Classic Snow Train via Ekaterinburg - St. Petersburg to Beijing - uVisitRussia
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Classic Snow Train via Ekaterinburg - St. Petersburg to Beijing

This is our Classic Snow Train but with the added bonus of a stop in Ekaterinburg on the Europe-Asia border and the gateway to the Urals.

With husky dog sledding, skiing and one of the world’s most iconic events at its heart, if it’s a real “Russian Experience” you’re after nothing beats this trip. Travelling in the depths of winter you’ll journey across Russia, taking the Manchurian route, to China via Harbin and the world famous Ice Festival, held annually between western and Chinese new years. With a grand opening ceremony, fireworks, a series of theatrical performances and, as its centerpiece, a stunning collection of exhibits crafted from gigantic slaps of frozen water, Harbin is a winter wonderland the likes of which you won’t find anywhere else. Wrap-up well and marvel at the spectacle surrounding you before travelling on to Beijing. This trip offers the opportunity to start your journey in St. Petersburg, where you will see the contrast between the imperial splendour and the soviet simplicity that existed both then and now.

Type: Small Group Tours
Duration: 17 days

Itinerary Hide all details

Day 1: Arrival in St. Petersburg

“S Priezdom” Welcome to St. Petersburg. Our driver will be there to meet you from whichever flight, train or boat you arrive. You’ll then be transferred to the Vesta 3★ Hotel. (We can obtain rates for superior hotels ask a member of the reservations team for details.) Your complimentary InfoPack is full of ideas for getting the most out of your free time.

Day 2: Around St. Petersburg

After breakfast one of our local experts will meet you at your hotel in the lobby for a three hour walking and familiarisation tour. The rest of the day is your own.

Day 3: Departing St. Petersburg

A full day for you to pack in the best of the rest. Own transfer this evening to Moskovsky Station where you will board the Moscow bound train.

Day 4: Arrival in Moscow

Early morning arrival in Moscow. You’ll then be transferred to the Panorama 3★ Hotel. (We can obtain rates for superior hotels ask a member of the reservations team for details.) One of our local expert staff will meet you at the hotel around 10am to take you on a three hour walking tour round the highlights – you’ll use public transport around the centre to avoid the traffic jams and get the hang of the system for when you come to use it independently. Our staffers are full of ideas for this walk but are flexible about other ideas if you have your own. Your walk ends in the city centre around lunchtime. The rest of the day’s your own.

Day 5: Around Moscow

This morning you can continue sightseeing the Lenin Mausoleum is only open in the mornings, and getting there early (it’s in Red Square) helps beat the queues. If you haven’t pre-booked any of our range of city excursions the rest of the day is your own to explore further. Some of our top suggestions (please check opening times/days before setting off) would include visiting the Moscow Kremlin, the Tretyakov Gallery, the Pushkin Fine Arts Museum, or a boat trip along the Mosvka River?

Day 6: Departing Moscow

A morning free to pack in any last minute sightseeing. Afternoon transfer to Kazansky Station where you will board your Ekaterinburg bound train.

Day 7: Arrival in Ekaterinburg

Your first full day on board The Trans-Sib…travelling through the Ural Mountains. There will be plenty of time to meet fellow travellers and hang out in the dining car which serves a variety of meals and snacks reasonably priced. Evening arrive in Ekaterinburg where our driver will meet you at the end of the platform, and will be holding a meeting-board with your name on. Transfer to the Chekhov 3★ Hotel, which is centrally located.

Day 8: Around Ekaterinburg

After breakfast there’s a walking tour around the well-known and less obvious attractions of Ekaterinburg, with a local expert guide. You’ll visit the historical centre of the city, including the scene of the assassination of the Romanov Royal Family, on which a Cathedral now stands to mark the event. You’ll also see something of Ekaterinburg’s involvement in Russia’s military history. The last half-hour will be spent at The Museum of Gems. The tour ends in the downtown area (we make sure you know the way back!), where you are poised for multiple lunch choices and a free afternoon to explore independently.

Day 9: Your choice of Ekaterinburg activities

Please make a choice of one of the day trip options, it’s all included in the trip price.

A. Romanov Graves & Europe Asia border

B. Skiing

C. Ice-fishing

D. Siberian Husky dog sledding (min 2 persons for Husky dog sledding)

Day 10: Departing Ekaterinburg

Private car to the station, where you will board the Harbin bound train.

