Bike on train Moskou - Tashkent
 

I'm planning a trip into Central Asia, Iran & the Middle East in the autumn of this year.
As I've found out reading different travelreports, the roadconditions in Kazachstan are far from great.
So, I was thinking to put my bike on the train in Moskou and go to Tashkent - Uzbekistan on this manner.
Does anyone have experience with this ? Things I should know or do beforehand ??
Or... am I the only pussy who puts his bike on a train...:cool4:

Bike on Train
 

If u wanna arrive in Tashkent without your bike, then pls go ahead and put it on a train.:thumbup1:

The roads in Central Asia are generally all the same but the one road you are thinking of could be a bit more rough then others. But either u are in for the adventure Central Asia or then stay at home.

If u have more questions, let me know.

Take care

CA

Claudio Angelini

Thanks for your response.

I'm in for the adventure... (trying to find out if there are alternative ways to cross Kazachstan is part of the preparations I'm making... and it doesn't mean that I should stay home or not)
I'm doing the trip on my Yamaha R6, so I'm trying to avoid to much offroad riding.


peter

Kaz roads
 

Peter,

these roads are typical of quite a few roads in Kaz. They are in the process of renewing them but the target date is something like 2030.

A lot of roads are full of potholes... deep ones that will have you off your R6. A lot have been churned up by machines in preparation of road building to start like the one in the top shot. As a result you have to drive beside the road in the dirt.

Its fun for about a day.:eek3:

The top picture is of what you might call a "good" bit
The 2nd one speaks for itself. You wouldn't want to hit that at speed. Thats why we made a "no night driving" rule

Have fun,
John

Hi John,

Yep, that 's the reason why I was thinking to find another solution to cross Kazachstan.
I've been doing some gravelroads in Bosnia Hercegovina, Syria & Turkey with a sportsbike. But that 's something else as the Kaz roads...(thanks for the pics :-) )
But it seems that taking a train isn't that good option...

Ok... it give's me things to think over.
I still have more than half year before I leave, so I have some time to change plans, find other options,...

Thanks for your message

kind regards
Peter

Kazak
 

Hey Peter

you should have mentioned in the first place that you are planning to do the trip on a sports bike. :cool4:

Well, why don't you enter Kazak then via Semipalatinsk? All Bitumen down to Almaty and then you can head through the Stans without leaving the good roads. Kazak, Kyrgyz, Uzbek and Turkmenistan over to Iran. No gravel on this route...

Claudio

what about the traject Astrachan - Atyrau - Beyneu (Kaz) - Nukus (Uz) ?
I've read some reports of a (very) bad gravelroad between Beyneu & Nukus.
Does someone has recent information on this traject ?
Is it possible with a Yam R6 ? (I've done some enduro & MX in the past, so I have offroad experience).
I've also received info that there is a train going from Beyneu to Kungrad... is this an option that someone has tried before ?