, beautiful mosques appear as the river crosses into Tatarstan where the first stop is scenic Kazan, the region’s capital. Inside the white walls of the citadel, the famous Kul Sharif mosque and the old Cathedral of Peter and Paul stand side-by-side symbolizing the two faiths’ long and peaceful coexistence in the region. A concert of traditional Tatar music ends the Volga Dream tour in Kazan.

Passing the Zhigulevskie Mountains offers wonderful views from the sundeck before touring the city. One of the key attractions is the fascinating Space Museum, which offers a revealing glimpse of how the Soviet Union pursued its ambitious journey to the cosmos. The town is also noted for its beautiful esplanade, perfect for a relaxed stroll beside the Volga river. This in turn leads to the Samara State Art Museum. Founded in 1897, it is home to a collection of more than 16,000 works of art.

This city is best known for its close associations with cosmonaut, Yuri Gagarin. The Russian hero who achieved worldwide fame as the first man in space lived and studied here. Saratov used to be home to a large German community, a heritage that can still be seen in the local architecture. The Volga Dream tour visits the Radishchev State Art Museum, the first picture gallery in Russia outside Moscow and St. Petersburg.

Originally called Tsaritsyn, the city was renamed Stalingrad from 1925 to 1961 in honor of the USSR’s leader. During World War II, the city’s residents put up a heroic defense, repelling an advancing Nazi invasion. The battle for Stalingrad has gone down in history as a pivotal moment in the bloody conflict on the eastern front. The most ferocious and deadly fighting took place on Mamayev Hill, where an imposing memorial now stands close to the excellent Battle of Stalingrad Panorama Museum.

Saint Petersburg

If Moscow surprises, then St Petersburg delights. Peter the Great founded the city to showcase Russia’s newfound enlightenment. He wanted to show the modern world a cultured and advanced society. In short, he built the city to impress and in that he succeeded splendidly! The striking buildings were designed by some of the finest architects Europe had to offer and even now, the ‘Venice of the North’ never fails to enchant with its spectacular buildings and impressive canal network. It is a city of true grandeur.

Cocktails with the Captain

Commanding any ship is a complex role that calls for a long list of skills. Captains know their vessels inside out as well as well as the routes they sail and when things don’t go to plan, they have to make instant decisions. Above all though, the most important part of the job, underpinning everything they do, is to keep the ship and everyone aboard safe. The Captain’s cocktail party is a great and a wonderful opportunity for passengers and crew to get acquainted as the gets underway.

Matryoshka doll painting

There is nothing more typically Russian than a Matryoshka. It embodies the fact that there’s always something deeper to be found in every aspect of Russian life. Learning the traditional designs and techniques used to decorate these iconic dolls offers a pleasant diversion and some cathartic creativity!

Superb Service & Dining

Our restaurant serves the highest standard of international cuisine, freshly made by our Cordon Bleu Chef. Choose either a sumptuous buffet or set menu for lunch while dinner is always four or five courses with full service. High praise for the exquisite quality of meals is yet another constantly recurring feature in feedback from our guests.

Meet the Professor

From the Mongol hordes to Soviet times, Russia’s history is, like all of Europe’s, a complex web of political intrigue, war and peace, trade and treaties, as well as heroes and villains. Academics devote whole lifetimes to studying Russia’s long past and one of them presents a series of lectures shedding light on everything from Gorbachev to Chekhov, Khrushchev to Ivan the Terrible and of course, contemporary Russia. Our Professor is on board throughout the river cruise for informal conversation.

Beginner’s Russian

The Russian language can be rather beautiful and poetic and we know that many seasoned travelers enjoy trying their hand at different languages. Our onboard teachers provide an introduction to the riches of Russian, so guests can try out a few useful words and phrases on real Russians during the exciting river tours from Moscow to St. Petersburg or from Moscow to Volgograd!

Russian tea tasting

The drink we tend to associate with Russia is vodka, but tea, in fact, is the much more universal beverage of choice throughout the country. Guests will get acquainted with the Russian tea etiquette, a fundamental component of the country's social culture, and enjoy the traditional tea ceremony while cruising from St. Petersburg to Moscow or taking a Grand Volga river tour.

Russian Dinner & Vodka Tasting

All our dining is international but for Russian Dining night, the Chef includes a selection of traditional Russian dishes: Chicken Kiev, Kulebyaka and no Russian table is complete without Borsch. To add to the ‘Taste of Russia’ optional Russian dress, or at least a touch of Russian style, is provided along with enthusiastic help from our staff!

