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 | useful info
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Visas
All Western visitors to Russia, Mongolia and China require visas. We prefer handling visa processing for our travellers to ensure documents are handled in a timely and conscientious fashion. Please click here for further info. |
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Voltage
Russia and Mongolia
Standard voltage is 220V, 50Hz AC. Sockets require a Continental or European plug with two round pins. Pack a travel adaptor.
China
Standard voltage is 220V, 50Hz AC. Chinese plugs come in at least 4 designs: 3-pronged angle pins as used in Australia; 3-pronged round pins as used in Hong Kong; 2-pronged flat pins as used in the USA; or 2 round narrow pins as used in Europe. Pack a travel adaptor. |
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Health
It is suggested that you are vaccinated against Polio, Tetanus, Diphtheria, Typhoid and Hepatitis A. If visiting Yekaterinburg in Russia between May-August, it is recommended you are vaccinated for Tickborne Encephalitis. Call us and we'll recommend a travel clinic you can contact for appointments and advice.
Upset stomachs and diarrhoea are a common occurrence amongst travellers in foreign countries. Take care with food and drink. Drink only bottled mineral water. Pack a high factor sunscreen and mosquito repellent (if visiting in summer) and a personal first aid kit containing anti-diarrhoea and headache tablets, plasters ( aka Band aid!), antiseptic cream, handy wipes etc. If you are currently prescribed medication, take an ample supply. Dispensary items of the type you are used to may not be available Russia, Mongolia or China.
Recommended Vaccinations
 Tetanus |
Polio |
Typhoid |
Hepatits A |
Diptheria | |
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Average max temp ?C |
![[Thermometer]](/resources/images/2004/general_page/travellertools/therm_hot.gif) |
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Moscow |
St Pete |
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Jan |
-8 |
-8 |
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Feb |
-8 |
-8 |
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Mar |
-2 |
-4 |
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Apr |
9 |
4 |
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May |
15 |
9 |
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Jun |
18 |
15 |
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Jul |
19 |
17 |
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Aug |
20 |
16 |
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Sep |
15 |
11 |
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Oct |
9 |
5 |
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Nov |
-5 |
-1 |
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Dec |
-10 |
-5 |
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Beijing |
Ulaan Bataar |
| Ja |
1 |
-16 |
| Feb |
4 |
-11 |
| Mar |
11 |
-2 |
| Apr |
21 |
8 |
| May |
27 |
17 |
| Jun |
31 |
22 |
| Jul |
31 |
23 |
| Aug |
30 |
22 |
| Sep |
26 |
16 |
| Oct |
20 |
7 |
| Nov |
9 |
-4 |
| Dec |
3 |
-14 |
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Climate
Russia
In European Russia, summer days from late May to early September are warm and very long. At midsummer in St Petersburg there is no real darkness. Average temperatures range from 18-25 C. Autumn is brief and by the end of October, winter sets in, bringing with it lots of snow and extremely low temperatures. Spring arrives with a vengeance, heralding the great thaw, in late March and April.
Mongolia
As Mongolia is located in the northern hemisphere, temperatures are not unlike those in Russia and northern China (see below). Summer in Mongolia is short but bright. Expect temperatures in the mid 20s celsius. Winter is especially cold, so it is important to wear suitably warm clothing and shoes capable of coping with snowy conditions. Due to extreme weather, clients undertaking a classic adventure at this time of the year will be accommodated in permanent accommodation and not Mongolian gers.
China
China has a great diversity of climates. The northeast experiences hot and dry summers and bitterly cold winters. The north and central
region has almost continual rainfall, hot summers and cold winters. The southeast region has substantial rainfall, with semi-tropical summers and cool winters. If visiting the north, pack heavyweight clothing and sturdy boots for a winter visit and lightweight clothing for summer. If visiting the south, mediumweight winter clothing will suffice, along with lightweight cottons for summer.
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Time
One of the most disorienting aspects of the Trans-Siberian trip is working out what time it really is! The important thing to remember is that all long-distance trains run on Moskovskaya Vremya or Moscow Time in Russia, the abbreviation for which is MB in Cyrillic or MV in English. It has to be this way in a country that has 11 time zones. All timetables, station clocks, train clocks and announcements are on Moscow Time. Clocks may have the letters 'MB' underneath - which signify the clock is operating to Moscow Time. Having gotten used to Moscow Time, you'll then have to get used to Mongolia Time and Beijing Time. Mongolia has 2 time zones, though you'll only pass through one, and China has 3 time zones, though only Beijing Time is used for all trains. To further assist you, take a look at our time ready reckoner!
