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Eastern Trans-Siberian Stops

Choosing stopovers between Vladivostok and Novosibirsk on your Russi

Oct 12, 2006

Making stopovers on your Trans-Siberian rail journey across Russia is the best way to break up the week-long trip. But do you choose Irkutsk, Khabarovsk or Novosibirsk?

So you’ve decided to make some stopovers on your Trans-Siberian train journey across Russia. The next decision is where, as the list of possible stopover cities isn’t short. We have some tips and information to help you.

Organising Your Stopovers

Generally, by far the easiest way to travel the Trans-Siberian route is to choose your stopovers and dates of travel all in advance. The timetable is complicated and juggling the different departure days to fit the stops you want to make is a bit of an art form. It’s also much easier to have booked the tickets before hand than to stand in queues and negotiate the purchase.

Possible Trans-Siberian Stops Between Vladivostok and Novosibirsk

In theory, of course, you can get off the train anywhere. But, the most frequently chosen stops and their main attractions are, from east to west:

Khabarovsk: Visit Nanai villages, take a day trip into China, or enjoy the city’s architecture and several worthy museums
Irkutsk and nearby Lake Baikal (Listvyanka): Irkutsk itself has photogenic wooden houses and cottages; Lake Baikal is the world’s deepest lake, surrounded by farmland, sweet villages and unique flora and fauna
Krasnoyarsk: Take a cruise on the Yenisey River, or stay longer here to travel deep into remote Siberia
Tomsk: Not strictly on the Trans-Sib route – you’ll need to connect from Taiga – but home to beautiful wooden houses and great Siberian wooden architecture
Novosibirsk: Visit the Opera and Ballet Theatre – Russia’s biggest – or visit the Altay Mountains

Our Recommended Trans-Siberian Stops

You’d be crazy to travel across Russia and not see Lake Baikal: despite the increasing commercialism and tourism you’ll find there, it’s still a highlight. Try to base yourself there for a couple of days at a minimum to enjoy some hiking and nature-loving moments. Khabarovsk gives you the chance to see city and country, Russia and China, all in the one stopover. Irkutsk is a proud city – and one of my personal favourites for wandering around with a camera, especially for spotting truly photogenic wooden buildings. You can create a great photo series just looking at their elaborate windows or doors!

Choosing stops between Novosibirsk and Moscow? Stay tuned for our article on Western Trans-Sib Stopovers.

Want to decide which direction to travel? Check our Trans-Siberian Directions article.

The copyright of the article Eastern Trans-Siberian Stops in Russia Travel is owned by Amanda Kendle. Permission to republish Eastern Trans-Siberian Stops in print or online must be granted by the author in writing.