This is the fourth and final part of my Trans-Siberian Adventure which is from Moscow to St Petersburg. You the first 3 parts of my journey in the links below.
My Trans-Siberian Railway Adventure Part 1: Views From A Train’s Window
My Trans-Siberian Railway Adventure Part 2: Views From A Train’s Window
My Trans-Siberian Railway Adventure Part 3: Views From A Train’s Window
[//]:# (!pinmapple 55.730135 lat 37.616236 long Trans-Siberian Railway Adventure Part 4 d3scr)
From Moscow To St Petersburg
My wife and I stayed for 4 days in Moscow and during that time we enjoyed the various sights of the city.
Saint Basil's Cathedral, also known as Vasily the Blessed's Cathedral, is an Orthodox church in Moscow's Red Square. It was constructed under Ivan the Terrible's instructions between 1555 and 1561 to commemorate the conquering of Kazan and Astrakhan.
Shopping at Izmailovsky Market, a big outdoor market selling all types of arts, crafts and souvenirs.
The Kremlin is a fortified complex dating from the 15th century that spans 275,000 square meters and is surrounded by walls constructed in the 1400s.
My train journey to St Petersburg got off on a bad start when the taxi driver sent us to the wrong station. Fortunately we were earlier and so we were able to take another train on our own to the correct station. Imagine me and my wife dragging our luggage up and down the stairs and into and out of the train. This was something that we were worried about and so we always make sure that we arrive at the station about one and half or two hours earlier.
Compared to the journey from Irkutsk to Moscow, the train journey to St Petersburg was only an overnight journey and we arrived the next morning. The landscape was rather monotonous since it does not change much. Starring out the window, you see more or less the same scenery but you getting the feeling that the country is so vast.
The scenery is rather boring and does not change much.
Since this is the last post for this series, let me share instead what to expect and some tips for readers who maybe interested to embark on this journey.
There are 3 classes of compartment, Roselind and I stayed at the 2nd class 4- berth sleeper, also known as kupe. There are two berths on either side of the room with a retractable communal dinning table at the middle. During our journey to Ulaan Batar, Roselind and I had the whole compartment to ourselves. For other trips we shared the sleeper with 1 to 2 "roommates" which makes the journey more interesting. A large storage space is located under the lower berth which can be used to store the bigger bags and luggage. The top berth has a small shelf to keep some of your necessities. Those staying at 2nd class sleeper need to use the communal toilet and passengers need to take a sponge bath with a wet cloth.
The 2nd class kupe has 4 berths with a communal table at the middle.
For the previlidge, the ist class 2-berth sleeper know as spalny vagon has its own private toilet and bathroom. The platskartny is a 3rd class sleeper with open plan bunks.
There is not much privacy if you stay at the platskartny.
A dining cart, but the food served here are very expensive
Outside the compartment is a narrow corridor and I enjoyed standing next to the window to admire the scenery.
Tips
For those who are considering the Trans-Siberia Railway, the following tips are very useful.
1.Train food is prohibitively pricey. Bring snacks, drinks, and meals to eat on the train.
2.Bring a plastic bag in which you can store trash in the railway compartment.
3.You must carry a container to hold hot water because the train only distributes hot water. You should also bring some cool water.
4.At the end of the corridor is a train schedule. Familiarize yourself with the train schedule so you know when the train will arrive and depart from a station. This is crucial information to have because the train stops at numerous stations along the way, and you'll need to know how much time you have at each station.
5.Keep your bags with you at all times if you're in a crowded train station. I placed my luggage down at the Beijing Central Railway and approached a porter to ask a question. Suddenly, a large mob poured in from the opposite direction, and I turned around to discover that I couldn't see my bags. I was relieved to find my bag still there after the mob cleared after a minute or two.
6.Don't forget to bring your own toilet paper. The two or three rolls of toilet paper are quickly consumed and are not refilled.
7.If you're concerned about your bags being stolen on the train, pack a chain to secure your belongings.
8.The first class is the only one with a bathroom. As a result, other people will need to pack something to use as a sponge bath.
9.At Russia, all train schedules are set in Moscow time. This means that you must convert Moscow time to local time in order to determine when you must board the train. For example, the time on the ticket for the train from Irkutsk to Moscow is 23.30, which is Moscow time, but we really boarded the train at 03.30, which is Irkutsk local time.
10.Keep in mind that the carriage number chnages as more or fewer carriages are added or removed during a halt. You must learn to recognise the train attendant in order to enter the correct carriage after a halt (particularly if it is a long stop).
11.You have a plug point in your compartment (second class) on the Chinese train, so you may charge your phone or computer whenever you want. Plug points are not in the compartments on Mongolian and Russian trains, but rather along the hallway, which you must share with other passengers.
12.Please make sure you have the correct adapter with you.
13.If you can afford it, I recommend purchasing second-class tickets. Second-class passengers get four berths in a compartment with a door that may be locked at night. Second class has some air conditioning. Everything is open in third class because there is no door, and there are six bunks, four on one side and two on the other. Aside from the lack of privacy, the third class is also exceedingly hot and uncomfortable.
14.Lastly leave for the station earlier so that if anything unexpected crops up, you will still be on time for the train.
Follow me and stay positive.
Do check out my previous posts.
My Trans-Siberian Railway Adventure Part 1: Views From A Train’s Window
My Trans-Siberian Railway Adventure Part 2: Views From A Train’s Window
BOW:That One Childhood Memory That Lives With Me
My Trans-Siberian Railway Adventure Part 3: Views From A Train’s Window
Seeing The Beauty Around Us And My Poem “Miracle Of A New Day
Spreading positivity one post at a time.
Charles
If you like my writing please up-vote, share and comment. Please help me to spread the message of positivity and support on Hive by rehiving this post.
