Distance
5043-5194 km
Up to 6 trains
per day
36-69 stops
on the way
Fastest train
3 days 3 hours
Slowest train
3 days 16 hours
Price from
91 USD
From 2 to 4 trains (depending on the day and season) travel from Moscow to Irkutsk daily, including trains on the Trans-Siberian Route. Trains may run either through Kazan (5043 km) or through Nizhny Novgorod, Kirov, and Perm (5194 km), with most Trans-Siberian trains taking the longer route. The journey takes about three and a half days, and all trains have return trips from Irkutsk to Moscow.
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Travelers on the Trans-Siberian are welcome to bring their own food and drink, though be aware that if you bring on alcohol it can only be consumed in the restaurant car. Drinking in the cabins is prohibited.
Trans-Siberian trains do not offer Wi-fi, and for most of the journey mobile connections are not available either.
That will vary depending on the train, but generally about 4 days.
The Trans-Siberian departs from Moscow’s Yaroslavsky train station at Komsomolskaya Ploshad, 5, metro Komsomolskaya, and arrives at the Irkutsk passenger station at Ulitsa Chelnokova, 1, Irkutsk.
Only if it can be packed to the size of a luggage casing (60x100x40 cm), which may require disassembly.
Depending on the train and ticket class you choose, there may or may not be a 220V AC socket next to your seat. If you do not have one, ask your conductor if they can charge it for you.
Not always, though some of the Moscow - Irkutsk trains do have showers available for a fee (generally about $5 US). Check with your conductor.
It is strongly suggested that you buy tickets for the Trans-Siberian in advance, preferably as early as possible (tickets are normally available 90 days out). Tickets on the Trans-Siberian sell out rapidly and prices rise the closer you get to the departure date.
Russian trains do not offer hop-on hop-off tickets. If you want to make stops, you must purchase a ticket to each city where you plan to disembark. There are no options for stopovers or flexible tickets.
Traveling from Moscow to Irkutsk by train is a great way to hop between Russian cultural sights in just a few days. Nearly all of the main sights of the Trans-Siberian, save for Vladivostok and Ulan-Ude, lie on this line. The trip on the Moscow to Irkutsk train lasts three and a half days. Two routes are available, with the less common passing through Kazan. If Turkic cultures tickle your fancy, visiting the capital of Tatarstan and the other stops is worth it. The more popular route with tourists touches Nizhny Novgorod and Perm. These more Slavic cities have a bit more to see.
No matter which route you choose, be sure to buy separate tickets that give you stops to feed your mind, stretch your legs and try the cuisine. The most well-known stops are detailed below, along with our suggestions for what to see on each stop. These are only highlights, if you want to stay longer, go for it.
Perm: The Russian classic Dr. Zhivago was set in this city, and you can still visit the large historic houses that Boris Pasternak describes. Once you pass Perm, there’s not much civilization to follow before the Russian tundra. PERMM is a progressive contemporary art gallery that is anything but boring. Avant-guard and eccentric, PERMM is worth the ticket for all but the most averse to art. You can also visit Perm 36, which is the only visitable gulag in Russia.
Yekaterinburg: Yekaterinburg’s main church has a belltower that tilts to one side, making it a good time for the creatively photogenic. A military museum in Yekaterinburg is one of the largest in Russia.
Omsk: Dostoevsky aficionados will recognize Omsk as the location he was exiled to for four years. The historical literary museum is also worth a visit, although it won’t take up much time.
Novosibirsk: With a rich and surprising history, Novosibirsk is hard to pass up. During the period of the USSR, scientists enjoyed their own clandestine city within its borders. The city’s buildings were futuristic. A scientist created a museum about only the sun, which is still open. Laboratory mice had their own statue to commemorate them. The biggest opera house in the country is here, and the ballets are first-rate.
Irkutsk: Despite the fact that it’s technically a city, Irkutsk has a quaint and earthy feel due to the splendid wooden houses in the city center. The gigantic and beautiful Lake Baikal is only a bus ride away. Many tourists beeline for it, resulting in less tourist traffic in this “city.”
Get ready to be whisked along on a smooth and magical ride on the Trans-Siberian Railway.
Our travel group under the names Express to Russia, Russian Rail and Trans-Europe Express has been recommended and/or accredited by:
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