Journey on the Trans-Siberian: St Petersburg(medium.com)
medium.com
Journey on the Trans-Siberian: St Petersburg
https://medium.com/@grigoriy_kogan/trans-siberian-railway-journey-st-petersburg-914f4b2d58aa
52 comments
I think that the part from Yaroslavl' to SPb is de facto part of Transsib. See that strange hook the northern route does just before Moscow? That's because it is continued directly to SPb from its tip via Vologda. The northern route is designed to be pointed at SPb, the capital at the time.
However, topicstarter didn't traverse this path anyway.
However, topicstarter didn't traverse this path anyway.
I can't believe he raced through all the museums and historical works. St Petersburg is near the top of my list for cultural visits. The Russians bought up a ton of the best artwork in Europe and it resides in the Hermitage. The palaces look amazing- classic enlightened Russia.
Russia is a big place and compromises had to be made.
Author here... Happy to answer any questions. This essay covers just the first two days of a 19-day trip, so there are more stories to come, along with tips for anyone considering a similar trip.
>Enough has been written about planning a Trans-Siberian Railway trip,
Hey man. I am really interested in this part. There is way too much info out there and not sure what is outdated and what is not and which ones are legit.
Is there a good authoritative source for this.
Hey man. I am really interested in this part. There is way too much info out there and not sure what is outdated and what is not and which ones are legit.
Is there a good authoritative source for this.
As far as train tickets are concerned—which I found to be the most confusing part—the agency http://realrussia.co.uk/ has helpful resources, including a trip planner[0]. They can also answer specific questions about trains by email.
I also bookmarked this page: http://www.myazcomputerguy.com/everbrite/Page9.html ... It's old, so I would not trust the schedule information, but it's a good introduction and has links to other writeups.
Is there a particular topic/area that you wish you had an authoritative report on? Maybe I can cover it in an upcoming essay.
[0] https://trains.realrussia.co.uk/transsib/
I also bookmarked this page: http://www.myazcomputerguy.com/everbrite/Page9.html ... It's old, so I would not trust the schedule information, but it's a good introduction and has links to other writeups.
Is there a particular topic/area that you wish you had an authoritative report on? Maybe I can cover it in an upcoming essay.
[0] https://trains.realrussia.co.uk/transsib/
The tickets should be the easiest part since there's https://pass.rzd.ru/main-pass/public/en
which is the website to buy rail tickets in Russia. It might be a bit confusing I have to agree, especially finding the correct inputs for "from" and "to" fields.
which is the website to buy rail tickets in Russia. It might be a bit confusing I have to agree, especially finding the correct inputs for "from" and "to" fields.
I can recommend https://www.seat61.com/ for information about longer-distance train travel: frequently updated, lots of useful information, discussion of different route options, etc -- he has a page about Trans-Siberian railway journeys.
I'm headed to Russia for a month in 2 weeks. Taking the railroad into Mongolia. Did anything stand out to you in SPb or Moscow that you were really into? Great cafe or neighborhood vibe?
I have been to SPb (or Peter as locals call it) 4 times in the past year. It's become one of my favorite cities. Peter, has its own vibe, it's still relatively under-appreciated, it has an interesting street music flavor, the hermitage museum is excellent and once you become friends with locals, Russian hospitality is wonderful.
You really want to visit Peter between May till September. End of June to early July during the White Nights is quiet fun.
My favorite thing is to roam the city on bikes. Peter is a large city and having a bike gives you a great freedom to take it all in.
Peter has many restaurants. Armenian (Erevan or Yerevan named after the capital of Armenia is very good but a bit on the pricey side), Georgian, canteen (soviet style buffet). Many places on or around the Nevsky Street open late or never close.
SIM card is cheap, Megaphone and MTC is your best choice, but you can't buy Megahpone at the airport, but there are many locations in the center of the city. I think I paid like $8-9 for 10-12 Gigs of internet.
Russian language knowledge is very helpful. Though a lot more people speak English in Peter than rest of Russia, but if you plan to wonder off, Google Translate (download the Russian language to your phone to be safe) is your friend.
If you want to learn Russian, learn the polite way of saying hello (Здравствуйте) it's hard to pronounce at first, but I find it very disarming and helpful.
