Trans-Siberia Train
 

I am planning a trip from Moscow to Beijing by train in Sept 2017 and need some help. I need advice on passengers who have taken the 'Chinese' train (the regular train, not one of the 'private trains). There are two of us traveling in 1st Class.

Do those cabins have a shared toilet and shower with the connecting cabin?

What food did you eat? Buy on the train or from vendors at the stops?

If you used a travel agency which did you find most helpful and experienced?

I do appreciate any advice; this is a 'trip of a lifetime' experience we have both wanted to take since we were teenagers.

All the best to you fellow travelers and especially the rail fans.

John

Read the chapter on Moscow-Beijing on www.seat61.com, he's the expert

Just did the Trans-Siberian / Trans-Mongolian trains two years ago. We purchased second class tickets for the Chinese train but were bumped up to first class for some reason...not complaining.

Yes, two cabins share one toilet and shower but the shower is a wall mounted hand-held that will soak the entire bathroom so it is more practical for washing one’s hair at the sink, etc.

The cabins are immaculate, as are the toilets, with two beds and one seat in each cabin.

We bought some food in Ulaanbaatar but also ate in the dining car. The dining care food was good, not great. Much better than the Russian trains. The only stop with vendors was the small Sainshand Industrial Complex in southern Mongolia and there were only a handful of vendors, but worth checking out.

We have pics of all the above so if you wish to see for yourself drop me an email.

As for the travel facilitator, we used "The Russia Experience" and were very happy with them. Here is their webpage... http://www.trans-siberian.co.uk/

Yes, it is a trip of a lifetime. It is my favorite trip and we travel extensively. Be sure to spend sufficient time in Irkutsk / Lake Baikal area (my favorite) and Ulaanbaatar (my wife’s favorite). We also added on days to Moscow and Beijing.

I envy you having this trip in front of you.

I did the Trans-Mongolian route back in 2004 (the Trans-Siberian is Moscow to Vladivostok) so my experience is out of date. Plus I traveled second class. Besides seat61 I would recommend reading the relevant guide books from Lonely Planet and Trailblazer.

Chinese soft sleeper class can be very nice.

Jim thank you very much for your advice. You answered all the basic questions I needed. I just read your profile, it seems we like a lot of the same places. I would like to see your pics but not sure how to email you.

John

Hi John,

My email is [email protected].

Jim

We took the train from Beijing to Ulaanbaatar, June 2016 on a Wednesday on first class. We stayed in Mongolia for two weeks. Our travel was arranged by Nomadic Expeditions and they purchased the train tickets and delivered them to us in Beijing.
I did lots of research before this trip about the train and everywhere I read that there is a clean toilet shared with two cabins. That is not what we found. There was a very dirty toilet in our car shared by all cabins. Our first class cabin was clean and the sheets were clean also. My only problem was the toilet that was really dirty. Our 30 hours on the train was just amazing and unforgettable, we would not change it for anything. I need to say that we are well travelled and have been to many, many parts of the world. I am still puzzled at why we did not have a clean shared bathroom as it is said on man61 website. We love to do this train ride again for 30 hours but more than that we would not. Good luck and hope you will get the train with shared clean toilet.