Day 11: DAY 11–13

The dining car is the heart of social life on the train. It functions as bar, lounge, and take-out snack store, as well as a café serving reasonably-priced meals. It is a great place to meet fellow travellers and locals alike, sharing your experiences of your journey so far with a few drinks, which no doubt will include some Vodka – and maybe smoked salmon and caviar too!

Day 14: Arrival in Harbin

After a night time border crossing (with a layover while the wheels are switched to Chinese gauge), you’ve entered China and the area known as Manchuria -once a separate Chinese Kingdom, and home to the Manchu (after whom the Manchu Dynasty, the last in Imperial China, was named). Early afternoon arrival in Harbin, the regional capital. We have not provided a transfer as the Kunlun 4★ Hotel is directly opposite the Rail Station on the other side of the square. Harbin is sometimes called “The St Petersburg of China”, and its extraordinary pedestrian main street built entirely in European art nouveau style is a must-see in your free time this afternoon if you can tear yourself away from the temptation to buy “top-end clones” of European fashion in the city’s huge number of high end clothing outlets, that is. Don’t miss the hearty local Manchurian cuisine tonight either!

Day 15: Free day to visit the Ice Festival

The Harbin Ice Festival is held at Zhaolin Park which is approximately 5 km from the hotel. The festival is open from 10am – 10pm daily. Sculptors travel from all over the world to display their carvings, but this is very much a local festival. We strongly recommend your visit to include viewings after dusk, which is known locally as the “Lantern Garden Party” when the carvings are bought to life by the amazing lighting. Remember to dress warmly, as temperatures will be well below zero!

Day 16: Harbin to Beijing

Own transfer to the station where you will board the Beijing bound train.

Day 17: Beijing

Arriving into Beijing West Station at the end of your Trans-Siberian journey.

What's included

Full On No Frills

Train

  • 4-berth rail for complete journey (pre-assigned berths)
  • option to upgrade to 2-berth

St. Petersburg

  • transfer on arrival to your hotel
  • 2 nights 3* hotel, breakfast
  • 3 hour personalised walking tour with local expert

Moscow

  • transfer on arrival to your hotel
  • 2 nights 3* hotel, breakfast
  • 3 hour personalised walking tour with local expert
  • transfer to the station on departure

Ekaterinburg

  • transfer on arrival to your hotel
  • 2 nights 3* hotel, breakfast
  • walking tour with local expert
  • day trip option
  • transfer to the station on departure

Harbin

  • 2 nights 4* hotel

Train

  • 4-berth rail for complete journey (pre-assigned berths)
  • option to upgrade to 2-berth

St. Petersburg

  • transfer on arrival to your hotel
  • 2 nights 1* hotel, breakfast
  • 3 hour personalised walking tour with local expert

Moscow

  • transfer on arrival to your hotel
  • 2 nights 1* hotel, breakfast

Ekaterinburg

  • transfer on arrival to your hotel
  • 2 nights 1* hotel/hostel
  • transfer to the station on departure

Harbin

  • 2 nights 1* hotel

 

 

Additional expenses

1 person

2 people

3+ people

Full On

Extra night St. Petersburg from $84 $45 $45
Extra night Moscow midweek $103 $58 $58
Extra night Moscow weekend $77 $52 $52
Extra night Harbin $96 $52 $52
Extra night Beijing $103 $52 $52
2-berth upgrade St. Petersburg-Moscow $96 $96 $96
2-berth upgrade Moscow-Beijing $569 $569 $569
Seasonal Supplement May-Sept $77 $77 $77

No Frills

Extra night St. Petersburg from $45 $32 $32
Extra night Moscow from $77 $52 $52
Extra night Harbin $96 $52 $52
Extra night Beijing $64 $39 $39
2-berth upgrade St. Petersburg-Moscow $96 $96 $96
2-berth upgrade Moscow-Beijing $569 $569 $569
Seasonal Supplement May-Sept $77 $77 $77
Additional info

Extras

The journey you have chosen has some “extras” that are necessary and then “extras”  that will enhance your trip. We cannot re-iterate too much that we pride ourselves on making the trip you have chosen the best it can be – so if we don’t mention something you want, ask us and we’ll try our best to make it happen! In return, we try to inform you about any great “extras” along the way, so that you have the chance to try them if you want! Visas are a necessary extra and needed for all the countries you travel through and the current costs and what is needed can be found under Visas.

