text:
Trans-Siberian Railway

The Trans-Siberian Railway (Russian: Транссиби́рская магистраль Transsibírskaya magistral '  or Трансси́б Transsíb) is the name given to the rail routes that traverse Siberia from Moscow. Routes not trains, note; there's no such thing as the "Trans-Siberian Express". There are three principal routes, with multiple train services along them:

 * The Trans-Siberian proper crosses the enormous breadth of Russia, from Moscow via Perm, Yekaterinburg, Omsk, Novosibirsk, Irkutsk, Ulan Ude, Chita and Khabarovsk to the Pacific Ocean at Vladivostok.
 * The Trans-Mongolian follows the same route from Moscow as far as Ulan Ude, then branches south via Ulaanbaatar in Mongolia to Beijing in China.
 * The Trans-Manchurian follows that route further, past Ulan Ude to Chita, before crossing Chinese Manchuria to Beijing.

These routes are served by direct end-to-end trains, with those to Vladivostok at least daily and those to China once or twice a week. Several trains ply shorter sections, so you may not need to stay overnight to continue in the same direction. Like a meandering river the Trans-sib has changed its course over time so there are various parallel routes. Across European Russia the classic route is via Nizhny-Novgorod but other lines loop north via Yaroslavl or south via Kazan. The Trans-sib used to run via Petropavl but that is now in independent Kazakhstan: the route has therefore been diverted north but trains to Astana still go the old way. The "BAM" or Baikal-Amur Mainline is a northern parallel line that eventually reaches the Pacific at Vanino / Sovetskaya Gavan; there is talk of extending it to Sakhalin island or even Japan. These are interesting side trips but not considered here as part of the Trans-Siberian.

The Trans-Siberian Railway, built 1891–1916, is the longest railway in the world. The longest train service in the world is from Moscow to Pyongyang along the Trans-Siberian route to Ussuriysk near Vladivostok, where it branches south into North Korea. This runs as a through-train twice monthly. The longest train itinerary, in essence greatly extending the Trans-Siberian with changes in trains but without leaving the rail network, is Portugal to Singapore.

Understand

A ride on the Trans-Siberian Railway is one of the few true adventures remaining.

The route from Moscow's Yaroslavsky Station to Vladivostok spans two continents, 16 major rivers, six federal states and almost a hundred cities. Even today the bridges across the Amur, Yenisei and Ob are unique – they are the largest river bridges on the Asian continent. In total there are 485 bridges. It is the backbone of the Russian rail network and the connection between the Asian and European railway networks. It's the most travelled railway in the world, and much of Russia's oil is transported along it.

While the population is largely ethnically Russian along the whole route, more and more of various Asian ethnic groups will be seen as you approach the Pacific coast.

The people you most likely will learn to know are your fellow passengers. Especially those who travel alone will very likely get to meet locals in the compartment. It's a fantastic opportunity to get to know Russians, especially if you know the language a bit. Remember that most people do not speak a word of English, so bring a Russian phrasebook. An automatic translator in a smartphone or tablet may become an indispensable tool for understanding the locals.

History

Travel in Siberia before the railway was a desperate affair. Early routes, trade and settlement were north-south, using the great rivers to sail in from the Arctic during the brief summer. Attempts were made to build an east-west highway from the 16th and 17th centuries, but early road-building was no match for the harsh climate and logistic problems. Meanwhile the great natural resources of Siberia remained untapped, and economically the east was looking to China not Russia, so the tsars then the Soviets persisted. But not until 2015 did Russia have a fully-paved, all-weather highway coast to coast. And even now that the highway is open, freight and people are moved via the railroad much more than via road – especially over the vast distances that are often necessary to get from anywhere to anywhere in Siberia.

A railway was a better prospect for shifting heavy freight, and construction of the Trans-sib railway began in May 1891 from both west and east. The first decade was a story of muddy heroism, with over 7000 km of railway built – no other railway has been built so fast. This despite all the hills, moors and swamps, despite the iron-hard frozen ground, impenetrable taiga and great rivers to be crossed, all with 19th century equipment and know-how – and in a country often viewed as hopelessly backwards by contemporaries. There were up to 60,000 workers building the railway and many lives were lost. The whole 9288 km railway was completed in 1916, with electrification completed in 2002. It changed the face of Russia, which now became an Asian as much as a European nation. Siberia and Far Eastern Russia saw an economic boom, and a massive migration to these regions – not always voluntary. Towns along the railway, such as Omsk, Novosibirsk, Krasnoyarsk, and Irkutsk, grew to large industrial cities. Equally, other places withered: Tomsk was intended to be on the Trans-sib but improved engineering allowed a shorter route via Novosibirsk, so instead it became a dumping-place for dissidents, a back-water, and its old town is better preserved as a result. To give just one example of the importance even contemporaries put on the railway, the French newspaper "La France" wrote upon completion: "After the discovery of America and the construction of the Suez canal, history knows no other event that had such massive direct and indirect consequences than the construction of the Trans-Siberian railway."

Trains to Mongolia and China were suspended during COVID-19 pandemic. These have since been resumed.

Types of trains
There are four different types of long distance trains. Firmennye (Фирменный) and skory (Скорый) are fast trains, the former offering a higher level of comfort. Passazhirskiy (Пассажирский) are slower and less comfortable, whereas pochtovo-bagazhniy (Почтово-багажный) are super-slow and primarily designed for post delivery. A higher train number means a lower train category and less service on the train. The train category is written out in the schedule. There are also local trains (Often called "Elektrichka" due to being the first electric trains in common use in Russia), but they do not cover the entirety of the line (often connecting a city and its suburbs along the line) and traveling along those would make the whole thing even more of an adventure – akin to trying to cover all of Europe on commuter rail and local buses.

The longer the section is, the fewer train alternatives you will have to pick from. Direct trains between Moscow and Beijing depart twice weekly (one train via Ulaanbataar and another via Harbin). Between Moscow and St. Petersburg there are more than 20 daily trains.

On long distance trains there are one or two attendants per car. They are responsible for cleaning the samovars and checking the tickets.

Independently or with a tour group?
Travelling independently is straightforward provided you are well-organised, and can plan and book all your stop-overs, accommodation and journey legs in advance. You will need to do this in any case to get your Russian visa, if your itinerary involves multiple entries into Russia. Then, like a spacecraft coasting between planets, you will almost weightlessly progress from train to hotel to train to hotel. Try to improvise it as you go along and it will be adventure verging on quagmire. You may get away with winging it along the Moscow – Saint Petersburg axis and in the CIS countries. However, Trans-Siberian distances and journey times are vast, and finding accommodation and booking train tickets locally will require at least a basic knowledge of Russian.

If you travel on an organised tour, all these problems disappear. You simply need to pay and show up at the right time. A group trip on the Trans-Siberian is about 30% more expensive compared to a DIY trip. It also means that you are bound to the schedule of the group and that your interaction with locals will likely be limited to greeting the waiter in the dining car.

Climate and equipment
Keep the luggage as small as possible and avoid bringing any valuables. What you should pack depends on the time of the year; in the summer the temperature can rise to over 30°C in Siberia and China. In winter it will be under -30°C in much of Russia and Mongolia. In the spring or fall just a couple of T-shirts, a sweater and a light jacket should suffice. If needed, clothes can be purchased cheaply at markets along the road. In the train, your clothing should be comfortable (e.g. sports clothes) and flip-flops. It's also recommended to bring enough stuff to read.

Suggested packing list
Packing the following items is recommended for any lengthy journey on the Trans-Siberian railway:
 * Pocket knife For slicing up bread and vegetables you can buy from the sellers at major stops
 * Cutlery Instant noodles, or its Russian version – instant potatoes, become essential snacks for most travellers, since each carriage is equipped with boiling water from the Samovar, unfortunately they often come without the usual plastic fork or spoon.
 * Mess tins or large stainless steel mug with cover. Useful for preparing noodles or tea, and brushing teeth.
 * Perfumed wet tissues/baby wipes/wet wipes These little things can do wonders for your personal hygiene.
 * Head lamp On these long journeys (through 8 time zones), it often turns out that Einstein indeed was right – time does become relative. So bring a headlamp for reading when others want to slumber.
 * Flip-flops or other slip-on footwear, for your days on the train
 * Deck of cards or other easily explained games are great for socializing with your fellow travellers, and making the long hours spent on the train immensely more enjoyable. Bring a deck of 5 Crowns for this is a favourite in Russia. If you are a chess player, by all means bring a little chess set – the game is very popular in Russia.
 * Pictures of your home, country and family and a phrasebook with a conversation section can work surprisingly well, since you'll have nothing but time to overcome the language gap. Many Russians tend to be curious about foreigners once the initial suspicion dies down, since they don't normally meet many – even these days. Recommended: make a list of vocabulary and study it in the train!
 * Electronic device charger and external battery – many trains are not equipped with electric sockets.

Jewellery is best left at home. If you're bringing a cell phone, tablet or laptop they should of course be kept out of sight as much as possible. One thing that you should bring along is a camera with enough storage space. In all larger cities there are Internet cafés where you can upload your pictures or burn them to a disc. Also bring additional batteries or chargers, as charging your gadgets on board will not be easy (although possible).

Get in
The three termini of the Trans-Siberian are Moscow, Beijing and Vladivostok. There's also a bi-monthly connection from Moscow to Pyongyang, but it is generally not possible for foreigners to use this.

European termini
Moscow can be reached by train from many European destinations. Fares from London (one-way) start at around GBP200 and German Railways is a useful resource. You are likely to need a transit visa for Belarus on this route, unless you travel through Ukraine, make a detour from Warsaw up to Riga (multiple buses, need a few days) or from Germany via Helsinki (by train or ferry, comparatively expensive). Coming in the northern way makes it possible to include a visit to Saint Petersburg – accessible by train, bus or ferry from Finland and Estonia.

Eurolines is a European coach company, with routes from many cities. Fares from London start from around GBP60.

Aeroflot is the principal airline operating into and out of Moscow, in addition almost all European (and some Asian and North American) flag carriers and some budget airlines fly to Moscow.

Which Moscow station? First and foremost, your train departs from the station stated on your ticket, so check! But normally, trains along the classic Trans-Siberian route via Kirov depart from Moscow Yaroslavskaya Station. But several trains to the Urals, Siberia, and the Far East depart from Moscow Kazanskaya Station; it's adjacent to Yaroslavskaya Station and to Leningradskaya Station in the NE of the city, and the Metro stop for all three terminals is Komsomolskaya. Some other eastbound trains (mostly, those to Nizhny Novgorod) depart from Moscow Kurskaya, 1 km further south, and the Metro stop is Kurskaya.

