The Trans-Siberian TO BEIJING

Dan Colwell and Martin Gostelow Colourful souvenirs 43 65 33 67 53 27 27 61 13 51 71 3 7 CONTENTS Flashback An EpicRide Index The Hard Facts Dining Out Shopping Beijing South toBeijing Across Into From Moscow totheUrals On the Tracks Moscow Fold-out map Nomad homes Beijing Moscow Train routes

On the right track

Serious culture 3 AN EPIC RIDE

This is the Big One. Nothing else can match the epic scale of a train ride that at its longest (Moscow to Vladivostok) covers more than 9,000 km (5,600 miles), crosses eight time zones and takes seven days of almost non-stop movement. To travel on the Trans- Siberian is no ordinary experience—it’s a journey where the train itself becomes its own fascinating world.

The Trans-Siberian is a working merely a vital means of transport, train used regularly by people but a cherished link connecting from , Mongolia and the far-flung with the rest China. Creature comforts are few of the nation. Today, it’s a relief to and far between. But sharing the find that in the long winter same compartments, corridors, months the trains are comfortably samovars and dining cars makes well heated; and with the snow- this journey a rare chance to get blanketed scenery just beyond the to know the citizens of these in- window, this is for many the best scrutable countries. Always, out- time to enjoy an authentic Siber- side, is the mysterious vastness of ian experience. Siberia. In an age of mile-crunch- It may come as a surprise after ing jet travel, this journey’s all this to discover that the Trans- unhurried progression across a Siberian Express train doesn’t gives an unparalleled actually exist. In fact three differ- sense of space and distance. ent lines cross Siberia. Officially, Before the railway line opened the main routes go under such at the beginning of the early 20th prosaic titles as “Train No. 3”, century, traversing Siberia posed “Train No. 19”, and so on. But to a far greater challenge. This aficionados, they are known and seemingly infinite region could loved as the Trans-Siberian (from take a gruelling three months to Moscow to Vladivostok), the cross, in temperatures that might Trans-Manchurian and the Trans- reach as low as –68°C (–90°F). Mongolian (both from Moscow The railway soon became not to Beijing). This last train veers 34 ON THE TRACKS

Museums Museum of Local Studies The city is known for its many Back towards the main square, pleasant parks and gardens and this museum has some very inter- also has a couple of museums esting displays on the history of worth seeking out. The Dosto- the city, as well as a section de- yevsky Museum concentrates on voted to Siberia’s fascinating nat- the writer’s four terrible years of history. Pride of place goes incarceration here as a political to the skeleton of a woolly mam- exile from 1849–1853. The Mili- moth, whose kind last bestrode tary Museum is especially good this region more than 10,000 on the history of Russia’s 20th- years ago. century conflicts, from World War I through to the debacle in Chechnya during the 1990s. Almost 700 km (430 miles) fur- ther east, Krasnoyarsk is a major Novosibirsk industrial city whose location on Shortly before reaching Novo- the banks of the wide sibirsk, the biggest city in Siberia, River and views of the hills of the the train crosses the River give it a Bridge, 700 m (766 yd) long. The pleasing sense of space. The town Ob is the fourth-longest river in began life as a 17th-century Cos- the world. Its size was a major sack fort, but expanded dramati- obstacle for the railway builders, cally following a gold rush in the and Novosibirsk was founded in 19th century. Another boost to the 1893 as a settlement for them economy came with the building during the bridge’s construction. of a massive hydroelectric dam in Take a river cruise from the boat 1960. station south of the city centre. Novosibirsk’s architecture is Surikov Estate-Museum inevitably modern. The impres- The 19th-century painter Vasily sive Alexander Nevsky Surikov came from Krasnoyarsk. is one of its first stone structures; The Surikov Estate-Museum, at the splendid Opera House, with ul Lenina 98, is based in his old its massive colonnaded façade house and garden, and has a fine and huge silver dome, was com- collection of his paintings, while pleted in 1945. Not far from here the charming Surikov Art Muse- stands the Chapel of St Nicholas, um, on ulitsa Parizhkoy Kom- whose claim to fame is that it is munty, displays works by Surikov built on the exact geographical together with those of other artists centre of the country. from the 18th century onwards. the opera in Novosibirsk. the Cathedral ofthe Epiphany. shuttered charm; Virgin andChildin Bridge over theriver Ob. whenone of thebellsmeltedinheat. 1879, of Fire Great the from 1724.Itsomehowsurvived Cathedral oftheEpiphanydates At thenorthendoftown, Cathedral oftheEpiphany a mere64km(40miles)away. a visittomarvellousLakeBaikal, It’s alsothestopping-off pointfor ular placetobreakthejourney. city inSiberia,andthemostpop- considered themostattractive cow andParis.Irkutskisnow and spentonluxuriesfromMos- boom, whenfortunesweremade the backofa19th-centurygold Krasnoyarsk. Itwascreatedon 1,000 km(620miles)eastof tles inabendofthe River “Paris ofSiberia”. The citynes- was inevitablyknownasthe and refinedculturallife, Because ofitsgrandarchitecture Irkutsk (330 ft)inheight. stolby from theunusualrockpillars,or excursion. The parkgetsitsname land andmakesforanenjoyable guing reserveisonsteep,wooded Southwest ofthecity, theintri- hc reachupto100m , which | A nightat | Irkutsk:

