Transsiberian by Private Train (Eastbound).

Helsinki-Moscow regular train "Tolstoi" in business class and from Moscow to Beijing private train.

From (Helsinki to) Moscow via Lake Baikal through Mongolia and on to Beijing:

A journey on the legendary Transsiberian Railroad is one of the last great travel adventures in our world. Set this dream of a lifetime on the tracks with our Private Train and experience Russia , Mongolia and China in the safest, most comfortable and fascinating manner.
The historic route between Moscow , Lake Baikal and Beijing is the heart of all travel variants: The exciting days of your journey are delivering three of the world’s largest countries directly to your compartment. Lean back to enjoy the dramatic changes of scenery and savour a choice of Europe’s and Asia ’s most superb and splendid landscapes!

Day 1 Train Helsinki-Moscow in Business class cabin 17.52 - 08.25+ (no meals included on day 1)

Crossing Finnish-Russian border on on overnight to Moscow. There is no guide in this train. You will meet your guide in Moscow.

Day 2 Welcome to Moscow

After having arrived in Moscow , your tour guide welcomes you at the railway station and accompanies you to your hotel. The Russian capital presents itself in wonderful illumination on your " Moscow by Night" city lights tour. Afterwards you can stroll across the famous Red Square with your tour guides and experience Moscow ’s Metro stations in all their splendour and beauty. At night, the beds in your first class hotel spread comfort. (D)

Day 3 Sightseeing Moscow

Your grand city tour starts in the morning with the Kremlin, including one of the magnificent cathedrals still left from the time of the Tsars. Towards evening, your train departs from the Kazan Station. (BLD)

Day 4 Kazan

In the morning arrival in Kazan , ancient capital of the Tartars, where you visit the city’s Kremlin. A boat trip will make you familiar with Europe's greatest river, the Volga . Your Private Train resumes its journey in the evening. (BLD)

Day 5 Ekaterinburg

In the afternoon halt in Ekaterinburg and short city tour. In the course of the city tour you will see the newly erected Cathedral-on-the-blood, built in memorial of that tragic historical event.

Back on the train you enjoy your view on the fascinating landscape and in the course of a caviar and vodka tasting you get acquainted with the traditions of Russian hospitality. (BLD)

Day 6 Novosibirsk

You reach Novosibirsk , heart of Siberia , where you will be welcomed in the traditional Russian manner with bread and salt. Your city tour includes a visit to the lively market. After dinner, the train continues its ride eastwards.  (BLD)

Day 7 Across Siberia

Your Private Train, by now your second home, proceeds onward over the Yenisei River through Siberia . The on-board restaurant cooks once again demonstrate their skills with the speciality meal "Tsar’s Feast". (BLD)

Day 8 Irkutsk

Today the train reaches Irkutsk , capital of Eastern Siberia . During a city tour you will see the new statue of Alexander III. After lunch, you undertake an excursion to the open-air museum "Life and Work in the Time of the Tsars”. A taiga dinner in a Siberian forest restaurant is the excursion’s romantic finale. Spend the night in a centrally located standard hotel in Irkutsk . (BLD)

Day 9 Lake Baikal

Today you will visit a Siberian village by bus. A boat takes you across the deep waters to Port Baikal, where your Private Train awaits you. On ancient tracks it takes you directly along the shore of Lake Baikal for several hours. Dinner is served in typical local style as a picnic on the shores of the lake (weather permitting). (BLD)

Day 10 Ulan Ude

This day takes you along a different part of the shore of the mystical Lake Baikal , and then onwards through the wild and lonely mountain steppes of Eastern Siberia . On the way to the Mongolian border the train will stop in Ulan Ude, where you attend the city tour. (BLD)

Day 11 Ulan Bator and Gandan Monastry

In the morning you arrive in Ulan Bator . In the course of a city tour you will see the impressive Buddhist Gandan Monastery, the open air railway museum and the Lama Museum . In the evening, your tour guides show you the best beer garden in the city. You spend the night in a centrally located standard hotel in Ulan Bator . (BLD)

