Buying Tickets

Trying to be budget in Russia is hard work. Today it meant hanging out at the train station for over two hours trying to figure out how to cheaply get to Moscow from Irkutsk, where we’ve just arrived, in one week’s time. If we weren’t on a tight budget, we could’ve gone to a ticketing agent who spoke English (and who charges a commission) instead of struggling with a digital ticketing info booth that only functions in Russian. Thank goodness we had a train station employee who spoke English helping us through the process.

The distance from Irkutsk to Moscow is over 5,000 kilometers and takes over three days, in most cases nearly four days. We went through various combinations of departure dates and stopping somewhere in the middle, but no matter what, the only affordable tickets to Moscow are for two upper beds not close together. Which means for close to four days, Scott and I won’t be able to decide when we want to sit down (instead of laying down) because it’s up to the whim of whoever’s on the lower bunk. And we won’t be able to keep each other company unless we’re constantly playing musical train chairs.

What to do? It’s all part of the adventure.

Tomorrow we’re off to Olkhon Island on Lake Baikal.