Claude Hervé-Bazin Morandi/hemis.fr Zastavkin/istockphoto.com Zastavkin/istockphoto.com from freezing. Just whatyou need tostopyour ears

Claude Hervé-Bazin 61 SHOPPING

In Moscow nowadays you’ll find a choice as vast as that in any large European city. In China, a vast range of traditional crafts, armies of skilled workers to produce them, an unrivalled instinct for commerce and the sheer need to make a living all combine to make it the world’s biggest emporium.

In Moscow on a black background and The best known of Moscow’s highly lacquered, are sold at sou- department stores is GUM, venir shops everywhere. The tra- smack on . TSUM is ditional designs have been GUM’s big competitor, near the passed down from father to son. Bolshoi Theatre. You will find Artists turn out watercolours good souvenirs in the hotel and drawings of churches and shops, and it is worth looking other sights for sale to tourists. around the flea market in Is- Many are beautifully done, and mailovsky Park. Handicrafts are prices are usually reasonable. the best buys. Amber, the fossilized resin It’s a rare visitor who can from pine trees, comes mainly resist buying a set of wooden from the Baltic coast. Ranging matryoshka nesting dolls. Tradi- from pale yellow to gold and tional versions—anything from 3 deep red, it makes eye-catching to 35 dolls—are painted as bracelets and necklaces, light in colourfully dressed peasant weight and warm to the touch. women, each inside the next size Unusual bygones, lamps and up. Now they have been joined candlesticks, samovars and car- by Disney figures, American pets turn up on market stalls footballers and Russian Leaders although there are few bargains Through the Ages, ending with a to be found these days; they are tiny Putin. often overpriced. Mementoes Wooden spoons, bowls, kvass of the —coins, cups, trays and boxes from the badges, medals, caps and even village of Khokhloma, painted whole uniforms—have become with bright red and gold designs collectors’ items. 70 THE HARD FACTS

Safety will be an important part of your Although Russia has received journey, is to offer a small gift bad publicity for gang crime over rather than money—and the more the last few years, this rarely Western its label the better. affects tourists, and major cities such as Moscow are no less safe Visas than their Western counterparts. Russia, Mongolia and China all and Beijing, on the require visas, and you’ll need a other hand, are generally safe for transit visa even if you’re only visitors, while there should be passing through Mongolia. Evi- few problems on the Trans-Siber- dence of booked accommodation ian itself. Take sensible precau- is necessary to obtain a visa for tions. Ensure that valuables and Russia and Mongolia. If you wish important papers are kept secure, to break the journey when cross- and carry cash and travellers ing Siberia, you will need to spec- cheques in a money belt or seal- ify each stopover at the time you able pocket. On board the train obtain your Russian entry visa. If you can lock the compartment you book through a tour operator door at night, but it’s advisable to they will sort everything for you. keep your passport and money on you even when you go to sleep. Voltage In Russia, Mongolia and China, Time electric current is generally 220V, Moscow is at GMT+3, Novosi- 50 Hz AC. Russian and Mongo- birsk is GMT+7, Irkutsk, Ulaan- lian electrical sockets are for baatar and Beijing are GMT+8. European-style plugs with two In Russia, the train timetable round pins. In China there are keeps to Moscow time, which two main types of plug: the paral- can be confusing as this means lel flat-pin plug and the V-shaped that the time on board isn’t neces- flat-pin plug. sarily the same as the time out- side. If you break the journey, make sure you know when the Hot water is generally on tap in next train is going to arrive. the samovar, situated at the end of each carriage. It’s a good idea to Tipping take a large plastic bottle of min- Porters should receive about $1 eral water, which can also be used per bag. The best way to show afterwards as a water carrier or your appreciation of the provod- even a makeshift shower if you nitsa (carriage attendant), who pierce holes in the bottom of it. INDEX 71