Russian Cooking Class

A plate of pelmeni might not look like much to the untrained eye, but it forms the heart of Russian cuisine and culture. Basically, it's a type of dumpling: small portions of meat and onion wrapped in a thin sheet of unleavened dough and boiled, a little like ravioli. Guests can join a Russian cooking class onboard the MS Volga Dream to learn how to cook this delicious Russian dish.

Tchaikovsky and Rachmaninov Piano Recital

Some of the greatest classical music ever written comes from Russia. It’s hard to imagine a more fitting stage for a virtuoso solo recital by our resident concert pianist than the mighty Volga or a better backdrop than the heart of Tchaikovsky and Rachmaninov’s own serene homeland.

Russian River Cruise Aboard Volga Dream

Moscow to St. Petersburg

Why Volga Dream

Family Owned & Operated

MS Volga Dream is Russia’s only family-owned river cruise ship. She can accommodate up to 100 guests, far fewer than most other cruise ships on the river making for a uniquely friendly and intimate atmosphere aboard.

Five-Star Central Hotels

We at Volga Dream are completely convinced that, our guests should stay in great 5-star hotels in Moscow and St. Petersburg within comfortable walking distance of all the major attractions, theaters and restaurants, rather than having to waste time in traffic.

Luxurious Accommodation

The MS Volga Dream is the most intimate and elegant 5-star cruise vessel in Russia. She boasts 56 cabins, all river facing, ranging from comfortable Standard Cabins to spacious Junior Suites and the luxurious forward facing Owner's Suite.

Russian Cultural Experience

Explore Russia's past with the help of professional tour guides. Our on-board program includes fascinating talks on Russian history and politics, Russian language lessons, a festival of Russian cuisine (including vodka tasting!), and much more.

Gourmet Dining

Our on board restaurant serves international cuisine to the highest standard, all freshly made by our Cordon Bleu Chef. For Russian Dining night, he prepares a selection of traditional Russian dishes: Chicken Kiev, Kulebyaka and Borsch.

Tailored Service

All our service crew members are native Russians who are fluent in English and handpicked by the Owner. Proudly, the Volga Dream is famous for her hard working and very hospitable personnel who take care of every aspect of your life aboard.

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It's never been easier to plan your next holiday in Russia. Download our free brochure to learn more about authentic Russian river cruises.

Escape the hassle and bustle and add a satisfyingly informative element to your trip and bring together a colorful mosaic of people, history, traditions,  religion, music and art. These are the many strands that time has woven into what is known today as Russia.

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Taking the Ferry Between Russia and Turkey: An Instruction Manual

Russia and Turkey are two of the most popular countries on traveler’s wish list. And let me tell you, from visiting both countries, they are amazing. I highly recommend visiting both countries on your next trip.

Unfortunately, many don’t consider including both on the same trip because they don’t share an obvious border with each other. Of course, I wouldn’t be writing this article if they weren’t wrong.

While there is no land border between the countries, and traveling by train would be a long journey through the Ukraine, Romania, and Bulgaria, there is a quick and inexpensive way to travel by land between the two countries: a ferry on the Black Sea.

Sitting on the border of Eastern Europe and Asia, the Black Sea is surrounded by six different countries, two of which are Russia and Turkey. It makes sense, then, that ferry service is offered between the two countries.

Several times every week, ferries depart from Trabzon on the Turkish side and Sochi, site of the 2014 winter Olympics , on the Russian side. (Unfortunately, there is no Istanbul to Sochi ferry at this time.)

Trabzon, Turkey

Trabzon is a conservative city, think many Muslim women wearing scarves and cloaks, in northeastern Turkey. The city itself is pretty, but has little to interest tourist. On the other hand, there are some great sites nearby .

Sitting just outside of the city center is Aya Sofya, not to be confused with the church of the same name in Istanbul . It is a beautiful and uncrowded church that still contains some fantastic frescoes. If you have been in Turkey for a while, it might be a bit underwhelming, but if you are new to the country, it is quite stunning.

Further afield is the more well-known Sumela Monastery. Standing up against a cliff face, this monastery is one of the most beautiful in all of Turkey and well worth the time to see.

It is possible to get direct bus transportation to and from many of the larger cities in Turkey. You can also travel directly to/from Cappadocia by catching a bus in either Nevshehir or Kayseri. Trabzon also has an airport that serves several of the larger cities in Turkey, as well as Moscow (worth noting just in case you run into trouble with the ferry).