Saint Petersburg, the Russian capital at the time when the Transsib was built, can be reached by train from Finland and Baltic countries. From there, you can either go to Moscow or take the northern Trans-Siberian route, circumventing Moscow, via Vologda and Yekaterinburg, where you will likely need to change the train to go further to Vladivostok or Beijing.

There are direct plane connections to Moscow and St Petersburg from many European airports.

Asian termini
DBS Ferry runs throughout the year to Vladivostok from Sakaiminato, Japan via Donghae, South Korea. By air, Aeroflot serves Vladivostok, among others.

Beijing can be reached by train from as far as Lhasa (Tibet) daily service, or Ho Chi Minh City (Vietnam), twice weekly service, or Hong Kong, alternate dates. Beyond Vietnam the rail connection breaks and there are no train routes from Thailand, Myanmar or India – though bus is often an option. There are plenty of international flights to Beijing and reasonably many to other eastern termini. For instance Air Asia offers budget options into China, S7 Airlines offer flight connections into Russia, while MIAT Mongolian Airlines operate to Ulaanbaatar from Beijing, Moscow, Seoul, and Hong Kong in season.

Pyongyang is served by one direct train from Moscow every two weeks. The line to Khasan at the border with North Korea branches off from the main line to Vladivostok at Baranovsky, before the train crosses the Tumen River into the North Korean town of Tumangang.

Visa information
More detailed visa information in the Russia, Mongolia, China and North Korea articles

Most travellers will need visas Russia and China.

Mongolia can be visited without a visa by most Western tourists. and for those that need visas, the application process is relatively straightforward, but you must apply at a Mongolian diplomatic mission as there are no eVisas.

China has a more cumbersome visa application process. In most cases, you will need to provide a detailed itinerary, including tickets into and out of China, as well as accommodation reservations for each night you plan to stay in China. In most cases, you can only apply for a Chinese visa in your country of citizenship or residence.

Russia is more problematic. Invitations are generally required for issuing a visa. If you are buying your train tickets through a travel agency at home, they can almost certainly handle your visa application if they specialize in travels to Russia. A tourist visa gives you up to 30 days in the country. A business visa is a choice for people who want to spend up to 90 days, but you will need an invitation from a Russian company to be issued the visa. Citizens of most European countries can obtain an eVisa to visit Russia for up to 16 days, and do not require an invitation, but citizens of the U.S., UK, Canada, Australia and New Zealand are not eligible.

North Korea can only be visited on a guided tour, and independent travel is strictly forbidden. Taking the train from Moscow to Pyongyang is possible provided you have arranged it as part of your North Korean tour.

Every foreign tourist has to get registration for stays in one place of more than 7 working days (9 days if weekend is included). Hotels provide it for free most of the time, some hostels will do it for an extra charge. Apparently any Russian can register you at his/her place by going to the post office and paying a small fee. If you stay in one place for less than 7 working days, you are not required to register. Train tickets and hotel receipts are a good proof that you did not overstay. In any case, it is strongly advised to keep tickets and receipts until you leave the country.

However, Russian transit visas issued in Beijing or Harbin last 10 days and require no invitation. This would be enough time to make the trip with no stops along the way and spend a couple of days in Moscow. The Beijing consulate is open from 09:00 to 11:00 but remember that many Chinese nationals are also trying to acquire visas with you, so show up early. The cost varies for each nationality, but Americans can expect to pay US$250 for same-day service or $150 for the five-day service. Upon arrival in Moscow you have four nights valid on your transit visa, which allows for one or two nights in Moscow, an overnight train and one or two nights in Saint Petersburg, but you must be across the border before midnight on the final day of your visa.

There are many ways to exit from Russia via Saint Petersburg, including buses and trains to Helsinki, Tallinn, Riga, Kyiv and various other places in Europe, but be wary that nearly all nationalities need a transit visa (or tourist visa) for Belarus (see here if unsure) so be sure to be prepared with a visa if your plans take you through Belarus.

A Russian transit visa cannot be extended under any circumstances. If you arrive from Beijing, you can register your visa after arriving in Moscow. If you have a 10-day Transit Visa and do not stay in one place (go to Saint Petersburg) you do not have to register your visa.

Citizens of Israel, South Korea, certain Latin American countries, the CIS member states and a handful of other countries do not need Russian visas.

Tickets
See also Russia

The Russian train system is different from European systems. The train tickets are bought for fixed dates and all stops must be planned in advance. If you, for instance, have a ticket from Moscow to Vladivostok and step off the train in Irkutsk without your ticket stating you will be taking another train from there and the train leaves without you, you will be stuck in Irkutsk as tickets will not be valid on any later train. It’s somewhat similar to a plane going from New York to Moscow with a connection in Amsterdam – if you decide to go out in Amsterdam and miss your flight you can’t use your ticket for a next flight to Moscow. In general, trains stop for several hours at international borders, tens of minutes in large cities (for slower trains, in some cases more than an hour) and a few minutes at small stops. Therefore, you will be able to do some shopping at the platform and sometimes even take a look inside the station building, but in order to actually going sightseeing in the city, you'll need to continue your journey with a later train.

The rules state that a passenger is allowed to make one stop on his journey (for no additional charge), but this requires a little paperwork while on the train and will be difficult to arrange with the attendant without good knowledge of Russian.

There are four ways of buying tickets for the trip. You can purchase them from a travel agent (or online) in your own country, a travel agent in the country from which you will start the journey, turn up and buy tickets yourself at a station in Russia, or buy tickets online through the Russian railways website (see below). The first two options are the safest but the most expensive, the last two are cheapest but require some time and effort from your side. Popular trains can be sold out well in advance, particularly in peak season, so try to book early. Early means 45 days before the departure of the train. This is the earliest date when tickets are sold to individuals. Travel agencies can promise you tickets at a much earlier date.

It is possible to buy the tickets at any Russian station, not necessarily one on the route of the train. Be ready to queue up for some hours and do not expect any language except Russian at the counter. Russia, Ukraine, Belarus, and even the Baltic states of Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania have a common ticketing network, so it is possible to buy a ticket for a Russian train in all those countries (e.g. Brest). The price will be roughly the same, unless you go to a travel agency. Small differences depend on whether bedding (~₽100) and insurance (₽150-200) are included. If the bedding is not included in your ticket, you will have to pay same price to the train attendant (but, naturally, this is not required for short trips during the day). The insurance is something that you don't really need, so just say bez strakhovkee (без страховки, without the insurance). When buying online, insurance is typically not included.

At some stations, there are still special windows for selling tickets only for foreigners, but the price of tickets should now be the same for foreigners and local people.

Tickets are always individual, with name and passport number written on them, so you will have to show passports for all travellers when you pay (a passport photocopy is usually enough) and when you enter the train (original document should be presented). Check this carefully. One wrong digit in your passport number printed on the ticket will most likely prevent you from boarding the train. Also, if you plan to buy tickets on more than one occasion, it may be useful to keep handy a piece of paper with the travellers names written in the Cyrillic alphabet instead of transcribing them each time. Also, pay attention to the train number – at big busy stations this will help you to the right platform & train, as there may be multiple departures around the same time, with no indication of the intermediate stations served.

In Beijing, international train tickets can be bought from China International Travel Service (CITS), which has two offices; one in the International Hotel on Jianguomen and one in the lobby of the Beijing Tourism Building, behind the New Otani Hotel. They must be bought in person.

Tickets online
Tickets can be purchased online. Most routes support "electronic registration" – boarding the train only requires your passport (or the identity document associated with the ticket). Nevertheless, it is advisable to have your tickets printed out to avoid any hassles. You can do this in any cash desk or in one of the special ticket machines, which are now installed on bigger train stations. Always print your ticket at least an hour before departure, because ticket machines are often jammed or out of paper, while cash desks are notorious for very long queues. Hand over your passport and order confirmation (or just the order number). The cashier will issue you a paper ticket for no additional fee. They can print all your tickets at the same time.

Buying tickets at the official Russian Railways website is quite difficult but a bit cheaper than at the stations because there will be no processing fee. You can also select the car and your seat/place, and explore all options. However, not all foreign credit cards are accepted. You can buy domestic tickets up to 45 to 60 days before departure, international tickets 60 days before departure. International tickets are usually more expensive than domestic ones, so it is advisable to make a stopover shortly before border crossing and travel with domestic tickets as far as possible.

Station numbers
Station numbers are used internally in the Russian railway computer system, but they are usually printed on the tickets as well. Knowing them may help when making the reservation in smaller stations (you could bring this page and use it for pointing), or when buying the tickets abroad.

International
Stations are listed in order from west to east
 * 5100136 Warsaw/Poland – Central Station (Warszawa Centralna)
 * 2100035 Brest/Belarus (Брест)
 * 1000001 Helsinki/Finland (Хельсинки)
 * 3100022 Ulaanbaatar/Mongolia (Улан-Батор)
 * 3300100 Beijing/China (Пекин, 北京)
 * 3300200 Harbin/China (Харбин, 哈尔滨)

Russia
List of major stations listed in order from west to east
 * 2058000 Kaliningrad (Калининград)
 * 2004000 St Petersburg (Санкт-Петербург)
 * 2004001 St Petersburg – Glavnyi Station (Санкт-Петербург (Главный вокзал))
 * 2004004 St Petersburg – Finliandskii Station (Санкт-Петербург (Финляндский вокзал))

 * 2000000 Moscow (Москва)
 * 2000002 Moscow – Yaroslavskij Station (Москва (Ярославский Вокзал))
 * 2000003 Moscow – Kazanskij Station (Москва (Казанский Вокзал))
 * 2000006 Moscow – Bieloruskij Station (Москва (Белорусский Вокзал))

 * 2060001 Nizhny Novgorod (Нижний Новгород) – often listed with the former name of the city, Gorki (Горький)
 * 2060500 Kazan (Казань)
 * 2030000 Ekaterinburg (Екатеринбу́рг) – often listed with the former name of the city, Sverdlovsk (Свердловск)
 * 2044001 Novosibirsk (Новосибирск)
 * 2028170 Tomsk (Томск)
 * 2038001 Krasnoyarsk (Красноярск)
 * 2054052 Severobaikalsk (Северобайкальск)
 * 2054001 Irkutsk (Иркутск)
 * 2054785 Ulan Ude (Улан-Удэ)
 * 2034001 Khabarovsk (Хабаровск)
 * 2034130 Vladivostok (Владивосток)

Fares

Since January 2016 a new 'dynamic pricing' system has been in force in Russia. You can easily pay ₽70000 or more to get from Moscow to Vladivostok. Fares vary widely. The prices change with the quality of the trains. Low-numbered trains (001, 008, etc.) are more expensive and more comfortable. You are more likely to find yourself in an air-conditioned car with clean toilet ("biotoilet" meaning that it does not splash crap on the tracks and, therefore, remains open during the whole journey). High-numbered trains (133, 139, etc.) are less expensive and less comfortable. Expect older cars without air conditioning and with old-style toilets, which are locked when train is on the station and sometimes even 15–20min prior to that. However, Russian Railways do not guarantee any particular type of train car for your journey. Even expensive trains may get older, less comfortable cars.

