How can I travel to China by train and/or boat?

Question

No flying.

Answer 1

Hi,

Yes it is possible to take the train ALL THE WAY to China...

You can start in the UK with Eurostar to Paris, get to Moscow via Germany and Hungary or Prague; then take the Trans-Siberien Express to Beijing in China.

An alternative with a boat would be a cruise to St Petersburg, then the overnight train to Moscow followed by the Trans-Siberian then the Trans-Mongolian express...

Do your research though to make sure you get the best price - remember in Russia it's possible to buy your tickets for a quarter of the price charged by Western Travel Agents ... basically I paid £250 for a 5000 km journey from Moscow to Beijing in 2nd and 3rd class with 4 stopovers ... not bad eh?

So make sure you read the links below for advice
links below - plus buy the books on the Trans-Sib - they'll help you too.

On the Trans-Sib most people do stopovers for a few days at places like Eketerinburg, Irkutsk (for Lake Baikal - the worlds largest and deepest fresh-water lake with 40% of the worlds fresh water in it) and Ulan Batoor in Mongolia.

At Lake Baikal, make sure you take the trip on the Circum-Baikal Railway which is called the Tzars Golden Buckle, because it bankrupted the Tzar who built it!

I hope that helps - remember, DO YOU RESEARCH!

Philip

Answer 2

try searching the net for 'freighter cruises'. These are cargo vessels that have a SMALL number of passengers. It's possible to take one of these from UK ports (various) all the way to Shanghai (e.g.) and thus be able to visit other places en route. These freighters are usually well equipped b ut are NOT cheap...but come to think of it the train journey cost almost needs a second mortgage :) but it is possible. I did it one way and it took with stops a bout two weeks. If you are lucky and dont stop over en route it can take one week. The journey by sea might take three weeks or more and you have to be flexible with both.

Answer 3

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Answer 4

spent 2 months in china and travelled purely by technique of prepare. our longest holiday became 40 2 hours it became an outstanding adventure and almost each and each of the trains have sleeper carriages which u have 3 instructions, 1st 2 beds in a unmarried room with door,second 4 beds {2 bunks} with door and third most inexpensive and six beds and no door. discovered the locals slightly curious and some do stare yet never felt any way threatened also the do smoke in some carriages

Answer 5

I went with my Chinese fiance from Kunming to Daly I insisted on the train what a mistake on the way back we took the bus half the time never tried the boat but trains are a nightmare.

Answer 6

Go through europe then through Iraq (good luck) through India then go to China! Or go on a boat around africa. BA do flights there though!

Answer 7

If you don't care about time and depending on where your coming from i say go by boat.

Answer 8

where are you coming from? theres a boat out of osaka japan,but that only helps if youre in japan.

Answer 9

I believe you can catch a slow boat to China. If you get there, please can you bring me back all the tea in China.

Answer 10

CHina is getting smaller! thrust me !!!!!

just done tour wi' Faithless, yes they us!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!