The most usual (and easiest) route from Europe to China is via the classic Trans-Siberian Railway, shown in blue on the map below.  But there is another route now open to foreigners, the so-called 'Silk Route' via Kazakhstan, shown on the map in yellow.  Let's be clear, if you want to travel between Europe and China, the main Trans-Siberian route is faster and easier to arrange, both in terms of visas and train tickets - for a start, just one Trans-Siberian train will get you all the way from Moscow to Beijing.  The 'Silk route' will take a little more thought and organisation, with more visas, train tickets and stopovers to arrange.  However, this page will explain routes, train times, costs and how to buy tickets.  You can also use trains to reach Central Asia from Europe and Moscow.

On this page...

London - Moscow - This is the first step, with daily trains taking 48 hours.

Moscow - Almaty or Astana (Kazakhstan) - This is the direct option, take this train if you want to head straight for China.

Moscow - Bishkek (Kyrgistan)

Moscow - Tashkent (Uzbekistan) - Alternatively, take this train if you want to start by visiting Uzbekistan.

Tashkent - Samarqand - Bokhara & Urgench for Khiva - Trains link Tashkent with 3 of Uzbekistan's most remarkable cities.

Almaty or Astana - Ürümqi - The next step on the route to China.

Ürümqi- Xian - Beijing - The final train ride into Xian & Beijing.

Route map...

London - Moscow...

It's easy to travel from London to Moscow by train, in 48 hours with comfortable sleepers for the overnight sections.  For times, fares, how to buy tickets and Russian visa information, see the London to Russia page.  Direct sleeper trains also run to Moscow from Paris, Vienna, Prague, Warsaw, Berlin, Budapest, Helsinki and many other cities, just use http://bahn.hafas.de to check train times.  You will need a Belarus transit visa & Russian tourist visa, see the visa section on the Russia page.

Moscow - Almaty or Astana (Kazakhstan)...

Two direct trains link Moscow with Kazakhstan every second day, the 'Kazakhstan' to Almaty (also written Alma-ata) and the 'Belgorod' to Astana.  Of the two, the Moscow-Almaty route offers the best train, as it is a quality 'firmeny service.  Both trains are safe and comfortable.  A couple of other trains which link Moscow with Astana on the way to somewhere else are not shown here.

Train 7 & 8 Kazakhstan:  Train 8 departs Moscow's Paveletskaya station on odd dates (1st, 3rd, 5th etc of each month, but not the 1st following a 31st).  Train 7 departs Almaty on even dates (2nd, 4th, 6th etc).  The train is a quality 'firmeny' service with spalny vagon (2-berth sleepers), kupé (4-berth sleepers) & platskartny (open plan dormitory cars) plus restaurant car.  The train passes from Russia into Kazakhstan, but briefly transits another part of Russia before re-entering Kazakhstan.  However, it is reported that you just need single-entry visa for Russia and a single-entry visa for Kazakhstan to travel on this train.  Multiple-entry visas for Russia and Kazakhstan are not required just because of this (but please double-check this). Moscow to Almaty is 4,017 km.

Trains 71 & 72 Belgorod:  Train 72 departs Moscow's Kazanski station on odd dates (1st, 3rd, 5th etc of each month, but not the 1st following a 31st).  Train 71 departs Astana on odd dates (1st, 3rd, 5th etc of each month, but not 31st).  The train is a 'fast' service (but not a 'firmeny' top quality service) with spalny vagon (2-berth sleepers), kupé (4-berth sleepers) & platskartny (open plan dormitory cars) plus restaurant car. Moscow to Astana is 3,105 km.

Trains 83 & 84:  Train 84 leaves Moscow's Kazanski station on even-numbered dates.  Train 83 leaves Astana on even dates.   Spalny vagon (2-berth sleepers), kupé (4-berth sleepers) & platskartny (open plan dormitory cars) plus restaurant car.

You should check train times and days of running using the Real Russia online system below.  Train 8 is sometimes shown as train7!

Fares:  Moscow to Almaty costs £259 in 4-berth kupé or £514 in a 2-berth spalny vagon, booked with Real Russia.  Moscow to Astana costs £247 in kupé, £490 in spalny vagon.

How to buy tickets:  You can book train travel in Russia, including this train, through several reputable Russian agencies, including:

• Real Russia - buy tickets using the online booking system below

• Svezhy Veter - www.sv-agency.udm.ru/sv/trains.htm

• G&R International - www.hostels.ru

• Way to Russia - www.waytorussia.net/Services/TrainTickets.html

You can make arrangements for trains, hotels and tours in Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan through local agencies such as www.tourasia.kz.  You will need Russian & Kazakh tourist visas for this journey.  For information on Russian visas, see the visa section on the Russia page.