Uber has now become Yandex taxi. But you can still use your Uber app which is what I recommend once you arrive into the airport and want to get to city upon arrival.
IMPORTANT - If you stay at AirBNB, the host may not register you. So either ask them to register you or ask them where you can register. Registration is free, but people doing it will charge you some money. There were agencies that would do it last year, but with the world cup rules changed a bit.
If you like street music and you want to fit in, be sure to listen to the music of KINO (with the front man Victor Tsoi) they're a legend in Peter and you'll hear their music always played in the street.
You really want to visit Peter between May till September. End of June to early July during the White Nights is quiet fun.
My favorite thing is to roam the city on bikes. Peter is a large city and having a bike gives you a great freedom to take it all in.
Peter has many restaurants. Armenian (Erevan or Yerevan named after the capital of Armenia is very good but a bit on the pricey side), Georgian, canteen (soviet style buffet). Many places on or around the Nevsky Street open late or never close.
SIM card is cheap, Megaphone and MTC is your best choice, but you can't buy Megahpone at the airport, but there are many locations in the center of the city. I think I paid like $8-9 for 10-12 Gigs of internet.
Russian language knowledge is very helpful. Though a lot more people speak English in Peter than rest of Russia, but if you plan to wonder off, Google Translate (download the Russian language to your phone to be safe) is your friend.
If you want to learn Russian, learn the polite way of saying hello (Здравствуйте) it's hard to pronounce at first, but I find it very disarming and helpful.
Uber has now become Yandex taxi. But you can still use your Uber app which is what I recommend once you arrive into the airport and want to get to city upon arrival.
IMPORTANT - If you stay at AirBNB, the host may not register you. So either ask them to register you or ask them where you can register. Registration is free, but people doing it will charge you some money. There were agencies that would do it last year, but with the world cup rules changed a bit.
If you like street music and you want to fit in, be sure to listen to the music of KINO (with the front man Victor Tsoi) they're a legend in Peter and you'll hear their music always played in the street.
About registration: Do you really think it's important? I had two recent trips to Moscow where I was staying at Airbnbs and the hosts refused to register me. I was unable to find another way to register and decided to risk it. Nobody asked about it during departure. One trip was before the world cup, the other was during the final. I'd definitely like to follow the rules, but it seems like a huge hassle when staying at Airbnbs ... (note: both trips were ~5 days, but world cup rules of ~1 day deadline for registration were in place for both trips)
I just assumed to follow the rules. Especially, because I can see myself needing a Russian visa in the future and do not want to have any red flags in my file.
So it's my understanding that the registration goes into your computer file. Before the World Cup registration was required if you stayed more than 5 days in a given city. During the World Cup it was reduced to 3 days [0].
I did meet an Australian group who did not have the time to register and I'm guessing there were probably a lot of visitors like them.
It's possible (speculation at my part) the border controllers were instructed to go easy on people from Western Countries.
Perhaps given the large bureaucratic process of registration, it's possible the orders were to be flexible. It's also possible that when they scanned the visitor's fanID when entering a stadium (again speculation) that it became a form of registration, and these people were flagged as real football fans and not some threat.
It's clear this world cup was used to boost tourism (seeing how the FanID visa free visit is extended till the end of the year [1]) and the last thing the country wants is some Kafkaesque experience by some western blogger. So there is probably flexibly built into this rule. I just wouldn't take the chance.
That being said, I just assume to follow the rules. Particularly, if you think one day you may want to visit Russia again.
[0] https://www.accountor.ru/en/fifa-registration-rules-for-fore...
[1] https://www.dw.com/en/russia-to-let-world-cup-fans-come-back...
So it's my understanding that the registration goes into your computer file. Before the World Cup registration was required if you stayed more than 5 days in a given city. During the World Cup it was reduced to 3 days [0].
I did meet an Australian group who did not have the time to register and I'm guessing there were probably a lot of visitors like them.
It's possible (speculation at my part) the border controllers were instructed to go easy on people from Western Countries.
Perhaps given the large bureaucratic process of registration, it's possible the orders were to be flexible. It's also possible that when they scanned the visitor's fanID when entering a stadium (again speculation) that it became a form of registration, and these people were flagged as real football fans and not some threat.
