"The Trans-Siberian Railway" - these words first entered my head while watching a travel show hosted by "Ray McDonald". And I've always dreamed that one day, I would get to experience this railway for myself.





Let me preface this by saying that I am not a skilled traveler, and most of my trips are more like "winging it." I believe that "we should not view travel problems as obstacles, but rather as challenges."



(This post is just for inspiration.)





“Even though we travel the same path, the experiences along the way will not be the same. Therefore... go out and find your own experiences, by yourself.”



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From my research on this train line, I have learned that it is actually divided into 3 lines.

1. Trans-Siberian Railway starts in Russia and ends in Russia.

2. Transman Julian started in China and finished in Russia.

3. Trans-Mongolian: Starts in China, passes through Mongolia, and ends in Russia.

(Image from Google)





On this trip, I traveled with another friend (Top), which coincided with the Songkran festival. This gave us about 9-10 days (including additional leave days). After consulting with Top, I thought it would be a waste of time to take the full "Trans-Siberian" train, as we would spend most of our time stuck on the train. Plus, looking at the map, we noticed a country that one of the three train lines passed through. Yes, the country I had heard of that "doesn't require a visa for Thais." Wow, that's interesting. Why waste time?


Take the "Tran-Mongolian" train to Phichit!!!


One trip, three countries

Path

DAY 1.Bangkok - Beijing

DAY 2. Beijing - Take a bus to Erenhot (Chinese border town)***

DAY 3. Take a taxi across the border to Mongolia - Zamun Ude City (Mongolian border city) - Take a train to Ulaanbaatar City

DAY 4.Ulaanbaatar

DAY 5.Teraji National Park***

DAY 6. Take the train to Irkutsk

DAY 7.On the train

DAY 8.On the train

DAY 9.Irkutsk – Lake Baikal***

DAY 10. Irkutsk – Bangkok



Airline tickets

The outbound flight will be operated by Shanghai Airlines with a direct flight to Beijing.

On the return trip, I used S7 Airlines' direct flight from Irkutsk to Bangkok.

The round-trip ticket price is 16,000 baht. This depends on who books it, whether it's cheap or expensive. I booked it not long before I flew.



Visa

Russia does not need it, Mongolia does not need it, China needs it but it is easy to do and not complicated.



The total cost of the trip, including everything, was 29,000 baht. However, I don't remember the details because I didn't write them down. I just spent as I went along, without trying to save much money. When I got back, I counted it up and that's how much I spent.

Opening photo of the trip, ready to go!!

The outbound flight of China Eastern flew directly from Bangkok to Beijing, which will be the starting point of this trip. The atmosphere on the plane was quite good, but I couldn't sleep well. I slept and woke up all night ZZZzzzz….!!!

And the next morning we arrived in Beijing. As the plane arrived very early, around 5 am, I had to wait for the train that would run from the airport to the city center of Beijing. While waiting for the train to open, I took the time to wash my face, brush my teeth, and walk around the airport.

My visit to Beijing this time is just the beginning of my journey. I arrived in the morning and will leave for another city in the evening. I only have about 8 hours here. My next destination is "Erenhot", a Chinese border town bordering Mongolia. (It feels a bit like a waste to pay for a visa to stay for only 8 hours, haha)



Feelings

- Beijing is not that dirty.

- "The Forbidden City" is so vast, so vast that it can be considered a small-scale trekking.

- Peking duck, although the name has the word "Peking", but personally I confirm that it is much more delicious in Thailand.


This is the building where you can buy bus tickets.

The train ticket costs 180 yuan per person and is a sleeper train.

After getting our bus tickets, we still had some time to spare, so Top and I decided to visit the "Forbidden City." Since the bus station didn't have a place to check our bags, we had to walk around with our backpacks on. Let me tell you, it was heavy!!!


We have arrived at the Forbidden City. The palace grounds are truly magnificent and vast. There are also a lot of Chinese tourists, making it difficult to find an empty spot for a photo without any tourists in the background. The palace is truly expansive. It took us an hour just to walk around it.

After walking until we were tired and our stomachs started to growl, I talked to Top. We were in Beijing, so shouldn't we try some of the famous local food? Of course, Top, who had never been to China before, agreed without hesitation. And this is the famous food I'm talking about... this guy right here.

Peking duck!!!

If you ask me about the taste, I can tell you that it's not delicious at all. 5555 But don't believe my taste buds, there might be other restaurants that are more delicious.

In the end, it really couldn't go on. The food was just not to our taste. We couldn't take it anymore and had to order an additional serving of spare ribs in red sauce. This dish of spare ribs was delicious, though.

After a satisfying meal, it was time to board the bus. This is what the bus that will take us to Erlian looks like. It's a sleeper bus, and they provide pillows and blankets. It got pretty cold on the bus at night, so be prepared.

