slothis · English

Boarding the Trans-Siberian Railway at Irkutsk Station

2016-05-26 · Updated: 2026-08-11 · Original (Korean)

This article was translated from the original Korean post with AI assistance. Read the original Korean post →

After a filling dinner, we walked to the train station still feeling a bit tipsy. By the time I finally started to sober up, we had arrived at Irkutsk Station.

I'm finally boarding the Trans-Siberian Railway, the part of this trip I've been looking forward to the most.

Orthodox church with white exterior walls and pointed towers standing under a dusky evening sky.
Silhouette of a person walking on a riverside promenade at sunset and drooping tree branches.
My older travel buddy walking so incredibly fast after a hearty dinner and plenty of drinks that I could barely keep up.
Landscape showing a wide river and the silhouette of a city in the distance under a sunset sky.
Wide river and a city starting to light up under an evening sky with a lingering red sunset.
Small sign with the International Taekwon-Do Federation logo attached to a corrugated metal wall.
On the way to the train station, walking along the Angara River.
Silhouette of a person fishing by the river with the lights of the city across the water reflecting on the surface.
Person walking along a curved riverside promenade against the background of an arched bridge with streetlights turned on.
Wide river and promenade under a dark night sky with colorful city lights reflecting lengthily on the water surface.
Goodbye, Irkutsk, where I truly felt the vibe of Siberia.

I had to wash up before getting on the train, so I rushed to the shower room. Originally, I planned to just board without showering, but the cheap price of 100 RUB and Irkutsk's exhaust fumes—which made it impossible to bear not washing—forced a change of plans. If you're arriving at or departing from Irkutsk Station, I highly recommend using the shower room. The satisfaction for the price is incredibly high.

People standing in front of the glass doors of a train station with a sign indicating the long-distance train ticket office.
Although it's not the full course starting from Vladivostok, I'm here to ride the Trans-Siberian Railway for what feels like a half-marathon. My heart starts beating faster for no reason.
Entrance 2 of the Irkutsk train station with brightly lit yellow and green exterior walls on a dark night.
There were several entrances, so I didn't know where to go. I just went into a random one and showed my ticket to the guard, who motioned where to go. They're understanding when foreigners make mistakes.
Green fields, forests, and small houses seen through a train window, with water bottles and cups placed on the windowsill.
They say it's better to exchange your e-ticket at the actual ticket office. (I'm not sure if it's absolutely mandatory, though.)
Exterior of a train station annex building with an illuminated restroom sign at night.
The shower and restroom. When facing the station directly, it's in a separate building on the far right. Again, I strongly recommend washing up before you board.
Payment counter and a wooden door with the letter M in a marble-walled corridor.
Interior of a tiled room with a mirror and coat hangers on the wall and a green chair.
Shower facility with a showerhead and soap dish fixed to a tiled wall.
A single-person shower room. The inside is clean, and the hot water works well. You can also keep your luggage inside.
Large electronic display showing train departure and arrival information in red letters.
As anyone preparing for the Trans-Siberian Railway knows, all times used at the train stations are in the Moscow time zone. Therefore, it's wise to set your watch to Moscow time in advance.
Paper train ticket printed in Russian with date, time, and train information.
The ticket. Once you board, they collect all the tickets and hand them back before you get off. I lost my immigration card during this process and had a really hard time. Make sure to keep your documents safe.
Sign indicating the train boarding area and track number in Russian and English.
Red Trans-Siberian Railway train and passengers stopped at a train station platform on a dark night.
Our train, the Trans-Siberian No. 099. The lower the train number, the better the train. In other words, Train 001 is the most expensive, the nicest, and the fastest.

We showed our passports and tickets, then found our seats. Looking around, I kept noticing guys with shaved heads. I wondered if they were just bald, but they looked like soldiers. I gathered my senses and scanned the whole carriage: it was a combination of "soldiers and grandmas."

I guess I'm still not fully sober. I'm seeing things. I need to go to sleep right away.

Pillows and blankets placed in a dark train sleeper cabin, with a person's feet slightly visible.

My seat. My fast-beating heart now feels like it's going to stop in shock. I keep chanting to myself: 'What I'm seeing is a hallucination. What I'm seeing is a hallucination...'

I really need to sleep.

Expenses (Per Person)

Total Expenses 7,460 RUB

Total Trip Expenses 525,936 KRW + 11,956 RUB + $53.16