Motorcycle on Trans-Sib from Moscow to Vladi
 

I am planning to visit Russia on my motorcycle this coming spring. I would like to get to Moscow and then get on the Trans-Sib to Vladi and ride back to Moscow. Does any one knows if the Trans-Sib takes motorcycles? If yes, will the motorcycle travel on the same train as me? How do I make reservations for the motorcycle? If not, is there any alternative to get the bike from Moscow to Vladi? (Cargo train? Truck?) As anyone tryed this? Any info related to this is greatly appreciated. Thx

Jorge

Hi.

I am also planning a trip to russia and mongolia and I have seen threads on the site about people putting the bike on the same train as they took. I can't remember if it was only to the border of Mongolia or if they went all the way to vlad (I gues it shouldn't matter). If I remember correctly you need to have someone with you in moscow that speeks russia (unless you do) to arrange everything.

Good luck!

Hello, my last info from train office in Moscow:
... says that motorcycles ought to be under 165 kg weight, jn a wooden frame-box, without petrol or oil. Tarif according to actual weight, registered and paid on the spot at the Baggage office of the station of departure. Sure, you can travel on the same train, but must take care of your cycle in good advance, and purchase your ticket about a month before travel...

...I ve read two posts according to them, one Lc4 and one Transalp were carried on the train. I think they were over 165kg... On the first post they advise you to catch up train no.10. Passanger+bike on the same train. Both posts were mention that speaking russian is essential... About prices: a russian community member from Moscow told me that for bike+person, Moscow-Vlad it would be around 1500$ during Sept. Another member from Vlad told me that it would cost shipping the bike around 250-300$ without my ticket. I think you should make your own search.

Good luck and if you find anything interesting, post it.

Mine weights over 165 kg for sure, but it should not weight much more than the TransAlp (she is a BMW R1200 GSA.) I will keep on searching & if I find something about this I will post it here. Meanwhile, if there is anyone out there with any add'l info ....! Thx in advance.

Jorge

If you rock up at a train station with your bike you will get robbed blind, especially if you are not fluent Russian. $1500 bucks is a rip off, the passenger fee (super-economy class, smelly but fun) shouldn't be more than $100, you should be able to get the bike crated up and sent over for about the same. On the north side of Moscow on the MKAD ring road (at 5 to 12 on a clock-face) to the south side of the road is a large area of stalls and shops for vehicle bits and bobs, which is home to NBS motor, who have regional franchises in other parts of russia. They regularly crate and freight bikes by train and they boxed up my Elefant and got it on a train with their other bikes for around 100 bucks (complete with all fluids still). It meant waiting for a few weeks for my bike at the other end, which was a good break from being on the road and allowed me to learn how to drink a whole bottle of vodka over dinner, gaining me honorary if temporary Russian status

Actually just remembered the Ducati place is around 5 to 12, NBS motor are more like 1:00. Around the 91 km mark (the ring road is numbered in KM), if you take the Ostavstoshskya Ulitsa (???) exit you should see some sort of motor parts refugee camp type thing to your left. I miss Russia, the people, the crazy placenames, the pickled fish and my pickled liver....

2 years ago we managed to put our bike in a train in Moscow with a 3 days notice, without any crating: just emptied the tank, rolled it into the freight wagon and strapped it to the side!

It was a major hassle and would have been quite impossible without a Russian speaker to translate for us. What helped though, I guess, was the fortunate encounter (me waiting on the platform with my fully loaded bike) with one railway official who's also a biker, and could speak a few English words. It all went very smoothly after he raised his voice...

I don't remember the price, we paid by the weight and it was not much more than our own ticket (2nd class). We rode the same train, of course, I wouldn't have let it be loaded or unloaded without me being there!

Good luck.

Laurent
http://asianrider.blogspot.com

I shipped my bike from Vlad to Moscow.
Yes there is a limit of 165kg, but if you write a letter to chief of baggage department, and ask if they can make exception then it's OK... My bike with all the stuff was more then 300kg.

Also, i think the best thing is to send bike by train and you take a plane. I bought plane ticket from Vlad to Moscow under 7 000 RUB, and train ticket was 11 000 RUB.

All in all you should learn to speak Russian, it will be of great help on your trip, plus you will have much better time making friends with Russian people, one of the best peoples on the world.

Thx all. It looks like the trick is to hire a local guy to help out in the process. And to have a flex schedule! I am planning to be there very early in the season (boarding in Moscow to Vlad around late April) so that should help as well! Rgds