I slept soundly last night because I had been walking all day, plus I didn't sleep well on the plane the night before. The next morning, around 6 am, the car arrived in Eerlian. The city looked huge. I didn't expect a border town to be so developed. And this is the atmosphere of Eerlian.

After getting off the bus and feeling the near-freezing temperature, we rushed to hail a taxi to cross the border into Mongolia. Taxis here regularly transport both people and goods across the border. You can bargain for the price as you please, but the fun of the border town goes beyond that.



Once I agreed on the price with the driver, he said okay, let's get in the car. After driving for a while, the driver turned to me and said he needed to stop by to pick something up. I said, "Oh, okay, no problem." (I'm a kind person.)



This time, my friend went all out. He brought rice, tires, vegetable oil, and so on. He even asked me to put my backpack on my lap so he could have more space for his stuff. (But don't worry, this is normal here. If you don't do your research beforehand, you might get upset.)



Alright!! Since everyone is here, let's do it, boss. "Whatever makes you comfortable, boss...that's what we'll do!!" (I told you I'm a kind-hearted person T^T)





I spent hours helping the boss move his belongings, and then he successfully smuggled me across the border.

P.S. Actually, Erlian has a lot to offer, even though I didn't do any research on the city beforehand. I had pictured it as a small border town, and I regret that we had to rush to Mongolia to book our train tickets. Otherwise, we could have gotten to know Erlian better.



After crossing the border into Mongolia, we arrived at a town called "Zamin Uud". The driver then took us to the train station to buy tickets for the train to "Ulaanbaatar", the capital of Mongolia.

The train journey to chase dreams is about to begin. Let's jump in and take a leap of faith.

The Mongolian sleeper train is not much different from the Thai sleeper train. If we compare the advantages of the Mongolian train, it is more punctual than the Thai train. Hehe.


The atmosphere on the train was good and clean. The bathroom, bed, and aisle were all clean. When I first got on the train, the sun was setting.

-The cameras we brought started clicking rapidly.

-The songs that were downloaded from home are starting to be played one by one.

  • The only book he brought with him was picked up and opened.

-The snacks that were bought before getting on the bus started to be ripped open one by one.

There wasn't much to do on the train, but it was still pretty chill. I think it was more comfortable than flying, even though it was slower.





Typically, people who travel this way will have an activity called "getting to know your roommates." They might play cards, chat, or whatever. Before getting on the train, I thought the same thing, "I'm going to go up and chat." But by chance... my roommates turned out to be two Mongolian aunts (sleeping on the lower bunk) who didn't speak English or Chinese. This made it quite difficult for the four of us to communicate. We mostly used sign language, with some understanding and some misunderstandings. It was fun!

And then the train stopped at Ulaanbaatar station. After saying goodbye to my aunt, my roommate, I arranged my backpack on my back.

Feeling

- Traffic in Ulaanbaatar is very congested, but perhaps not as bad as Bangkok.

- Cars driven here have both left-hand and right-hand drive in equal proportions.

- The atmosphere in Mongolia in winter and summer is different. It depends on your preference.

- Korean and Japanese restaurants are widely available in Ulaanbaatar, with a significant number of options.



Upon arrival, we explored the area in search of accommodation for the night. We eventually found this hostel, "Sunpath Mongolia Tour & Hostel," which costs around 300 baht per person per night.

The room has a total of 6 beds, but on the day I stayed there, only Top and I were staying in the room (sweet ^_^)

Those who have imagined that Mongolia is just a land of grasslands with lots of horses, where people mainly use horses as their means of transportation (like Westerners think that Thai people still ride elephants to school), are not entirely wrong. However, for the capital city of Ulaanbaatar, it is quite developed. From what I saw, I would say that it is on par with Vientiane in Laos or even Hanoi in Vietnam.

Wait, what are you doing walking around here? In the middle of the road, no less?

Strolling along, taking photos, I arrived at Sukhbaatar Square, a large square located in the heart of Ulaanbaatar.


Gandan Monastery is considered the most important monastery in Ulaanbaatar.

The interior of the temple is very beautiful.

Zaisan Hill is another popular tourist destination, offering one of the best views of Ulaanbaatar city. It provides a close-up view of the city and is conveniently located not far from the city center, about a 20-minute bus ride away. The best time to visit is in the late afternoon, around sunset.

What you get back...amazing view!!!

The next day, we decided to buy a car service tour from Angkor company to travel to Terelj National Park. The price is around $100 per person, including three meals and a one-hour horseback riding tour.


Shuttle bus

The driver told us that if we wanted to stop and take pictures along the way, we could just let him know and he would pull over for us. The drive from the city to the park took about two hours. The scenery along the way was beautiful, with wide-open fields as far as the eye could see. If you're a fan of that kind of scenery, I highly recommend visiting.

This is the highlight of this place, called "Turtle Rock" because its shape resembles a turtle perched on a rock. The white you see is the river that has frozen into ice.

