Way to Russia Talk Lounge

bearded paul · Just Starting Joined: 26 Jul 2004 Posts: 1

Hi,
I am hoping to travel the trans siberian next year with some freinds i just wanted to know if it is difficult staying together whilst traveling. i.e Are the beds pre booked in second class or is it first come first serve.
It would be dissapointing if i couldn't spend the journey with people i know.

Also is speaking russian needed or do russians know some english as it is a very hard language to learn.

Thanks

WayToRussia · Posted: Fri Jul 30, 2004 9:55 pm Post subject:

If you buy your tickets all together at once, you can arrange to be together at the same compartment. Otherwise, it's going to be hard, unless you manage to arrange at the spot with the people who also travel on the train, but usually the latter is hard.

People on the trains barely speak any English, but the gesture languauge is widely used and if you spend 4 days on the train you will surely learn a few basic Russian phrases. I would say that the knowledge of Russian is completely not essential for the Trans-Siberian trip, although it would be helpful to know the Russian alphabet, to be able to read signs.

wavetossed · WayToRussified Joined: 27 Jun 2004 Posts: 337

I've only been on one train in Russia from Moscow to Chelyabinsk (18 hours including two nights). My girlfriend and I had the two upper bunks in a kupe compartment. These compartments house 4 people each. In our case, we kept the upper bunks down all the time but you can raise them if you want to. There is enough head room for most people to sit on the bottom bunk while the top ones are down. And if you all sit on the bottom bunks then you aren't crowded at all because they are full length for sleeping.

Most people spent some time in the corridor with the window open just enjoying the breeze and watching the vast rich countryside go by. If you can't figure out how to open the window, ask the provodnitsa to show you. And bring your own food and water. There is a restaurant car with limited selection but you may have to walk a distance to get to it. Empty one-liter water bottles are good for propping open a window that won't stay open. Get the provodnitsa to show you the raspisannie (schedule) in the corridor. It tells you the time and length of every stop. On the longer stops you can go onto the platform and buy dried fish or ice cream or whatever the locals happen to be selling. On a shorter stop you can stay on the train and buy through the open window or from an open door.

Oh, and do learn some Russian. It's not a hard language to learn and the alphabet is easier than you think. It's just a different variation on the Greek alphabet.