Looking for tips on how to do the Trans-Siberian on the cheap London to Beijing
Wanting to do this journey in November and looking for any tips that can help from people who have done it. I am not in a rush. Also can the Mongolian and China visa be got on the train at the border? Some say yes some say no.
Best Answer
Seat61 is the best site concerning train travel in Europe. It also has a section about a train travel from London to Peking.
There are a lot of practical tips, hints and suggestions. A very detailed section also covers the Visa details of all countries you travel trough.
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How much does it cost to do the Trans-Siberian Railway?
To travel on the Trans-Siberian train, from Vladivostok to Moscow, it costs around $1,600 in a first class sleeper compartment, and $820 in a second class sleeper compartment. You can also find third class open-plan dormitory cars on some trains.How do I plan the Trans-Siberian Railway?
Here is everything you need to know to plan a Transsiberian Railway trip on your own.Is the Trans-Siberian Railway worth it?
As you can tell from my post, I definitely feel like the Trans-Siberian and Trans-Mongolian is awesome! It can be an affordable way to between Europe and Asia along a route that is off the beaten path and if you're doing the trip with friends, you'll forge memories of a lifetime.Can you hop on and off the Trans-Siberian Express?
Remember you need to have a reservation for every train on the Trans-Siberian \u2014 you cannot simply jump on and off. For this reason, if you are planning on sightseeing, make sure you have planned all the separate legs of your journey.CHEAPEST \u0026 EASIEST way to book the Trans Siberian Railway
More answers regarding looking for tips on how to do the Trans-Siberian on the cheap London to Beijing
Answer 2
About buying tickets for the trans-siberian - you can buy them up to 60 days before the trip.
Also you can get some discounts on return tickets to the Mongolia.
Answer 3
Since you're looking to do it "on the cheap", here are some money-saving tips:
The best tip I know of is to use the cheaper local trains only (ones that don't cross international borders) to get right up to the border, then cross the border on land, and continue by train on the other side. (Wikitravel has plenty of info on both Russia/Mongolia and Mongolia/China land crossings, I've done China into Mongolia at Erlian myself and it was easy). This also allows you to use the cheaper "platzkart" (open compartment) trains instead of "kupe" (closed compartment) ones, which are a must if you want to truly experience Russian train travel. There's some talk in Russia of phasing out "platzkart" trains, so it's all the more reason to try them out before they're gone - it's the way most Russians travel (and used to travel in Soviet times) - it's kind of the equivalent of economy-class flights in the US, the "standard mode of long-distance transportation".
Another money-saving tip: There are very active CouchSurfing communities in most Russian cities along the Trans-Siberian (I have not checked this in China and Mongolia, but there it's generally not a problem to find cheap accommodations anyway).
Sources: Stack Exchange - This article follows the attribution requirements of Stack Exchange and is licensed under CC BY-SA 3.0.
Images: Julissa Helmuth, Pixabay, Erik Mclean, Julissa Helmuth