Tips for taking the Trans-Siberian Express

Over at World Hum, I have a new question up at my Ask Rolf column. “I’m interested in traveling on the Trans-Siberian Express from Moscow to Beijing,” asks Geoff from Vancouver. “Have you done this? How long does it take, and would I need a visa for Russia?”

I have indeed traveled the Trans-Siberian Express between Moscow and Beijing, and it was a fascinating experience that I recommend to anyone with the fortitude to travel such a great distance by train. Indeed, it is one of the few classic land journeys left on the planet. For my full answer to Geoff’s question, including visa advice, suggested guidebooks, and recommended tour operators (and why I recommend them for a first-time Trans-Siberan journey), click here.

The Salon.com recounting of my 1999 Trans-Sib journey can be found here, and an NPR dispatch of my Trans-Mongolian journey with my parents in 2001 can be found here.