4 ms·

Author here... Happy to answer any questions. This essay covers just the first two days of a 19-day trip, so there are more stories to come, along with tips for

by gk1 8y ago

Author here... Happy to answer any questions. This essay covers just the first two days of a 19-day trip, so there are more stories to come, along with tips for anyone considering a similar trip.

lbriner 8y ago
I guess that you need to have half-decent Russian language skills to not feel like a complete spare wheel?
- gk1 8y ago
  I think so. It was surprising how few Russians spoke English, even in the major cities. It would've been much more difficult to engage with locals without my knowledge of Russian—which I'd say is at a 4th-grade level.
  - madman2890 8y ago
    Good to know. I live in Colombia, and the same is true here with respect to Spanish.
  - duskhen 8y ago
    Younger people (school grads and older) typically have better English than the older ones. Also, it doesn’t hurt to have a translator app on your mobile.
- Tomte 8y ago
  Yes. Around Red Square in Moscow you will probably get along with English. In the rest of Moscow‘s city center: doubtful, but possible. Elsewhere? Forget about it. Except for St. Petersberg. Only one person I tried to talk to did not speak some English, a ticket inspector in the tram. Fortunately, just about every Russian around was immediately trying to help and translate. :-) Oh, and learn by heart how „Выход в город“ looks like. I learned it after I spent about half an hour trying to emerge from the metro station to the surface, and only getting to yet another train line.
insensible 8y ago
Thanks for sharing real experiences in real Russia.
rhn_mk1 8y ago
I really enjoyed reading about your experience! I enjoy reading about the culture clashes you encountered. To someone not grown up in either culture, they give a glimpse both into Russia and the USA. That being said, how do people say goodbye in the USA?
- gk1 8y ago
  In the US it's common for people to shake hands, regardless of gender. Many people like to hug, even with people they've just met.
  - concerned_user 8y ago
    I lived in big cities for all my life with short trips to the country in summer, from my experience is that those who live in the city men would shake hands and/or nod, rarely hug. The ones that live in smaller towns/villages tend to hug a lot more. With women it is if you are an acquaintance then a nod, a friend usually a hug, can be a kiss on the cheek sometimes. With women from smaller towns they might hug and kiss strangers probably out of habit. Since US is quite rural that would explain more hug prone culture.
dominotw 8y ago
>Enough has been written about planning a Trans-Siberian Railway trip, Hey man. I am really interested in this part. There is way too much info out there and not sure what is outdated and what is not and which ones are legit. Is there a good authoritative source for this.
- gk1 8y ago
  As far as train tickets are concerned—which I found to be the most confusing part—the agency http://realrussia.co.uk/ http://realrussia.co.uk/ has helpful resources, including a trip planner[0]. They can also answer specific questions about trains by email. I also bookmarked this page: http://www.myazcomputerguy.com/everbrite/Page9.html http://www.myazcomputerguy.com/everbrite/Page9.html ... It's old, so I would not trust the schedule information, but it's a good introduction and has links to other writeups. Is there a particular topic/area that you wish you had an authoritative report on? Maybe I can cover it in an upcoming essay. [0] https://trains.realrussia.co.uk/transsib/ https://trains.realrussia.co.uk/transsib/
  - doombolt 8y ago
    The tickets should be the easiest part since there's https://pass.rzd.ru/main-pass/public/en https://pass.rzd.ru/main-pass/public/en which is the website to buy rail tickets in Russia. It might be a bit confusing I have to agree, especially finding the correct inputs for "from" and "to" fields.
- pm215 8y ago
  I can recommend https://www.seat61.com/ https://www.seat61.com/ for information about longer-distance train travel: frequently updated, lots of useful information, discussion of different route options, etc -- he has a page about Trans-Siberian railway journeys.
madman2890 8y ago
Thanks for writing. I'm considering doing the Trans-Siberian this winter.
- buster 8y ago
  Really? I was thinking about it, but considered -25°C too cold for my likings. I mean, what do you do in the cities? Walking around at -25°C? :(
  - concerned_user 8y ago
    It easily gets to -40°C in Siberia.
  - gk1 8y ago
    Supposedly the landscape is beautiful in the winter, thanks to the snow. Personally I chose to see it in the summer, though, so I can pack fewer clothes.
  - p2t2p 8y ago
    Usually it’s quite warm inside the train, unless you’re unlucky to get a broken car.
  - lmm 8y ago
    I heard from someone who did it in the summer that to do that is missing the point, since at that point it's just a big forest and not very, well, Siberian. (I went in Spring when it was -10, which I think was about the right mix: endless snowfields, and plenty cold enough).