Upgrading to 2- berth compartment

Upgrading to 2- berth compartment on the train is also an option, you will see under Prices. This service is becoming more popular every year and not helped by the train operators only confirming this request 30 days or less prior to your departure. We have however devised a workaround for this that’s proving very reliable. We request a 2-berth at the time of booking but if this comes back not possible we block out a 4-berth compartment for 2 person occupancy. The standard of these cabins remains the same, and you get the extra space and privacy one way or the other.

Price

Price packagePrice per person
1 person (full on)

Price per person

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1 person (no frills)

Price per person

Book now
2 people (full on)

Price per person

Book now
2 people (no frills)

Price per person

Book now
3+ people (full on)

Price per person

Book now
3+ people (no frills)

Price per person

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Visa

Russian visa support (Russian visa invitation letter) is included.

Sights included in program

Moscow : The Kremlin
The Moscow Kremlin, the beautiful and ancient ensemble stands high on the hill towering over the left bank of the Moskva river. The Kremlin has always been perceived as a symbol of power and might of the Russian state, the national idea expressed in stone. It is the oldest part of the city, its political, historic and cultural centre, and the seat of the country's highest bodies of power. The Kremlin contains unique specimens of Russian metal cas... Read more
Moscow : Red Square
The famous Red Square is located in the heart of Moscow. Of course, no trip to Russia would be complete without a visit to Red Square, perhaps Russia's most well known place, and possibly the most famous city square in the world. It is Russia’s most recognizable landmark and is usually tourists first stop in Moscow. It is surrounded by Saint Basil’s Cathedral, the State History Museum, Lenin’s Mausoleum and the Kremlin. Visitors... Read more
The State Tretyakov Gallery is the national treasury of Russian fine art and one of the greatest museums in the world. It possesses a unique collection of Russian art which includes masterpieces which span a period of a thousand years. The Gallery's collection consists entirely of Russian art and artists who have made а contribution to the history of Russian art or been closely connected with it. Nowadays it contains more than 170,000 works by Ru... Read more
One of the richest world collections of fine arts from the time immemorial to nowadays is treasured in the Pushkin State Museum of Fine Arts that is favorably situated in the very center of Moscow, close to the Kremlin and Red Square. Nowadays it is the second, after the Hermitage in Saint Petersburg, largest museum of foreign art in Russia. The Pushkin Museum of Fine Arts  Museum originates from the Cabinet of Fine Arts and Antiquities, es... Read more
Saint Petersburg : Hermitage Museum
The Hermitage Museum is the world culture encyclopaedia written in Russian. It is a unique museum that combines a beautiful art collection with the memory of Russian national history. This is a museum of culture, a museum of art, a museum of Russian history, and also the museum of Russian architecture. The whole Hermitage is where the heritages of different nations were collected and displayed. It is one of the largest and oldest museums in the w... Read more
Saint Petersburg : Peter and Paul Fortress
Located on the banks of the beautiful Neva River, the towering Peter and Paul Fortress dominates the skyline of St Petersburg. Built in 18th century, this amazing fortress is a must-see attraction for anyone interested in the city's rich history. The oldest building in St Petersburg, the grandiose Peter and Paul Fortress is the perfect destination for culture seekers and history buffs. Planned by Peter the Great as a defense against possible atta... Read more
Saint Petersburg : Savior on Blood
The Cathedral of Our Savior on the Spilt Blood is a unique masterpiece combining the old Russian style of architecture, talent of the best Russian artists and Italian stone carvers, and the art of Roman mosaic. Mosaics cover almost all the surface of the walls and ceilings there are 7 500 square meters of mosaics all in all. It is a unique example of a Russian style cathedral in the centre of St. Petersburg. Its coloured onion domes are so famous... Read more
The State Russian Museum, a unique depository of artistic treasures, is home to the world’s largest collection of Russian fine art. It is one of Russia's most precious objects of cultural heritage. While the State Hermitage displays fine art from all over the world, the Russian Museum concentrates on home-grown masterpieces. Founded in 1898 by Emperor Nicholas II in memory of his father Alexander III, it became the first state museum of Rus... Read more
