Way to Russia Talk Lounge

killerloop23 · Just Starting Joined: 22 Jun 2008 Posts: 2

Hi!

I would like to ask if you can give me fare for two tickets for the transsib train. We would like to start in March 09 and need 2 places in a 2-or 4-cabin.

We also would like to stop for longer in between, so what we actually need is 4 tickets:

1) St. Petersburg- Moscow
2) Moscow- Irkutsk
3) Irkutsk- Ulan Bator
4) Ulan Bator - Beijing

Thank you very much for your help and kindest regards,
Killerloop23

danbrew · Posted: Sun Jun 22, 2008 7:41 pm Post subject:

Begin here: http://www.waytorussia.net/Services/TrainTickets.html.

Then select Svezhy Veter as your vendor. Don't even think about selecting Intergroup or Connect Russia. Do a web search on both names and you'll discover why.

Smile

killerloop23 · Just Starting Joined: 22 Jun 2008 Posts: 2

danbrew · Posted: Mon Jun 23, 2008 1:00 am Post subject:

The prices at WTR are out of whack - I don't know what the going prices are, but the price SV will charge you is the same if you go to them directly (http://www.sv-agency.udm.ru/sv/rutrains.htm) or if you book through Way To Russia. Booking through Way To Russia supports this site and helps to keep it available as a resource to all of us Russiaphiles. Granted, WTR needs to do a better job of addressing the "default" pricing in its pricing tool. Continuing through the booking process at WTR does not commit you to those prices - it simply sends an email from WTR to the selected vendor so that they know your routing, timing, etc.

Unless you are able to purchase the tickets *IN* Russia, or at RZD.ru (meaning you read Russian), you're going to pay a commission to a speciality service in Russia. Eventually, I think, the RZD.ru folks will have online ordering for the .eng folks amongst us - but not yet, not today. Note that you may only purchase tickets 45 days in advance of your travel date. Everybody will take your money now and will promise you tickets later. That's the biggest problem with Intergroup, btw. Since you are traveling in March 09, I suspect you won't have as difficult a problem obtaining tickets as some do in the high season (summer).

Figure about $1000 for a first class ticket from Moscow to Beijing. About half that for second class. I'm sure somebody else will chime in and offer their two cents regarding pricing, timing, time of year, etc.

Good luck! And do let us know how you end up doing it as it's nice to share success stories.

Smile

ojjo8 · Just Starting Joined: 23 Apr 2008 Posts: 9

Hello,

I bought the irkutsk - ulan bator train ticket for €185, in 2nd class. Helsinki - moscow was €103, so to st. petersburg probably a little cheaper. Beijing to ulan bator is around €170.

That is in July, in march the prices are a little cheaper. The price i paid was through a finnish agency.