INITIAL B
It has always been one of my dreams: to board this train with its mythical name and cross immense expanses, forests, steppes, endless plains, while reading, sleeping, talking, playing games, having tea. In fact, in reality, it was like that! 8/10.
HOW TO DO
It still had to be prepared! At first I was leaning towards a luxurious and touristic option of doing the trans-Siberian: 200 tourists traveling together in an Orient Express style train. Initially I wasn’t against it, but gradually I had the feeling of a potential lack of freedom. I was afraid to miss out on what seemed to me one of the reasons for this trip, namely meeting the Russians. I was afraid to have to spend time in confinement with people with whom I would have nothing in common. When I discovered that the excursions in the halt cities would be carried out by bus in groups of twenty, sorted by linguistic conformity, I lost all desire for this trip. I therefore opted for an individual trip on the real Trans-Siberian among the Russians, and hired private guides and drivers during the stopovers.
VDM
I organised everything with the French tour operator Voyageurs du Monde (VDM) and overall everything went smoothly. The comfort of a Moscow-based concierge, who we could call at any time, was appreciated. On the other hand, regarding the level of explanations concerning the Trans-Siberian itself, I have the impression that VDM was rather behind. In fact the trip in first class was quite comfortable: a compartment for two with a sliding door with magnetic closure, spanking clean washbasins, and an employee at your disposal. Once again, all very clean. The description of VDM was rather apocalyptic, however, obviously from third class, and as shown in the pictures, we were rather closer to the holds of the Titanic. 8/10.
TEA TIME
The trip was what I wanted: tea in abundance thanks to the samovar available in each wagon, books, breakfast at the bar, where there were very few people and a very sixties atmosphere, canned goods picnics in the compartment: caviar, foie gras, Russian salad, bought in Moscow and stashed in the refrigerator of the wagon attendant, outside the window birch forests, peaceful nights, stops, slow purchases, games of scrabble, and good company. The wagon keeper loved our music and kept asking us to turn up the volume and finally she borrowed it. The passengers in our compartment were very quiet: Belgians constantly scribbling in notebooks, a couple of discreet and elegant Americans, solitary Russian. 8/10.
LANDSCAPE
Everything that I had imagined, including amazing sceneries, sometimes varied often repetitive and relaxing.
PUNCTUAL
The train stops quite often and is amazing punctual. Ah! To spot the comfort level of the train you have to check its number. The higher the number, the lower the comfort. The frequent stops allow you to speak with the Russians - even if English is certainly not spoken by everyone - to smoke, stretch your legs, observe people, do some small shopping, watch the scenery. 8/10.
NICE PEOPLE
And then people are always available, and they love being photographed, like this little polka dot girl, or this super stylish young man near the Lake Baikal, where these beautiful, distant women sitting on a bench in the city of Irkutsk, or this crazy fashionista who was posing for us constantly, all the while making dance movements on her tiptoes. 10/10.