Rough ideas would be:

 * St Petersburg–Moscow overnight service about €80 (2nd class, one way), depending on dynamic pricing, train quality and date, and €85 for express Sapsan service, (standard class seat).
 * Moscow–Ekaterinburg about €120 (2nd class, one way), for standard passenger service, standard season, or €180 for branded faster service.
 * Ekaterinburg–Krasnoyarsk about €160-220 (2nd class, one way).
 * Krasnoyarsk–Irkutsk about €95-125 (2nd class, one way).
 * Irkutsk–Vladivostok about €225-275 (2nd class, one way).

In 2019, the price for a reserved seat (3rd class, "platzkart") was around ₽14000, a compartment (2nd class, "kupe") ₽28000 and a luxury bed (1st class, "SV") ₽49000 for a one-way ticket from Moscow to Vladivostok (or the other way around) according to the web page of Russian Railways.

Russian Railways offer seasonal pricing for domestic train tickets (varying -20% to +35% of the "base price"). Tickets are usually more expensive in summer and cheaper in winter. Additionally, a so-called dynamic system is introduced on certain routes. This is similar to airlines. You get lower price when buying your ticket well in advance (40–45 days before departure) and a much higher price when buying the ticket on the day of the departure. Short trips may be ridiculously expensive (€2030 for 1–2 hours), whereas a journey for several thousand kilometres turns out to be surprisingly affordable.

Timetables
The Trans-Siberian trains have varied schedules: some trains are daily while some go on even dates, some on odd dates and some trains depart only on a couple of days during a week.

Russian Railways has all Russian train schedules, as well as some of the international trains departing from Russian destinations, such as Moscow–Beijing. Only actual availability is shown, which is released 60 or 45 days prior to departure for all Russian trains and 60 days for most international trains. Russian spellings are obviously in use: Beijing is Pekin, Moscow is Moskva, Saint Petersburg is Sankt-Peterburg, Yekaterinburg is Ekaterinburg or Sverdlovsk (old name of the city), Ulan Ude is Ulan-ude, Ulaanbaatar is Ulan-Bator, and Khabarovsk is Habarovsk.

Unless you travel all way from Moscow to Beijing or Vladivostok on the same train, especially if you embark outside a major city, you may have to take so-called "passing-by" (проходящие) trains that begin their journey very far, perhaps thousands kilometres away from your departure station. The distribution of tickets is a bit tricky. It is not "first-come first-serve" basis that would fill up the train in a random manner. Some seat ranges are reserved for departures from certain stations, so you can, at least in theory, buy tickets for any route well in advance. Once the seat range assigned to your station is sold out, you won't find tickets from this station any longer, until 72 hours before departure, when all remaining seats become available. If you are really keen on that, you can try to cheat the system by playing around with departure and arrival stations and finding the ticket you really want. But most likely you can get what you need without going too deep into how the system works.

Other good options for doing your own planning includes the Deutsche Bahn travelplanner. It's available in many languages including English, French, and Spanish. It has fewer transliteration issues that the Russian websites, but it includes only the limited firmenny "fast" trains. Another good option is the Poezda railway table (search Google) one of the few online scheduling tools in English that doesn't try to sell you tickets, and it has a nice simple interface to boot. If you understand Russian, the Russian Internet portal Yandex has a handy real time information service including schedules for trains and stations and current locations of trains are shown on a map.

Go
It's not worth getting off at every stop. The places listed below (except the junctions and border crossings) are the most interesting ones.

The Trans-Siberian proper
The Trans-Siberian proper connects Moscow with Vladivostok.

Generally there are one or two trains a day in each direction, either a slower (approx. 7 days) or a faster (approx. 6 days) one. From Moscow train 62 leaves Jaroslavl station and arrives in Vladivostok almost 6 days and 3 hours later. The slightly slower train, number 002 arrives in Vladivostok almost 6 days 22 hours later.

In the other direction train 61 leaves Vladivostok and is in Moscow 6 days and 4 hours later. The slightly slower 001 takes 6 days and 19 hours to reach Moscow.

The time and route below are for the faster trains (062 and 061). Trains 001/002 (Rossiya) take a different route from Moscow and pass via Yaroslavl instead of Nizhny Novgorod but joins the former before Kirov.

Trans-Mongolian
The Trans-Mongolian connects Moscow and Beijing. It follows the same tracks as the Trans-Siberian for a little more than half the way, then forks off south through Mongolia and into China. All stations in this section are five hours ahead of Moscow time.

The Trans-Mongolian, train 43 (identified as train K4 in China), leaves Moscow each Tuesday at 23:45 and arrives in Beijing on Monday afternoon at 11:40. Westwards, train number 33 (identified as train K3 in China) leaves Beijing at 11:22 each Wednesday and is in Moscow the following Monday at 13:58. In addition, there are two weekly trains between Moscow and Ulaanbataar. Train 6 goes from Moscow each Wednesday and Thursday at 23:45 and arrive in Ulaanbaatar on Monday and Tuesday morning at 06:45. In the other direction, train 5 leaves Ulaanbataar every Tuesday and Friday at 15:25, arriving in Moscow at 13:58 five days later, on Saturday or Tuesday.

Lake Baikal to Beijing
To continue after a break at the Baikal might be difficult, especially in peak seasons – so plan your itinerary and buy your tickets beforehand.

If you are in Ulaanbataar, need to get to Beijing and don't have a ticket, you're better off not taking the direct train as prices are steep and trains are often sold out at the ticket booth. There are, however, unofficial ticket touts around that are happy to sell you a ticket at three to five times the official price – obviously a bad deal. Instead, take a local train to the border at Zamiin Uud (USD15), cross into China by minibus and take a bus to Beijing (USD40).

Trans-Manchurian
The Trans-Manchurian is also known as Vostok (east) and like the former it goes to Beijing. It follows the Trans-Siberian tracks for a little longer (about two thirds of its length) after which it turns south and continues into China without going through Mongolia.

The Trans-Manchurian, train 20 (identified as train K20 in China), leaves Moscow at 23:45 each Saturday and is in Beijing at 05:46 the following Saturday. Train 19 (identified as train K19 in China) departs Beijing at 23:00 at Saturday night and is in Moscow at 17:58 on Friday.

Sidetrips
There are some interesting destinations "off the track". Saint Petersburg is often visited before or after a Trans-Siberian journey. The capital of the Tatars, Kazan, is on the alternative track between Moscow and Yekaterinburg. Tobolsk, the old Siberian capital is a little over 200 km away from Tyumen. Tomsk, the most beautiful city of Siberia can be visited as a sidetrip from Novosibirsk or Krasnoyarsk. One highlight on the trip is Lake Baikal that can be visited from Irkutsk and Severobaikalsk; you will see the lake from the train but why not explore the region further? Those staying for a few days in the region often take a trip to the scenic island of Olkhon.

In Mongolia, the area around Ulan-Bator is worth visiting; for example the Terelj National Park or the Gobi desert further away. One of the main attractions of China, the Great Wall is not far from the railway.

One of the parallel tracks, used by the Trans-Siberian in Soviet times, dips into the north of Kazakhstan through the mining city of Petropavl before re-entering Russia and rejoining the standard route at Omsk. Western passport holders don't need a visa to visit Kazakhstan, the problem is that you exit Russia and can only re-enter with a double- or multi-entry Russian visa. It's not worth the extra trouble of arranging this just for a quick look at Petropavl, the point would be to go further south to the Kazakh capital Astana (formerly Nur-Sultan) and to Almaty. These both have trains to Urumqi in northwest China, which has super-fast trains to Xian and Beijing. But this isn't a Trans-sib sidetrip but a whole separate itinerary, described in the Moscow to Urumqi article.

Buy
Costs depend mainly on the level of quality you want. A trip in second class and staying at mid-range hotels together with a simpler meal and sightseeing or a show will cost you €100–120 per day. If you want your train trip and hotels to be first class and take guided trips it's easy to raise the daily costs up to €500. Self-catering, travel in third class and staying at hostels you can get the daily expenses down to as little as €20–30. China and Mongolia are somehow cheaper and more accessible for tourism than Russia. There aren't really any discounts. An international (or local) student card can get you a few discounts, but senior discounts are unheard of.

Many world currencies can be exchanged at good rates in any city. Bringing local currency isn't necessary, as the rates in local banks are much better. Save for China, don't exchange moneys at airports (or just as much you need to get into town). In Russia, rates at exchange booths are usually similar to those in the banks. Money exchange is not possible on the train. In China the exchange rates are fixed by the government and private banks often refuse to change Swiss francs so you need to go to the governmental bank to exchange them.

Credit cards can be used in hotels, better restaurants, travel agencies and major grocery stores. In Moscow and Beijing they are widely accepted. Visa cards are the ones most frequently accepted in ATMs.

Travellers cheques can be cashed only at a few places, but the rates are acceptable.

A typical tip in Russia is 5–10%. You are not required to pay the tip when you are not satisfied with the service. In Mongolia the bill is usually rounded up. Neither of these practices is common in China.

Eat
You will learn to know many different cuisines on a journey like this. For a more elaborate list of local specialities, please refer to particular cities' and regions' articles. Below are just a couple of general train-related things listed.