Day 12 Ulan Bator and the Mongolian Alps

Today you attend a tour to Mongolian Switzerland. After breakfast, a bus trip reveals the beautiful countryside. You take lunch within the typical tent settlements of nomadic herdsmen. A Mongolian horseback riding show will be performed especially for you. In the evening your Private Train will travel onward to the Chinese border. (BLD)

Day 13 Through the Gobi desert

In the early morning your train halts in the middle of the Gobi Desert , some time ago one of the favourite settlements of dinosaurs. Towards noontime, you reach the Chinese border, where your Chinese train is ready for departure. (The Chinese train has no Nostalgic Comfort and Bolshoi cars, but is furnished in a modern and practical manner. You sleep in compartments with either two or four beds.) (BLD)

Day 14 Welcome to Beijing

After observing impressive scenes of Chinese rural life from your compartment window, you arrive in Beijing in the morning, where you will spend three nights in a first class hotel. (BL)

Day 15 Beijing– – Temple of Heaven and the Forbidden City

A four-hour city tour will show you the Temple of Heaven and its park as well as Tiananmen Square . A guided tour through the interior of the Forbidden City follows in the afternoon. (BL)

Day 16 The Great Wall and Peking Duck

Today you enjoy a day trip to the Great Wall. Your programme also includes a tour of a pearl cultivation farm, the Ming Tombs and the avenue of the spirits. In the evening you enjoy a meal featuring the world-famous Chinese dish, Peking Duck. (BLD)

Day 17 Beijing and back home

Today a wonderful trip filled with unique and unforgettable experiences comes to its end and you start your return flight by Finnair to Helsinki. (B)

Highlights of the tour

-          Train ride on the otherwise closed route of the Transsiberian along Lake Baikal with 2 extensive photo stops

-          40 hours at Lake Baikal

-          Your Private Train: safe, clean and comfortable

-          Moscow , Russia ’s proud new capital

-          Boat trip on the Volga

-          Kazan, Ekaterinburg, Ulan Bator, Novosibirsk and Irkutsk

-          Boat ride on Lake Baikal

-          Glorious: Icons and Cathedrals

-          Pristine: typical Siberian villages

-          Authentic: Mongolian horse show

-          Beijing ’s Forbidden City

-          Modern History: Tiananmen Square

-          Entertaining and informative: Daily lectures about countries, people and cultures

-          Traditional: greeting with bread, salt and balalaika

-          For connoisseurs: vodka and caviar tasting

Excursions and specialties

Moscow

–        Kremlin

–        Night tour

–        Tour of the subway

–        City tour including Church of the Redeemer

Kazan

–        City tour including guided visit of the Kremlin

–        Boat trip on Volga River

Ekaterinburg

–        City tour with visit to the Church of the Ascension

Novosibirsk

–        City tour with visit of a typical Russian market

Irkutsk

–        City tour with visit to the drama theatre

–        Visit to open-air museum

Lake Baikal

–        Follow the ancient tracks along the shores of Lake Baikal , including village visit

–        Boat trip on Lake Baikal

Ulan Ude

–              City tour

Ulan Bator

–        Visit to the Choijin-Lama temple

–        Tour of the Gandan Monastery

–        Visit to Alpine Mongolia including horse-riding demonstration

Erlian

–        Visit to the local market

Beijing

–        Visit to the Temple of Heaven and Tiananmen Square

–        Visit to the Great Wall of China and Ming Tombs

–        Visit to the Forbidden City

Culinary Specialties

–        Peking Duck

–        Caviar and vodka tasting

–        Picnic on Lake Baikal

–        Tsar’s feast

Our service – Your benefit

- More than 25,000 satisfied guests have travelled Europe's most experienced Tour Operator on the Transsiberian Railroad with the know-how from over 20 years of operating tours in Russia and on the Transsiberian

- Obtain profound insights into Russian, Mongolian and Chinese culture––in just one epic journey

