Trans-mongolian train + RTW
Apr 17, 2007 | 3:03 am
#1
Original Poster
Join Date: Apr 2007
Posts: 3
Trans-mongolian train + RTW
Hey all,
I am taking the trans-mongolian raliway from St Petersburg to Beijing. I am leaving from Sydney (home) with a stop planned for London, then on St Petersburg. Does anyone know of a fare that is suitable to tie in with this train trip?
It's Sydney-London-St Petersburg-[surface to Beijing]-Beijing-Sydney.
I'd prefer decent airlines like One-World alliance or as a second choice, Star Alliance. I can't get any good info on this. As far as I can tell, I will need three one-way sectors, but surely there is some deal. My 'travel agent' has no idea, so any tips on getting the fare would be appreciated too.
IMOL
I am taking the trans-mongolian raliway from St Petersburg to Beijing. I am leaving from Sydney (home) with a stop planned for London, then on St Petersburg. Does anyone know of a fare that is suitable to tie in with this train trip?
It's Sydney-London-St Petersburg-[surface to Beijing]-Beijing-Sydney.
I'd prefer decent airlines like One-World alliance or as a second choice, Star Alliance. I can't get any good info on this. As far as I can tell, I will need three one-way sectors, but surely there is some deal. My 'travel agent' has no idea, so any tips on getting the fare would be appreciated too.
IMOL
Apr 17, 2007 | 3:09 am
#2
Suspended
Join Date: Jun 2002
Location: Hong Kong
Programs: None any more
Posts: 11,017
Well you say RTW, but unless you go SYD-LHR via the Americas then this isn't going to be RTW. If you did do it that way then SYD-JFK-LHR-LED//PEK-SYD would, I think, be a valid OneWorld Explorer (xONE4). Obviously you could add a lot more into the ticket since you would have 20 segments available.
For other suitable fares it might help if you tell us which class you expect to fly in.
For other suitable fares it might help if you tell us which class you expect to fly in.
Apr 17, 2007 | 6:00 am
#3
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Apr 2001
Location: MEL CHC
Posts: 22,911
Welcome to FT. Another Ozzie on board ^
Have a look at Best Flights
A *ONE4 would be a good choice (20 segments allowable). QF web site The train EU to Asia is allowed in the fare rules. From QF web site:-
Transoceanic surface sectors are not permitted. Exception: for travel originating in South West Pacific, one transoceanic surface sector is permitted. An example of a transoceanic surface sector is when you do a cruise in place of a flight at your own expense.
Your transoceanic surface sector would be Eu to Asia
Have a look at Best Flights
A *ONE4 would be a good choice (20 segments allowable). QF web site The train EU to Asia is allowed in the fare rules. From QF web site:-
Transoceanic surface sectors are not permitted. Exception: for travel originating in South West Pacific, one transoceanic surface sector is permitted. An example of a transoceanic surface sector is when you do a cruise in place of a flight at your own expense.
Your transoceanic surface sector would be Eu to Asia
Last edited by Mwenenzi; Apr 17, 2007 at 6:05 am
Apr 17, 2007 | 7:56 am
#4
Join Date: Jul 2004
Location: SIN
Programs: SQ PPS, LH SEN, Amex something, nothing everywhere else
Posts: 994
I guess that refers to crossing the Ural Ocean. 
Seriously though, I always thought that transoceanic meant crossing either the Atlantic or the Pacific. I am not sure what the repercussions might be for a surface segment from Europe to Asia.
Seriously though, I always thought that transoceanic meant crossing either the Atlantic or the Pacific. I am not sure what the repercussions might be for a surface segment from Europe to Asia.
Apr 17, 2007 | 8:46 am
#5
Join Date: Jun 2004
Location: Madrid, Spain & Santiago, Chile
Programs: AA EXP
Posts: 3,181
This has been discussed before, several times, and IIRC, settled (ticketed). Transoceanic is just that, so doing a surface sector Europe-Asia is neither transoceanic nor against the rules.
Apr 17, 2007 | 9:33 am
#6
Join Date: Mar 2005
Posts: 1,762
You won't be taking the Trans-Mongolian from St. Petersburg - the train starts in Moscow!
It's a bit tough to give specific advice with the limited info you provide, and really you need to do some serious research and work out the options.
Some general thought:
1 - If you book the train part of the trip before departure you're a fool. You'll have no flexibility and any stops will be in theroetically-decent-but-in-reality-crap-and-overpriced hotels. Use an agency to get a Russian 'business' visa which means that you can simply roll up in Russia and have 30 (or whatever) days to do as you please (i.e. take the trains and stop where you see fit) with no need to have anything pre-booked. Both train tickets and hotels are easily sorted as you go.
2 - Research Mongolian visa options, about which I have no knowledge.
3 - For the outbound flight the ideal option would be QF/BA to LED with a LON stopover. How ideal the price will be is another question though.
4 - Flights SYD-LHR are pretty cheap.
5 - Options to get from London to Moscow to connect with the train are numerous. Flights to Russia are generally expensive , so consider flying to VNO (Vilnius), RIX (Riga) or TLL (Tallin) and then training it to Russia. HEL (Helsinki) is also a reasonable option for this. VNO, RIX, TLL and HEL all have trains to St. Petersburg as well.
6 - Chinese visas are easy to get - it's just a case fo filing in the form and taking a trip to the consulate.
7 - If you're in the mood for adventure extend the overland part of the trip to Singapore.
8 - OW tickets Asia-SYD are not a problem.
It's a bit tough to give specific advice with the limited info you provide, and really you need to do some serious research and work out the options.
