Along the waySt. PetersburgMoscowPermBeijing

Leaving from St. Petersburg to Beijing

ExperienceClassic Dr Zhivago

Starting your trip in St. Petersburg gives you theopportunity to see the contrast between the imperialsplendour and the soviet simplicity that existed boththen and now. One of the greatest Russian novels of theC20th – adapted repeatedly for both the big and smallscreens with all-star casts – is itself set on the Trans-Siberian line Pasternak’s “Dr Zhivago”. All the action thattakes place at Zhivago’s old country house, and the townof “Yuriatin” near it, is in fact set around Perm, the realcity fictionalised as “Yuriatin”. This unique itinerarycombines a classic Trans-Sib trip with some specialZhivago-related visits in and around Perm the city whereit’s author lived and drafted the novel.

What’s includedFULL ONTrain> 4-berth rail for complete journey (pre-assigned berths)> option to upgrade to 2-berthSt. Petersburg > transfer on arrival to your hotel> 2 nights 3★ hotel, breakfast > 3 hour personalised walking tour with local expertMoscow > transfer on arrival to your hotel> 2 nights 3★ hotel, breakfast > 3 hour personalised walking tour with local expert> transfer to the station on departurePerm> transfer on arrival to your hotel> 3 nights 3★ hotel, breakfast > excursions> transfer to the station on departure

In the know�Vodka is supposed to be 40% proof. Thiswas established by Lomonosov, who didhis PhD topic on exactly this, and thenfounded Moscow University.Dr Zhivago novel was banned frompublication in Russia. The book wassmuggled to Italy for publication in 1957.The word Gulag makes you think of aconcrete prison- the reality is horriblybanal.China has had multiple capitals in itsturbulent history, including Nanjing andXi’an. Beijing became capital in coupstaged by the Manchu, who lived in theNorth of the country (Manchu-ria).

At The Russia Experience we like to ditch theclichés, discard the puff and concentrate onwhat we do best – bringing to life the world’slongest train route: the places visited, theencounters made and the realisation of ajourney that is both engaging and rewarding.

We continually look at ways of enhancing theTrans Siberian experience, incorporatingseasonal considerations (such as the Harbin IceFestival), providing the historical context (pay avisit to the only remaining Soviet Gulag) orinviting you to savour the diverse culturalinfluences of indigenous people (sit down with ashaman, or enjoy the Siberian art of throatsinging!).

We have no group departures, our advertiseddates always operate (barring anythingcompletely out of our control) and, above all, wewill tell you it like it is – allowing you to make theright choice from a portfolio of journeys rich invariety and full of memorable experiences.Sorry! We couldn’t resist at least one cliché!

No ordinary trip

Visa RequirementsMost visitors to Russia, Mongolia andChina require visas. These must beobtained prior to departure. Please checkyour nationalities visa requirements inadvance of your planned travel dates. Visaprocessing times for these countries canbe up to;Russia 10 Working DaysChina 07 Working DaysHowever fast track processing is possible. Due to the support documents required bythe Embassy of Russia (which we obtain),you will need to book your trip beforestarting to obtain visas.For full information regarding visas, pleaserefer to our web site.

Hints and TipsTOP TIP! – Take a copy of the iconic novelby Boris Pasternak to refer to!Photocopy your passport including thevisas issued pages, airline tickets andinsurance policies.Your passport must be valid for at least sixmonths past the end of your travel dates.

Travellers ChecklistDay pack, back pack, money belt, first aidkit, heat proof mug, instant coffee, teabags, sun hat, lightweight jacket, flip flops,sun cream, warm jacket (Sep-Aprdepartures), warm waterproof walkingboots, universal sink plug, bottle opener.