Many of the trains have dining cars. Prices are high for the quality you get. A main dish will cost €5–8. You may get freshly cooked food during lunch and dinner time, but on other occasions expect frozen food, which is warmed up in a microwave and becomes less than palatable. Drinks and alcohol are about 2–3 times more expensive than in the stores. On the other hand, you are not allowed to consume alcohol (save for beer) on board, and you are not allowed to bring your own alcohol to the dining cars, so if you want to drink, pay the price or do it quietly in your compartment, as most locals do. First-class tickets and even some of the 2nd-class tickets may include food (snacks for breakfast, warm food for lunch and dinner). A lady will come to your compartment and bring a couple of plastic bowls with warm food. It is usually freshly cooked and quite edible.

On the Moscow–Vladivostok route the train stops for 20–30 minutes every 3–4 hours. Everybody can get out of the train, and there are often people on the platform that offer a variety of fresh local food (eggs, fish, cheese, bread, fruits, meat or cheese in a cake) and often some drinks for passengers. Many railway stations nowadays require them to purchase a license to keep their stand at the platform. Between Beijing and Novosibirsk, platform vendors were observed only in Choir, Mongolia, and Mariinsky, Russia. Prices are low; only Russian rubles are accepted. A highlight is the smoked fish (Omul) being sold on the shore of Lake Baikal (Station: Slyudyanka, a quick stop, so be fast). Some of the larger stations will have food marts with snacks and alcohol.

Food and drinks are also sold in kiosks at the platforms, but normally twice as expensive. To get a reasonable price, wait for a station with a longer stop, and just exit the train station, usually there are plenty of kiosks or small shops just outside, offering a wider choice. Supermarkets (not necessarily of the western kind), affordable food stands and simpler restaurants can be found at most stops. More lavish restaurants and fast food chains can be found in major cities. However familiar western chains are to be found only in Moscow and Beijing.

Coming from Beijing through Harbin, the last stop in China is Manzhouli. The food being sold there is quite expensive, but many Russians stock up on provisions (i.e. spirits and beer). You can take a maximum of 2 litres of alcohol (either beer or vodka or any combination of those) per person into Russia or you will have to pay a "penalty" (bribe) to the customs. Get rid of all your Chinese Yuan here unless you want to take them as a souvenir as they become virtually worthless once abroad. There are a couple of black market money changers in front of the station that change renminbi to rubles at ripoff rates. To get rubles, you have plenty of time on the Russian side of the border (Zhabaikalsk). Walk to the ATM located at the bank in town. Allow 30 minutes to go and come back. The train stops for several hours while the carriages are being changed, so you can do some shopping at the local food markets (bread, cheese, etc.).

Coming from Beijing via Mongolia into Russia there are still the same rip-off exchange touts. There is a very reasonable foreign exchange office at Ulan Baator station, in the waiting area. Most if not all platform vendors in Mongolia and Russia take U.S. dollars or euros. However, they take only notes, so know the exchange rate and buy a lot if you are using a €5 note. Always ask the attendant how much time is available before you rush off into a station to find a Bankomat (ATM) because the train will not wait for you. If you are not spending time in Mongolia, avoid acquiring Mongolian tögrög. They are worthless virtually everywhere else, and the export of tögrög is illegal. Therefore, spend dollars or euro, but get rubles immediately because Russian vendors are more likely to fabricate exchange rates than Mongolian or Chinese platform vendors.

Food is traditionally placed on the table in the compartment. It is not uncommon to share food. This makes for a nice picnic where you learn to know your fellow passengers. It is polite to let them invite you and that you also have something to bring along. Why not bring something from your home country?

Every carriage has a samovar (hot water dispenser, lit. "self cooker") that is kept hot throughout the whole journey. Have a stack of dried soups, teabags and Nescafe ready. Just bring your own cup, or ask one from the train attendant. Train attendants also sell tea, coffee, snacks and even freeze-dried meals at slightly inflated prices.

Drink
Alcohol is an important part of Russian culture and thus it's not unusual to have some vodka at your compartment picnic. At this stage, you have to be careful and you need to know when to stop. First, drinking strong alcohol is not allowed in Russian trains, but, as always in Russia, "not allowed" does not mean "forbidden". Carriage attendants will pretend not to see you unless you are making a noise or other drama. Police may go through the train and harass people who are drinking, so stay quiet and keep bottles under the table. Never drink more than you can. A drinking competition will for sure land you in a hospital or worse. Use your common sense when fellow travellers offer you something. You are much more likely to taste a good drink than to get into trouble, but troubles are not unheard of and range from bad alcohol to alcohol intentionally mixed with drugs that will make you an easy victim.

Other than that, tea is also an important drink; in Russia this will mean black tea with lemon, in China green tea. It's drunk at breaks, after meals and sometimes as an aperitif.

The samovar also comes in handy when you'd like some hot drinks (the water is free but bring your own tea or buy some from the carriage attendant). It's usually possible to buy soft drinks and beer in the restaurant carriage to bring back to your carriage.

It's worth having a basic phrasebook as attendants are unlikely to speak English and the drinks provided won't come with milk or sugar unless you specifically ask for them.

Sleep

All tickets for long journey trains are for sleeping places. In the 1st and 2nd classes, they are about 1.9 m long and about half a metre wide. 3rd-class carriages have shorter berths. Some trains between Moscow and Saint Petersburg have seating places. Few trains in Russia have all 4 types of cabins to choose from:

 * First class (SV) is, except the three 'M'-classes, the most comfortable and quite expensive. The price is at least twice as much as in 2nd class. Each cabin consists of two sofas flanking each side of the compartment, which convert into beds for sleeping. On some trains such as the Trans-Mongolian, the first-class compartments have private bathrooms. Service in first class actually somewhat resembles the service you would expect in Europe and North America, which is worth considering since Russian railways are notoriously bureaucratic and not very service-minded, to say the least. The compartment doors can be locked from within, but these locks can be opened from the outside with a key. If the security chain is used, the door can only be opened 5 cm.
 * Second class (Kupe) somewhat compares to the standard on Western European sleeper trains. These carriages are compartmentalized, with each compartment holding 4 beds. You will share the two lower bunks during the day, and there is no other place to sit except for the dining car. Most trains will have male-only, female-only, and mixed compartments. You can choose any of the two depending on your preference. Kupe is a good compromise between relative comfort, and the ability to meet and mingle with the Russians. Prices are comparable to the cheapest economy-class plane ticket. 2nd-class tickets may be combined with food and "service". Food means hot food served twice a day. "Service" implies small things like toothbrush, sleepers, tea, coffee, and snacks included in the price of your ticket.
 * Third class (Platzkart) bears some resemblance to the hard sleeper class on Chinese trains: many find this class to be much better than its reputation. These carriages are in an open layout with two lower and two upper berths (seat numbers 1–36), a narrow corridor, and another two berths that are stretched along the side of the carriage (seat numbers 37–52), the latter are not recommended. There is little in the way of privacy here, but many do prefer this option, at least for a short overnight trip, because you do not find yourself locked in a compartment with three strangers. It also gives a more uniquely Russian experience, and you will see a larger – and different – demographic than in second class. The price is usually 40–50 % lower than in the 2nd class. Lots of middle-class people travel this way, but you may also meet young men returning from the military service and other noisy or drunk companions, so it is a bit more adventurous than hiding oneself in a closed compartment. On the downside, 3rd class carriages have shorter berths that will be uncomfortable for anyone taller than 1.75 m. Lights are dimmed, but not completely switched off during the night.
 * Fourth class (Obshchy) is the cheapest way of travel. It can be found on slower trains. Most people will only use it for short trips not exceeding 10–12 hr. 4th-class carriages may have individual seats, as in European trains, but you are more likely to find yourself in a 3rd-class carriage, where each lower berth accommodates three people, and additionally one person is supposed to lie on the upper berth. In fact, upper berths are most popular here. They are filled first, regardless of seat numbers written on the tickets. Then other people will sit or lie on the lower berths.

If the train arrives at your destination before 08:00 local time, the carriage attendant will wake you up half an hour before arrival. Otherwise you will be notified 15 minutes before arrival.

Talk

While Russia is a huge country and some regions have their own local language, Russian is taught in every school, and serves as the lingua franca between different ethnic groups. If you know some Russian, you can use it throughout the trip. If you don't, it's still worth learning the Cyrillic alphabet, since many signs do not have a transcription in Latin script.

Mongolian, the language of Mongolia, also uses the Cyrillic alphabet with two additional letters. However, Russian is the most widely studied foreign language in Mongolia, so you would generally be able to get by in the cities if you speak Russian. On the other hand, Mongolians have a strong sense of animosity against China and often find it offensive to be addressed in Mandarin.

In northeastern China Mandarin Chinese is spoken. It's a tonal language and someone unfamiliar with Chinese reading Latin transcriptions that don't show tones is unlikely to be understood by locals. Likewise, most locals are also unable to understand Latin transcriptions of Chinese. In other words, if you cannot speak Chinese (well), have somebody, for example at your hotel, write down addresses in Chinese characters to show to taxi drivers, etc. Russian is generally not widely spoken beyond the border towns.

Korean is the language of North Korea, though is has diverged somewhat from the Korean that is spoken in South Korea, particularly when it comes to modern concepts.

English is spoken mostly by youth and educated people. A few older Russians can speak German and some younger people can speak French. English is also not widely spoken in China, though staff at major hotels and tourist attractions that see many foreign visitors usually speak a basic level of English. North Korea can only be visited on a guided tour, and your tour guides will speak English (or whatever language you book your tour in).

Stay safe
The journey on the Trans-Siberian route is quite safe, especially if you travel in groups of four and have your own compartment. Compartments can be locked from the inside with two locks. One can be opened from outside with a special key, the other cannot be opened from outside, and when locked allows the door to open a bit. It is advisable to use both locks during the night. The Trans-Mongolian and Manchurian train services once were hot spots of theft and gang robbery after the dissolution of Soviet Union, but as of Jan 2021 the routes are safe thanks to better law enforcement on board. You can't lock your compartment from outside when you go out. But the train attendant can do it for you.

3rd-class carriages provide less personal space and less protection. If you sleep on the lower berth, use the space under the berth to store your belongings. When on the upper berth, use the shelf above you. Take all valuable things with you when going out on to the station. Things are rarely stolen, but reasonable caution should be used.