- Dine in our lovingly designed restaurant wagons and enjoy finest local cuisine and drinks served by courteous waiters

- 42 meals included during the tour according to itinerary (B = Breakfast, L = Lunch, D = Dinner)

- 22 excursions and tours included as well as all entrance fees

-  Professional threefold tour guide-system: Knowledgeable and dedicated tour director, a competent group guide as well as several local guides, all equipped with expert knowledge of the region

- Individual special requests possible: Access to forbidden zones and extra opening hours

- Alternating overnights in your train compartment and in first class and standard hotels

- Choose from 5 different compartment categories: Standard (4-bed birth), Standard Plus (2-bed birth), Nostalgic Comfort (these newly built cars are nostalgically furnished in the Soviet Government Train style of the 50’s), Bolshoi (2-bed birth with en-suite facilities) and Bolshoi Platinum (even larger than Bolshoi cabins featuring the best available comfort on the Transsiberian Railway)

- Travel with guaranteed accommodation in the category booked onboard the Private

- Train from Moscow to Erlian; single accommodation is possible

- From Erlian to Beijing (about 16 hours) accommodation in comfortable sleeping quarters (the Chinese train does not carry sleeping cars of the Nostalgic Comfort and Bolshoi category; single accommodation is not guaranteed)

- Extensive trip on the ancient rail lines of the Transsiberian Railway directly on the banks of Lake Baikal with photo stop

- Three overnights in Beijing and one night in Moscow in first class hotels

- One overnight each at centrally located standard hotels in Ulan Bator and Irkutsk (Bolshoi guests reside in deluxe rooms or suites of standard hotels)

- All transfers at your travel destinations

- Luggage service at all train stations

- Detailed travel documents, travel guides and personal log book

- Sophisticated on-board programmes: Entertaining lectures on local culture, history

and everyday life

- Doctor on board (from Moscow to the Chinese border)

- Showers on board

- Caviar and vodka tasting on board the train

- Traditional Russian welcoming ceremony with bread, salt and Balalaika music

- Special Peking Duck dinner at one of Beijing ’s leading theme restaurants

We regret that due to the intricate logistics of this tour, changes are sometimes unavoidable.

Prices include: train and hotel accommodation, whole excursion programme, meals according to the itinerary, transfers, international flights

Not included: , fees for visa, tips and own expenses.

Minimum tour participants: 120 (see 6.3 of our General Terms and Conditions).

Rates per person:

Compartment cat I (Standard) EUR 4250 p.p. 3rd person in a 4 bed compartment EUR 350 (Moscow-Beijing)

Compartment cat II (Standard plus ) EUR 5380p.p. Single compartment supplement EUR 950 (Helsinki-Beijing)

Compartment cat III (Nostalgic Comfort) EUR 6700 p.p. Single compartment supplement EUR 2270 (Helsinki-Beijing)

Compartment cat IV (Bolshoi) EUR 9750 p,p. Single compartment supplement EUR 3730 (Helsinki-Beijing)

Compartment cat V (Bolshoi Platinum) EUR 11250 p.p. Single compartment supplement EUR 3830 (Helsinki-Beijing)

Helsinki-Moscow in a busines class of Tolstoi train and Moscow-Beijing in a Private train.

From (Helsinki) Moscow to Beijing 2010

1) 15 MAY – 31 MAY 2010
2) 12 JUN – 28 JUN 2010*
3) 10 JUL – 26 JUL 2010*
4) 07 AUG – 26 AUG 2010
5) 04 SEP – 20 SEP 2010

Traveller Oy Ltd booking and reservation fee EUR 50 / booking.

Visas to Russia, Mongolia and China EUR 250 / person for Finnish passport.

• Do not hesitate to travel by train. It saves the nature ! Go old fashion - travel by train.