The horseback riding tour (included in the tour price) is not for men who don't ride horses often. I can tell you that one hour is not too short. Because after riding for about half an hour, Top and I started looking at each other. Even without saying anything, we understood that it was so painful. Be patient, my son. T^T

For tonight's accommodation, I'd like something special. They say that if you come to Mongolia and don't sleep in a ger (a traditional Mongolian dwelling), it's like you haven't been to Mongolia at all.


Inside the ger, there isn't much. There's a fireplace to keep warm, a bed, and a single light bulb to provide light at night. However, this is a ger that has been built for tourists to stay in. The gers that Mongolians actually live in will have more belongings.

Before going to bed, the caretaker uncle will come and light a fire for us. Because later at night, the outside temperature will drop to below zero. But if the firewood is running low, we have to refill it ourselves.

The locals around here, Top's new best friend.

After settling into our accommodation, it was time to go for a walk. I can tell you that the atmosphere around there was amazing. The day I arrived, I was lucky enough to have snow falling.

The next morning, before leaving, we asked to take a picture with the caretaker. She was very kind, even though she didn't speak much English. We tried our best to communicate with her.

The tour program I purchased includes a stop at the "Genghis Khan Monument," which is the largest Genghis Khan monument in the world. However, there is an additional entrance fee to enter the monument. If you just want to take photos outside, there is no charge. Since you're already here, you should definitely go inside!

The question is, how big is it from the picture? It's so big that once you pay the entrance fee, you can take the elevator to see a 360-degree view from the top. The place where you can go up to see the view is right at the horse's head.

After soaking in the view, we headed straight back to Ulaanbaatar to catch the train to our next destination.



"Irkutsk, Russia" The Russian train is much more luxurious and upscale than the Mongolian train. It looks like a train of a different level. I feel that the train tracks are also wider than those in Mongolia.

The atmosphere inside the train


We arrived in Irkutsk around 7 am. Two days later, after getting off the bus, we hurried to find accommodation and ended up here. The Best Hostel Irkutsk.


Feeling

- Irkutsk is a beautiful city, with a romantic atmosphere, making it perfect for a trip with your loved one.

- I've never seen a frozen lake this big in my life. This is truly amazing.

- Russian food tastes better than Mongolian food.

- Russian women are very beautiful.

Note: Tonight at the hostel, I coincidentally met 15 Thai people staying together without any prior arrangement. (If any of the Thai people I met here happen to see this, please feel free to say hello!)



These two are Thai siblings that I met at the hotel.

P.S. The person standing in the back is the one who started the trip by taking a train from Hua Lamphong to Irkutsk by land. Very tough.

After packing our belongings around 10 am, we walked to the van stop to take a van to the famous "Lake Baikal". The atmosphere of the van stop is similar to the van stop at Victory Monument in our country. That is, you can get on the van as soon as you go up, and you will pay when you get off. The price depends on the distance you are going.



The highlight of my trip was the news that Lake Baikal was frozen over. How beautiful it was, let's see together.

Note: The price per trip is approximately 160 baht.

After about an hour's drive, we finally arrived at the world's deepest and largest lake.


Introducing...Lake Baikal

If you're wondering how hard it is, how hard is it? Top and I will prove it to you now.

This is quite a distance from the shore.

However, if you want to venture further out but are too lazy to walk, this boat is another option. The driver will take you out to the middle of the lake, let you get off to take pictures, and then drive you around the lake to enjoy the scenery. However, the service charge is quite expensive, around 2,500 baht for 30 minutes. But you can share the cost with several people.



Of course, it's so expensive, we didn't go up, haha.

Upon arriving at Lake Baikal, one should not miss the opportunity to try the famous fish found only here, "Omul" fish.


The uncle who sells the fish actually sells many kinds of fish, but the most recommended one is the unmul fish. It's really delicious. If you come here, I recommend you don't miss it. All the fish that are brought to be sold, the uncle has steamed them all ready. Just buy and eat it.

Irkutsk is nicknamed the "Paris of Siberia" due to its beautiful architecture. While there may not be many major tourist attractions, simply strolling through the city is a delight.

P.S. I woke up at 7am the next day to take these photos. Otherwise, you might wonder where everyone went ^^



It's time to say goodbye. My journey ends here in Irkutsk. We really wanted to push on to Moscow, but due to limited time, we couldn't ride all the way to the end of the line. Even so, it's been an amazing experience. I'll be back to conquer the Siberian Railway someday.

On the way back, I used S7 Airlines to fly directly from Irkutsk to Bangkok.

Thank you to everyone who has followed me on this journey so far. "Three Countries by Trans-Mongolian Railway" has been an incredible experience, filled with new and exciting discoveries every day. If you've ever dreamed of embarking on this adventure, I highly recommend it. With good planning and early booking for discounted tickets, the cost is not as high as you might think. I believe that Mongolia will become another country that you will fall in love with.


For those of you who would like more information, please inbox the "Tag Team Travel" page. We are happy to exchange experiences.


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