The Golden Eagle Trans-Siberian Express

The world’s ultimate railway journey, the Trans-Siberian railway, runs from Europe to the Orient, starting in Moscow and climbing through the Urals, across the majestic Russian steppes and windswept tundra, along the shores of Lake Baikal, passing beyond Asia to the Sea of Japan as it arrives in Vladivostok.

We make this unparalleled journey even more special by giving you the opportunity to travel by train from London to Moscow, where you join the Golden Eagle Trans-Siberian Express, creating a total journey of over 8,000 miles, moving through 11 time zones and travelling one third of the way around the planet. This truly is the holiday of a lifetime!

London to Vladivostok or Vladivostok to London

London departures 2021

Depart from London by rail on 29th April, 27th May, 22nd July or 19th August 2021 and board the Golden Eagle Trans-Siberian Express in Moscow on day 5.

Vladivostock departures 2021

Depart from Vladivostock by rail on 15th May, 12th June, 7th August or 4th September 2021.

London departures 2022

Depart from London by rail on 28th April, 21st July or 18th August 2021 and board the Golden Eagle Trans-Siberian Express in Moscow on day 5.

Vladivostock departures 2022

Depart from Vladivostock by rail on 14th May, 12th June, 6th August or 3th September 2021.

Prices

Silver Class from £12,995 per person, and Gold Class from £15,995 per person.

Please see below for more details of the cabin classes.

SPECIAL OFFER – From £11,995 per person in Silver Class train only and from £14,995 per person in Gold Class train only – SAVE UP TO £1,000 PER PERSON

Westbound departures fly from London to Vladivostok then travel by rail from Vladivostok to London (Vladivostok to Moscow on the Golden Eagle Trans-Siberian Express).

London to Vladivostok

Day 1 – London to Paris and onboard the sleeper service to Moscow

Your epic voyage begins at London St Pancras where you board the Eurostar service to begin your 8,000-mile journey across one third of the globe.  Sit back and relax as your meal and drinks are served in the comfort of your Standard Premier service seat whilst the countryside flashes past.  On arrival in Paris you change onto the direct sleeper service to Moscow.  This evening you travel eastwards through France and cross the border into Germany at around midnight.

Days 2 and 3 – Onwards towards Moscow

You spend a full day on board the sleeper train watching the passing scenery as you travel through Germany, Poland and Belarus and onwards into Russia, arriving in Moscow at around midday on Day 3. Upon leaving the train you transfer to your centrally located hotel, the stylish Four Seasons Hotel (5 star) for your two night stay.   After you have settled in to your room, you have the rest of the day to explore your surroundings.   Your hotel is superbly located in the centre of Moscow and only a short walk from the Kremlin and Red Square.

Day 4 – At leisure in Moscow

You have a full day at leisure in Moscow, with the opportunity for some sightseeing in this magnificent city.   This evening you enjoy a welcome Champagne drinks reception and dinner with wine included, and a chance to meet some of your fellow travellers who will be joining you on your amazing Trans-Siberian adventure.

Day 5 – Sightseeing in Moscow

Discover the fascinating city of Moscow and its famous sights during a full guided day which includes the Kremlin, iconic Red Square and St Basil’s Cathedral with its onion-domed spires.  In the Kremlin you will enjoy an exclusive private viewing of the treasures of the Tsars in the Armoury Chamber.   Lunch is served in the legendary Café Pushkin with its décor which evokes that of an early 19th century mansion.   In the late afternoon you will be transferred to Moscow Kazansky Station and greeted in the beautifully decorated Imperial Waiting Room with a glass of cold Russian Champagne and canapés.  You can mingle with the other guests before being escorted to the Golden Eagle Trans-Siberian Express private train.  Once on board you have time to settle in to your modern, stylish cabin. Enjoy dinner on board the train in one of its beautifully designed restaurant cars as you begin your fantastic 12-night journey to Vladivostok.

