There are touring companies that book travelers on the Trans-Siberian, assisting them in planning the legs of the journey they want or offering tour packages. A western travel company or a Russian travel company can arrange all ticketing. If you are interested in planning your trip on your own, tickets can be purchased in Russia.
The Trans-Siberian runs along its main branch and has two branches that split off from the main track; the Trans-Mongolian passes through Ulan-Bataar and the Trans-Manchurian passes through Chita and Harbin. Both lines end in Beijing.
To go from Moscow to Vladivostok without stopping takes eight days. Some travelers break the trip into halves and stop at a midway point such as Lake Baikal. Other travelers buy tickets for different destinations on the branches and spend days in several locations along the way. Visas last 30 days, as of October 2010.
