Ok, this is the first post that gathers some "technical details" of the trip that saved us money, or that we enjoyed a lot and we would like to share. All prices in this post are for two people.
*********** * Part I: Berlin to Moscow, via Warsaw, Vilnius, Tallinn and StPetersburg.
TRAVEL:
LuxExpress/SimpleLine offers cheap buses that links these cities: Berlin-Warsaw: 36 euros, Warsaw-Vilnius: 34 euros, Vilnius-Tallinn: 46 euros.
EcoLines was cheaper for Tallinn-StPetersburg (38 euros).
Finally, we reached Moscow from StPetersburg by train: 88 euros (but you could find much cheaper).
We used the amazing www.rzd.ru site for all our Russian train tickets.
SLEEP:
- In Tallinn, we stayed at Dorell,Karu 39. A double room for 27 euros/night. Our most expensive night of the whole trip, but it was very central, very clean, and breakfast was included. A good pick I guess.
- In StPetersburg, we stayed at Imho Hostel (18 euros per night for a double). Hostel is small (5 rooms), rooms are small (yes, small) but it has been recently renovated and is incredibly central. It is not visible from the street but the pictures on booking.com and alike help to find the almost hidden entrance door inside a courtyard.
SEE:
- In Tallinn, we attended an opera (tickets for 10 euros, bought on the same day).
- In StPetersburg, we woke up early to beat the crowd before the opening (at 10am). It turned out useless as there was almost no queue.
- To visit the Kremlin in Moscow, beware that big bags(= anything larger than hand luggage on airplanes) are not allowed, even in the cloakroom (believe me, we tried as hard as we could).
- Still in Moscow, we attended a ballet at gigantic Kremlin Opera House (same entrance for the Opera and only-Kremlin visits) for cheap. Tickets bought 300 rubles online.
*********** * Part II: Moscow to Ulaan-Baatar on the transsiberian and transmongolian trains.
TRAVEL:
From Moscow to Irkutsk, we bought e-tickets from rzd.ru, that is incredibly convenient. We booked about one month ahead, trying to get cheapest prices, except for our first leg to NN. Seems that cancellation is OK until a few hours before the departure of the train for a very small fee (haven't tried).
To give you some ideas, for two people, here are the prices we paid:
Moscow - Nijni Novgorod (express train): 1840 rubles
Nijni Novgorod - Tobolsk ( 3 Plastkart): 4400 rubles
Tobolsk - Novosibirsk (3 E): 5600 rubles (outch!)
Novosibirsk - Tomsk (3 Obshi): 760 rubles
Tomsk - Irkutsk (2 Kupe, cheaper than 3rd class!): 3880 rubles
We then went to the train stations to buy tickets at the counter. Usually the day before. It was painless, straightforward every time.
Irkutsk - Ulan Ude (Obshi): 1868 rubles
OK. Now, crossing the border can be done in a lot of various ways. We chose the longest, relatively-cheap, daylight travel, all-train option:
- Ulan Ude - Naushki (#369 Obshi 02.24 - 08.45 Moscow time): 696 rubles (for two still)
- Naushki - Sukhebaatar (Kupe!): 266 rubles. Tickets bought on the spot in 12 minutes (!) from the moment train arrived. We were the only customer in the whole station. The train arrived around 07.30pm in Sukhebaatar.
- Sukhebaatar - Ulaanbaatar (#272 Obshi 06.35 - 16.20 local time): 12600 T (around 250 rubles). Very scenic trip, lively. Lots of locals. I think we could have taken train #264 21.05-06.10 but we wanted to enjoy the view.
Note that there is an ATM in Sukhebaatar station where we could withdraw cash. In SB, we spent a (short) night in our first mongolian hotel for 25000T (500 rubles).
Ok, so let's sum up: for two people, this UlanUde-Ulaanbaatar 34hr-long trip cost us around 1715 rubles with a "comfortable" night in a hotel. You can compare that with the popular bus option (seemingly 10 hours, 2600 rubles), or the more adventurous marshroutly-taxi to border-jeep across border-collective taxi to train station - night train to UB (900 rubles for two seemingly).
- In Listvianka, the first kilometers of the Great Baikal trail are a wonderful hike in the taiga, up to the ridge overlooking Baikal Lake. Very very scenice hike that can be done in January. A GPS unit definitely helps there. You can find info and a map on their website.
- Olkhon Island is a very inspiring place. Anyway, Irkutsk is not worth staying too long.
You can find pics and some details in another entry below.
SLEEP:
- In Tomsk: ArtHostel (double,22 euros) was a sketchy, somewhat strange but cheap place to stay.
- In Irkusk, we found friendly Baikaler Hostel on Lenin Street. 1000 rubles in dorms for two.
- In Listvianka, still Baikaler was a very nice place (new, warm, all-wooden building). 1000 rubles in dorms for two.
- In UlanUde, we stayed at a baboushka apartment (Point Hostel), that was perfectly central. 900 rubles for two.
- In Mongolia, prices from Lonely Planet 2008 needed to be multiplied by around 4 (!). In Sukhebaatar,we stayed at a hotel right in front of the station (we were the only guests) for 25000T.
*********** * Part III: Entering Mongolia (visa and customs).
1. We obtained (very easily) our Mongolian visa inIrkutsk. The embassy is on Lapina St. It was open on Mo, Tu, Th and Fr. Applications from 09.30-12, collections from 14.30-17. 1700 rubles in 4 business days (that means a full week), 2380 rubles in 2 business days, 3400 rubles in 1 day. We gave our application form (that we got at the counter), insurance paper, ID photo, receipt from the bank (you need to give your cash to the bank around the corner, plus a steep 200 rubles fee each!). That was it!
2. Border crossing. It could not be easier. Out of Russia, the train has stayed in Naushki for hours but we could enjoy the comfort of our Kupe compartment (!). Passports were checked at least 3 times by Russian officers. The customs inspection went: -"Hello, how many bags?" -"Two, each" -"OK. Anything to declare?" -"Well... no." -"Have a nice trip!" And we were out! In Mongolia, we stayed on the train in Sukhebaatar about 30 minutes. Officers got on and checked our passports. Fast and friendly.
***************** Part IV: In Mongolia
* GENERAL WORD ON TRAVEL:
Travelling around Mongolia in February is not as insane as it may sound. Ok, temps are below 0F/-18C, but you'll have a real sense of "off the beaten track" ! Landscapes are amazing and in two weeks outside UB, we never found a single non-asian traveller.
- As for transportation from UB to aimag main cities and back, regular official buses run regularly. We usually booked our tickets one day ahead at the bus station counter very easily, despite our complete ignorance of mongolian language.
In UB, buses headed west leave from Dragon station (47°54.688'N, 106°49.213'E) on Peace Ave. Those headed east leave from Barunsukh avtovoksal (47°54.781'N, 106°59.444'E). When we tried to get to the latter, it seemed that its location was the best secret in town! Below is a picture of the goddamn station. I hope it will help you to locate it.