Tour Overview
| Duration | 16 Days / 15 Nights |
|---|---|
| Destination | Russia — Moscow → Kazan → Yekaterinburg → Irkutsk/Baikal → Vladivostok |
| Price From | $3,695 per person (twin share) |
| Tour Style | Rail Journey — The World’s Greatest Train Trip |
| Data Source | TourRadar / Russian Railways 2026 verified pricing |
Itinerary Highlights
Days 1-3: Moscow — The Heart of Russia
Arrive Moscow. Three days exploring: Red Square at dawn (the colors of St. Basil’s Cathedral are indescribable), the Kremlin Armory (Fabergé eggs, Ivan the Terrible’s throne, Catherine the Great’s coronation dress), the Tretyakov Gallery (the world’s best collection of Russian art), and the Moscow Metro — Stalin’s “palaces for the people” where stations are marble, mosaic, and chandelier masterpieces. Evening: Bolshoi Ballet (optional, must book far in advance). Overnights in Moscow.
Days 4-5: Kazan — Where Europe Meets Asia
Board the train and travel 12 hours east to Kazan, capital of Tatarstan. The Kazan Kremlin (UNESCO) is where Orthodox Russia meets Muslim Tatarstan — the stunning Kul Sharif Mosque (rebuilt 2005) and the Annunciation Cathedral share the same fortress walls. Taste chak-chak (honey-fried noodle dessert) and echpochmak (triangular meat pies) in the Old Tatar Quarter. Overnights in Kazan.
Days 6-7: Yekaterinburg — The Urals & Romanov Tragedy
Overnight train to Yekaterinburg, where the Ural Mountains mark the boundary between Europe and Asia — stand with one foot on each continent at the obelisk. Visit the Church on the Blood, built on the site of the Ipatiev House where Tsar Nicholas II and his family were executed in 1918. The Ganina Yama Monastery, built on the site where their bodies were disposed, is deeply atmospheric. Overnights in Yekaterinburg.
Days 8-12: Irkutsk & Lake Baikal — The Siberian Jewel
Overnight train across Western Siberia to Irkutsk (3 days, 2 nights on board — the longest continuous journey, a rite of passage). The landscape transforms from the birch forests of European Russia to the endless taiga (boreal forest) of Siberia. At Irkutsk, disembark for 4 days: explore the historic center, travel to Lake Baikal and Olkhon Island (see Baikal Winter Magic or Summer Adventure tours for day-by-day details), and experience the Buryat culture. Overnights in Irkutsk and Khuzhir.
Days 13-14: Across the Russian Far East
Re-board the Trans-Siberian for the final leg: 3 days through Buryatia, the Transbaikal region, and the Amur region. The landscape becomes wilder — mountains, rivers, and eventually the Pacific approaches. Cross the 2.6km Khabarovsk Bridge over the Amur River, one of the engineering marvels of the route.
Days 15-16: Vladivostok — The Pacific Terminus
Arrive at Vladivostok, the journey’s end — 9,289km from Moscow, 7 time zones east. This Russian San Francisco: hills plunging to the sea, a Golden Horn Bay (named after Istanbul’s, by optimistic 19th-century settlers), and a fascinating Pacific fleet presence. Visit the S-56 submarine museum, the Vladivostok Fortress, and the Russky Island Bridge (world’s longest cable-stayed bridge at 1,104m). Farewell dinner of Kamchatka crab and Pacific seafood. Depart Vladivostok.
Inclusions
- 15 nights: 3 Moscow + 2 Kazan + 2 Yekaterinburg + 5 Irkutsk/Baikal + 2 Train + 1 Vladivostok
- Daily breakfast + 7 dinners
- All train tickets (2nd class kupe, 4-berth compartments)
- Moscow: Kremlin + Armory + Metro tour
- Kazan: Kremlin + Old Tatar Quarter
- Yekaterinburg: Church on the Blood + Europe-Asia obelisk
- Lake Baikal: 2 days guided exploration + ferry
- English-speaking guide throughout + local guides at each stop
- All station transfers