reustle 8y ago
I'm headed to Russia for a month in 2 weeks. Taking the railroad into Mongolia. Did anything stand out to you in SPb or Moscow that you were really into? Great cafe or neighborhood vibe?
- ivm 8y ago
  Take "The Yellow Arrow" by Victor Pelevin with you and read it after a few days on the train – it will be a really immersive experience.
- salimmadjd 8y ago
  I have been to SPb (or Peter as locals call it) 4 times in the past year. It's become one of my favorite cities. Peter, has its own vibe, it's still relatively under-appreciated, it has an interesting street music flavor, the hermitage museum is excellent and once you become friends with locals, Russian hospitality is wonderful. You really want to visit Peter between May till September. End of June to early July during the White Nights is quiet fun. My favorite thing is to roam the city on bikes. Peter is a large city and having a bike gives you a great freedom to take it all in. Peter has many restaurants. Armenian (Erevan or Yerevan named after the capital of Armenia is very good but a bit on the pricey side), Georgian, canteen (soviet style buffet). Many places on or around the Nevsky Street open late or never close. SIM card is cheap, Megaphone and MTC is your best choice, but you can't buy Megahpone at the airport, but there are many locations in the center of the city. I think I paid like $8-9 for 10-12 Gigs of internet. Russian language knowledge is very helpful. Though a lot more people speak English in Peter than rest of Russia, but if you plan to wonder off, Google Translate (download the Russian language to your phone to be safe) is your friend. If you want to learn Russian, learn the polite way of saying hello (Здравствуйте) it's hard to pronounce at first, but I find it very disarming and helpful. Uber has now become Yandex taxi. But you can still use your Uber app which is what I recommend once you arrive into the airport and want to get to city upon arrival. IMPORTANT - If you stay at AirBNB, the host may not register you. So either ask them to register you or ask them where you can register. Registration is free, but people doing it will charge you some money. There were agencies that would do it last year, but with the world cup rules changed a bit. If you like street music and you want to fit in, be sure to listen to the music of KINO (with the front man Victor Tsoi) they're a legend in Peter and you'll hear their music always played in the street.
ThirdFoundation 8y ago
How did you learn Russian so fluently? Did you grow up speaking it?
- gk1 8y ago
  Yes I spoke it in early childhood before moving to the US. I speak with a poor vocabulary and an accent now, but it was enough!
  - ThirdFoundation 8y ago
    Cool, very jealous. I'll definitely be keeping up with your blog posts, it was really interesting.
vl 8y ago
Cool trip, but technically Trans-Sib starts in Moscow. :)
jscholes 8y ago
Thanks for adding captions/descriptions to your images. As a screen reader user I appreciate it.
- gk1 8y ago
  That reminded me I should ensure they all have captions. Thank you.
paulsutter 8y ago
Your photo with unsmiling relatives reminds me of a question I've been meaning to ask. The first time I applied for a Russian visa, my photo was rejected for smiling. My second Putin-serious photo was accepted just fine. What's the story with smiling? Do Americans come across as goofy there for smiling too much? (off topic, I know, but potentially useful)
- jbob2000 8y ago
  You aren't allowed to smile for passports either. I had to retake mine for my Canadian passport a few years ago because I put on a huge smile :D. Most people don't walk around with a giant grin on their face. A picture of a resting face is more accurate than one that you pose and contort your face for.
- gk1 8y ago
  Oh that's funny, I didn't even notice that... "Guess who's the goofy American in this photo!" Passport photos aside (which really do require a neutral face, even in the US), Russians do not smile in public or to strangers the way we do in the US. Smiling in public is seen as a sign of foolishness or low intelligence. When Americans come to Russia they interpret the lack of smiles as hostility, which isn't true.
  - paulsutter 8y ago
    Thanks for explaining, I've wondered that. By the way, smiling is OK on US passports[1]. I've taken a lot of visa and passport photos, and I have seen a requirement not to show teeth. But I've only once had a photo returned. And I really wasn't grinning in the photo. Incidentally, that slighty-more-serious mood in Russia feels comfortable for me. Maybe because I tend to smile less than I "should" in the US. [1] From https://travel.state.gov/content/travel/en/passports/requirements/photos.html https://travel.state.gov/content/travel/en/passports/require... "You must have a neutral facial expression or a natural smile, with both eyes open"
- varjag 8y ago
  A smile is perceived as sign of weakness. Smiling to sellers, taxi drivers and others in service sector greatly increases the likelihood you'd be taken advantage of. Smiling to law enforcement (except border guards who are used to it) can attract unnecessary attention.