Climate and time – Minimum/maximum Temperatures ºCJan/Feb Mar/Apr May/Jun Jul/Aug Sep/Oct Nov/Dec

Moscow/St. Petersburg -20/-10 -5/+12 +15/+22 +15/+30 + 8/+24 -6/+10Perm -20/-09 -11/+09 +5/+20 +13/+20 + 6/+14 -8/-2Beijing -20/-10 -6/+14 +15/+22 +24/+30 + 8/+22 -10/+6

DAY 01 “S Priezdom! Welcome to St. Petersburg!” Our driver will be there to meet you fromwhichever flight, train or boat you arrive. You’ll then be transferred to your hotel. At check-in, (after 2pm) the hotel receptionwill advise you they will need yourpassport for visa registration. This processtakes 1–2 hours. Your complimentaryInfoPack is full of ideas for getting the mostout of your free time. (Please note yourtrain tickets to Moscow will be delivered tothe hotel during your two night stay.)No mealsDAY 02 After breakfast one of our local expert staffwill meet you at the hotel to take you on athree hour walking tour round thehighlights you’ll use public transportaround the centre to avoid the traffic jamsand get the hang of the system for whenyou come to use it independently. Ourstaffers are full of ideas for this walk butare flexible about other ideas if you haveyour own. Your walk ends in the city centrearound lunchtime. If you haven’t pre-booked any of our range of city excursionsthe rest of the day is your own to explorefurther.BreakfastDAY 03 You’ll need to check out of your room by 12 noon today but the hotel offers a LeftLuggage service for a small fee. Your day isfree until your evening departure toMoscow. Reception can book you a taxi tothe station. Some of our top suggestions(please check opening times/days beforesetting off)The Hermitage Collection – Winter Palace. The canals and waterways of the “NorthernVenice”. The Russian Museum of Fine Art. The Peter & Paul Fortress-and the Tombsof the Tsars inside the Fortress Cathedral. The Church on the Spilt Blood, nearby theSouvenir Bazaar. Breakfast

DAY 04 Early morning arrival in Moscow. Ourdriver will meet you at the end of theplatform and will be holding a meeting-board with your name on. You’ll then betransferred to the Panorama 3★ Hotel. Thefacilities available at this hotel include aRestaurant, Lobby Bar, Lobby Wi-Fi access,Luggage Room, Safety deposit boxes andan ATM machine. One of our local expertstaff will meet you at the hotel around10am to take you on a three hour walkingtour round the highlights – you’ll use publictransport around the centre to avoid thetraffic jams and get the hang of the systemfor when you come to use itindependently. Our staffers are full ofideas for this walk but are flexible aboutother ideas if you have your own. Yourwalk ends in the city centre aroundlunchtime. Check-in is after 2pm the hotelreception will advise you they will needyour passport for visa registration. Thisprocess takes 1–2 hours. Your complimentary InfoPack is full ofideas for getting the most out of your freetime. (Please note your Trans-Siberiantrain tickets will be delivered to the hotelduring your two night stay.)No mealsDAY 05 If you haven’t pre-booked any of our rangeof city excursions the rest of the day is yourown to explore further. This morning youcan continue sightseeing – the LeninMausoleum is only open in the mornings,and getting there early (it’s in Red Square)helps beat the queues. Some of our topsuggestions (please check openingtimes/days before setting off) wouldinclude visiting the Moscow Kremlin, theTretyakov Gallery, the Pushkin Fine ArtsMuseum, or a boat trip along the MosvkaRiver ... perhaps locate some tickets forballet, opera, circus or a concert thisevening? As well as famous classical musictraditions Moscow features on the touringschedules of world names in jazz, rock, popand world music.Breakfast

DAY 06 Your morning is free until 3:30pm when adriver is scheduled to take you to thestation. Although there’s a restaurant carservice on board your train you may want tosupplement this with some snacks, treats,and fresh fruit that you could buy today.Your transfer from the hotel to Yaroslavskystation is scheduled for 3:30pm, so pleasebe at the hotel reception where your driverwill meet you and will assist your boardingof the Perm bound train. BreakfastDAY 07 Your first full day on board the Trans-Sib...There will be plenty of time to meet fellowtravellers and hang out in the dining car which serves a variety of meals and snacksreasonably priced. Early afternoon arrive inPerm where our driver will meet you at theend of the platform and will be holding ameeting-board with your name on.Transfer to the Hotel Ural, which is locatedin the cultural and historical centre ofPerm. This property is close to Perm StateArt Gallery, Regional History museum,Perm State Academic Opera and BalletTheatre, and the Kama River embankment.No meals