Moscow-Almaty better via Astana than direct?:  Traveller Chris Nuttall suggests going Moscow-Almaty via Astana, rather than using the direct Moscow-Almaty train:  "I travelled from London to Almaty (Kazakhstan) and back last autumn (2009). On the return journey I travelled via Astana and as a result made the journey from Almaty to London in under 5 days, about 13 hours quicker than using the direct train from Almaty to Moscow (train 7/8).  I departed Almaty 2 station at 19:28 on the daily Talgo overnight train to Astana (train number 1 / 2) and travelled in Platskartny which consisted of 4 berth compartments, the same as the 'Tourist class' on the Spanish railways own Talgo sleeper trains, rather than the usual Russian semi-open carriages.  According to my sister, who lives in Almaty and has used this train on a number of occasions, this service has a reputation for arriving punctually, unlike many other trains in Kazakhstan.  I then used train 83/84 to Moscow as shown on your site.  As well as being quicker and giving me the opportunity to explore Astana for a few hours, this route only crosses the Russia / Kazakhstan border once. I know you mention that only single entry visas are required for train 7/8, but I couldn't find further information on this, so my chosen route gave me added peace of mind."

Moscow - Bishkek (Kyrgyzstan).....

A train called the Kirgizia links Moscow with Bishkek in Kyrgyzstan, with 4-berth sleepers & restaurant car.  No 2-berth sleepers.

Fares: Moscow to Bishkek costs £259 in 4-berth kupé, booked with Real Russia.  Check days of running using the Real Russia online system below.

How to buy tickets: You can book this train in either direction Real Russia online system below.

Above:  The express from Moscow to Bishkek.  Photos courtesy of Chris Nuttall

Moscow - Tashkent (Uzbekistan)...

There is a train running 4 times a week from Moscow to Tashkent in Uzbekistan.  This is the Uzbekistan, with Spalny Vagon (2-berth sleepers), kupé (4-berth sleepers) and platskartny (open plan dormitory car) plus restaurant car.  The train passes from Russia into Kazakhstan, briefly transits another part of Russia before re-entering Kazakhstan, then it enters Uzbekistan.  You will need a Russian visa, Kazak transit visa and Uzbek visa.  However, it is reported that multiple-entry visas for Russia and Kazakhstan are not required just because this train transits part of Russia after entering Kazakhstan (please double-check this).  You can check train times & days of running using the Real Russia online system below or at www.poezda.net. 

Fares:  Moscow to Tashkent costs £339 in 4-berth kupé or £428 in 2-berth spalny vagon, booked with Real Russia.

How to buy tickets:  You can book train travel in Russia, including this train, through several reputable Russian agencies, including:

• Real Russia - see the online booking system below

• Svezhy Veter - www.sv-agency.udm.ru/sv/trains.htm

• G&R International - www.hostels.ru

• Way to Russia - www.waytorussia.net/Services/TrainTickets.html

You can make arrangements for trains, hotels and tours in Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan through local agencies such as www.tourasia.kz.  You will need a Russian tourist visa, Kazakhstan transit visa and Uzbekistan tourist visa for this journey.  For information on Russian visas, see the visa section on the Russia page.

Above:  The Uzbekistan, from Moscow to Tashkent.  Photos courtesy of Sascha & Manuela Dubach

Tashkent - Samarkand - Bokhara - Urgench for Khiva  (Uzbekistan)...

Urgench (also known as Urganch) is the railhead for Khiva, 35km or 30 minutes away.  A taxi will cost around $9.  There are no direct trains from Bokhara to Urgench, as they are on different lines.

* Runs on Fridays, Saturdays & Sundays.

** Runs on Mondays, Wednesdays, Fridays.  

*** Runs on Tuesdays, Wednesdays, Saturdays.

Train 1 & 2 Registan consists of luxury air-conditioned cars. 

Train 9 & 10 Sharq, air-conditioned, runs daily.

Trains 49/50 & 661/662 run daily, with spalny vagon 2-berth sleepers & kupé 4-berth sleepers.

Trains 55/56 runs 3 times a week with spalny vagon 2-berth sleepers & kupé 4-berth sleepers.

Trains 161/162 Afrosiyob = high-speed air-conditioned Talgo train, highly recommended, introduced 2012.

You can check times and days of running using the Real Russia online system below or at www.poezda.net (Bokhara may appear as Bukhara or Buhara 1) or at the Uzbek Railways website www.uzrailpass.uz which now has an English version.  Don't be surpsised if all 3 systems give different times!  There are several other irregular trains between Tashkent & Samarqand.

