The Itinerary!

It has taken months of research and planning. It has existed in numerous drafts. Here it is: 8  trains, 35 Days, over 7,000 miles...

02-07-10    Depart Hualumphong Station by train #69 at 20:00
03-07-10    Arrive Nong Kai 08:25 and Arrive Vientiane 09:30
04-07-10    Stay Vientiane
05-07-10    Stay Vientiane
06-07-10    Depart Vientiane for Phonsavanh
07-07-10    Depart Phonsavanh for Nam Kanh border crossing to Vinh and Hanoi
08-07-10    Stay Hanoi
09-07-10    Depart Hanoi 18:30 by train 
10-07-10    On train to border at Dong Dang
11-07-10    Arrive Beijing 13:20
12-07-10    Stay Beijing
13-07-10    Stay Beijing
14-07-10    Stay Beijing
15-07-10    Stay Beijing
16-07-10    Stay Beijing
17-07-10    Depart Beijing by train #23 at 07:45  

18-07-10    Arrive Sainshand at 05:21, transfer  Ger camp.  Monastery + dunes, 2 nights 

19-07-10    Day trip into the Gobi, visit a Nomadic family and ride a Camel, overnight 

20-07-10    Free time at camp. Transfer to Sainshand, depart train #285 at 21:00 

21-07-10    Arrive Ulaan Bator at 08:30, city tour, transfer to Elstei Ger Lodge. 

22-07-10    Horse-riding trips, overnight 

23-07-10    Free time at the camp, afternoon transfer back to UB
24-07-10    Free time, transfer to train #263/361 at 21:10

25-07-10    On the train crossing the Mongolian / Russian border

26-07-10    Arrive Irkutsk 07:31. Transfer to Listvyanka with museum. Homestay, 2 nights 

27-07-10    Choice of 3 activities (Diving, Soft Trekking, Quad Biking) at Listvyanka.

28-07-10    Return to Irkutsk, city tour, free time. Angara Hotel, 1 night

29-07-10    Breakfast. Free time. Transfer to train #339 at 18:35
30-07-10    On train, across Siberia
31-07-10    On train, across Siberia
01-08-10    On train, passing from Asia into Europe and the Ural Mountains
02-08-10    Arrive Moscow at 04:11
03-08-10    Depart Moscow by train at 21:09
04-08-10    Cross into Belarus and Poland
05-08-10    Arrive Cologne at 06:14, depart 12:32, Depart Brussels 14:29, Arrive St Pancras 3.26pm