It's clear this world cup was used to boost tourism (seeing how the FanID visa free visit is extended till the end of the year [1]) and the last thing the country wants is some Kafkaesque experience by some western blogger. So there is probably flexibly built into this rule. I just wouldn't take the chance.
That being said, I just assume to follow the rules. Particularly, if you think one day you may want to visit Russia again.
[0] https://www.accountor.ru/en/fifa-registration-rules-for-fore...
[1] https://www.dw.com/en/russia-to-let-world-cup-fans-come-back...
(Author of the story but not the person you're asking.)
I never got asked to prove my registration, but why risk it? If your host is unable or unwilling to register you, you can self-register at the nearest police station.[0]
[0] Please verify this, don't take my word for it.
I never got asked to prove my registration, but why risk it? If your host is unable or unwilling to register you, you can self-register at the nearest police station.[0]
[0] Please verify this, don't take my word for it.
They need some address to register you at, and I guess they need consent from the owner of place where you are staying.
Not really, they hold you at your word, in case you lie or owner of the place claims he doesn't know you and you never been there it goes in your file next interaction with police / border control might not be pleasant.
EDIT: Depends on length of stay of course, under few weeks they generally don't care, over a month they will definitely contact the owner and check everything.
Owner might not want his address being mentioned too many times, registering 10 random people within 2 months would definitely attract tax office attention and since renting is income tax needs to be paid on that.
EDIT: Depends on length of stay of course, under few weeks they generally don't care, over a month they will definitely contact the owner and check everything.
Owner might not want his address being mentioned too many times, registering 10 random people within 2 months would definitely attract tax office attention and since renting is income tax needs to be paid on that.
I spent a few months in St. Petersburg last year. (Was born there, but hadn't been back in a while.)
Do you like beer? AF Brew is basically as good as a lot of breweries in NorCal. They even do the whole indie canning thing.
Also, be sure to check out the anti-cafes: pay-per-hour "third places" where you can go to work, hang out, have a coffee, etc.
Museum-wise, the Erarta and General Staff Building are pretty incredible.
Do you like beer? AF Brew is basically as good as a lot of breweries in NorCal. They even do the whole indie canning thing.
Also, be sure to check out the anti-cafes: pay-per-hour "third places" where you can go to work, hang out, have a coffee, etc.
Museum-wise, the Erarta and General Staff Building are pretty incredible.
In St Petersburg you can find bars and restaurants on Rubinstein Street. Tsvetochki (Цветочки) is a nice and cozy cocktail bar.[0] If you like coffee and books, swing by Podpisnyye Izdaniya (Подписные издания) and buy both.[1]
Wish I could say more but I had very limited time in both cities.
[0] https://goo.gl/maps/GXG46qDKYG62
[1] https://goo.gl/maps/HWmNTADox8o
Wish I could say more but I had very limited time in both cities.
[0] https://goo.gl/maps/GXG46qDKYG62
[1] https://goo.gl/maps/HWmNTADox8o
Take "The Yellow Arrow" by Victor Pelevin with you and read it after a few days on the train – it will be a really immersive experience.
I really enjoyed reading about your experience! I enjoy reading about the culture clashes you encountered. To someone not grown up in either culture, they give a glimpse both into Russia and the USA.
That being said, how do people say goodbye in the USA?
That being said, how do people say goodbye in the USA?
In the US it's common for people to shake hands, regardless of gender. Many people like to hug, even with people they've just met.
I lived in big cities for all my life with short trips to the country in summer, from my experience is that those who live in the city men would shake hands and/or nod, rarely hug. The ones that live in smaller towns/villages tend to hug a lot more.
With women it is if you are an acquaintance then a nod, a friend usually a hug, can be a kiss on the cheek sometimes. With women from smaller towns they might hug and kiss strangers probably out of habit.
Since US is quite rural that would explain more hug prone culture.
With women it is if you are an acquaintance then a nod, a friend usually a hug, can be a kiss on the cheek sometimes. With women from smaller towns they might hug and kiss strangers probably out of habit.
Since US is quite rural that would explain more hug prone culture.