Police in Russia can be your good friend or a bad enemy depending on the situation. Each train has at least one policeman who may shuffle around looking for drunks, drugs, beggars, and criminals. If you are harassed or threatened, contact the train attendant who will call the police. On the other hand, avoid doing something that can draw the attention of the police to you. After terrorist attacks in the early 2010s, each train station was assigned lots of police who tend to sporadically check documents and ask questions about your luggage. Never leave the train without your ticket and passport. Russian police are also very sensitive to people taking pictures of railways, stations, and trains. This is another aspect of anti-terrorist paranoia. Foreigners and especially Western tourists are less likely to face this problem. However, if you are approached by the police and asked to delete some photos, just do it and forget (or restore your photos later). Never try to take pictures of the police.

As a rule of thumb, smaller towns are less safe than bigger cities. If you are travelling alone, avoid areas void of people, near crowds the only thing to watch out for are pickpockets. If you are travelling shorter hops, it's possible that your train will arrive in the middle of the night. Stay inside the train station until the morning (unless you know well where to go), or choose a train that arrives in the daytime.

If you are an obvious tourist you are likely to get cheated at markets and especially by taxi drivers. The remedy for this is some knowledge of Russian and good bargaining skills. Always negotiate the price in rubles, even if the seller starts quoting the price in dollars and even if you plan to pay with dollars. Dollar prices are calculated according to the current bank exchange rates. Most places will not accept any currency other than rubles, though.

Often sellers and cab drivers will grab your arm to drag you to their stand or car. In this case it suffices to just rip yourself loose. They are there to make you pay high prices for their merchandise and services, not to hurt you.

There's prostitution going on in some hotels and even next to the train stations. To avoid possibly losing your money and health, steer clear. Same is true for drugs of any sort.

Likely the most dangerous city in the night time is Ulanbataar. Hotels and hostels often keep their doors shut between midnight and 06:00 because it's too unsafe on the streets.

Stay healthy
You should be in good physical condition while starting a trip like this, with no reason to believe your condition will worsen during the trip. Good medical care according to Western standards is really only available in Moscow and at private clinics in Beijing. In Mongolia you should really have a first aid kit. For smaller injuries, private clinics in Ulaanbaatar are good enough but if something serious happens you should get to Beijing, Europe or the United States regardless of the costs.

Health risks include avian influenza and rabies. Keep your distance from wild animals.

Tap water may not be safe for drinking. Russians consider it safe after boiling, and this is what you get from the samovar. If you are cautious, bring bottled water but remember that you won't have any opportunity to warm it.

Respect
Especially if you travel alone you will be spending some time on the train with locals, so it's useful to learn basic do's and don'ts before the journey. Please refer to the respect sections of the Russia, Mongolia and China articles to learn about the culture in the countries you will be traveling through.

Despite the opening of the countries for tourism, photography is still not allowed everywhere. Do not take photos of military and governmental buildings, as this can land you in jail in the worst case. You should also think twice before taking photos of other government-owned buildings like railway stations. Museums often have their own rules concerning photography, as elsewhere in the world.

Cope
The level of comfort and the number of amenities depend on the type of the train you are taking. Newer carriages feature air conditioning and abundant power sockets, and have an overall nice look, while older carriages have none of those and may become uncomfortably hot during summer as well as very cold during the harsh Siberian winter. If you can choose between several trains on your route, the train with more expensive tickets is more likely to have newer, comfortable carriages.

Standard amenities include a berth, mattress, pillow, blanket, and bedding. Mattress, pillow, and blankets are stored on the shelf above your berth. Sometimes train attendants will prepare the bed for you, but most likely you will have to do it on your own, especially in 3rd class. Things are pretty heavy, so taking them down and manipulating them in the narrow space is not the most trivial task. People needing assistance should feel free to ask for help from fellow travellers. On a long journey, it is common to remove the bedding and mattress from the lower berths during the day, so that everyone can sit. On the other hand, people on the lower berths may prefer to take a nap. Then you have absolutely no space to sit and will be forced to lie on your upper berth, even if you don't want to. People traveling alone in 3rd class are advised to book the lower berth on the side of the carriage. This will give you the opportunity to sit and even use the table at any time, undisturbed by other passengers.

Sleeping on the train may not be as simple as you imagine. Windows are often bolted shut, which can be stiflingly hot in summer. Russian trains are not very smooth, so expect constant pushes, noises, and unavoidable disturbances from fellow travelers. 2nd class compartments offer much better conditions than 3rd class, but it is still the same as sleeping in a hostel and far worse than sleeping in your own room. The berths in the 2nd class are long enough for most people, but the berths in the 3rd class are slightly below 1.80 m. If you are taller than that, bend your legs. Letting them jut into the aisle is another option unless you sleep on side berths, but this will make other people hit you every time they pass by. Russians always sleep with their head toward the window and their feet toward the aisle. The opposite way of sleeping (feet toward the window) will not be frowned upon, but it is never used by locals.

Always use the dark window curtain that can be pulled against the window. This will save you from bright lights shining outside. Bring ear plugs and consider what else could help you to fall asleep in a noisy environment. A shot of strong alcohol, a favorite book, or just good music might be helpful. If you've never used night trains before, try yourself on a short, one-night journey before crossing the whole country.

Power connections may be difficult to find. Newer carriages have power sockets at each berth (or at least 2 sockets per compartment). Older carriages have only one "public" socket next to the toilet and another one close to the samovar. Train attendants have a few extra sockets hidden inside their compartment. All sockets are designed for shavers: you may see special signs saying that laptops and gadgets should not be charged there. You can, however, connect whatever you want (kettles are not recommended), but nobody takes responsibility for your gadgets. Although voltage is notoriously unstable, most gadgets survive this kind of shock treatment (see Electrical systems for some advice).

Train attendants are your best friends in a long journey. They may have useful facilities, such as a fridge, microwave and extra power sockets. Train attendants are usually reserved with foreigners and rarely know a word of English, but most of them become more friendly the moment you try to make a small chat or present a gift. They may also help you to negotiate with police, border control, and fellow travellers.

Toilets are usually found at both ends of the carriage. Newer carriages have closed-cycle toilets (so-called "biotoilets") that operate at any time. Older carriages feature something similar to a latrine (hole-in-the-floor) and remain closed when the train is on the station or approaching it. There is a formal schedule posted on the door of each toilet, although train attendants tend to be kind and lock the toilets right before arrival rather than 15–20 minutes in advance. Most toilets nowadays are clean and equipped with toilet paper as well as soap. Paper towels are not common, but you always get a tiny towel with your bedding. However, sinks are very small and difficult to use, so wet napkins remain your best choice. Bringing paper towels or toilet paper is a good idea.

Showers are available on most long-distance trains, including trans-Siberian routes. A few newer carriages (including 3rd class) offer complimentary showers in the toilet, with details listed on the website during seat reservation. Otherwise, one or two shower cabins are located in one carriage somewhere in the middle of the train. A small fee (approx. ₽150) is collected.

Internet is never available on board, except on a few of the newest trains that do not run on the trans-Siberian routes. However, you can do pretty well with a mobile connection (buy a local SIM card), even though the signal will be weak or missing in the middle of Siberian forests. These days, the majority of Russians have smartphones, and it is not uncommon to see laptops or tablets even in 3rd class. Of course, take care of your belongings.

Go next
If you have arrived in Vladivostok after a week on the train, you will feel like you have travelled to the end of the world, but as we know, the world isn't flat. Hence you will have the option to take the ferry to Japan or South Korea or the train to Harbin and from there to other destinations in China. It is theoretically possible, but practically very difficult to continue your journey to North Korea.

If your trip ends in Beijing, this is a great opportunity to explore other parts of China or even other parts of Asia. High-speed rail is the best way of getting around the country and for trips into North Korea, Beijing is a comparatively better starting point, though you will need to make sure you already have your North Korean visa before attempting this. If you have time, it's actually possible to get all the way to Papua New Guinea by a combination of trains, buses and ferries.

If your Trans-Siberian trip ends in Moscow, you can explore the Golden Ring, continue to St. Petersburg and all the way to the Nordic countries or take one of the several direct trains to European destinations. Notice that direct trains to Central Europe go through Belarus and practically everyone will need a visa (must be obtained in advance) to enter.

title: Trans-Siberian Railway


text:
Transylvania

Transylvania is the largest region of Romania and probably the best known one. When you visit Transylvania you dive into a mix of cultures, nature and history. Transylvania is a diverse region: it is worth trying to observe the differences that exist within the region, both culturally and naturally. This region is a place with abundant history and multicultural convergence. All over Transylvania the cohabitation of Romanians, Hungarians, Saxons and Roma is the leading theme. Transylvania is rich in myth and misty medieval sites: there about 100 castles and fortresses and about 70 fortified churches. Romania's greatest and best preserved castles and fortresses are to be found here. But for the more curious traveler, there are many small villages with old houses and fortified churches. As Transylvania is circled by the Carpathian mountains there are a lot of mountain forests and hiking or climbing possibilities. All over the Carpathians there are great national parks. In the center of Transylvania there are green hills and rivers. Most big cities are very western Europe like, and the infrastructure is generally good, making it easy for travelers.

Cities

 * — an ancient city with a small, 14th-century citadel
 * — home to a massive baroque fortification built in the 18th century, with a medieval Catholic cathedral
 * — a modern industrial city with a well-preserved Old Town
 * — the biggest city in Transylvania, also called "The heart of Transylvania"
 * — a compact city with German flair, medieval charm, excellent views of the surrounding landscapes, great food, and stunning parkland
 * — a small medieval fortified city, listed by UNESCO as a World Heritage Site
 * — one of the oldest cities in Transylvania, it is a centre for the Hungarian-speaking people of the region
 * — famous for its Art Nouveau buildings, Târgu Mureș is the cultural and economical centre of the Székely Land of the Hungarian minority

Other destinations

 * — home to a restored Saxon fortress from the 14th century, and to many old Saxon houses
 * —Huedin and surrounding villages, an agrotourism and ecotourism hotspot, as they offer wonderful scenery, secluded areas, great Romanian social and rural experiences
 * — the highest mountain resort in Romania
 * — one of the most beautiful parks in Romania
 * — Târgu Secuiesc, Miercurea Ciuc, are home to the Szekler people, also known as Szekely, who are a Hungarian-speaking people of Transylvania
 * — visit the former Salt mine, now a tourist attraction and amusement park
 * — a remote mountain community, where you can experience farming, forestry and shepherding

Understand
Although some people may only associate the name with tales of bloodthirsty vampires (it is the home of the title character in Bram Stoker's novel Dracula), Transylvania is one of the most beautiful natural regions in Europe, dotted with picturesque, medieval fortress towns and monasteries. Lively cities with stunning baroque architecture offer modern tourism services at a price far below that of, say, Germany or France. Here you can find some of the most developed cities in Romania, but also old villages where people live as they did a hundred years ago. Transylvania is surrounded by the misty Carpathian mountains and is home to rare fauna (bears, wolves) and flora (orchids and other plants).