by gk1 8y ago

Author here... Happy to answer any questions. This essay covers just the first two days of a 19-day trip, so there are more stories to come, along with tips for anyone considering a similar trip.

lbriner 8y ago

I guess that you need to have half-decent Russian language skills to not feel like a complete spare wheel?

gk1 8y ago
I think so. It was surprising how few Russians spoke English, even in the major cities. It would've been much more difficult to engage with locals without my knowledge of Russian—which I'd say is at a 4th-grade level.
- madman2890 8y ago
  Good to know. I live in Colombia, and the same is true here with respect to Spanish.
- duskhen 8y ago
  Younger people (school grads and older) typically have better English than the older ones. Also, it doesn’t hurt to have a translator app on your mobile.
Tomte 8y ago
Yes. Around Red Square in Moscow you will probably get along with English. In the rest of Moscow‘s city center: doubtful, but possible. Elsewhere? Forget about it. Except for St. Petersberg. Only one person I tried to talk to did not speak some English, a ticket inspector in the tram. Fortunately, just about every Russian around was immediately trying to help and translate. :-) Oh, and learn by heart how „Выход в город“ looks like. I learned it after I spent about half an hour trying to emerge from the metro station to the surface, and only getting to yet another train line.

insensible 8y ago

Thanks for sharing real experiences in real Russia.

rhn_mk1 8y ago

I really enjoyed reading about your experience! I enjoy reading about the culture clashes you encountered. To someone not grown up in either culture, they give a glimpse both into Russia and the USA. That being said, how do people say goodbye in the USA?

gk1 8y ago
In the US it's common for people to shake hands, regardless of gender. Many people like to hug, even with people they've just met.
- concerned_user 8y ago
  I lived in big cities for all my life with short trips to the country in summer, from my experience is that those who live in the city men would shake hands and/or nod, rarely hug. The ones that live in smaller towns/villages tend to hug a lot more. With women it is if you are an acquaintance then a nod, a friend usually a hug, can be a kiss on the cheek sometimes. With women from smaller towns they might hug and kiss strangers probably out of habit. Since US is quite rural that would explain more hug prone culture.

dominotw 8y ago

>Enough has been written about planning a Trans-Siberian Railway trip, Hey man. I am really interested in this part. There is way too much info out there and not sure what is outdated and what is not and which ones are legit. Is there a good authoritative source for this.

gk1 8y ago
As far as train tickets are concerned—which I found to be the most confusing part—the agency http://realrussia.co.uk/ http://realrussia.co.uk/ has helpful resources, including a trip planner[0]. They can also answer specific questions about trains by email. I also bookmarked this page: http://www.myazcomputerguy.com/everbrite/Page9.html http://www.myazcomputerguy.com/everbrite/Page9.html ... It's old, so I would not trust the schedule information, but it's a good introduction and has links to other writeups. Is there a particular topic/area that you wish you had an authoritative report on? Maybe I can cover it in an upcoming essay. [0] https://trains.realrussia.co.uk/transsib/ https://trains.realrussia.co.uk/transsib/
- doombolt 8y ago
  The tickets should be the easiest part since there's https://pass.rzd.ru/main-pass/public/en https://pass.rzd.ru/main-pass/public/en which is the website to buy rail tickets in Russia. It might be a bit confusing I have to agree, especially finding the correct inputs for "from" and "to" fields.
pm215 8y ago
I can recommend https://www.seat61.com/ https://www.seat61.com/ for information about longer-distance train travel: frequently updated, lots of useful information, discussion of different route options, etc -- he has a page about Trans-Siberian railway journeys.

madman2890 8y ago

Thanks for writing. I'm considering doing the Trans-Siberian this winter.

buster 8y ago
Really? I was thinking about it, but considered -25°C too cold for my likings. I mean, what do you do in the cities? Walking around at -25°C? :(
- concerned_user 8y ago
  It easily gets to -40°C in Siberia.
- gk1 8y ago
  Supposedly the landscape is beautiful in the winter, thanks to the snow. Personally I chose to see it in the summer, though, so I can pack fewer clothes.
- p2t2p 8y ago
  Usually it’s quite warm inside the train, unless you’re unlucky to get a broken car.
- lmm 8y ago
  I heard from someone who did it in the summer that to do that is missing the point, since at that point it's just a big forest and not very, well, Siberian. (I went in Spring when it was -10, which I think was about the right mix: endless snowfields, and plenty cold enough).