These dossiers are designed to provide you with a guide to our trips, the places visited, accommodation used and to give you a flavour of your dailyitinerary. You will be travelling in parts of the world where the unanticipated and the unusual are all part of the experience and, as a result, theunexpected can happen and we may on occasions need to vary your plans. These dossiers do not form part of any contract.

full on itinerary – 16 days Leaving from St. Petersburg to Beijing

ExperienceClassic Dr Zhivago

These dossiers are designed to provide you with a guide to our trips, the places visited, accommodation used and to give you a flavour of your dailyitinerary. You will be travelling in parts of the world where the unanticipated and the unusual are all part of the experience and, as a result, theunexpected can happen and we may on occasions need to vary your plans. These dossiers do not form part of any contract.

full on itinerary – 16 days Leaving from St. Petersburg to Beijing

ExperienceClassic Dr Zhivago

DAY 08 SPECIAL WALKING TOUR OF YURIZHIVAGO’S “YURYATIN” (Perm). We start at the Pushkin Library, which wasthe Public Reading Room where Yuri andLara first meet in the book. In the novel wehear that it was behind the “Giant” cinema;it’s actually behind the “Triumph” cinema.Across the street is the city’s leafy CentralSquare, where you can easily imagine Yuriand Lara must have gone after they firstmet and sat on a park bench opposite the

Opera House. Nearby the nightmarerealities of Zhivago’s time interrupt ourdreams – the small former hotel whereTsar Nicholas II’s brother was staying onhis way to Ekaterinburg, where the RoyalFamily were imprisoned in 1918. In factGrand Prince Mikhail was the last Tsar ofall but he never knew. Our tour reveals thebizarre secret, and its British connection.Nearby is a small wooden two-storeyhouse which is “Lara’s house”. In fact it isjust another private house (ie you can’tvisit) in the city, but carefully reading of thebook identifies the exact location, oppositethe imposing C19th palace across the road.A few blocks from the mansion is thehospital where Lara works in the novel.

There’s a chance to see some imposinghouses built by wealthy C19th merchants.You can imagine Komarovsky must havehad friends to stay with here. There’s also amonument to Boris Pasternak. Not faraway is the River Pier district. Before theTrans-Siberian Railway was built, travellersto Siberia would come by boat fromMoscow this far and disembark, and theGreat Siberian Tract (the old Post Road)began from this point. Chain-gangedconvicts would be brought here at night,for fear of frightening local people withtheir terrible fate and force marched toSiberia on foot. The Old Razvilje RailwayStation was then built here. It was fromhere that the Trans-Siberian Railwayoriginally departed (it was only later linkedback as far as Moscow), and this is whereKomarovsky’s private “Government train”waited for him. The Siberian convicts hadto march for months to their destination –you, however, only have another tenminutes walk to get to the new “DrZhivago” Restaurant� for lunch. Afternoonfree to explore Perm’s shops and extensivemuseums and galleries (Perm is a majorlocation for fossil-hunters, the Permianperiod takes its name from the city, andthere’s lots in the museums). Evening free– there might even be a performance ofthe opera “Dr Zhivago” (yes, there really isone..) at the Opera Theatre. Remainder ofthe day free to explore more of Perm.BreakfastDAY 09 Full day excursion to the Gulag Museum,housed in the only surviving* soviet-eraGulag now visit able in Russia. En-route wepass small villages which must have beenthe inspiration for the one where Yuri &Larissa hid out from the Secret Police.Evening return to Perm.Breakfast*There is one other, but it’s on the RussianArctic Pacific coast, 900 miles from any railstop, and only accessible by charteredhelicopter.

DAY 10 Free day in Perm to explore the rest of thispleasant Urals city then evening transfer tothe station where you will board theBeijing bound train.BreakfastDAY 11–15 On board The Trans-Sib... travellingeastwards via the Chinese Manchurianfrontier with Russia. (This is the route bywhich Komarovsky kidnaps Lara in thebook, in a private train) The dining car is agreat place to meet fellow travellers andlocals alike, sharing your experiences ofyour journey so far with a few drinks, whichno doubt will include some Vodka!No mealsDAY 16 Early morning arrival at Beijing CentralStation. For services in China and beyondplease refer to our web site.No meals