Transylvania has all the history and multi-ethnic culture you could want. The history of Transylvania is much disputed: once it was an integral part of the Kingdom of Hungary (950-1526), then an independent Principality (1526-1690) before being reabsorbed by the Habsburg Empire. It was united with Wallachia and Moldovia to form Romania after the Austro-Hungarian Empire was dissolved in the Treaty of Trianon, which saw the conclusion of World War I. This complex history explains the many cultural differences between Transylvania and the rest of Romania. For much of this history the Romanian majority had few rights and were ruled by minorities such as the Hungarians and Saxons. Other minorities included Roma, Jews and Armenians. After World War I, Transylvania became part of Greater Romania, and many local Hungarians fled across the new border to Hungary. Following the defeat of the Axis powers in World War II, many of the local Germans fled to Germany. The Communist era was a harsh time for ethnic minorities, especially for those of whom many had been small business owners (Hungarians and those Jews who had survived the war) before the new totalitarian regime came to power. After the revolution in 1989, most of the remaining Saxons moved to Germany (having settled in Transylvania, at that time part of the Kingdom of Hungary, in large numbers during the 13th century), and many of the remaining ethnic Hungarians also left. The relations between the ethnic minorities and majority have known tense times, but there has never been a serious conflict. Although attitudes of individuals can still be closed towards other groups, Transylvania is an example of different ethnic groups living together in relative peace. However, as with Europe in general, the Roma ethnicity is still seriously discriminated against and their culture is little understood.

Today Transylvania is the most developed region in Romania, partly because of tourism and partly because of a stronger capitalist tradition prior to World War II. The presence of the German and Hungarian minorities has been a catalyst for Western influences in Transylvania since 1989. It is interesting to observe the differences within this small region: the South and South East are dominated by Saxon culture, the East and North East are more influenced by Hungarian culture, the North is more Slavic, and the South West different again. Try to visit a few older villages, where the people are generally very friendly.

Talk
Nowadays, almost everyone in Transylvania speaks Romanian, though for many of the ethnic Hungarians -- about 20% of the population, but far more in certain areas -- Hungarian is their first language. Few native German-speakers remain, but in any sizable town you should easily be able to find people who speak at least moderately good English, French, or German.

Get in
Transylvania is relatively easy to access, due to its relative economic prosperity, tourism industry and proximity to Central Europe.

By plane

By train
There are several daily international trains:
 * Dacia Express -links Vienna with Bucharest (via Budapest); it passes through various cities in the southern part of Transylvania (Deva, Alba Iulia, Mediaş, Sighisoara, Brasov);
 * Ister Express -a faster night train that links Budapest with Bucharest and has the same route as above;
 * Pannonia Express -links Prague with Bucharest (passing through Bratislava and Budapest) and reaches the same cities in southern Transylvania as the above trains;
 * Corona Express -a night train that links Budapest with Brasov going through Cluj and the eastern parts of Transylvania;
 * Hargita Express -links Budapest with Brasov going through Cluj-Napoca and the eastern parts of Transylvania (from Cluj-Napoca two coaches are going to Târgu-Mureş);
 * Ady Endre Express -links Budapest with Cluj-Napoca (leaves from Cluj-Napoca early in the morning, gets to Budapest around noon and then gets back to Cluj-Napoca, arriving in the evening);
 * Maros/Mureş Express -links Budapest with Târgu-Mureş;
 * Máramaros/Maramureş Express -links Budapest with Sighetu Marmaţiei going through Cluj-Napoca (leaves from Budapest in the morning, gets to Sighetu Marmaţiei at evening, the schedule back to Budapest is the same.);

Very frequent trains link cities in Transylvania with Bucharest and major cities in all other regions of Romania. Check timetables on infofer.ro.

There are three kind of trains.

 * Regio - This is the slowest but cheapest way to go somewhere. The Regio trains stop at every station.
 * InterRegio - The InterRegio trains is much faster than the Regio. Due to the fact that it is very comfortable many international trains are InterRegio. The ticket is more expensive than the Regio ticket but affordable.
 * InterCity - The fastest and the most comfortable way to travel but the ticket is very expensive.

The cheapest way to travel is the train even for four of you. On a few routes you can find private companies, they offer cheaper tickets.

Get around

 * Transylvania Triangle Train Tour

Transylvania is a must see destination for people travelling in this part of Europe.

Trains are usually the best way to travel between major Transylvanian cities and tourist destinations. However, many of the region's landmarks lie hidden from major transportation routes, so it is recommended you either rent a car or take buses to those places. You can find information about trains from infofer.ro and Căile Ferate Române.

You can find great and detailed road maps in any fuel station throughout the country, in train stations and in most newsstands. These detailed road maps can lead you anywhere, without much guidance needed. Be careful though for secondary and tertiary roads are not clearly marked, so sometimes you have to ask for directions. People are usually very friendly and will help you get to the destination of your choice.

Buses are becoming a popular means of transportation in Transylvania. Usually, they leave from train stations in major cities, and stop in the central area of smaller ones.

As in all eastern Europe, hitchhiking is common and even a preferred way of transport for some locals. It is polite to leave the one who drives you some money, about 10-15 lei/100 km. However, people won't get mad if you don't leave anything and they might turn your money down anyway. Choosing the right spot for hitching increases your chances drastically- try to ask people on the street where to stand.

Bicycles are a very convenient and eco-friendly way of getting around in Transylvania and this way you can observe the natural beauty and even visit the smallest and remotest of villages. Beware though that most circuits include large elevations, so you should be used to climbing hills. In remote villages you can always find locals who will sell you very cheaply some fresh produce: fruits, vegetable, dairy products, or even invite you for lunch. Racing bikes with narrow tires are not recommended though, even major roads have many defects and in the more remote areas you will travel on dirt roads, so a robust mountain bike is preferred.

See
Due to the salt and gold found under the ground, Transylvania was a rich country in the medieval age. Therefore can be found a lot of castles, fortresses (ruins) and beautiful towns. For those who love nature, Transylvania is a good choice. There are beautiful mountains, forests and even animals.

Transylvania has several UNESCO World Heritage sites; the Historic Centre of Sighişoara, the "Dacian Fortresses of the Orastie Mountains" consisting of eight fortresses in the southwest of Transsylvania, and the "Villages with Fortified Churches in Transylvania" consisting of over 150 sites.

Cities and towns
In Transylvania you should see some cities or towns. Probably that most of the tourists are going to see Sighişoara the beautiful Saxon town (the people say that Dracula was born here). For those who like mountains the best choice is Braşov. There you can find a citadel, a beautiful church with history, large squares and mountains. Citadels can be found in other cities like Cluj-Napoca. At Cluj-Napoca you can find old churches, historical buildings, a citadel (with beautiful panorama), bastions, monuments (like the statue of Matthias Corvinus) and even Roman ruins.

Castles and fortresses

 * Râşnov castle was built in the 13th century. The impressive complex with living houses (unusual for such fortresses) and small streets is located on a mountain in the outskirts of Râşnov. Transfer from the car park at the foot of the mountain to the castle and back is about 8 lei. But one can easily walk the way in 15 minutes. The entrance fee for adults is 10 lei.
 * Râşnov castle was built in the 13th century. The impressive complex with living houses (unusual for such fortresses) and small streets is located on a mountain in the outskirts of Râşnov. Transfer from the car park at the foot of the mountain to the castle and back is about 8 lei. But one can easily walk the way in 15 minutes. The entrance fee for adults is 10 lei.

Salt mines
Due to the salt and gold found under the ground Transylvania was a rich country in the medieval age. Unfortunately some of the mines collapsed. But a few mines, like the mine of Praid or Turda, survived. For those who have asthma is very healthy to spend some hours in these mines for several days.

Nature
60% of all bears and 50% of wolves in Europe (except Russia) are found in Romania and the majority of them in Transylvania. Despite this it is still unlikely that you will see any.

Transylvania is located in a mountainous region and is surrounded by the Carpathian Mountains.

Do

 * Bear watching, to spot the bears living in the region. There are several bear watching hides in Transylvania.

Romanian dishes

 * Sarmale - meat in grape or cabbage leaves
 * Mici - a symbol of Romania. To some locals it is like the sword to a samurai (but tastier).
 * Ciorba de Burta - tripe (cow stomach) soup. Tastes better than it sounds!
 * Bulz - cheese with polenta (only in Transylvania).
 * Papanasi - desert: try it, love it.

Hungarian dishes

 * Bean soup in bread - you will be amazed from serving to licking your plate
 * Gulash
 * Cabbage soup
 * Lentil soup
 * Kurtos Kalacs - dessert, can be found around tourist attraction or in Hungarian zones on the road

Saxon dishes
There aren't many Saxon restaurants, but if you find one you can explore it and post some info here.

Drink

 * Ursus Black beer – a medium-bodied, dark lager arguably ranking among Eastern Europe's premier drinks
 * Bergenbier – a rich, German-style lager extremely popular throughout Romania
 * Stejar beer – a 7% strong beer with a distinct taste
 * Lacrima Lui Ovidiu – a nice, sweet Romanian wine, available in supermarkets for around 20 lei.
 * Dracula Beer – a kitsch beer sold to foreign tourists, around Bran Castle and in supermarkets, noted for its remarkably unsavory flavor.
 * Ciuc beer – one of the best beers part of the Group Heineken
 * Wine from a local wine cellar – You will find these in any town, just ask for "crama" (krahmah)
 * Horinca de Bihor, or other Țuică – This is a local brandy. Many locals brew their own natural and tasteful brandy. You can find it at locals' houses (they will be happy to have you taste theirs) and in wine cellars.

Stay safe
Transylvania is not a land of dangers lurking around each darkened corner. It houses a relatively large number of police headquarters, so that if anything goes wrong on your journey, help will be close by.

On the other hand, especially in heavily touristed towns like Sinaia, there will be some con men out to prey on tourists. Beware of the "maradona". You should also watch out for pickpockets around busy tourist attractions.

Police corruption has been reduced significantly and you would be better off being nice and friendly to police officers, rather than offering them money. If you feel like you are being mistreated by a police officer, ask for his superior.