Some general thought:
1 - If you book the train part of the trip before departure you're a fool. You'll have no flexibility and any stops will be in theroetically-decent-but-in-reality-crap-and-overpriced hotels. Use an agency to get a Russian 'business' visa which means that you can simply roll up in Russia and have 30 (or whatever) days to do as you please (i.e. take the trains and stop where you see fit) with no need to have anything pre-booked. Both train tickets and hotels are easily sorted as you go.
2 - Research Mongolian visa options, about which I have no knowledge.
3 - For the outbound flight the ideal option would be QF/BA to LED with a LON stopover. How ideal the price will be is another question though.
4 - Flights SYD-LHR are pretty cheap.
5 - Options to get from London to Moscow to connect with the train are numerous. Flights to Russia are generally expensive , so consider flying to VNO (Vilnius), RIX (Riga) or TLL (Tallin) and then training it to Russia. HEL (Helsinki) is also a reasonable option for this. VNO, RIX, TLL and HEL all have trains to St. Petersburg as well.
6 - Chinese visas are easy to get - it's just a case fo filing in the form and taking a trip to the consulate.
7 - If you're in the mood for adventure extend the overland part of the trip to Singapore.
8 - OW tickets Asia-SYD are not a problem.
Apr 17, 2007 | 9:48 am
#7
Join Date: Jan 2000
Posts: 3,218
You won't be taking the Trans-Mongolian from St. Petersburg - the train starts in Moscow!
It's a bit tough to give specific advice with the limited info you provide, and really you need to do some serious research and work out the options.
Some general thought:
1 - If you book the train part of the trip before departure you're a fool. You'll have no flexibility and any stops will be in theroetically-decent-but-in-reality-crap-and-overpriced hotels. Use an agency to get a Russian 'business' visa which means that you can simply roll up in Russia and have 30 (or whatever) days to do as you please (i.e. take the trains and stop where you see fit) with no need to have anything pre-booked. Both train tickets and hotels are easily sorted as you go.
It's a bit tough to give specific advice with the limited info you provide, and really you need to do some serious research and work out the options.
Some general thought:
1 - If you book the train part of the trip before departure you're a fool. You'll have no flexibility and any stops will be in theroetically-decent-but-in-reality-crap-and-overpriced hotels. Use an agency to get a Russian 'business' visa which means that you can simply roll up in Russia and have 30 (or whatever) days to do as you please (i.e. take the trains and stop where you see fit) with no need to have anything pre-booked. Both train tickets and hotels are easily sorted as you go.
While I agree that one is better off buying the ticket in Russia, your other advice about making stops wherever the OP sees fit is not exactly good advice unless things have changed since I took the train in 1998. Back then, the fare went up immensely due to taxes on domestic tickets.
What I would do is start in St Pb then take the overnight train to Moscow. I would then recommend two stops, at Irkutsk and at Ulan Bator. If necessary, buy only a Moscow to Ulan Bator ticket since the OP could easily spend a month traveling around Mongolia...then it's just a day's train ride to Beijing.
Apr 17, 2007 | 9:58 am
#8
Join Date: Mar 2005
Posts: 1,762
Is this based on personal experience with buying Trans-xxx tickets in Russia?
While I agree that one is better off buying the ticket in Russia, your other advice about making stops wherever the OP sees fit is not exactly good advice unless things have changed since I took the train in 1998. Back then, the fare went up immensely due to taxes on domestic tickets.
What I would do is start in St Pb then take the overnight train to Moscow. I would then recommend two stops, at Irkutsk and at Ulan Bator. If necessary, buy only a Moscow to Ulan Bator ticket since the OP could easily spend a month traveling around Mongolia...then it's just a day's train ride to Beijing.
While I agree that one is better off buying the ticket in Russia, your other advice about making stops wherever the OP sees fit is not exactly good advice unless things have changed since I took the train in 1998. Back then, the fare went up immensely due to taxes on domestic tickets.
What I would do is start in St Pb then take the overnight train to Moscow. I would then recommend two stops, at Irkutsk and at Ulan Bator. If necessary, buy only a Moscow to Ulan Bator ticket since the OP could easily spend a month traveling around Mongolia...then it's just a day's train ride to Beijing.
It really is impossible to gibe more advice until the OP comes back with better ideas regarding timescales.
Apr 17, 2007 | 8:19 pm
#9
Original Poster
Join Date: Apr 2007
Posts: 3
Thanks for info everyone.
I understand that single fares are not hard to get, but I was surprised that there wasn't a fare that bolted on to the trans-mongolian. Afterall, all the Oneworld segments are there. I am going to use points to help with some of the segments.
As for the train, I have the train part sorted and technically the trans-mongolian does leave Moscow, but I'm starting the train journey at St Pertersburg - a common choice. I am taking about 21 days and I was originally going to travel London to Tibet by train, but decided this may being a bit much over a short period of time.
For anyone interested, the trip I am taking: St Petersburg-Moscow-Suzdal-Irkutsk-Ulaan Baatar-Terelj Park-Beijing
I understand that single fares are not hard to get, but I was surprised that there wasn't a fare that bolted on to the trans-mongolian. Afterall, all the Oneworld segments are there. I am going to use points to help with some of the segments.
As for the train, I have the train part sorted and technically the trans-mongolian does leave Moscow, but I'm starting the train journey at St Pertersburg - a common choice. I am taking about 21 days and I was originally going to travel London to Tibet by train, but decided this may being a bit much over a short period of time.
For anyone interested, the trip I am taking: St Petersburg-Moscow-Suzdal-Irkutsk-Ulaan Baatar-Terelj Park-Beijing
Last edited by IMOL; Apr 17, 2007 at 8:28 pm