Sochi, Russia

When you first arrive in Sochi, Russia, you likely wonder the same thing Russians do, “Why are the Winter Olympics being held here?” Bordered by beautiful beaches, palm trees, and men wearing shockingly small swimsuits, Sochi is a seemingly odd choice for the Winter Olympics. For travelers though, Sochi is a wonderful place to relax for a few days. Featuring miles of clear water and a fantastic boardwalk, it’s certainly a hard place to leave.

At the moment, there isn’t much to do in and around Sochi. If you head into the mountains, there is good hiking (or skiing in the winter), and you can even visit Stalin’s summer home. Unfortunately, though, the language barrier and lack of English signage in the area makes traveling hard. Hopefully, the Olympics will improve this.

Getting to Sochi from Moscow is a simple train ride to or from Moscow . If you aren’t used to long train rides, be prepared; the trip takes around 26 hours. It is also possible to fly to Moscow or Istanbul from Sochi.

Choosing Your Ferry

There are two ferry options to get from Trabzon to Sochi.

The first is the fast ferry. Currently, the ferry runs from Sochi to Trabzon on Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays and from Trabzon to Sochi on Tuesdays, Thursdays, and Sundays. The trip itself takes about 4.5 hours, leaving in mid-afternoon and arriving around dinner time. The trip costs 4,000 Rubles in Russia or $130 USD in Turkey. For more information, go to their website , which is mostly in Russian, or contact [email protected]  in Trabzon where they speak a bit of English.

The second option is the overnight ferry between the two cities. Costing roughly the same as the fast ferry, the overnight ferry takes 13-14 hours to arrive. As of August 2012, when I took the ferry, it leaves from Sochi on Friday evenings and from Trabzon on Sundays.

The slow ferry was a well-built boat in good running order. It featured comfortable cabin seats, a nice deck, and even a bar and restaurant area. There are also sleeper cabins that you can get, but the cost is about $30 more per person.

On our date of departure from Sochi, the ferry ticket indicated 16:00 as the departure time, a fact which was confirmed by the women at the ticket counter. We arrived at the customs area at about 3:15pm, where a crowd was already gathered. It wasn’t until 4pm that the gates into the customs area were actually opened. Due to the crowd, lots of pushing and shoving ensued to get on the boat first, but we were able to get through customs with no issues by around 4:45pm. After finding seats, we made our way onto the deck.

The boat continued to fill up, and more people joined us on deck. Our fellow travelers, of which about 85% were Turkish males, were very friendly, but almost no one spoke English.

In the mean time, people continued to board the ferry, and the clock kept ticking. Despite our tickets saying 4pm, the ferry didn’t depart the port until a few minutes after 8pm.

That being said, if you take the slow boat, get there early as seats are first come, first serve. While the boat didn’t feel overcrowded, they do sell more tickets than available chairs. This meant that those getting on the boat late had to sleep on the deck, which got quite chilly, even in mid-August. On the plus side, they did hand out thick blankets to those unfortunate enough to get stuck sleeping outside.

The week I was taking the trip, the fast ferry was closed for maintenance. While the slow boat was good quality and reasonably comfortable, I would recommend taking the fast ferry if possible.

How to Get Tickets

In Sochi, Russia , the ticket office is in a small office next to the very large, main port building. If facing the building, the ticket office will be to your right, directly behind the Subway Restaurant. They don’t speak English, but if you write down the date you want to leave, you shouldn’t have any trouble.

In Trabzon, you can buy tickets from any number of vendors along the road leading to the port. The port itself is located down the hill from the main town square.

Overall, I would highly recommend taking the ferry. It certainly isn’t the fastest way from Russia to Turkey, but it allows you to see two charming cities and travel in a unique way between two very different destinations.

Note: If you need them, visas on arrival are available at the port in Trabzon, Turkey. Stand in line for immigration, and when you get to the front, show the immigration officer your passport. He will direct you to the official who sells the stamps. For Russia, most nationalities will need to get a visa before arriving. It is not available at the port.

Jim Cheney is the creator of Tripologist.com. Having traveled extensively in North America, Europe, and Asia, Jim enjoys sharing his love of travel and some of his favorite places to visit around the world. He lives in Pennsylvania, USA, with his wife and two kids.

See more great places to visit!

5 Amazing Things You Didn’t Know You Could Do in Pennsylvania

How to Save 90% on a Bosphorus River Cruise in Istanbul, Turkey

Flying Through the Rain Forest with Flight of the Gibbon

5 Amazing Observation Towers from Around the World

33 thoughts on “taking the ferry between russia and turkey: an instruction manual”.

