Russia - Mongolia

Trip Start May 18, 2006

Trip End Jun 07, 2006

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Flag of Russia Irkutsk, Lake Baikal and the trip with the TRANSSIB, Russia
Saturday, May 27, 2006

First of all some words to the trip with the TRANSSIB.

It was really fun.

Our train (Nr. 10) was ok and quite clean. We booked the trip with VOSTOK, a german travel-agency which is specialized on trips with the TRANSSIB, but to be honest I was not really satisfied with their service (we booked first class, got second class without an excuse and were told, that there is no first class. Then we were amazed that some people we met on the train were upgraded to first class....).

On 21st of May Florian (by the way, thanks for the nice time in Russia and Mongolia, I think we really had fun) and I left Moscow. We passed Perm, Novosibirsk, Omsk and some other cities. The train drove day and night, everyday we stopped between two and four times for 20 minutes, at the train stations we bought water and food.

What I really liked:

The people we met, by the way greetings to Justin, Isabelle, Adrien, Zita, Khan, Kam, Ali and Monica!!!! Thanks for the great time!!!

It is really fascinating to go through nearly whole Russia by train.

Our train (Nr. 10) was really clean and comfortable.

Russians are really nice, every time you meet one you can be sure that he will invite you for Vodka.

What I disliked:

The train restaurant was nothing for me, but I have to admit that I am quite picky with food. If you are also picky, buy your own food in Moscow or bred at the train stations. You can get boiled water in the train, so it is a good opportunity to buy instant noodles.

Train attendants were quite impolite.

Toilets close some minutes before, during and after a stop and they are not really clean.

I could not sleep so good in the train.

Windows in the compartments can not be opened.

Most time landscape is quite boring, it is really beautiful on the way from Irkutsk to Mongolia.

NOTHING in the train (even not the timetable) is written in English, also the train attendants do not speak one word English, that makes it sometimes really hard to understand something.

What to recommend:

Bring your own food!!

Do not take train Nr.

Lake Baikal

6, train Nr. 10 is the best (I heard). Train Nr. 6 is really disgusting, we took it from Irkutsk to Mongolia.

For writing SMS to Germany or other countries you can buy cheap SIM-Cards in Moscow, but you have to register. In Moscow and during the first 3 days of the train trip MEGAFON works, in Irkutsk TELE 2.

In train Nr. 10 there is a shower, but nearly no one knows. You have to ask the train attendant for it. It costs an extra 127 Rubels (4 Euro), but believe me, after 4 days without a shower you would pay a fortune for a shower.

On the Russian-Mongolian border you have to leave the train for approximately 30 minutes. take all valuables with you, a mobile phone and a cap were stolen out of our compartment.

IRKUTSK AND LAKE BAIKAL:

Irkutsk is ok, but nothing special in my eyes. It is really hard to find a restaurant there.

Lake Baikal is amazing. From Irkutsk bus station you go by bus or minibus to Listvianka (Bus 90 minutes, minibus 60 minutes), a small fisher village, nothing special.

You walk along Lake Baikal until the end of the village, then turn left, it is only a small path and the way is not so easy to find. You follow the path for 200 meters (the dogs which are there do not bite) and then turn right (a really very very small path), then you will find the way to walk along Lake Baikal. It is so amazing, I could not imagine before. Florian and I went there for two whole days. The water is clear and clean (and cold as ice) and you will surely meet no or only a few tourists. Beautiful flowers, butterflies and an amazing view are waiting for you. I will surely come back anytime.