 Luksus train tour 2010

THE TRANS-SIBERIAN EXPRESS in luxus 2010

EASTBOUND ITINERARY

MOSCOW - VLADIVOSTOK

Day 1: MOSCOW

Arrive at Moscow airport, where you are met and transferred to the luxurious five-star Marriott Royal Aurora hotel (or similar) located in the heart of this vibrant city for a one-night stay. We enjoy a welcome reception dinner at our hotel, whilst you meet your fellow travellers and anticipate the epic 15 day voyage that lies ahead.

Day 2: MOSCOW

Our morning city tour of Moscow principally takes us to Red Square, an iconic symbol of Russia’s former military and political might. Here we see an eclectic mix of fascinating architecture, such as the ornate St Basil’s Cathedral with its magnificent onion-domed spires, the grandeur of The Kremlin and the sombre and evocative site of Lenin’s tomb.
Early afternoon sees us boarding the luxurious Golden Eagle Trans-Siberian Express. After settling into our modern, stylish cabins, we enjoy dinner in one of the beautifully designed restaurant cars as our rail adventure eastwards to Vladivostok begins.

Day 3: KAZAN

We arrive at the picturesque and historic city of Kazan by mid-morning. Situated on the River Volga, Kazan is the capital of Tatarstan. Here we have the opportunity to see for ourselves its rich tapestry of history and culture. One of the highlights of this city tour is our exploration of the Kremlin Fortress, a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Within the walls of this ancient citadel we will explore its stunning mosque and onion-domed cathedral. After enjoying a relaxing dinner on the Golden Eagle, you may wish to retire to our welcoming bar car where you can enjoy drinks with new friends whilst listening to our resident pianist.

Day 4: YEKATERINBURG

We cross the Europe/Asia divide before arriving in the historic city of Yekaterinburg. Founded in 1723 by Peter the Great, the third largest Russian city is also the capital of the Urals. The cultural and architectural influences of European and Asian civilisations come together in this fascinating and cosmopolitan landscape. Our city tour takes us to the poignant site where the Romanov, Nicholas II of Russia was executed with his family by the Bolsheviks in 1918. Now a church dedicated to their memory, this site provides us with a powerful insight into the turmoil of the Russian Revolution.

Day 5: NOVOSIBIRSK

A modern ‘Soviet’ city, we experience the life and character of Novosibirsk’s rich culture where the arts, science and literature predominate. Our city tour takes us to the Opera House. An architectural marvel, it houses two permanent ballet and opera companies and is the largest opera house in the world. In front of the Opera House, we visit an imposing statue of Lenin – a marvellous opportunity to have your photograph taken with this iconic political leader.

Day 6: ON BOARD

A day to unwind and reflect on the many sights and sounds we have experienced on our journey so far. Chat to your fellow passengers, perhaps learn a few words of Russian or simply enjoy the ever changing landscape outside your window as it unfolds.

Day 7: IRKUTSK

We arrive in Irkutsk, the ‘Paris of Siberia’, and our visit today takes in the most significant sites and museums in this fascinating city, including an exploration of the classic wooden architecture that has given many of this region’s buildings such a distinctive and unique appearance. Next, we visit the Decembrist House museum which is dedicated to the memory of the exiled aristocrats who were forced to flee to this remote outpost after the failed revolution of 1825. Here we enjoy a private concert before returning to our waiting train for dinner.

Day 8: LAKE BAIKAL

Few natural sights can surpass the beauty and grandeur of Lake Baikal. For five hours we wind our way through tunnels along cliff hugging tracks above the lake with a vista of snow capped peaks along the far shore forming a picture-perfect backdrop. Lake Baikal is the deepest lake in the world and holds 20% of the world’s freshwater. Also known as the ‘Pearl of Siberia’ it is home to a unique breed of freshwater seal and over fifty species of fish including omul which we will be serving in the dining car for some of our meals. Weather permitting, we stop at one of Baikal’s picturesque and secluded bays to enjoy a delicious BBQ including freshly smoked fish prepared by our own chefs. For the brave hearted, there is even time for a refreshing swim in the crystal clear waters. In the afternoon, we visit Listvyanka, a small Baikal settlement nestling at the base of the surrounding hills.