Really useful information, thanks. Sounds like an interesting way to get from Turkey to Russia.

Hey how much was the cheapest overnight ticket from Sochi?

As of August, 2012, the cheapest overnight ticket was approximately $130 USD. There are also sleeper cabins available for an extra charge.

but this is for 72 h. right ? i mean,when you ask for the russian visa,you need to have round trip tickes,anybody knows if its possible to fly to sochi and leave the country by ferry?

I’m not sure about the 72 hour visa, other than hearing it’s possible to get one if you don’t leave Sochi. I do know that the standard 30 day tourist visa is unavailable at the border. Try contacting the email address listed in the post. They might be help you out.

Anyone know if the overnight ferry is running in March 2013? Can’t find any decent info on it apart from this site!

The website I linked to for the fast ferry doesn’t indicated that it is not running, so I’m assuming that it is. Your best source for information is the email address I listed about half-way down. There is someone on the other end of that email who speaks English (at least there was in August, 2012) and he should be able to give you the current schedule for both the fast and slow ferries.

Hope that helps.

Is it possible to travel by car?

I’m sure you could drive by way of the Ukraine and Bulgaria if you wanted to, but it would take a very long time, and you would lose a lot of time in border crossings.

Thanks, I find it really useful. In fact I myself have taken ferry to Turkey a couple of times, once or twice from Odessa. must say I didn’t like being stuck in the cabin and it was my free choise to stay and sleep outside, which was wonderful. They do provide sheets and blankets and I found it much more pleasant to sleep on the deck (the cabins were sorts of smelling of some specific sanitary spray or whatever they might have been using for cleaning purposes.

Thank you for posting such helpful post!!! Its people likeyou that make people like me have the best experience

I am Thai which it 30 days visa free to enter russia. And then I have a plan to Astana, Kazakhstan visa over my passport. Can I process 30 days visa on board at Sochi?

Thanks for the comment. Unfortunately, since visa information changes so frequently, I don’t want to provide you with incorrect information. I would suggest calling the Russian embassy in Bangkok and asking your question. They would be able to more accurately assist you.

Do you know if the ferries will be running in February during the olympics?

I know they typically run year round, but I don’t know their schedule for February 2014. I would recommend contacting the email address I listed in the post. Hopefully they would have up-to-date information about taking the ferry to the Olympics.

Hi Jim. Were these car ferries or just passenger ferries? I’m going to be driving from Turkey through Russia but going through Georgia seems a bit sketchy. A car ferry on this route would be great. Thanks.

The slow, overnight boat is also a car ferry. Not sure what the cost is though. Try using the email address I listed above to see if you can get the price. Have fun!

Hello,Jim This is really a helpful post! I’m just wondering if I should book the ticket in advance in my country,Taiwan,if I travel with my car. Thank you for your kind response.

Glad the post is helpful, Yuju. While I doubt the ferry regularly sells out for passengers, it does have a limited amount of car space. If you don’t want to risk having to wait a few days, I would recommend using the information listed above to reserve space for your car.

Great article, really useful thanks. A friend and I are driving from the UK to SE asia from April to September this year and were planning on going through Ukraine, but due to recent civil unrest we’re thinking of getting this ferry instead.

My main concern is the Russian visa – my understanding is that you have to enter Russia on the specified date that you put on the visa. However, with the uncertainty surrounding this ferry, I’m a little worried that we won’t be able to turn up on the correct day.

Do you know what happens if we turn up to Russia 1-2 days early or late?

My understanding, and bear in mind that this is from when I went in the summer of 2012, is that you can’t enter before the date on your visa, but you can enter later. I’m pretty sure that I arrived a day or two after my visa’s listed entry date, and I had no problems entering the country. I would suggest verifying that’s still correct since I visited about 18 months ago.

Either way, you still have to be out by the date listed, no matter when you enter.

Sounds like a pretty epic trip! Have fun.

Hello Jim, Thanks fot these usefull information. I want to go to Sochi from Turkey by car ferry, Did you know if it is possible ? Thanks Daniel

The slow boat is a car ferry, so it should be possible. However, since I only rode as a passenger, I don’t know what the rules and regulations are regarding cars. I would suggest that you use the email address I listed in the article to try and find out more information.

Do you know if it is possible to book the tickets in advance for the slow ferry?

Also, do you think that the fast ferry will carry cars across?

