Trans Siberia Rail Tour: Moscow, Siberia & Mongolia
A 20-day Trans-Siberian Railway journey from Moscow across Siberia and into Mongolia’s capital, Ulaanbaatar.
Travel dates
12 June - 01 July 2026
Places covered
Moscow | St. Petersburg | Kazan | Yekaterinburg | Irkutsk | Ulaanbaatar
Group Size
Min: 10 pax | Max: 12 Pax
Starting From
₹ 4,16,636 / per person
Tour Highlights
A 20-day journey on the Trans-Siberian Railway from Moscow across Siberia to Ulaanbaatar, this immersive tour traces one of the world’s most legendary rail routes. Travelling through historic Russian cities, vast Siberian landscapes and the shores of Lake Baikal, the journey gradually transitions into the open steppe of Mongolia. Along the way, explore cultural crossroads like Kazan and Yekaterinburg, experience life on the iconic Trans-Siberian train, and discover the nomadic traditions of Mongolia. Designed as a slow-travel experience, this Trans-Siberian Railway tour from Russia to Mongolia blends legendary rail travel with deep cultural exploration across Eurasia.
An Epic Rail Journey through Russia, Siberia and Mongolia
Imperial Cities & Cultural Museums
Lake Baikal & Siberian Landscapes
Mongolian Steppe & Ger Stays
Who is this tour for....
Slow travellers comfortable with train journeys and immersive overland experiences.
Nature lovers drawn to vast landscapes like Lake Baikal, and the Mongolian steppe.
Curious explorers interested in history, architecture, museums and culture.
Travellers seeking an iconic long-distance rail journey across Russia, Siberia and Mongolia.
Why this journey is a must-do
This journey belongs on the bucket list not because of the distance it covers, but because of how it unfolds. Travelling on the legendary Trans-Siberian Railway, the world slowly widens outside the window — from the grand avenues of Moscow to the forests of Siberia, the quiet shores of Lake Baikal, and eventually the open steppe of Mongolia.
The rhythm of the train shapes the journey. Days pass watching landscapes stretch and change, stations appear briefly and fade, and distant cities begin to feel connected by a single thread of railway. By the time you arrive in Ulaanbaatar, the experience feels less like a sequence of destinations and more like a passage across a continent. What remains is not just the places you visited, but the quiet sense of distance travelled and the rare perspective that only a long rail journey can offer.
Detailed Itinerary
Day 1: Arrive Moscow
Arrive in Moscow and transfer to your hotel. Today is intentionally kept light to help you settle into the city after your international journey. As the historic starting point of the legendary Trans-Siberian Railway, Moscow marks the beginning of a journey that will gradually cross the vast landscapes of Siberia before continuing onward into Mongolia.
Depending on arrival time, you may take a short walk around the neighbourhood or simply rest and recover. Moscow immediately sets the tone with its grand avenues, Soviet-era architecture, and quiet intensity beneath the surface. This evening is free for you to explore nearby cafés or enjoy an easy local dinner at your own pace.
Day 2: Moscow Exploration
Begin your introduction to Moscow with a guided walking tour from the Bolshoi Theatre to Red Square, covering the city’s historic and political heart. Witness the Changing of the Guards ceremony, followed by a visit to the Kremlin Armoury, home to royal regalia, Fabergé eggs, and ceremonial treasures. Later, experience the city like a local on a Moscow Metro tour, appreciating its ornate stations. Spend time at GUM Mall or wander Red Square at leisure. The day balances iconic sights with free exploration.
Meals included: Breakfast
Day 3: Moscow – Overnight Train to St. Petersburg
After breakfast, check out and explore the vibrant Izmailovsky Market, known for handicrafts, antiques, and traditional souvenirs. You may also be lucky if the local flea market is set up on this day. Later, you’ll be dropped in the city centre for independent exploration, allowing time to revisit favourite spots or enjoy a relaxed café lunch. In the evening, assemble for dinner before boarding the overnight train to St. Petersburg (Train: 23:46 – 08:36 +1 day). Settle into your compartment and enjoy the rhythm of rail travel as the landscapes quietly change overnight.
Meals included: Breakfast
Day 4: St. Petersburg Exploration
Arrive in St. Petersburg this morning and drive straight to the magnificent Peterhof Palace, often called the Russian Versailles. Commissioned by Peter the Great, the palace is famed for its vast landscaped gardens and an elaborate system of over 150 gravity-fed fountains, designed to rival Europe’s grandest royal estates. Explore its elegant halls and cascading fountains overlooking the Gulf of Finland before continuing to your hotel for check-in. The remainder of the evening is kept free to relax or enjoy a quiet stroll along the canals, absorbing the elegance and slower pace that defines this imperial city.
Meals included: Breakfast
Day 5: St. Petersburg – Overnight Train to Kazan
Today focuses on St. Petersburg’s artistic and spiritual highlights. Visit the Church of the Saviour on Spilled Blood, celebrated for its richly detailed mosaics that depict biblical scenes across its interior and commemorate the site of Tsar Alexander II’s assassination. Continue to the Hermitage Museum, housed within the Winter Palace and home to an extraordinary collection spanning classical antiquities, Renaissance masterpieces, and European art. After the sightseeing, transfer to the railway station to board the overnight train to Kazan (Train: 15:15 – 10:58 +1). Relax as you journey eastward, crossing deeper into Russia’s cultural crossroads.