Day 6 – Kazan

Your first stop is picturesque Kazan, the capital of Tatarstan, situated  on the River Volga.  Although a large industrial city, Kazan is renowned for its beautifully ornate buildings including the Kremlin fortress, a UNESCO world-heritage site, home to the awe-inspiring Kul Sharif Mosque and the colourful onion-domed Russian Orthodox cathedral. Kazan is the birthplace of Feodor Chaliapin, one of Russia’s most famous opera singers, and you are treated to a private concert of his music.  Re-join your luxury train for dinner and perhaps a chance to meet new acquaintances over a drink in the bar car.

Day 7 – Yekaterinburg

The train crosses the Europe-Asia divide and arrives in Yekaterinburg, capital of the Urals. Here the cultural and architectural influences of European and Asian civilisations come together in this fascinating and cosmopolitan landscape.   Your city tour includes the poignant site where the Romanov family were murdered in 1918, now a memorial church to the Russian Royal family. You will be taken to the obelisk marking the geographical border where you can drink a glass of Champagne with one foot in Europe and the other in Asia.

Day 8 – Novosibirsk

Today you arrive in Novosibirsk, capital of Siberia, founded in 1893 as a stop on the Trans-Siberian Railway, during its construction. Your guided tour includes the world’s largest Opera House, completed in 1945 by the city’s women and children, and Lenin Square, home to an impressive statue of this iconic political leader.  Time permitting you also travel to Akademgorodok to see its minerals museum and the fascinating Siberian Railway Museum.

Day 9 – On board the Golden Eagle

As your luxury train heads east you have time to watch the landscape unfold and spend a leisurely day enjoying the comfort and camaraderie of life on board.

Day 10 – Irkutsk

This morning the train rolls into Irkutsk, the ‘Paris of Siberia’. Irkutsk is one of Siberia’s oldest cities, founded by the Cossacks in the mid-17th century. During your guided sightseeing tour marvel at the city’s Opera House, its museums and some classic Siberian carved-wood architecture, for which this area is renowned. At the Volkonsky House Museum, dedicated to the memory of the exiled aristocrats who are credited with helping to bring culture to Siberia, you are treated to a private concert and a Champagne reception. There is some free time to explore the quaint tree-lined streets and shop for souvenirs before you re-join the train.

Day 11 – Lake Baikal

Enjoy one of the most scenic days on board the Golden Eagle Trans-Siberian Express as the train winds its way through tunnels and round cliffs as it hugs the shore of Lake Baikal, the largest freshwater lake in the world. There is a barbecue lunch on the beach (weather permitting) from where you can gaze at the snow-covered mountains on the distant shore and even go for a swim if you are feeling brave!  During the day there will be plenty of opportunities to take photographs.  After lunch is the chance to visit the small Baikal village of Listvyanka to see an exhibition about the area’s fascinating and unique ecology.

Day 12 – Ulan Ude

As you arrive in Ulan Ude, capital of the Buryat Republic, you will note a fascinating change of people and faces as you tour the area. During your guided city sightseeing there is a visit to the colourful Buddhist temple – the centre of Buddhism in Russia. At the Village of Old Believers there is time to learn about the local culture and history of these unique people as you are treated to a traditional meal and enjoy a concert featuring local dancers and musicians.

Day 13 – Ulaan Baatar

Your journey continues into Mongolia today and its’ capital city, Ulaan Baatar. Passing the central monument to the legendary ruler, Gengis Khan, there is a visit to the Natural History Museum. We start the tour at Gandan Monastery, one of Mongolia’s most important Buddhist Monasteries housing a community of over 500 monks. During lunch at a restaurant housed in a Ger or Yurt, a round felt-covered tent which is still a traditional dwelling for about a third of this nomadic nation, you can experience local hospitality and entertainment at its best.  A visit to Gorkhi-Terelj National Park allows you to experience the beautiful scenery of Mongolia.  Later you board the train in time for dinner as it heads back into Russia.

