Travelling the Trans Siberian railway: the final leg

Friday, 28, Aug 2009 12:00

In the final instalment of our look at the journey from Beijing to Moscow on the Trans Siberian railway, we pick up our trip in Yekaterinburg.

The city is historically significant in that it was where Nicholas II, the last Russian Emperor, died along with his family in 1918. It was established in the 18th century and is home to a number of must-see architectural sights for those interested in Russian classicism.

It also has numerous museums to take in, as well as many cafes and restaurants to rest at. Yekaterinburg is used by some holidaymakers as a base from which to enjoy the various winter sports on offer in the Urals region.

Moving on to Kazan, the capital of the Tatarstan republic, you will likely want to see the Kazan Kremlin, which was built for Ivan the Terrible and is a UNESCO World Heritage site. Other sights include a number of churches and cathedrals, as well as the palace belonging to the president of Tatarstan, the Qol-Sarif mosque and the Square of Freedom.

The city also harbours some interesting science, nature and general history museums, as well as theatres, a circus, music venues, restaurants and several art galleries.

After Kazan you will come to the final stop on your Trans Siberian railway journey, Moscow. The Russian capital needs little introduction and is an unforgettable destination for those lucky enough to visit the city.

If you choose to take a tour of Moscow's main sights you will likely see the Red Square, the Kremlin, St Basil's Cathedral, Lenin's mausoleum, the Bolshoi Theatre, Peace Avenue and the various attractions along the banks of the Moskva River, among others. You may have some leisure time the next day to explore the city at your own pace, so make sure to take full advantage of this.

And there ends your journey from Beijing to Moscow along the Trans Siberian Railway. You will have seen many memorable sights and wandered around numerous exotic towns and cities, while also travelling in comfort on trains such as the Golden eagle train. Whether you choose to travel the whole route or partway down it, or perhaps opt to go in the opposite direction, you are more than likely to have the holiday of a lifetime.