Trans-Siberian Railway Train #10 - Baikal Express Review and Information

Trans-Siberian Railway, Russia

Hostel Description:

Train #10 on the Trans-Siberian railway is a train that run every other day between Moscow and Irkutsk, the closest city to the largest lake in the world, Lake Baikal. Irkutsk is also the city where the Trans-Siberian branches off into the Trans-Mongolian for those that wish to head down into Mongolia.

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Video Tour:

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Staff: 80%

Each carriage has its own attendant known as the Provodnitsa or Proodnik (if male). They are usually friendly and will let you know how much time you have at a stop if you ask as well as giving you any important information that you may need for the journey.

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Location: 80%

You're on a train in the middle of nowhere in Russia, what more can I say?

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How Clean is it?: 85%

Train #10 on the Trans-Siberian railway is one of the cleaner trains, especially if you stay in second class or above. My 2nd class cart was very nice, bathroom was clean and the halls/bathroom was cleaned daily by the Provodnitsa.

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Any Character?: 85%

Even though you're on a train, it still has a load of character, mainly in the experience itself, the Russian styled dining cart, characters you meet along the way as well as the historic train stations you stop at along the journey.

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How Fun was it?: 90%

Train #10 on the Trans-Siberian railway is heaps of fun! At least it is if the people you are sharing a cart/carriage with are friendly. I ended up sharing a carriage with a bunch of Dutch package tourists who had a penchant for drinking, so it was a good time. Plus, at every stop there are babushkas selling homemade Russian food along with drinks including lots of Vodka and beer!

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Facilities: 80%

#10 on the Trans-Siberian railway has 1st, 2nd and 3rd class carriages. The difference between the three is mainly in the number of people you share a cart with. 1st class put two people in a cart, second puts four and third class puts 6. They all get bathrooms, 2nd class gets access to showers for a small fee and 1st class gets to use the showers for free. Also, there is a dining cart which has reasonable prices for mediocre food.

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Value for your Money: 80%

I think the Trans-Siberian rail on train #10 is a decent value considering you on a 3 ½ day journey spanning numerous time zones. You might be able to find a flight for the same price or maybe a bit more (I didn't look) but taking the train is an experience in itself and not to be missed.

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Bar:

They sold beer, vodka and other drinks in the dining cart at a reasonable price. Also, at many of the stops along the way, there are babushkas (old Russian ladies) selling all manners of drinks that you can bring with you onto the train. It's really cool because at every stop you don't know what kind of drinks and goodies you are going to find.

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Internet:

They did not have internet.

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Food:

Train #10 on the Trans-Siberian railway has a dining cart with a fixed menu that sells food at somewhat reasonable price along with drinks. The food isn't bad but it isn't great either. Also, in each carriage they have free hot water if you want to use it for instant soup, tea or coffee that you can stock up on before the journey or while on it. At many of the stops there are also babushkas who are selling all manners of food and drink, along with many homemade Russian treats. They too will give

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The Extra Good:

The experience itself is the best part of the journey on the Trans-Siberian rail. The people you meet, the endless scenery and the food and drink scavenger hunts at each of the stops makes the Trans-Siberian railway a very fulfilling experience.

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The Extra Bad:

The journey can be pretty crappy if you get stuck in a carriage with people who are unfriendly or weird (as I heard from other travelers).

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Final Thoughts:

Taking the Trans-Siberian railway on train #10, the Baikal Express has been one of the coolest experiences of my travels. I met many cool people, saw some amazing scenery and had all the time in the world to relax and "take it all in". At first, the thought of Russian Trains conjured up images of inept, dirty and late trains that would be a nightmare to ride (I don't know why I thought this), but in reality, Russia has one of the best run and efficient train systems in the world, and because of this, a trip across Siberia is not only easy, but quite enjoyable.

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Would I Stay There Again?:

Definitely.

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