Meals included: None
Day 6: Kazan Exploration
Arrive in Kazan and transfer to your hotel for check-in. Later, explore the city on a guided Kazan city tour, beginning with the UNESCO-listed Kazan Kremlin, where Orthodox cathedrals and mosques stand side by side, reflecting the city’s multi-faith history. Visit the Kul Sharif Mosque, a symbol of Tatar revival, and the Annunciation Cathedral, one of the oldest stone buildings in the region. Continue along Bauman Street, Kazan’s lively pedestrian boulevard, before taking in views along the Volga–Kazanka riverfront. The evening is free to stroll the promenade or enjoy dinner at leisure.
Meals included: Breakfast
Day 7: Kazan – Overnight Train to Yekaterinburg
After a relaxed morning, transfer to the station to board the overnight train to Yekaterinburg (Train: 15:01 – 05:55 +1 day or 14:38 – 10:40 +1 day). This leg marks your crossing from European Russia toward the Ural region. Enjoy the unhurried pace of train travel, watching landscapes shift from plains to forested terrain.
Meals included: Breakfast
Day 8: Yekaterinburg Exploration
Arrive in Yekaterinburg and check in to your hotel. Visit the Romanov Family burial site, marking the place where Russia’s last imperial family was executed and now commemorated by a memorial church. Continue to the Eurasian Border, a symbolic landmark where you stand at the geographic divide between Europe and Asia. Later, explore the Military Museum, offering insight into Russia’s military history with a strong focus on the Soviet period. The evening is free for rest or independent exploration.
Meals included: Breakfast
Day 9: Yekaterinburg - Train to Irkutsk (Train)
Begin the day with an excursion to Nevyansk, viewing the famous Leaning Tower from the outside (currently closed for reconstruction), a symbol of the town’s industrial legacy under the Demidov dynasty. Participate in an interactive coin-minting master class, offering hands-on insight into traditional metalworking techniques. Those interested may also opt for an optional visit to a hereditary potters’ workshop in Nizhnie Tavolgi, where you can take part in a clay souvenir-making session (USD 40 per person). Return to Yekaterinburg by evening, check out after dinner, and board the long-distance train to Irkutsk (Train: 21:39 – 08:24 +3 days), marking the start of the iconic Trans-Siberian stretch.
Note: We recommend visiting the local market and stocking up on items for your meals onboard the train on this day. Breakfast on day of arrival at Irkutsk to be considered as well.
Meals included: Breakfast
Day 10–11: Trans-Siberian Journey
These two days are spent entirely onboard the Trans-Siberian train, travelling across vast Siberian landscapes. Watch forests, rivers, and remote towns pass by, offering a rare window into everyday life across Russia’s heartland. Use the time to read, rest, and interact with fellow travellers while enjoying the unique rhythm of long-distance rail travel.
Meals included: NA (restaurant car available on the train)
Day 12: Irkutsk to Listvyanka
Arrive in Irkutsk and drive to Listvyanka, a village on the shores of Lake Baikal. Visit the Baikal Museum enroute, which offers an engaging introduction to the lake’s unique ecosystem, endemic species, and extraordinary depth through interactive exhibits. Check in to your hotel, and freshen up before heading to explore the local fishing market, where freshly caught omul and regional produce provide a glimpse into everyday life around Baikal. Enjoy a relaxed evening taking in the lakeside views and crisp Siberian air.
Optional: The Listvyanka Cableway is a popular chairlift that takes visitors up to the Chersky Stone viewpoint, offering sweeping views of Lake Baikal and the Angara River. (on direct payment basis ~350 Rub inclusive of vehicle wait time)
Note: We will not be stopping enroute for breakfast on this day.
Meals included: NA (restaurant car available on the train)
Day 13: Listvyanka Exploration
Today is dedicated to optional experiences around Lake Baikal, offering flexibility based on interest and weather. One recommended option is a boat excursion from Listvyanka (near the Mayak Hotel) to a scenic stretch of the Circum-Baikal Railway, followed by a guided walk of approximately two hours along the historic track and a return journey by boat. (~9000 Rub per person on direct payment basis valid for up to 9 pax)
Meals Included: Breakfast
Day 14: Listvyanka to Irkutsk
Drive back to Irkutsk today. Enroute visit the Ethnographic Museum, an open-air complex showcasing traditional Siberian architecture, folk traditions, and indigenous cultures of the region. Continue with a traditional Russian farmhouse lunch, offering a glimpse into rural culinary customs and hospitality. Later, explore the Decembrist Museum, dedicated to the noble families exiled to Irkutsk after the failed 1825 uprising, before checking into your hotel.
