The route of the Trans-Manchurian Railway from Beijing heads first north, through Shanhaiguan, Szenjang and Harbin to the border crossing in Manzhouli (935 km from Beijing). The Russian demarcation point is Zabajkals, from where tracks run to Tarskaj, where the line meets with the Trans-Siberian Railway.
8803 kilometres - this is the length of the Trans-Manchurian Railway on the route between Moscow and Beijing. It has its beginning nearly 300 kilometres behind Lake Baikal in the town of Tatarskaja. It bypasses Mongolia, crosses the border with China and runs through Harbin to Beijing. More important stops are: Irkutsk (after 3 days and 4 h), Chita (after 3 days and 21 h), Harbin (after 5 days and 9 h), Beijing (after 6 days and 1h).
Below, there is a brief description of the stops of the route of the railway route of the Trans-Manuchurian Line from Moscow to Beijing.
Chita 6166 km
Chita is a big industrial city and the centre of the Chita region with the population of 370 thousand citizens. It was established in 1651 as Cossack strenghtenings in the Far East. Chita is also known as one of the cities to which were sent Decembrists. The train stops here for 25 minutes.
Karymskaja 6292 km
The city was established in 1935 on the banks of the River Ingoda. It lies on both the Trans-Siberian and trans-Mongolian routes. The train stops here for 25 minutes.
Olovianaia 6410 km
Here the train crosses the River Onon, which for the passengers is an opportunity to take pictures of the river and the surrounding step. The trains stops here for 10 min.
Borzja 6509 km
Borzja was established in the 17th century. In 1899 it became a popular trade and transport centre. To this day it is an important stop for many traders. The train stops for 19 min.
Zabaikalsk 6626 km
The city is located nearby the Chinese border. Here the wheels of the train are changed, so that they fit the width of Chinese tracks. It lasts from two to six hours. Meanwhile, you can go for a walk, however, you have to remember about warm clothes. In the soviet times taking photos was strictly forbidden, but today it is usually allowed, you mustn't only photograph the guards and military objects.
Manzhouli (the Manchurian railway station - the Chinese side of the border) 6638 km
On the Chinese border you have to prepare for a customs and passport control. On the way from China to Russia you have to fill in the health declaration. The train stops for 26 min.
Hailar 6773 km
On the way to Hailar you can admire endless steppes and mountains. The train stops for 6 minutes.
Boketu 6973 km
Boketu is located in the Inner Mongolia, the autonomous region of China. The population of the region is 23 millions citizens (79% Chinese, 17% Mongolian and 4% others). The train stops for 8 minutes
Harbin 7573 km
Harbin is one of the main cities of China and north-eastern Asia. It lies on the southern bank of the River Songhua. Harbin is an industrial city, but it managed to preserve an enchanting architecture. It can be called eastern Petersburg due to overwhelming Russian influences, which date back to the times of the construction of the railway. Harbin will be hosting the Winter Olympics in 2010. The train stops for 15 min.
Szenian 8120 km
The capital of Liaoning province with a population of 7.2 million citizens. Szenian is famous for the Mukden Palace - previous imperial palace of Qing dynasty, today a museum under the auspices of UNESCO. The train stops for 15 min.
Beijing 8961 km
The beginning or the end of the journey.
