The first thing you should decide is when you want to travel on the Trans-Siberian. The whole railway runs through an area of continental climate with the only variant being from a mild continental climate in Central Russia to a humid continental climate in the Russian Far East. The further east you go the bigger the difference between winter and summer temperatures and the lower the average annual temperature. In the Volga district and Western Siberia, the winter temperature is normally lower than in Moscow by five to eight degrees, although the summer temperature is almost the same. In Eastern Siberia, it tends to be hot and sunny in summer and almost always frosty but sunny in winter.

  Although spring and autumn do have some benefits (for example, less tourists in spring and lovely colours in autumn), these short seasons in Russia are most noticeable for rain and slushy snow. In addition, the spring thaw reveals a lot of rubbish that accumulated over winter and was previously covered by snow. Therefore early spring and late autumn are not the best times to visit Russia in general. It is best to have a visit in either summer or winter and both seasons have their pluses and minuses.

  Summer, of course, means more chances of lovely summer days, but this comes with mosquitos and it can also get too hot (even in Siberia). Winter brings a cosy atmosphere and beautiful snowy scenes - just the type most people associate with Russia - but you would have to then endure the freezing temperatures and the short hours of daylight.

  The full range of Russian trains can be found coursing along the Trans-Siberian. From old, simple ones without air-conditioning or bio-toilets, to modern ones with private compartments like mobile hotel rooms. So you should select the option most suitable for you and your wallet. More details on the different trains can be found here.

    Finally you should decide on what places you would like to visit on the journey and you can see some highlights here.

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