Meals included: Breakfast and lunch only
Day 15: Irkutsk to Ulaanbaatar by Train
Travel back to Irkutsk and board the train to Ulaanbaatar (06:58 – 06:38 +1), crossing from Russia into Mongolia. This long-distance rail journey marks a clear transition in both landscape and culture, as forested terrain gradually opens into vast steppe. Spend the day relaxing onboard, enjoying the changing scenery and the slow rhythm of transcontinental train travel.
Meals included: Breakfast, Lunch and dinner
Day 16: Ulaanbaatar Exploration
Arrive in Ulaanbaatar with early check-in, followed by a visit to the Chinggis Khan Monument, an imposing equestrian statue that honours Mongolia’s most revered historical figure. Later, explore the Chinggis Khan Museum, which traces the rise of the Mongol Empire and the legacy of nomadic statehood, and Sukhbaatar Square, the city’s central civic space framed by key government buildings. End the day with a traditional throat singing performance, showcasing Mongolia’s distinctive musical tradition rooted in nomadic culture and nature.
Meals included: Breakfast, Lunch and dinner
Day 17: Ulaanbaatar to Khustai National Park
Drive towards Khustai National Park, enjoying scenic stops across Mongolia’s open steppe. Visit the park, renowned for its successful reintroduction of the endangered Przewalski’s horses, the world’s only truly wild horse species, roaming freely in their natural habitat. Take in the vast grasslands and rolling hills before continuing to your ger camp, where you settle in for the night and experience traditional nomadic-style accommodation.
Meals included: Breakfast, Lunch and dinner
Day 18: Khustai National Park
Today includes a scenic drive through the Orkhon Valley, a UNESCO-listed cultural landscape considered the cradle of Mongolian civilization. Visit Erdene Zuu Monastery, Mongolia’s oldest Buddhist monastery, built with stones from the former Karakorum capital, and explore the Bogd Khan Palace, the preserved winter residence of Mongolia’s last theocratic ruler. Return to the camp in the evening, with time free to relax under Mongolia’s vast open skies.
Meals included: Breakfast, Lunch and dinner
Day 19: Khustai National Park – Ulaanbaatar
Drive back to Ulaanbaatar, breaking the journey with a visit to a nomad family home, offering a close look at traditional Mongolian pastoral life. Share a home-cooked lunch and learn about daily routines shaped by the seasons, livestock, and open steppe. Enjoy a camel ride experience, a gentle introduction to travel as it has been practiced here for centuries. Continue onward to the city, arriving by evening. The rest of the day is free for last-minute shopping, café visits, or simply resting after the journey through Mongolia’s countryside.
Meals included: Breakfast, Lunch and dinner
Day 20: Departure Ulaanbaatar
Transfer to the airport for your onward flight, bringing this transcontinental journey to a close. As you depart Ulaanbaatar, take with you memories of vast landscapes, long rail journeys, and the quiet contrasts between Russia and Mongolia that made this experience truly distinctive.
Meals included: Breakfast
Traveller Notes
- The tour will operate only if the minimum required number of 10 participants is met; failing which the itinerary, pricing, or dates may be revised or the tour may be cancelled with prior intimation.
- The price quoted is valid till 15th May 2026.
- Tour pricing and inclusions are calculated based on the maximum group size and are subject to change in case of any variation in the final number of confirmed participants.
- Accommodation is primarily on double-sharing basis; in the event of an odd number of participants, triple sharing may be arranged where possible, failing which a single room supplement will be mandatory.
- Participants opting for single occupancy or those required to take a single room due to group configuration will be charged a single room supplement over and above the tour cost.
- The cut-off date for confirming participation in the tour is 30th April, post which availability and pricing of services cannot be guaranteed.
- We reserve the right to make minor changes to the itinerary, accommodation, or sequencing of activities due to operational or unavoidable circumstances without affecting the overall tour experience.
- Confirmation of participation and/or payment towards the tour will be deemed as acceptance of the above terms and conditions.
4 Reasons to Choose This Epic Rail Journey with AEJ
Firsthand, Lived Expertise
This is a journey we’ve experienced ourselves, not just designed on paper.
Trusted by Travellers Like You
Our work is backed by consistently strong client feedback and independent reviews.
Handled End to End, Thoughtfully
From trains to remote stays, every moving part is planned and managed with care.
Reliable Support Across Borders
A strong on-ground network ensures you’re supported throughout the journey.
Inclusions
- Accommodation on twin sharing in mentioned hotels. Single occupancy mandatory in case of odd numbered goup.
- Private transfers using Air conditioned coach for group
- All guided tours as mentioned in the itinerary with entrance fees as applicable
- All train journeys in 2nd Class private Coupe
- Assistance at the railway stations for boarding and disembarking
- 16 Breakfasts, 04 dinners, 05 lunches as per itinerary
- Baggage Tags for the entire group
- E-visas for Russia and Mongolia
- All taxes and service charges Included
Exclusions
- Any International flights
- Airport transfers in Moscow and and Ulaanbaatar as per flights chosen
- Personal Travel insurance
- Lunches and dinners unless specifically mentioned in inclusions
- Personal incidental expenses
- Any other services not mentioned as included
- Tips and gratuities (Driver/Guide/Boatmen/naturalists)
- Blocking of seats and meals on board flights on actuals if requested
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