Trans-Siberian 7 Yekaterinburg, Ural

Yekaterinburg and the Ural Mountains 

Founded by Peter the Great, Yekaterinburg is known as the Great Divide of the Urals. 

The Ural Mountains form a natural border between Europe and Asia, so the cultural and architectural influences of European and Asian civilizations have merged together in this fascinating and cosmopolitan landscape. Until the collapse of the USSR in 1991, Yekaterinburg was a secret and closed city to foreigners, due to the presence of the USSR’s defense industry. 

Now Yekaterinburg is totally different in its vibe, bustle and residents from cosmopolitan giants like Moscow and St Petersburg, and here you will be able to experience a more genuine Russia, with the city’s many pre-Soviet buildings being of great interest.

Valeria Nikonova

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Trans-Siberian 6 Yaroslavl and Volga River

The construction of the city, which reached its peak during the 17th and 18th centuries, is an outstanding example of the mixture of cultural and architectural influences of Western Europe on Russia. Yaroslavl is the city that will captivate your eyesight, even with its minor details, such as an inconspicuous tile or a painted house board, hidden behind the luxurious façades. 

Religious establishments encompass the main points of interest in Yaroslavl, including the old Transfiguration Cathedral of the Savior Monastery, built between 1506-1516; the Church of Elijah the Prophet, with extraordinarily beautiful forms of this simple but solemn temple with two white domes; the massive Church of St. John the Baptist, the masterpiece of the Yaroslavl architecture of the 17th century, with fantastic silhouettes of its 15 chapters and a rich interior with an abundance of tiles, brick patterns and murals.

Valeria Nikonova 

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Trans-Siberian Railway 5 Yaroslavl

To travel the Trans-Siberian Railway is a dream, lurking in the back of the minds of many of us. It is the longest railway line in the world, consisting of 9,288 kilometers, spanning 7 time zones and taking up a week to reach your final destination. This guide suggests the best stops to visit and the most beautiful things to see during your journey on the Trans-Siberian Railway. It is your choice either to see the picturesque mountains from the train compartment, or go out into wild Siberia and explore its unique and hospitable cities and towns.

Yaroslavl and Volga River

Yaroslavl is the oldest city on the Volga, and was founded in 1010. The historic city center, has been named one of 24 UNESCO World Heritage sites in Russia. 

Valeria Nikonova

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Trans-Siberian Railway 4 Irkutsk. Ulan-Ude

8. Irkutsk
Main gateway to Lake Baikal – ultimate destination on every Trans-Siberian journey.
The de facto capital of Eastern Siberia, pleasantly historic Irkutsk is by far the most popular stop on the Trans-Siberian Railway between Moscow and all points east. With Lake Baikal a mere 70km away, the city is the best base from which to strike out for the western shoreline. Amid the 19th-century architecture, revived churches, classy eateries and numerous apartment hostels, plentiful English-speaking agencies can help you plan anything from a winter trek across the lake’s ice to a short walking tour through the city.

9. Olkhon Island
Swim in the waters of Baikal, the most voluminous freshwater lake in the world, containing roughly 20% of the world’s unfrozen surface fresh water.

10. Ulan-Ude
Get a sighting of the most unusual monument to Vladimir Lenin, father of Russian communist revolution.
With its smiley Asian features, cosy city centre and fascinating Mongol-Buddhist culture, the Buryat capital is one of Eastern Siberia’s most likeable cities. Quietly busy, welcoming and, after Siberia’s Russian cities, refreshingly exotic, it’s a pleasant place to base yourself for day trips to Buddhist temples and flits to eastern Lake Baikal’s gently shelving beaches, easily reachable by bus. For some travellers UU is also a taster for what’s to come in Mongolia.
Founded as a Cossack ostrog (fort) called Udinsk (later Verkhneudinsk) in 1666, the city prospered as a major stop on the tea-caravan route from China via Troitskosavsk (now Kyakhta). Renamed Ulan-Ude in 1934, it was a closed city until the 1980s due to its secret military plants (there are still mysterious blank spaces on city maps).

Trans-Siberian Railway 3 Kazan, Tomsk

5. Kazan
Where East meets West: country’s main mosque, Kul Sharif, behind the traditional Russian Kremlin wall.
It is about 150 years older than Moscow and the capital of the Tatarstan Republic (Республика Татарстан) – the land of the Volga Tatars, a Turkic people commonly associated with Chinggis Khaan’s hordes.
Tatar autonomy is strong here and is not just about bilingual street signs. Moscow has pumped vast sums into the republic to persuade it to remain a loyal part of Russia. It also ensures that Tatarstan benefits greatly from the vast oil reserves in this booming republic.
Although Tatar nationalism is strong, it is not radical, and the local version of Sunni Islam is very moderate. Slavic Russians make up about half of the population, and this cultural conflux of Slavic and Tatar cultures makes Kazan an all-the-more-interesting city.

6. Tobolsk
Last home of the Russian tsar family during the communist revolution.

7. Tomsk
Home to some of the best preserved examples of Russian wooden architecture and a pretty university town.

Trans-Siberian Railway 2 Moscow, Suzdal

2. Moscow
Get the first taste of the Trans-Siberian railway on the overnight train to Moscow. Spend a couple of days exploring the cosmopolitan capital city of Russia. Don’t miss Red Square, Kremlin and Lenin’s Mausoleum!
 3. Suzdal
Even though not directly on the Trans-Siberian track, this little charmer is absolutely worth a detour. This is how Russia must have looked centuries ago. Taste “medovukha” (traditional alcoholic drink made of honey) and take a swim in the Kamenka river after visiting all the churches and monasteries.
 4. Nizhniy Novgorod
Spend a day on the shores of Volga, the longest river in Europe and enjoy sweeping views from the Kremlin walls. Also home to one of the most popular writers of the Soviet era – Maxim Gorky.
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10 Best Stops on the Trans-Siberian Railway

Trans-Siberian railway is one of the epic train journeys most of the travelers have very high on their bucket list. However, many of the people are going non-stop from Moscow to Irkutsk with a goal to cross over to Mongolia and later on to China as soon as possible. Of course spending 5 days on the train without a shower is an experience on its own, but you shouldn’t miss out on some of the most impressive sights along the way.
Take it slow and make stops. You will get a chance to experience the real Russia.
1. St. Petersburg
Start your trip in Russia’s northern capital. Allow a couple of days to absorb a very special atmosphere. If you get there in June or early July you also get a chance to experience famous “white nights”.
By Jason Castellani
photo: janin
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