Our train wasn't until 11:22 this morning. Not 11:20 or 11:30 - no, it was 11:22. So we had plenty of time to stock up on food and drinks for the trip before we headed for the metro and Beijing Central Station.
It was the usual crowded place we arrived at when we got to the station so we went straight towards the sign saying "Entrance" and when we got though the queues we realised that we were in the ticket office and not inside the actual station. A little running around, trying a new queue and then we made it inside the station building and found the platform where our train was waiting. We are going on the Trans Mongolian Train. How crazy is that??
Found our carriage - number 15 - and our compartment - and before we knew it we were on the way. Passing through the suburbs of Beijing we quickly left the capital, the landscape went from flat into mountainous, tunnels started to appear and for the next many hours we enjoyed the scenery. The train has a few short stops on the way to the border so we got to see a few more Chinese provincial towns on the way.
We reached the border crossing just after sunset and then the fun started. We knew from the schedule that there would be a 4 hour stop but not how we were supposed to participate. It turned out to be very easy. A customs officer showed up at our compartment and collected our passports, then the train was taken to a big building where all the carriages had the wheels changed (to fit the Mongolian/Russian track gauge). The train was put back again and around 00:30 we were back at the platform, had our passports handed back. At exactly 00:59 the train left the platform, the second it started moving the sound of the Chinese National hymn was heard all of the station and the border soldier who had guarded the door to our train wagon started to run along the train - his colleagues following him as he passed them.
The entertainment at the Mongol border wasn't as spectacular but the service was equally good. Customs and passports were taken care of without us leaving the train. Much better service than getting off and on the truck when doing the usual border crossings.
And then it was back to sleep. Overlanding is so comfortable.
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| Quiet morning |
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| Trying to find our train |
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| Lunch in the dining car |
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| Happiness is when you find a bottle of white wine on the Trans Mongolian Train |
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| Sunset from the Trans Mongolian |
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| Changing wheels |
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| Inspectors inspection the inspectors inspecting...... |
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