Day 9: ULAN UDE

This morning we arrive in Ulan Ude, capital of the Buryat Republic. The ethnic and cultural diversity of this area offers a unique insight into its heritage. As we tour the area you will notice the different faces and dress styles of these welcoming people. During our exploration of the Old Believers Village we have the opportunity to learn about the culture and history of these religious people as we are treated to a traditional meal and enjoy a concert featuring local dancers and musicians.

Day 10: MONGOLIA

Our Trans-Siberian adventure takes us into Mongolia, home of Genghis Khan, undoubtedly the most feared and revered Mongol and we visit the city of SükhBaatar, situated on the Orkhon River. Lunch is taken Mongol style in a traditional Ger (Yurt) where we experience an authentic meal, enjoying excellent local dishes and entertainment providing a unique opportunity to encounter this time-honoured nomadic way of life. We board the train in time for dinner as we head back into Russia.

Day 11: ON BOARD

Enjoy a more leisurely pace today as we travel through the beautiful landscape of the Russian Far East. You may like to attend one of the interesting lectures or Russian language lessons.

Day 12: ON BOARD

It is the perfect opportunity to practice your Russian or simply relax as our journey today follows the Shilka and Amur rivers, close to the Chinese border. Enjoy Russia at its most dramatic and remote, as the Golden Eagle eats up the miles on our way to Vladivostok.

Day 13: ON BOARD

Passing directly north of Seoul, Darwin and Osaka, we spend our last full day on board the Golden Eagle today as the most easterly point of our mammoth journey is reached passing through Khabarovsk, where we cross the River Amur. Tonight, we enjoy our final dinner onboard our private train that has been our home for the last twelve days as we approach our final destination on this unforgettable journey.

Day 14: VLADIVOSTOK

After travelling through 8 time zones and covering an amazing 6,600 miles (10,600km) along this epic route to the end of the Trans-Siberian line, the Golden Eagle pulls into Vladivostok, a military port located on the western shores of the Sea of Japan. Vladivostok (literally translated as ‘Ruler of the East’) offers visitors an exciting opportunity to explore its principal military attractions including a tour of a restored submarine before we transfer to the centrally located four-star Hotel Hyundai. The final evening is spent saying our goodbyes to our fellow travelling companions and friends at the Farewell Dinner.

Day 15: VLADIVOSTOK

Following breakfast, you will be transferred to Vladivostok airport to begin your journey home.

GUEST SPEAKER - JOHN SERGEANT - JUNE 5 - JUNE 19, 2010
John Sergeant was until recently political editor of the UK television channel ITN and before that spent 30 years with the BBC. As a reporter John covered conflicts in many parts of the world , including Vietnam, the Middle East and Southern Africa, before settling down as a political correspondent. He often travelled with the British Prime Minister of the day, including Margaret Thatcher and John Major, as well as Tony Blair. John recently appeared on BBC1's The One Show and in 2008, starred in BBC1's Strictly Come Dancing.



TOUR FARE:

Silver class: 9100 EUR / person in a shared two persons compartment

Silver class: 13200 EUR / compartment in a single use

Gold class: 11300 EUR / person in a shared two persons compartment

Gold class: 15900 EUR /compartment in a single use

Deposit 1500 EUR (will be debited in a final invoice).

Helsinki-Moscow and Vladivostok-Helsinki are not included in the tour fare. In case you want, Traveller Ltd will reserve also mentioned flights or trains.

2010 Tour dates from Moscow (Eastbound) or from Vladivostok (Westbound)

Eastbound May 10 - May 24

Westboun May 22 - Jun 05

Eastbound Jun 05 - Jun 19

Westbound Jun 17 - Jul 01

Eastbound Jul 25 - Aug 08

Westbound Aug 06 - Aug 20

Eastbound Aug 22 - Sep 05

Westbound Sep 03 - Sep 17