MV = Moscow Time.
| London |
12:00 GMT |
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Moscow, St Pete?s |
15:00 GMT+3 |
| Perm |
17:00 GMT+5 MV+2 |
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Yekaterinburg |
17:00 GMT+5 MV+2 |
| Novosibirsk |
18:00 GMT+6 MV+3 |
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Krasnoyarsk |
19:00 GMT+7 MV+4 |
| Irkutsk |
20:00 GMT+8 MV+5 |
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Ulaan Baatar |
20:00 GMT+8 |
| Beijing |
20:00 GMT+8
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Money
Russian Rouble (py). 1 Rouble = 100 Kopeks.
Mongolian Tugrik(or Togrog) (MNT). 1 Tugrik = 100 Mongo
Chinese Yuan (RMB or CNY). 1 Yuan = 10 Jiao
| (subject to fluctuation) |
1 USD |
1 GBP |
1 EUR |
| Russia (Roubles) |
23 Roubles |
46 Roubles |
37 Roubles |
| Mongolia (Tugrik) |
1155 Tugrik |
2311 Tugrik |
1830 Tugrik |
| China (Yuan) |
6.82 Yuan |
13.64 Yuan |
10.80 Yuan |
The Rouble, the Tugrik and the Yuan are nonexportable and available only in their respective countries. The Tugrik readily available for exchange in Mongolia and at sometimes at frontier border points. The best currency to carry for exchange into Tugrik is the US Dollar. The Bank of China also issues Renmimbi (RMB), or 'people's money'.
- Bring clean, unmarked cash in US Dollars (not $100 bills as they're hard to exchange) for your Trans-Sib adventure.
- Money changing facilities are available at better hotels, forex bureaux or banks in Moscow, St Petersburg, Yekaterinburg, Irkutsk and Ulan Ude and Ulaan Baatar (Mongolia). When changing money, ID is required. Ensure you have enough in cash aboard the train, or for example, at Listvyanka on Lake Baikal's shore. In Mongolia, the USD is sometimes the method of payment for optional activities, for example, horse-riding at Terelj NP.
- Take a mixture of cash and credit/debit cards (for ATM usage). Changing traveller cheques is cumbersome and complicated and only recognised by the very large banks. Avoid if possible.
- Credit card acceptance is becoming more widely accepted, though cash is still the norm in a vast array of establishments.
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Food on the Trans-siberian
Contrary to popular belief, you won't starve! All the main Trans - Siberian trains have a Buffet/Dining wagon, open generally from around 0900-2100hrs local time. It's a sociable place to meet, hang out, drink beer and chow down! The service is provided by whichever country you are crossing. Food is cafe style at reasonable prices. Don't expect an extensive menu.
Typical meals in the Russian Buffet/Dining wagon inclue ham and eggs for breakfast, schnitzel and potatoes for lunch or dinner, with soups and salads for starters. The Buffet/Dining wagon also sells beer, Russian champagne, vodka, chocolate and snacks. The Mongolian Buffet/Dining wagon (Ulaan Baatar - Zamyn-Uud only) will invariably offer rice and mutton and other dishes. The Chinese Buffet/Dining wagon will offer Chinese staples - noodles and suchlike. A cart is sometimes wheeled through the wagons with snacks and drinks for sale, too. You can also buy food including fruit and vegetables, from the many vendors on station platforms when the train stops. Watch your stomach, though. Perhaps limit the platform-vended snacks to bread, fruit and non-meat snacks.
What's there to drink?
Russians consume an average 12 litres of pure alcohol a year, which is three times the average for the rest of the developed world and also testament to how good the vodka here really is! Alcohol such as vodka is popular in Mongolia (a hang-over from Soviet times) and beer is very prevalent in China. |
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Train travel
Leave the tux and party dress at home! Attire on the Trans-Sib is definitely informal. The Russian, Mongolian and Chinese garment of choice is a jogging ensemble with slippers. You'll want to be similarly comfortable for the journey ahead. Temperatures are regulated regardless of season. For more info on life aboard the train, click here. |
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Tipping
Tipping is a matter of choice and should only be undertaken if the food and service has been pleasing. Standard practice in restaurants is to leave a cash tip of around 10% of the bill total. Merciless train porters and baggage handlers often expect exorbitant tips for lugging your baggage a short distance. Our advice is to travel with a backpack/rucksack. If you'd like to express your appreciation to any of our local representatives, we suggest a tip somewhere in the vicinity of about USD $2 per person per day. |
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