Relay: TransIrUBBeBAMBa (16) - Khabarovsk - Severobaykalsk: Transsib and BAM

The most train intensive part of the journey, and anticipated to be the most attractive: the stretch of the Transsiberian route crossing the Siberia itself, and then the less popular, northern and mostly diesel operated Baykal-Amur line. We boarded train 325 Khabarovsk - Nerungri (further part to Yakutsk is still under construction). The coach was very similar to the Chinese (no back rests and headrests, simple storage nets) and upon inspection appeared to be German built in 1990. So the Chinese was either the same type or it's copy. Shame on them again, to use a quarter century old rolling stock on 7 days route. On top of that our was equipped in sort-of-aircon (temperature stopped raising when turned on) and was acceptably clean inside (the window needed to have inspection holes wiped in the outside dirt though).The provadtnitsyas can be grumpy or strict, but they do their duties properly, with small details like wiping handrails when opening the coach door making big difference.

As for the travel itself not much to be remembered: forest on the left, forest on the right, occasionally a villige stuck in timewarp...

In the morning I tried to buy tomatoes for the breakfast, but for whatever reason the locals on the platform would sell me a whole bucket (200RUB) only.

In Skorovidino for the dinner we bought still warm dumplings with cabbage or mashed potato filling - delicious and only 100RUB for 10 pieces.

That is where a diesel locomotive got attached and we diverted on the ' Little BAM'

After not so good night in Tynda we headed straight back to the station, I skipped the only attraction of the place : BAM museum.

The station building is of rather futuristic architecture. the other noticeable accent is passage to the platform: it is very high( the only reason for that big track clearance I can think of is to allow nuclear missiles to be transported without problem) and each of the steps is of different height, lenght, slope and their edges can be sharp, slanted or rounded.

Even though the train (075 to Moscow Kazansky station) comes from Nerungri early, it stays inaccessible for the time of manoeuvres.

This leg was was a bit more of hardcore: instead of kupe (kupeiny, with compartments) we chose platskarny coach. The difference is no compartment as such, apart from partitions made by walls the beds are attached to. There are also beds along the other side of the coach (bokove, literally ‘side’, where the corridor would be in kupe), the lower one of those also includes fold-out table, so may be of little comfort. This time booking places right next to provadtnitsya was beneficial, as the side beds were used as bedding storage, so as a result we had arrangement like in a compartment with the door open permanently. Thing to note is that the beds are shorter to fit the side row of beds. Thanks to increased capacity the price is accordingly lower.

The area the BAM line passes through is much more hilly, and the following morning we woke up with beautiful mountain backdrop. The stretch near the Severomuysky tunnel is definitely the most spectacular part of the journey.

Useful hints:

Where to stay in Tynda? Use 'komnaty otdykha' (resting rooms) right at the station (2nd floor). We had our accomodation in the town booked through Russian tourist agency, but when we arrived, it appeared hostel owner offered it to somebody else. That way after day and a half of travel, at midnight, with a child, we ended up in the middle of nowhere looking for alternative room in 'Gostinitsa Yunost'.