reustle 8y ago

I'm headed to Russia for a month in 2 weeks. Taking the railroad into Mongolia. Did anything stand out to you in SPb or Moscow that you were really into? Great cafe or neighborhood vibe?

ivm 8y ago
Take "The Yellow Arrow" by Victor Pelevin with you and read it after a few days on the train – it will be a really immersive experience.
salimmadjd 8y ago
I have been to SPb (or Peter as locals call it) 4 times in the past year. It's become one of my favorite cities. Peter, has its own vibe, it's still relatively under-appreciated, it has an interesting street music flavor, the hermitage museum is excellent and once you become friends with locals, Russian hospitality is wonderful. You really want to visit Peter between May till September. End of June to early July during the White Nights is quiet fun. My favorite thing is to roam the city on bikes. Peter is a large city and having a bike gives you a great freedom to take it all in. Peter has many restaurants. Armenian (Erevan or Yerevan named after the capital of Armenia is very good but a bit on the pricey side), Georgian, canteen (soviet style buffet). Many places on or around the Nevsky Street open late or never close. SIM card is cheap, Megaphone and MTC is your best choice, but you can't buy Megahpone at the airport, but there are many locations in the center of the city. I think I paid like $8-9 for 10-12 Gigs of internet. Russian language knowledge is very helpful. Though a lot more people speak English in Peter than rest of Russia, but if you plan to wonder off, Google Translate (download the Russian language to your phone to be safe) is your friend. If you want to learn Russian, learn the polite way of saying hello (Здравствуйте) it's hard to pronounce at first, but I find it very disarming and helpful. Uber has now become Yandex taxi. But you can still use your Uber app which is what I recommend once you arrive into the airport and want to get to city upon arrival. IMPORTANT - If you stay at AirBNB, the host may not register you. So either ask them to register you or ask them where you can register. Registration is free, but people doing it will charge you some money. There were agencies that would do it last year, but with the world cup rules changed a bit. If you like street music and you want to fit in, be sure to listen to the music of KINO (with the front man Victor Tsoi) they're a legend in Peter and you'll hear their music always played in the street.

ThirdFoundation 8y ago

How did you learn Russian so fluently? Did you grow up speaking it?

gk1 8y ago
Yes I spoke it in early childhood before moving to the US. I speak with a poor vocabulary and an accent now, but it was enough!
- ThirdFoundation 8y ago
  Cool, very jealous. I'll definitely be keeping up with your blog posts, it was really interesting.

vl 8y ago

Cool trip, but technically Trans-Sib starts in Moscow. :)

jscholes 8y ago

Thanks for adding captions/descriptions to your images. As a screen reader user I appreciate it.

gk1 8y ago
That reminded me I should ensure they all have captions. Thank you.

paulsutter 8y ago

Your photo with unsmiling relatives reminds me of a question I've been meaning to ask. The first time I applied for a Russian visa, my photo was rejected for smiling. My second Putin-serious photo was accepted just fine. What's the story with smiling? Do Americans come across as goofy there for smiling too much? (off topic, I know, but potentially useful)

jbob2000 8y ago
You aren't allowed to smile for passports either. I had to retake mine for my Canadian passport a few years ago because I put on a huge smile :D. Most people don't walk around with a giant grin on their face. A picture of a resting face is more accurate than one that you pose and contort your face for.
gk1 8y ago
Oh that's funny, I didn't even notice that... "Guess who's the goofy American in this photo!" Passport photos aside (which really do require a neutral face, even in the US), Russians do not smile in public or to strangers the way we do in the US. Smiling in public is seen as a sign of foolishness or low intelligence. When Americans come to Russia they interpret the lack of smiles as hostility, which isn't true.
- paulsutter 8y ago
  Thanks for explaining, I've wondered that. By the way, smiling is OK on US passports[1]. I've taken a lot of visa and passport photos, and I have seen a requirement not to show teeth. But I've only once had a photo returned. And I really wasn't grinning in the photo. Incidentally, that slighty-more-serious mood in Russia feels comfortable for me. Maybe because I tend to smile less than I "should" in the US. [1] From https://travel.state.gov/content/travel/en/passports/requirements/photos.html https://travel.state.gov/content/travel/en/passports/require... "You must have a neutral facial expression or a natural smile, with both eyes open"
varjag 8y ago
A smile is perceived as sign of weakness. Smiling to sellers, taxi drivers and others in service sector greatly increases the likelihood you'd be taken advantage of. Smiling to law enforcement (except border guards who are used to it) can attract unnecessary attention.