New high-speed Tashkent-Samarkand Talgo trains:  Two new high-speed Talgo 250 trains have now been delivered to Uzbek Railways from Spain, and a high-speed Tashkent-Samarkand service called Afrosiyob has started, train numbers 161/162, taking just 2 hours, with VIP class, Business class and Economy class plus a restaurant car.  Feedback (and if possible photos) would be appreciated!

How much does it cost?  Bought locally, Tashkent to Samarkand on the new Afrosiyob high-speed Talgo train costs 87,917 som in VIP class, 63,650 som in Business class, 45,763 som in Economy class.  Tashkent to Bukhara on train 9 or 10 Sharq costs 78,904 som in Luxe, 45,102 in 1st class, 29,148 in 2nd class, on train 661/662 it costs 76,361 som in 2-berth spalny vagon, 45,498 in kupé 4-berth.  £1 = 2,900 som, $1 = 1,800.  Fares can be checked at www.uzrailpass.uz.

How to buy tickets:  You can buy tickets at the station, or from outside Uzbekistan using the Real Russia online system below.

Above:  The Registan air-conditioned express from Tashkent to Samarkand.  Photos courtesy of Helmut Uttenthaler.

The Afrosiyob Talgo train.  Photo courtesy of Gino		The Sharq. Photo courtesy of Gino

Tashkent - Almaty

There are reportedly two infrequent direct trains between these cities, one running once a week departing Tashkent at 17:22 on Wednesdays taking 24 hours, and another running every 4 days, however neither of these are shown in the Thomas Cook Timetable so please check locally.  It's also possible to go by train on other days with a change at Arys, or by train+bus via Chimkent.  Use www.poezda.net to check train times.  Traveller Helmut Uttenthaler reports "It's possible to go by train with changing at Arys. We did this, we had 53 minutes for our connection from daily train 23 (to Aktjubinsk) to the twice-weekly train 381 (Ufa - Tashkent). Although train 23 left Almaty with 40 minutes delay, we arrived at Arys on time. The connecting train was also on time, so no problem.  However, getting tickets in advance from Arys to Tashkent on train 381can be difficult.  Free places for getting on at Arys are very rare and appear in the "express" booking system only a few days before departure (as the train comes from Ufa in Russia).  We were three people, and when we booked our trip to Arys 8 days ahead it was not yet possible to buy tickets from Arys to Tashkent.  Some days later (4 days ahead) we tried it again and now just 3 free places appeared for Arys-Tashkent. Two in platskartny, one in kupé. We bought all of them... However, if we had failed to buy tickets or had missed our connection we would have made the way from Arys to Tashkent by taxi, as it's only about 150 km.  From locals we heard that they usually take the train to Chimkent and from there a bus to Tashkent.  But we wanted to go by train all the way."

Almaty (Kazakhstan) - Ürümqi (China)

A twice-weekly train links Almaty in Kazakhstan with Ürümqi in China.  It's believed that one set of carriages is Kazak with 2-berth and 4-berth sleepers, the other set Chinese with modern air-conditioned soft class (4-berth sleeper compartments) and hard class (open-plan bunks).  A Kazak restaurant car runs Almaty to the frontier at Druzhba, and a Chinese restaurant car runs from Druzhba to Ürümqi.

Fares:  Almaty to Ürümqi costs £123 in 4-berth or £138 in 2-berth, booked with Real Russia.

How to buy tickets:  You can book these trains in either direction using the Real Russia online system below or (for eastbound journeys) through a local agency such as www.tourasia.kz.

Above right:  The Chinese Almaty-Ürümqi  train at Almaty.  Photo courtesy of Mikhail Utkin. Above left:  The Kazakh train to Ürümqi en route.  Photo courtesy of Helmut Uttenthaler.

Ürümqi - Xian - Beijing

Train T69/T70 has soft class (4-berth sleeper compartments) and hard class sleepers (open plan bunks).  There are other trains available between Ürümqi and Xian and between Xian and Beijing, see the China page.

Fares: Ürümqi to Beijing costs around RMB 970 (£105) in soft sleeper or RMB 630 (£70) in hard sleeper, if bought at the station.

Silk Route & Central Asia resources...

To check train times (and days of running) in any of the ex-Soviet states, use the Real Russia online system below or www.poezda.net.

An excellent personal account:  www.johndarm.clara.net/silkroute

Buy train tickets for Russia & ex-Soviet states

Probably the best way to plan a trip like this is to start by reading up on all the possible routes, trains and stopovers, then plan out an itinerary and budget using a simple table or spreadsheet:  How to plan an itinerary & budget.