Cool trip, but technically Trans-Sib starts in Moscow. :)
Thanks for sharing real experiences in real Russia.
I guess that you need to have half-decent Russian language skills to not feel like a complete spare wheel?
I think so. It was surprising how few Russians spoke English, even in the major cities. It would've been much more difficult to engage with locals without my knowledge of Russian—which I'd say is at a 4th-grade level.
Younger people (school grads and older) typically have better English than the older ones. Also, it doesn’t hurt to have a translator app on your mobile.
Good to know. I live in Colombia, and the same is true here with respect to Spanish.
Yes.
Around Red Square in Moscow you will probably get along with English. In the rest of Moscow‘s city center: doubtful, but possible.
Elsewhere? Forget about it.
Except for St. Petersberg. Only one person I tried to talk to did not speak some English, a ticket inspector in the tram. Fortunately, just about every Russian around was immediately trying to help and translate. :-)
Oh, and learn by heart how „Выход в город“ looks like. I learned it after I spent about half an hour trying to emerge from the metro station to the surface, and only getting to yet another train line.
Around Red Square in Moscow you will probably get along with English. In the rest of Moscow‘s city center: doubtful, but possible.
Elsewhere? Forget about it.
Except for St. Petersberg. Only one person I tried to talk to did not speak some English, a ticket inspector in the tram. Fortunately, just about every Russian around was immediately trying to help and translate. :-)
Oh, and learn by heart how „Выход в город“ looks like. I learned it after I spent about half an hour trying to emerge from the metro station to the surface, and only getting to yet another train line.
Thanks for writing. I'm considering doing the Trans-Siberian this winter.
Really? I was thinking about it, but considered -25°C too cold for my likings. I mean, what do you do in the cities? Walking around at -25°C? :(
I heard from someone who did it in the summer that to do that is missing the point, since at that point it's just a big forest and not very, well, Siberian.
(I went in Spring when it was -10, which I think was about the right mix: endless snowfields, and plenty cold enough).
(I went in Spring when it was -10, which I think was about the right mix: endless snowfields, and plenty cold enough).
Supposedly the landscape is beautiful in the winter, thanks to the snow. Personally I chose to see it in the summer, though, so I can pack fewer clothes.
It easily gets to -40°C in Siberia.
Usually it’s quite warm inside the train, unless you’re unlucky to get a broken car.
Your photo with unsmiling relatives reminds me of a question I've been meaning to ask.
The first time I applied for a Russian visa, my photo was rejected for smiling. My second Putin-serious photo was accepted just fine. What's the story with smiling? Do Americans come across as goofy there for smiling too much? (off topic, I know, but potentially useful)
The first time I applied for a Russian visa, my photo was rejected for smiling. My second Putin-serious photo was accepted just fine. What's the story with smiling? Do Americans come across as goofy there for smiling too much? (off topic, I know, but potentially useful)
Oh that's funny, I didn't even notice that... "Guess who's the goofy American in this photo!"
Passport photos aside (which really do require a neutral face, even in the US), Russians do not smile in public or to strangers the way we do in the US. Smiling in public is seen as a sign of foolishness or low intelligence. When Americans come to Russia they interpret the lack of smiles as hostility, which isn't true.
Passport photos aside (which really do require a neutral face, even in the US), Russians do not smile in public or to strangers the way we do in the US. Smiling in public is seen as a sign of foolishness or low intelligence. When Americans come to Russia they interpret the lack of smiles as hostility, which isn't true.
Thanks for explaining, I've wondered that. By the way, smiling is OK on US passports[1]. I've taken a lot of visa and passport photos, and I have seen a requirement not to show teeth. But I've only once had a photo returned. And I really wasn't grinning in the photo.
Incidentally, that slighty-more-serious mood in Russia feels comfortable for me. Maybe because I tend to smile less than I "should" in the US.
[1] From https://travel.state.gov/content/travel/en/passports/require...
"You must have a neutral facial expression or a natural smile, with both eyes open"
Incidentally, that slighty-more-serious mood in Russia feels comfortable for me. Maybe because I tend to smile less than I "should" in the US.
[1] From https://travel.state.gov/content/travel/en/passports/require...
