Trans-Siberian Railway (Beijing to Moscow) - Short notice!!
Replies: 8 - Last Post: Aug 21, 2012 4:54 AM Last Post By: Barney356
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Trans-Siberian Railway (Beijing to Moscow) - Short notice!!
Hi Guys,I am on the tail end of a around the world trip of sorts.. just making it up as I go along really, and it's time to go back home to Ireland for a few months before I set off again. The trip so far Dublin -> America, India, Thailand, Laos, Cambodia, Malaysia, Indonesia, Australia -> Perth.
It's a spur the moment idea, but the more I think about it the more I am set on traveling home on the Trans-Siberian Railway. From some online research it looks like visas can be a bit of an issue. The Russian one looks straight forward enough as I am going to get a 10 day transit visa, hopefully I can get this in Beijing in one day. Getting into China appears to be a bit more complicated as I have an Irish passport and need to go from Perth in Western Australia.
I was wondering does anyone have any advice on the visa situation, or the trip itself? Would you use a tour company or just go with the flow? Should I just turn up and buy the train tickets or should I book in advance? And most importantly - how should I go about the visa situation?
I am planning to leave in around a week or maybe a bit longer - time is of the essence.
Thanks for looking and if you have any input it is much appreciated.
Cheers!
Brian
1
The Chinese visa problem can be sorted out fairly easily. Get a cheap flight from Perth to Hong Kong. Spend a couple of days in HK, and get a Chinese visa while here. (You may have to submit an itinerary to get the visa.....make one up, involving a couple of weeks in Guangdong and then exiting by the land border through HK again. This, so you don't have to furnish an air itinerary out of China.) Then, with visa in hand (single-entry, 30-day will do you fine.) catch a train to Beijing. (No one ever checks your made-up itinerary against what you really do.) From Beijing, on to Moscow. (BTW, don't forget that you may need a Mongolian visa as well, if you take the trans-Mongolian version of the train.)3
Thanks for the advice guys.Collecting my Chinese visa from the Perth embassy and then flying out that night - bit of a mission, I had to book my flights, accommodation and train in the space of 2 hours and rush back to the embassy.
I booked the trans-Mongolian train which leaves on Wednesday the 29/8. Therefore I have to get my Russian visa on the 27/8 and then the Mongolian one for the 28/8.. cutting it very tight, but hopefully it all works out.
Is this realistic? I certainly hope so as I am pot committed at this stage!
4
Conform your passport, and that it needs a Mongolian visa?Not all do, though I can't remember which ones....
If you have time in HongKong, try the Russian visa there.
5
No chance of HK I'm afraid...Would it be ok to have a night in Moscow or will they except the flight to leave the night I get there? It obviously would be nice to have the rest of the day there to see the sights etc... there would be days left on the transit visa...
7
10 years ago, on a transit visa, you were allowed one night in Moscow.Had to be booked before you got the visa.
I left the next afternoon on overnight train to Latvia (not crossing Ukraine or Belarus, as then you'd need a visa for there, too).
Get as long as you can in Beijing or HongKong to sort out visas, as looks like you'll need Russian and Mongolian.
I'd suggest Mongolian first.