Go next

 * Maramureș in the north, Banat in the south west and Crișana in the west are historically tied to Transylvania and can be a good extension of your trip to Transylvania.
 * Moldavia is popular for its monasteries and small villages.
 * Dobrogea is where you can go to the Black sea coast.
 * Bucharest is the capital of Romania and about 3 hours away from Brașov.
 * In the south of Romania you can see the green Oltenia and the fieldy region of Muntenia.

license: Creative Commons - Attribution Share-Alike - https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/

title: Transylvania


text:
Transylvania triangle train tour

The Transylvania Triangle Train Tour is a 12-day "self-guided" train tour of the main attractions of Transylvania, Romania.

Twelve days gives you enough time to see all of the main cities and destinations, while being short enough for those who don't have the time for more in-depth travel. You get to see the highlights of every town, which is enough for many of the destinations.

The tour starts from Brașov and continues to the following cities in order:

 * Sinaia day trip
 * Brașov
 * Sighișoara
 * Cluj-Napoca
 * Huedin and surrounding villages in the Apuseni Mountains - if you wish to stop over here
 * Oradea
 * Arad
 * Timișoara
 * Alba Iulia
 * Sibiu
 * Brașov

Being a circular, or rather a triangular tour, nearly all of Transylvania's main sights are covered. Some people wish to start the tour in Bucharest, Romania's capital, which is not in Transylvania but is the main Romanian entry point. If you start from Bucharest, travel from there to Brasov and back is very easy, made possible by fast train connections hourly. The tour is triangular in that its "corners" are in Brasov, Oradea and Timisoara, and the journey between these cities occurs in mostly straight lines.

Understand
Transylvania is the region known around the world for Dracula, misty castles and medieval villages. The latter is true, although Dracula has for a long time been a (fairly) untrue stereotype. The Transylvanian Triangle Train Tour, due to its variety, enables you to see Romania's most developed region in all its forms - from wonderful rural areas, to medium-sized baroque towns to cosmopolitan cities, to medieval villages. The trip is also worth making due to the fact that you will meet local people and local culture, eat some of the best food you've ever eaten (trust us here, Transylvanian food is quite delicious) and partake in a journey that is quite significantly different from other parts of Europe yet still has that common sheen.

The political situation in Translyvania is quite stable even though it's been, along with Bucharest, Romania's most problematic technically. The Romanian Revolution of 1989 started here, in Timisoara, and since then there have been mild problems with the sizeable Hungarian minority, which is a majority in some (generally rural) areas. There is also a moderately large (i.e. less than 5%) Roma (Gypsy) minority. However, in years the Hungarians and the Romanians have gotten along with each other like they never have before, and there is very little chance of you encountering any real political or ethnic problems. That doesn't mean the Romanians don't joke about the Hungarians or vice versa, but these things are, in essence, the good humour that all Transylvanians share.

Your journey will take you through fairly distinct "mini-regions" in terms of culture and history. Brasov and its surrounding region have a quite significant (but declining) ethnic German minority, and it is also home to mountain resorts such as Sinaia and medieval towns like Sighisoara, the birthplace of Vlad Ţepeş (the inspiration for Dracula). After you can visit the coffee culture, street theatre and cosmopolitan society of Sibiu (European Capital Of Culture-2007), the heartland of the German minority-which has the best museum in Romania (the Bruckenthal) and a very romantic medieval feel to it. Further on you reach the heart of Transylvania, Cluj-Napoca. It is situated near the Apuseni Mountains and is the largest and most cosmopolitan city in Transylvania. Here you will encounter a significant Hungarian minority and the opportunity to sample a taste (you can take that literally as well - Hungarian restaurants are plentiful) of Hungarian culture. Further on, the Apuseni Mountains is a beautiful rural area west of Cluj-Napoca, where you will see stunning scenery. This is the only rural region where you will stop over on your journey, and it's really worth seeing even though it won't appeal to everyone. Next on, you reach the Baroque towns of Oradea and Arad, with their great cultural and historical spirit. Here you will see how architecture and culture were back in the Austro-Hungarian times. Onwards, you reach Timisoara, the heartland of the Banat province. Timisoara is one of the fastest-growing cities in Romania, and it is becoming an increasingly modern city, with many services everywhere. Even though it still offers history, Timisoara is definitely unique from all the other areas. After Timisoara, it is useful to return back north to Brasov, but on a different route, to complete the "Triangle". You will see the citadel city of Alba Iulia, with its wonderful history and monasteries.

The tour is done by train because train captures the Transylvanian spirit best and makes for the best experience possible. Other possibilities include bus travel, which is getting increasingly popular in Transylvania but simply provides a way of getting from A to B with none of that charming experience associated with Romanian train travel. Car travel is also possible, but due to the not-so-good state of Romanian roads, this is best left alone. Therefore, train travel is both cheap and easy to use (you don't need to know any road directions or numbers, or any bus company contacts), and, for many people, it is a 'destination' within itself.

Prepare
Even though Transylvania is a civilized destination with ample facilities, the nature of this itinerary is such that you will need to have at least some amount of self-sufficiency. Travel on trains is comfortable but not all that luxurious, so it's useful to pack snacks, etc. It's good to have water and food with you always; not so much in the larger cities (Cluj-Napoca, Oradea, Brasov and Timisoara) but in the rural areas. However, it is valuable to eat in restaurants from time to time, because they're not all that expensive and serve great food.

Citizens of the European Union, Canada, and the USA can travel to Romania visa-free for, so you won't have troubles - just present your passport (or ID card if you are a citizen of a Schengen country) when entering the country, and you're off; see Romania, for details.

Get in
The starting point for the itinerary is Brasov, at the eastern extremity of Transylvania. The reason for this is that Brasov is very easily accessible. If you are already in Romania (in areas such as Bucharest, the Black Sea Coast, the Painted Monasteries), travel to Brasov is best done by train. If this will be the only tour you will be doing of Transylvania, there is a daily night-train from Budapest to Brasov (this train is named Corona). However, for visitors from other countries, it is best if you fly into Bucharest and then catch an InterCity fast train to Brasov. The same applies at the end of your journey - if you want to see more of Romania, catch a train to Bucharest or another part of the country, or continue onwards to other countries either from Brasov directly (Brasov is an important railway center in Romania) or from Bucharest.

Get around
If you want to find out more about each destination, click on its link, which will take you to one of our specialized articles about the destination. Note that train route numbers, times and costs have been given for the journey. Even though these aren't likely to change significantly, it is best to check online at www.mersultrenurilorcfr.ro, the online timetable of the Romanian railways, for up-to-date service details. Trains in Romania come in four flavours - InterCity (IC), Rapid (R), Accelerat (A) and Personal (P - the slowest and cheapest). There are also international, nightly trains known as EuroNight (EN). When using A or P trains, it's best to book 1st class, but with the others, second class is more than comfortable, especially on the InterCity (IC).

 * Day 1: Brașov - visit the city for the whole day, not forgetting the magnificent Poiana Braşov outside the city, accessible by bus.
 * Day 2: Sinaia day trip - leave in the morning with train IR 1528, departing at 09:19 and arriving in Sinaia at 10:17. Cost: RON17.50 (approx. USD5.5) in 2nd class, or you could book the return fare as well for a 10% benefit. Visit Sinaia's wonderful scenery - if you want, you can travel by taxi to destinations slightly outside the town. Taxis are very cheap and can be used for travel to any place in the Sinaia district. Also, visiting the majestic Peleş Castle is a must - this is what Sinaia is renowned for. Return to Brasov in the evening with train IR 1741, departing Sinaia at 20:15 and arriving in Brasov at 21:22. If you didn't book a round-trip ticket, the cost for the return trip is equal to what it was in the morning, since it's the same distance. This train is of very high quality - it also contains sleeping compartments and couchettes - but don't book one of these on the journey between Sinaia and Brasov! After arriving back in Brasov, sleep here overnight.
 * Day 3: Brașov to Sighișoara - leave in the morning with train R 374, departing at 09:37 and arriving in Sighisoara at 10:25. Cost: RON33.90 (approx. $13.80) in 2nd class. After arriving in Sighisoara, the city is yours to visit. The medieval town is wonderful, and it is best to walk to all sights, as the town is fairly small. Stay overnight at Sighisoara and, if you want, splurge on a Romanian dinner at a restaurant.
 * Day 4: Sighișoara to Cluj-Napoca - leave in the morning with train A 1748, departing at 12:36 and arriving in Cluj at 15:54. Cost: RON59.30 (approx. USD24.15) in 1st class (A or Accelerat aren't very comfortable in 2nd class). On arrival in Cluj-Napoca, book a hotel and then visit the city's many sights. Use this afternoon as your 'initiation' into Cluj-Napoca, and don't rush to visit all the many tourist destinations - the next day is for that. For the time being, it's best just to take a leisurely stroll among the lovely green parks and the historical areas of the town.
 * Day 5: Cluj-Napoca - today you have the whole day to visit Cluj-Napoca. See the Cluj-Napoca article for important sights to visit. Sleep overnight at a hotel in Cluj-Napoca.
 * Day 6: Cluj-Napoca to Huedin to Oradea - leave in the morning with train P 3073 (a rural train that stops at every little village), departing at 07:50 and arriving in Huedin at 09:09. Cost: RON8.9 (c. USD3.6) in 1st class. This train is fairly limited service and doesn't run about eight days per month. Once you arrive in Huedin, a small regional (though not rural) town, rent a taxi for the whole day. Huedin isn't particularly interesting, and "renting" a taxi is possible for around $5-$10 for the whole day (negotiate the price with the driver). Tell the driver to take you around the Apuseni Mountains region, to villages such as Calata, Nearsova, Domosu de Cris, Horlacea, Piatra Craiului, etc. Drivers are usually very friendly, though not all speak English. The Apuseni Mountains region is a great natural tourism experience. In the afternoon, return the Huedin and depart onwards to Oradea with train A 1833, leaving at 15:55 and arriving in Oradea at 17:37. Cost: RON32.20 (c. USD13.1). Upon arrival in Oradea, book a hotel in the city centre and then explore the town. Eat at one of Oradea's excellent restaurants or pubs if you want. Or, even better, buy yourself a ticket to the Oradea Theatre (the shows are very good, the theatre is extravagantly good and the tickets are very cheap) If you don't want to visit Huedin and the Apuseni Mountains, then simply catch a train direct from Cluj-Napoca to Oradea and continue the itinerary.
 * Day 7: Oradea - visit Oradea's main attractions and the city itself. Pay a visit to the wonderful Ţării Crişurilor Museum and the State Theatre.
 * Day 8: Oradea to Arad - Pick up your bags and go to Arad! In the morning, leave with train IC 231, departing at 08:43 and arriving at 10:24. Cost: RON33.40 (c. USD13.50) in 2nd class. This train is brand new and very, very comfortable and modern. Once you arrive in Arad, go to your hotel (it's better to book in advance). Visit Arad for the remainder of the day, and sleep here at night.
 * Day 9: Arad to Timișoara - Leave Arad in the morning with train IC 231 (the same one as the day before), departing at 10:27 and arriving in Timisoara Nord at 10:13. Cost: RON22.30 (about USD9) in 2nd class. Stroll through Timisoara for the remainder of the day, and sleep here overnight.
 * Day 10: Timișoara to Alba Iulia - Leave Timisoara Nord station at midday with train A 1767, departing at 15:10 and arriving in Alba Iulia at 19:11. Cost: RON64.20 (c. USD26.15) in 1st class. Upon arrival, find a hotel in Alba Iulia. If you want, you can visit the parts of the city in the evening, or, if you're tired after your train trip, go to sleep.
 * Day 11: Alba Iulia to Sibiu - Visit Alba Iulia for the better part of the day, and then take train R 838, departing at 18:05 and arriving in Sibiu at 19:52. Cost: RON27.40 (c. USD11.16) in 2nd class. In Sibiu, book a hotel and visit the city by night, the medieval buildings being a great experience. The next day, don't forget to visit Bruckenthal Palace in Sibiu, containing the finest art museum in Transylvania.
 * Day 12: Sibiu to Brașov - visit Sibiu further in the morning and then, in the afternoon, take train A 1622 to Brasov, departing Sibiu at 14:31 and arriving in Brasov at 17:03. Cost: RON39.90 (c. USD16.25). This train also continues to Bucharest, if you want to go there, arriving there at 20:25. Once you reach Brasov, the tour is over. If you want, you can spend the night in Brasov and visit another part of Romania, or another neighbouring country, or leave with train A 1622 directly to Bucharest, the Romanian capital.