Badaling 51 Ivolginsky Datsan 39 Grand Kremlin Baikal, 36 Irkutsk 35–37 Palace 15 Bargaining 63 Art Museum 37 Graves 18 Beijing 53–59 Cathedral of the GUM 18 Beihai Park 58 Epiphany 35 Ismailovksy Park 25 Chairman Mao Zedong of the Elevation Kazan Cathedral 18 Memorial Hall 54 of the Cross 37 24 Dining Out 66 Decembrist Houses 37 Kremlin 13–16 Drum and Bell Towers Museum of Local Kremlin Palaces 15 57 Studies 37 Kuskovo 25 Forbidden City 54–58 Museum of Regional Lenin’s Tomb 17–18 Halls of Harmony 55 Studies 37 Lubyanka Square 20 Heroes’ Memorial 54 Kanzuang 51 Manezh Square 19 Hutong District 57–58 Karakorum 48–49 Memorials 18 Imperial Collections 56 Khovsgol, Lake 48 Metro 17 Imperial Garden 56 Krasnoyarsk 34–35 Moscow Chekhov Art Jingshan Park 56 Surikov Estate-Museum Theatre 19 Shopping 62–63 34 Moscow State Summer Palace 59 Manzshir 48 University 22 Temple of Heaven 58–59 Money matters 68–69 Museum of Modern Tiananmen Square Moscow 13–25 History 19–20 53–54 All-Russia Exhibition Zoo 57 Centre 24–25 22 Bogd Uul Reserve 48 Arbat District 20 Ostankino 25 Climate 67 Archangel Cathedral 14 Palace of Facets 15 Communications 67 Archeological Museum Patriarch’s Palace 15 Currency, see Money 19 Pushkin Fine Arts Matters Armoury 15–16 Museum 21 Dining on the train 67–68 Bell-Tower of Ivan the Red Square 16–20 Erdene Zuu Monastery 49 Great 14 River buses 21 Erlian 49 Bolshoy Theatre 19 Senate 16 Essentials 68 Cathedral of Christ the Shopping 61 Fengzhan 51 Saviour 22 St Basil’s Cathedral 45 Cathedral of the 16–17 Gobi Desert 49 Annunciation 14 State History Museum Great Wall of China 50 Cathedral of the 18 Harbin 51 Assumption 15 State Kremlin Health 68 Dining Out 65–66 Palace 15 Hustain Nuruu National Donskoy Monastery 24 Terem Palace 15 Park 48 Gorky Park 23–24 Tretyakov Gallery 23 72 INDEX General editor Barbara Ender-Jones

Tverskaya Street 19 Cathedral 39 Design Victory Park 20–21 Main Square 38 Karin Palazzolo White House 20 Natural History Layout Novosibirsk 34 Museum 38–39 Matias Jolliet Museum of Local Open-Air Ethnographic Photo credits Studies 34 Museum 39 Chris Cheng: p. 1 T. Orban/Corbis: p. 2 ballet Nureyev, Rudolf 41 Urals 30 M. Thompson/istockphoto.com: Omsk 33–34 Visas 70 p. 2 matryoshka; C. Ronneseth/istockphoto.com: Perm 30 Vladivostok 39–41 p. 2 Mongolian ger Photography 69 Aleutskaya Street 40 C. Hervé-Bazin: p. 2 locomotive Planning the journey 10–11 Arsenyev History Maps Public holidays 69 Museum 41 JPM Publications Qinglongqiao 51 Krasny Vympel Ship Rostov-Veliki 28–29 Museum 41 Copyright © 2007 JPM Publications S.A. Safety 70 Main Square 40 12, avenue William-Fraisse, Sergiev Posad 27–28 Pacific Fleet 40 1006 Lausanne, Suisse [email protected] Old Art Museum 28 Primorsky Gallery 40 http://www.jpmguides.com/ Toy Museum 28 Railway Station 40 All rights reserved. No part Trinity-St Sergius Submarine Museum 41 of this book may be reproduced Monastery 27–28 Voltage 70 or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or Shanhaiguan 51 Water 70 mechanical, including Stolby Nature Reserve 35 29–30 photocopying, recording or by any information storage Sükhbaatar 43 Art Museum 29 and retrieval system without Terelj 48 Church of Elijah the permission in writing from the publisher. Time 70 Prophet 29 Tipping 70 Church of the Every care has been taken to verify the information in the Trans-Manchurian 51 Epiphany 29 guide, but the publisher cannot Trans-Mongolian 51 Metropolitan’s Palace accept responsibility for any errors that may have occurred. Tyumen 33 29 If you spot an inaccuracy or a Ulaanbaatar 43–45 Monastery of the serious omission, please let us know. Bogd Khan Palace Transfiguration of the 44–45 Saviour 29 Printed in Switzerland Choijin Temple 44 Nikola Nadein Church 11772.00.1998 Natural History Museum 29 Weber/Bienne Edition 2007-2008 45 Yekaterinburg 30–31 Sükhbaatar Square 44 Fine Arts Museum 31 Zanazabar Museum of Military History Fine Art 45 Museum 31 Ulan Ude 37–39 Romanov Memorial Buryat Art Museum 39 30–31