The building of the Peter and Paul Fortress in 1703 marks the founding of the city of St. Petersburg. The fortress has become one of the city's main attractions thanks to its many historic buildings. Read more
Saint Petersburg : Winter Palace
St. Petersburg's most famous building, the Winter Palace not only physically dominates Palace Square and the south embankment of the Neva River, but also plays a central political, symbolic, and cultural role in the three-century history of the city. Read more
1/7th of the World : Beijing
Beijing, formerly romanized as Peking, is the capital of the People's Republic of China, the world's second most populous city proper, and most populous capital city. The city, located in northern China, is governed as a direct-controlled municipality under the national government with 16 urban, suburban, and rural districts. Beijing Municipality is surrounded by Hebei Province with the exception of neighboring Tianjin Municipality to the southea... Read more
1/7th of the World : Harbin
Harbin is famous internationally for its winter festival. An avalanche of visitors descends on Harbin and brave the cold to see the ice/snow sculptures that are often record-breaking in size. Harbin Is the World's Coldest Big City. Read more
1/7th of the World : Yekaterinburg
Yekaterinburg is a beautiful and well developed city with many fabulous historical buildings in classicism style, with one of the world's biggest collection of constructivist architecture buildings and with several modern high-techs skyscrapers. It is situated in the central part of Russia, on the eastern slopes of the amazing Ural mountains and almost on the border between Europe and Asia. Yekaterinburg was founded in 1723 and named i... Read more
Explore : Moscow
Moscow can be an overwhelming experience for visitors - there's just so much to see in this vast and vibrant city, from the truly sublime to the ever-so-slightly ridiculous. Moscow has been one of the world's ballet capitals for almost two centuries. It is home to the Bolshoi Ballet, founded in the late 18th century and based at the Bolshoi Theatre. It is called the "world capital of museums". It's no surprise, considering that there are over a ... Read more
The city of Saint Petersburg is one of the most breathtakingly beautiful places on earth, and virtually any building in the large historic center, threaded with canals dotted with baroque bridges, can be considered an attraction—and indeed, it is a UNESCO World Heritage site. This is a magical city, with a long list of major attractions. Its Hermitage Museum, housed in the Winter Palace of the Romanov Dynasty, is both one of the world's gr... Read more
The annual Ice and Snow Sculpture Festival is Harbin's main tourist highlight. It is the world's biggest winter festival. The bitterly cold winters are just right for this festival. Read more
The Church on Blood in Honour of All Saints Resplendent in the Russian Land is a Russian Orthodox church built on the site of the Ipatiev House in Yekaterinburg, where Nicholas II, the last Emperor of Russia, and his family, along with members of the household, were shot by the Bolsheviks during the Russian Civil War. The church commemorates the Romanov sainthood. Read more
The Ural Geological Museum is rather young in comparison with other big Russian and foreign museums with a century-old history. It was founded in 1937 as an exhibition of mineral-ore treasures organized to the 17th session of International Geological Congress. In 1938 the exhibition was transferred to the Ural Geological Institute. Read more
Border between Europe and Asia is one of the features of the Ural area. Read more
US$ 2377
per person, based on 2-people group
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Price for persons:

Our flexible payment options allow you to pay 20% of a deposit first and the remaining 80% in 14 days prior to your tour date - payment can be done both online or over the phone. This gives you the peace of mind knowing your spaces are booked on the tours and that you do not miss out on making the most of your time in Russia.

Also you get the best, top-rated and most experienced and knowledgeable hand-picked tour guide appointed on a priority basis.
In our experience, exceptional travel experiences are almost always delivered by exceptional people. With that in mind, we utilize a comprehensive approach to select and employ the best tour guides only. Multilingual and well travelled, each possesses deep insight into the diverse attractions and cultural patterns throughout the region. With us guides undergo a rigorous selection process, achieving outstanding knowledge of local culture and language. Rest assured that the best tour guides only will be working on the tours to give you excellent opportunity to explore the best of the sights during both short and long-term stay in Russia.

Speak to an expert
Call us now

+1 (888) 845-8877

Speak to an expert
Call us now

+1 (888) 845-8877

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