I have sent an email to the address that you listed in your article, but thought of checking with you as well

Thanks, Shiv

I would imagine that you could buy tickets in advance, but that might be harder to do going from Russia to Turkey than the other way. As I took the slow boat, I can’t say that I’m 100% sure, but I’m fairly certain that the fast ferry isn’t capable of carrying cars. Enjoy the journey.

Thanks for the Info. It really helps

thanks for the info i realy find it usefull i am planing to take the trip

After Olimpic games they have closed sochi port but it is open now. There is only one ship works between trabzon sochi mf/erke. Here is the website http://www.saridenizcilik.com . Schedule is not written right in the site but you can call and ask for the schedule.

Thanks for the updated information, Kemal. I’ll have a look into it and charge the article if necessary.

I arrived today from sochi! Nice sunrise and sunset!! thanks for all the information!! The ferry was quite old..but nice young staff!

Hello dears! I couldnt find any way how to get the ticket from Sochi to Trabzon, but thanks to you for these new info that u have given above, please dont you have any office in Saratov oblast ? i want to go home thru this way in summer 10/07-2015. I ll appreciate your answers& advices Thanks

Thanks for a really useful and inspiring blog: Just thought I would give a 2017 update…I’m in Trabzon now and was hoping to head to Sochi. Sadly after asking several agencies on the opposite side to the pier.. it appears the ferry is no longer in service due to a breakdown in international relations between the two countries. However by one I was quoted $400 for a crossing next week (unsure if this is a passenger ferry or not: perhaps freight?). It’s too much money for me so I will have to head back to Gerogia and fly..

It is now 2019. It would be lovely to see if the fast ferry still runs from Trabzon to Sochi. I am English and think I could visit Russia for up to 72 hours without having a Russian visa. The visa for Turkey is affordable though the Russian visa is too expensive.

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Maritime union 'disgusted and angry' ferry talks not on christopher luxon's agenda during south korea trip.

PM Christopher Luxon holding a media stand-up in Japan on 18 June. Photo: RNZ/ Nate McKinnon

The Maritime Union says it is "disgusted and angry" the prime minister has no plans to raise the Interislander "ferry fiasco" during his trip to South Korea this week.

A spokesperson for Christopher Luxon said he would not be meeting with South Korean company Hyundai Mipo Dockyard while abroad and did not consider the cancellation of its shipbuilding contract would feature during his two day visit to Seoul.

As revealed by RNZ on Wednesday morning , New Zealand officials notified their South Korean counterparts of the termination via text message less than an hour before it was to be announced.

That's despite the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade (MFAT) earlier warning of the risk to New Zealand's relationship with South Korea and the need for "careful and deliberate communications" with its government.

The cost of exiting the half billion dollar deal with Hyundai has not yet been announced following months of negotiations, though the Maritime Union estimates the figure could be as high as another $500m.

The union's national secretary Carl Findlay told RNZ the "reckless decision" had left the country in a state of limbo with no resolution in sight.

Luxon needed to use his "much-vaunted international business experience" during his trip to Seoul to settle the cancellation or renegotiate for new ferries, Findlay said.

"He really needs to go over to Hyundai, cap in hand, and say, hey, my finance minister made a massive stuff-up. It's costing New Zealand taxpayers a lot of money. Let's resurrect this deal and get something sorted."

A digital image of a new Interislander ferry that was to be built by Hyundai Mipo Dockyard. Photo: Supplied / KiwiRail

Findlay said he was astounded Luxon did not intend to broach the matter at all given the amount of taxpayers' money on the line, as well as the country's reputation.

"This is a billion dollars we're talking about here, and there's nothing to show for it, absolutely nothing. I'm disgusted and angry about it all."

The situation risked souring relations with South Korea, having squashed the biggest economic deal between the two countries in years, Findlay said.

A spokesperson for Luxon said the prime minister had no meetings planned with Hyundai Mipo Dockyard during his trip, nor did he expect to raise the project during any other scheduled meetings.

"New Zealand and South Korea have a strong trading relationship and the Prime Minister's visit alongside a senior business delegation will be exploring opportunities to strengthen that relationship.

"We do not consider the cancellation of i-Rex to have an impact [on either the trip or the wider relationship]."

Luxon was due to meet with South Korean president Yoon Suk Yeol on Wednesday morning.

The government announced the end of the contract with Hyundai Mipo Dockyard in December last year, saying the project's overall cost had blown out to almost $3 billion.

It had been estimated to cost just $775m when KiwiRail submitted its business case in 2018.

Copyright © 2024 , Radio New Zealand

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