Stay safe
Transylvania and the places in this itinerary are usually safe. However, it is wise to watch out for petty crime, especially in places such as Brasov, Cluj-Napoca, Oradea and Timisoara. Other than that, however, there shouldn't be any problem, other than the occasional beggar who sees that you're a tourist and pesters you.

Go next
If you enjoyed yourself, you can make a detour through the Maramureș region, north of Transylvania, or to other parts of Romania.

title: Transylvania triangle train tour


text:
Trapani

Trapani  is a port city and the capital of Trapani province in the north-west corner of Sicily, Italy. Trapani has a lively atmosphere due to its position as the capital and its economic activities as a port. It has a rich history and many historical buildings have been preserved. Old traditions are cherished. Thanks to the presence of an international airport, the city with its marina and beaches is increasingly popular as a tourist destination. The number of cruise ships calling at the city increases every year. For the individual traveler Trapani is a great base for day trips or for traveling further afield in Sicily.

Understand
The population of the urban area is about 90,000, including the north-eastern suburb of Casa Santa, which is not part of the comune (municipality) of Trapani.

History
The history of Trapani (Greek: Drépanon, Roman: Drepanum) is as old as Greek mythology. As early as the 13th century BC, the Elymians, who had settled in Erice and Segesta, used Trapani as a natural harbor. The Phoenicians expanded the city in the 9th century BC. In 260 BC, the Carthaginians used the port as a base. Two major battles took place here. In 249 BC the Romans were defeated by the Carthaginians. Eight years later it was the turn of the Romans, who defeated the Carthaginians. The Romans had little interest in the city. In the tenth century CE, under the Emirate of Sicily, Trapani regained importance and revived. The Arabs fortified the city walls and improved trade relations whereby salt had an important role. It was sold to Italy, France and England. Arab architecture still determines for a large part the cityscape of Trapani. The Normans conquered the city in 1077 and turned it into a prosperous free port. Charles I of Anjou put heavy loads on to the people who successfully rebelled in the 1282 Sicilian Vespers. The city passed under the Kingdom of Aragon and grew. In 1817 Trapani became a provincial capital. During World War II, the city suffered greatly. Heavy bombing destroyed the San Pietro district, the oldest part of the city, including the Garibaldi Theatre.

By plane

The airport is at Birgi, about 15 km from the center of Trapani. AST (Azienda Siciliana Trasporti) buses cost €4.90, leave every 45 minutes and take about 40 minutes. The last bus leaves the airport at 23:30 in the summer months, so the latest flights miss it. An alternative is to take 25 minutes walk to the Mozia-Birgi station and get the train to Trapani for €2.25. Sometimes Ryanair attendants propose that you buy tickets for the bus on the flight. These buses are usually more expensive than AST ones.

By train
Frequent trains run from Palermo, with a few stopping at Segesta. Local trains also run to Marsala, Mazara del Vallo and Castelvetrano (for the ruins of Selinunte).

By bus
Frequent buses run from Palermo. Less frequently they go to Marsala, Mazara del Vallo, Castelvetrano (for the ruins of Selinunte), Sciacca, Agrigento and Segesta.

By boat
Trapani is the port for frequent boats and hydrofoils to the Egadi Islands. Nightly boats (and hydrofoils in summer) also run to Pantelleria, with weekly (or so) ones to Tunis. See Siremar and Ustica Lines.

Get around
The old town and port is small enough to walk around. ATM (Azienda Trasporti e Mobilità) is the urban bus company, not to be confused with AST, which services the airport and the rest of Sicily. Buses pass the ferry port, and the adjacent bus station and railway station are on the edge of the city centre.

See

 * The magnificent Basilica-Sanctuary of Maria Santissima Annunziata (also called Madonna di Tràpani) was built in 1315-1332 and rebuilt in 1760. It houses a marble statue of the Madonna of Tràpani, which might be the work of Nino Pisano
 * The Baroque Palazzo della Giudecca or Casa Ciambra
 * The Fontana del Tritone (Triton's Fountain)
 * The Baroque Palazzo della Giudecca or Casa Ciambra
 * The Cathedral (1635)
 * The fine buildings on the main Corso Vittorio Emanuele
 * Enjoy the bustle of the port. See the Italians shouting and gesticulating as they load the large ferries to Tunis.
 * Enjoy the bustle of the port. See the Italians shouting and gesticulating as they load the large ferries to Tunis.
 * Enjoy the bustle of the port. See the Italians shouting and gesticulating as they load the large ferries to Tunis.
 * Enjoy the bustle of the port. See the Italians shouting and gesticulating as they load the large ferries to Tunis.

Do

 * The city is renowned for its Easter procession, I Misteri, when the town's guilds parade a groups of sculpted 17th-century and 18th-century religious statues through the streets in a procession lasting for 16 hours on Good Friday and Holy Saturday.
 * A day excursion by boat to the Aegadian (Egadi) Islands
 * The city is renowned for its Easter procession, I Misteri, when the town's guilds parade a groups of sculpted 17th-century and 18th-century religious statues through the streets in a procession lasting for 16 hours on Good Friday and Holy Saturday.
 * A day excursion by boat to the Aegadian (Egadi) Islands

Buy

 * Busiate Trapanesi, the local pasta, can be bought in several variations and brands.
 * Salted capers (capperi al sale)
 * Sea salt (cristalli di sale marino) from Trapani.
 * Wine (vino) from the region, such as Grillo, Inzolia en Nero d’Avola

Eat
The kitchen of Trapani has undergone many foreign influences in particular from the Arabs. Meat and pasta are often replaced by fish and couscous. A local specialty is couscous Imperiale, steamed semolina with fish stock. The pesto alla Trapanese is a raw herb sauce of tomatoes, almonds, basil and garlic. The traditional shape of the pasta is busiate, a kind of twisted macaroni.

Budget
All these are around the port:

Sleep

 * Maccotta, Via del Argentieri +39 0923 23348. Attractive, clean and cheap at €30.
 * Maccotta, Via del Argentieri +39 0923 23348. Attractive, clean and cheap at €30.

Go next

 * Erice is well worth a visit. Regular buses go to this nearby precipitous hilltop town, but the best way to get there is by the new cable car. Wander around and soak in the atmosphere.
 * The Aegadian (Egadi) Islands (Favignana, Levanzo and Marettimo) are very close and well worth a visit, with their wonderful beaches and bays.
 * San Vito lo Capo is a wonderful beach 40 km from Trapani, with white sand and crystal blue sea.
 * Visit the Greek temple, theatre, and ruins at Segesta on a day trip, or en route to Palermo.
 * The beaches of Scopello are not to be missed (featured at the end of the movie Ocean's Twelve).
 * The long sandy beaches of lido di Marausa and Trapani are within 9 km and 1 km of the town. There is a salt museum in Nubia on the way to Marausa, detailing the history of the salt pans in the area, and Trapani's important position on the 'Salt Road'.
 * Visit Alcamo, a town founded by Arabs, where you can admire an Arab fountain, the medieval castle and the remains of an ancient village in the Mount Bonifato, in the middle of a natural reserve.

title: Trapani


text:
Trapani (province)

Trapani is the westernmost province on the island of Sicily, in Italy.

Cities

 * — attractive city and gateway to Pantelleria and the Egadi islands
 * — stunning medieval town, castle and great views over the west-coast. The cannoli at Cafe Maria are incredible and should not be missed.
 * — town and beach just south of Trapani
 * — interesting museum, home of the famous wine
 * — Arab influences including a Couscous festival
 * — beautiful beach surrounded by mountains
 * — interesting museum, home of the famous wine
 * — Arab influences including a Couscous festival
 * — beautiful beach surrounded by mountains

Other destinations

 * — relaxing islands off the west coast
 * — ancient Punic city built on the island of Mozia overlooking Marsala
 * — Arab-influenced solitude between Sicily and Tunisia
 * — a Greek temple, theatre and ruins
 * — a group of impressive Greek temples and ruins of Greek city

Get in
Trapani Airport receives flights from a number of airlines, including international flights by Ryanair.

Go next

 * Agrigento province – next province on the south coast, featuring ancient Greek temples and ruins
 * Palermo province – next province on the north coast, including the city of Palermo with its monumental art and culture

title: Trapani (province)