Trans Siberian

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Day 12 -14 (April 16-18)

Trans-Siberian

We boarded our train late afternoon and were soon travelling through birch forest and snow. Every now and then little villages would appear and then they are gone. We stop at larger stations, the closer we get to Moscow the larger the towns, including some impressive bridges over the passing rivers.

Irkutsk to Vladimir is 4,943 kilometres and taking almost 74 hours. The journey was surprisingly quick with reading, games of cards and yahtzee, stops at stations where we could get off for 20 minutes.

We were careful to make sure we purchased some things from our carriage attendant though (always good to keep this relationship on the positive side) and instant mash potatoes were the flavour of the day having grown tired of the instant noodles on previous trains. We had one meal in the dining car but this was much more expensive.

A decided lack of observable smuggling going on (or not going on). I think the law is stronger here.

We met a local Russian soldier on leave who shared some smoked fish with us. He was trying to practise his English as he was about to leave the military (due to downsizing) and go to train aeronautical engineers in Mongolia. He loved fishing which was easy in Irkutsk where he was currently stationed but will be more difficult in Mongolia.

Apart from the lack of showers I could have spent another day or two on the train as it was quite a relaxing environment, watching the world go by. All too soon we were getting off at Vladimir (previously a Russian capital) and our Trans-Siberian train journey came to an end.

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Photos

Siberia
Plain

Siberia
Pine and birch

Bridge
Hard not to get the pylons in front but if you just keep clicking you can fluke a clear shot

Note the blue curtain
All windows have lovely curtains in cabins and corridors...very homely but gets in the way of the view!

Passing Freight train
More than 120 trains route every day