I heard about the trans-siberian railway actually going from moscow to beijing and vice-versa, so i was wondering if it would be possible to just hitch a ride on the train?

Would the train be checked if/when it stops for refueling and unloading supplies?
What would i need to bring apart from the usual gear + sub-polar conditions gear?(it goes through siberia after all). Anyone have any interest in this? If sybil is still going to nepal in 2010, i might swing over to beijing afterwards and see if it's possible......and of course im looking for someone to go with me :)

Then when/if we get to moscow, we have to somehow escape russia, and get back into "friendly" terrirories, and then escape back to our home countries.....does anyone know anything about russia's policy on illegal immigrants, or would be be a safe bet to get a visa/w.e it's called in russia before i/we set off?

Not sure about any of the other stuff, but I'd definitely get a passport/visa/make sure it's fully legal. Russian prisons are notoriously bad.

Yeh ive heard...

The train either starts at Beijing or Vladivostok, but their nearly 1200km apart, and one is in china and the other is in russia. But either way they go to the same place. But if i/we mess up, we'd end up in north korea or someplace we dont really want to be(basically in russia, as a foreigner, obviously lost, they'd probably think we were spies or something, and im pretty sure we'd get stuck in the gulag or prison and maybe executed.....depends how they feel on the day)

A second class one way ticket on the Trans-Siberian Railway would only put you back around $250, plus maybe another $25-50 for a transit visa. For that price you'd get accommodations in a four-berth kupe and plenty of excellent stops along the line.

I'm not really sure what you were proposing in your original post, but when traveling in Russia, you'd want to do it legit (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9zAcxAXPLZY). Trainhopping would not be the best of ideas.


-F☺rd

I want to do the trans-siberian this december/january, only from Vladivostok.

I really doubt you'd be able to get on the train for free, maybe on the 3rd class trains, but not the 2nd class or 1st class trains (the ones with sleepers). They have attendants in each carriage, so they are manned and the attendants generally know who is getting on or off etc.

If you want to go to moscow from beijing (vice versa) you'd catch the trans-mongolian.

If you plan on stay in Russia, you will need a tourist visa (30 days). If not, just get a transit visa. For a Russian tourist visa you need to say the exact dates for entry and exit of Russia and what you plan on doing there.

It sounds like a fantastic idea, but I don't think you'd be able to do it for free. It's a bit different to hitching a ride on a freight train or something of the like. Riding the Trans-Siberian is more akin to catching a flight than jumping on a normal train, considering the ride covers such a distance. When the whole system covers meals and places to sleep, they're pretty vigorous when it comes to checking tickets. You wouldn't be able to sneak onto it in any way, shape or form. Again, picture an airport terminal rather than a train station at either end.

Freight trains, though, if you got on something at Vladistock and knew all the exchanges, you could travel all the way east into the Ukraine before people start checking, customs officials and whatnot. If you could could find a place to hide at the right times, traveling from the pacific to the atlantic would be a hell of a journey.

But either way they go to the same place. But if i/we mess up, we'd end up in north korea or someplace we dont really want to be(basically in russia, as a foreigner, obviously lost, they'd probably think we were spies or something, and im pretty sure we'd get stuck in the gulag or prison and maybe executed.....depends how they feel on the day)

You sound like a kid. But it sounds like a good idea. If/when you grow up, it's definitely a good idea.

Nah just wanna have some adventure before i die :)

The freight train idea was what i had in mind in the first place, and vladivostok would probably be better, but i'd have to get a visa to get into the country(russia) first wouldnt i? Also, with all these terrorist's running around wouldnt i be(wrongfully) charged with terrorism or some other messed up law?

Might have to read up on some russian law before i get serious about the planning, just to see what is/isnt illegal to do.

Nah just wanna have some adventure before i die :)

The freight train idea was what i had in mind in the first place, and vladivostok would probably be better, but i'd have to get a visa to get into the country(russia) first wouldnt i? Also, with all these terrorist's running around wouldnt i be(wrongfully) charged with terrorism or some other messed up law?

Might have to read up on some russian law before i get serious about the planning, just to see what is/isnt illegal to do.

Yo, the transsiberian is quite an adventure. It also comes with a seriously diminished chance of ending up in the gulag.

-F☺rd

That'd be a little dangerous don't you think? China and Russia are both dodgy as fuck. To be honest I'd say someone doing that has a 50% chance of getting murdered and a 95% chance of getting robbed blind.

EDIT: Wait shit I thought you meant hitchhiking on the road. Yea thats not a bad idea if theres a railway all the way from Beijing to Moscow. I'd be careful at the Russian border though they're crazy bastards the Russian police. Don't get caught without a ticket either cuz you don't wanna get kicked off the train in the middle of Siberia. Its easy to dodge ticket inspectors just hide in the toilets when you see them coming. I do it all the time. You have to be alert though cuz if you don't spot them well before hand they'll see you making a run for it.

That would be one fuckin crazy trip alright. Especially if you don't speak any Russian. China isn't exactly friendly territory either. Once your in Moscow you don't have too far to go to get to Lithuania and all those shit eastern European countries though. Don't expect them to be any safer than Russia though.

Russia is a dangerous country...I would really not advise it. My aunt is a professor at University on the subject of Eastern Europe, Russia in particular. When she went there once, she was kidnapped for ransom :s.

Anyway...I really wouldn't do anything stupid in Russia...

And yes, I'm still planning to go to Nepal in February 2010, and probably a month to Alaska afterwards, which of course you're also welcome to join.

It sounds like a fantastic idea, but I don't think you'd be able to do it for free. It's a bit different to hitching a ride on a freight train or something of the like. Riding the Trans-Siberian is more akin to catching a flight than jumping on a normal train, considering the ride covers such a distance. When the whole system covers meals and places to sleep, they're pretty vigorous when it comes to checking tickets. You wouldn't be able to sneak onto it in any way, shape or form. Again, picture an airport terminal rather than a train station at either end.

Freight trains, though, if you got on something at Vladistock and knew all the exchanges, you could travel all the way east into the Ukraine before people start checking, customs officials and whatnot. If you could could find a place to hide at the right times, traveling from the pacific to the atlantic would be a hell of a journey.

This.

There is no way you'll ride for free on an international train. Just forget it. But don't be stupid enough to stow away on a freight train in Russia or China, that seems to me as the surest way to get robbed and hospitalized.

Now if you're willing to pay a ticket, I'd think it would be an awesome trip.

If you can afford to get over there, you can afford the fucking ticket.

Russia is a dangerous country...I would really not advise it. My aunt is a professor at University on the subject of Eastern Europe, Russia in particular. When she went there once, she was kidnapped for ransom :s.

Anyway...I really wouldn't do anything stupid in Russia...

And yes, I'm still planning to go to Nepal in February 2010, and probably a month to Alaska afterwards, which of course you're also welcome to join.

I might be up in alaska in 2010, when you planning on going?

I might be up in alaska in 2010, when you planning on going?

Februari or March...

Februari or March...
Ooh... maybe, We were planning on going like november of 10.
We were gonna go heliboarding in valdez.

And yes, I'm still planning to go to Nepal in February 2010, and probably a month to Alaska afterwards, which of course you're also welcome to join.

I might be down for Nepal...went to Tibet and had a blast, but I don't think I'm gettin' back in there any time soon...

I might be down for Nepal...went to Tibet and had a blast, but I don't think I'm gettin' back in there any time soon...

Not to derail the thread, but what did you do there?

I was there studying abroad for about three weeks in May '07. Got to do and see a lot of things I never thought I would. I made a thread about it, search for it. Bump it and maybe I'll post some pix XD