"You must have a neutral facial expression or a natural smile, with both eyes open"
You aren't allowed to smile for passports either. I had to retake mine for my Canadian passport a few years ago because I put on a huge smile :D.
Most people don't walk around with a giant grin on their face. A picture of a resting face is more accurate than one that you pose and contort your face for.
Most people don't walk around with a giant grin on their face. A picture of a resting face is more accurate than one that you pose and contort your face for.
A smile is perceived as sign of weakness. Smiling to sellers, taxi drivers and others in service sector greatly increases the likelihood you'd be taken advantage of. Smiling to law enforcement (except border guards who are used to it) can attract unnecessary attention.
That is not true. In western countries one must smile to be polite, even if the smile doesn't represent his/her current mood. There is no objective reason to render happines in common situation for Russian people.
One may smile when he meets a friend or sees some cute kitten, but in general people are walking in some meditation alike state, thinking about the current affairs and not particularly paying attention to the people they passing by.
And when russian person meets the grinning stranger with cold eyes (not his real mood). It looks kind of creepy. Ordinary people usually do not pay much attention for this kind of encounters. Police (are you drunk?) and street scammers(are you a tourist?) - do.
One may smile when he meets a friend or sees some cute kitten, but in general people are walking in some meditation alike state, thinking about the current affairs and not particularly paying attention to the people they passing by.
And when russian person meets the grinning stranger with cold eyes (not his real mood). It looks kind of creepy. Ordinary people usually do not pay much attention for this kind of encounters. Police (are you drunk?) and street scammers(are you a tourist?) - do.
It has little to do with meditation, it's an ever present tension imposed by simmering-hostile environment that most Russians live in. In the same vein it's a common Russian misconception that Westerners always fake their smiles. They are often genuinely more friendly and chill.
And yes, if you smile too much you are taken for лох, even if you are native. Get to an urban market some day and smile to sellers, посчитай на сколько обуют.
And yes, if you smile too much you are taken for лох, even if you are native. Get to an urban market some day and smile to sellers, посчитай на сколько обуют.
I lived in Russia for 2 years as a foreigner. I never noticed and issue with smiling. I think it has more to do with how much of an accent you have when speaking Russian and what you wear. If you are in a tourist area you have to be double aware (especially for little gypsy kids swarming you and pickpocketing). In the tourist areas taxis drivers try to rip you off. I remember an incident where they quoted a price that was really high. I just laughed and started walking away saying I'm not paying more than (1/10th the original price). He promptly agreed without hesitation.
As a foreigner you stick out in thousand tiny details that's true. As a grumpy looking foreigner you're better off though.
IME it's not weakness. People just don't smile without a reason. And meeting or talking to a stranger is not a proper reason.
>>The virile ruler, the vodka, the endless mounds of sour cream—they are pleasing to some. It’s just that grinning without cause is not a skill Russians possess or feel compelled to cultivate. There’s even a Russian proverb that translates, roughly, to “laughing for no reason is a sign of stupidity"
>>The virile ruler, the vodka, the endless mounds of sour cream—they are pleasing to some. It’s just that grinning without cause is not a skill Russians possess or feel compelled to cultivate. There’s even a Russian proverb that translates, roughly, to “laughing for no reason is a sign of stupidity"
Yes, stupidity is a weakness that is ripe to exploit. Thought it was obvious I didn't mean physical forte.
Your average street level transaction will degrade if you smile or even too polite.
Your average street level transaction will degrade if you smile or even too polite.
How did you learn Russian so fluently? Did you grow up speaking it?
Yes I spoke it in early childhood before moving to the US. I speak with a poor vocabulary and an accent now, but it was enough!
Cool, very jealous. I'll definitely be keeping up with your blog posts, it was really interesting.
> The Trans-Siberian Railway (TSR, Russian: Транссибирская магистраль, tr. Transsibirskaya magistral', IPA: [trənsʲsʲɪˈbʲirskəjə məgʲɪˈstralʲ]) is a network of railways connecting Moscow with the Russian Far East.[1]
Saint Petersburg–Moscow Railway is considered a separate railway line [2].
[1] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Trans-Siberian_Railway
[2] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saint_Petersburg%E2%80%93Mosco...