Days 14 to 16 – Remote Siberia

Now the Trans-Siberian railway, running like a steel ribbon from west to east, comes into its own as your luxury train continues eastward, contrasting dramatically with the harsh climate outside. The train follows the Shilka and Amur Rivers never far from the Chinese border. This is Siberia at its most remote. Discover the timeless beauty of this unparalleled region as the route takes you across a zone of permafrost. The vast distances and forbidding landscape demonstrate what a huge challenge it is to simply exist in this terrain. During the closing stages of your epic voyage the train reaches the most easterly point of the journey, passing Khabarovsk where it crosses the River Amur. Unbelievably you are now heading towards the Pacific coast and journey’s end. Enjoy a final dinner with your fellow travellers on board the Golden Eagle Trans-Siberian Express.

Day 17 – The Sea of Japan and Vladivostok

Today you arrive in Vladivostok after having travelled over a staggering 8,000 miles from London along this classic route to the end of the Trans-Siberian line. It is time to bid farewell to the train as you set off on a tour of this intriguing, once “closed” city. Here, where European and Oriental cultures meet, highlights include a tour of a restored submarine, a visit to the Arsenyev History Museum and a boat cruise on Golden Horn Bay, a natural deep-water harbour which served as the headquarters of the Russian Pacific Fleet. You transfer to the Hotel Lotte (5 star) for an overnight stay and time to say your goodbyes over a farewell dinner with wine included.

Day 18 – Return home

After breakfast you say farewell to Vladivostock as you make your own onward flight arrangements.

The Golden Eagle Trans-Siberian Express Hotel Train

On 26 April 2007 HRH Prince Michael of Kent, GCVO unveiled the ‘Golden Eagle Trans-Siberian Express’, a train that brings unprecedented luxury to the world’s greatest railway journey. The 21 carriage private train, with 2 stylish restaurant cars, a welcoming bar car lounge and 12 fully en suite sleeping cars features state of the art amenities and standards of accommodation and catering that most rail passengers crossing Russia can only dream of.

Throughout your journey the bar lounge car and restaurant cars will host a variety of entertaining and enriching activities such as Russian language lessons and engaging lectures on local history and culture from expert guest speakers.  At the social heart of the train is of course the bar car lounge, a great place to relax and settle into the unhurried pace of life on board.

As evening falls, enjoy the sounds of the resident pianist playing on the baby grand piano in the bar lounge car.  Unwind in comfortable surroundings and watch the world go by as you get to know your fellow passengers… the bar stays open until the last person leaves.

A particular delight of the Golden Eagle are the two beautifully appointed restaurant cars.   Each morning a buffet breakfast is served and at lunch and dinner you will enjoy a delightful culinary experience inspired by the countries you venture through. All meals are skilfully prepared by the Executive Chef and his onboard team, using the very best ingredients and locally sourced wherever possible.  Attentive service and an excellent choice of wines accompany lunch and dinner, in addition to bottled mineral water, draught beer and soft drinks.

Gold Class Accommodation

Gold Class cabins are among the best available in rail travel anywhere in the world, with an overall area of 77 sq ft. In addition to the extensive amenities offered as standard, these cabins benefit from underfloor heating, a DVD/CD player with LCD screen, safe, individual air conditioning and en-suite facilities which include power showers in the separate shower cubicle.  Gold Class cabins have a large picture window and feature a double lower bed and a single upper bed.  Most drinks are also included at the bar lounge car for Gold Class customers.

Cabin area – 77 sq ft (7sqm)
Cabin length – 6’ 7” (2m)
Cabin width – 11’ 8” (3.6m)
Lower bed width – 4’ 5” (1.35m)
Upper bed width – 2’ 9” (85cm)
Bed Length – 6’ 3” (1.9m)

Silver Class Accommodation

Silver Class cabins cover 60 sq ft and have a wealth of amenities including DVD/CD player with LCD screen, safe and individual air conditioning.  They also feature a fully en suite wet room with washbasin, w.c. and shower.  Silver Class cabins have a large picture window and feature a small double lower bed and a single upper bed.  Wine and soft drinks are included with meals for Silver Class guests.

Cabin area – 60 square feet, (5.5sqm)
Cabin length – 6’ 7” (2m)
Cabin width – 9’ (2.7m)
Lower bed width – 4’ (1.2m)
Upper bed width – 2’ 9” (85cm)
Bed length (upper & lower) – 6’ 3” (1.9m)

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