International Trains

Beijing - Moscow Trains: K3/ K4

 Beijing - Moscow Trains K3/4 have been out of service since February 2020. The trial run will be conducted by the end of 2024, but the specific time for formal operation is still unknown.

Train No.: Beijing → Moscow: K3 (In China), 003 (In Russia and Mongolia); Moscow → Beijing: K4 (In China), 004 (In Russia and Mongolia)
Departure: 07:27 every Wednesday at Beijing Railway Station; 23:45 every Tuesday at Moscow Yaroslavskiy Railway Station
Arrival: 13:58 every Monday at Moscow Yaroslavskiy Railway Station; 14:35 every Monday at Beijing Railway Station
Duration: 127 hours and 36 minutes for China to Russia train K3/003; 131 hours and 55 minutes for Russia to China train K4/004
Passing by: China, Mongolia and Russia via Trans-Siberian Railway
Length: 7,826 kilometers (4,863 miles)
Operator: China Beijing Railway Bureau

 

Beijing to Moscow Train Schedule: K3

Date

Stations

Arrival

Departure

Wednesday

Beijing

---

07:27

Shalingzi West 10:40 10:50
Jining South

15:27

15:43

Erlian

20:18

00:59

Thursday

Zamyn-Uud

01:25

02:40

Ulaanbaatar
(Ulan Bator)

14:35

15:22

Suha Bator

21:50

23:10

Naushki

18:55

20:45

Friday

Ulan-Ude

00:53

01:38

Irkutsk

09:37

10:22

Saturday

Krasnoyarsk

03:53

04:15

Novosibirsk

16:00

16:20

Omsk

23:20

23:36

Sunday

Tyumen

06:29

06:49

Ekaterinburg

11:28

11:58

Perm

17:20

17:40

Monday

Moscow

13:58

---


 Kind Reminder:
1. This timetable worked before the trains stopped service in 2020. 
2. Please make sure your visa for Russia is valid when passing through the China-Russia border.
 

Moscow to Beijing Train Schedule: K4

Date

Stations

Arrival

Departure

Tuesday

Moscow

---

23:55

Wednesday

Perm

19:54

20:14

Thursday Ekaterinburg

01:16

01:44

Tyumen

05:59

06:19

Omsk

13:36

13:52

Novosibirsk

21:03

21:23

Friday

Krasnoyarsk

08:39

09:01

Saturday

Irkutsk

02:13

03:08

Ulan-Ude

10:00

10:45

Naushki

14:57

16:47

Suha Bator

22:29

00:14

Sunday

Ulaanbaatar
(Ulan Bator)
06:45 07:30
Zamyn-Uud

18:40

20:35

Monday Erlian

21:00

02:00

Jining South 06:37 06:55
Shalingzi West 11:09 11:15
Beijing

14:35

---

Note:
1. This timetable is based on local time.
 

Previous Ticket Fare to Major Stations

Beijing To

Deluxe Soft Sleeper

Hard Sleeper

Ulaanbaatar CNY 2,041 CNY 1,310

Suha-Bator

CNY 2,380

CNY 1,499

Naushki

CNY 2,398

CNY 1,511

Ulan-Ude

CNY 2,849

CNY 1,793

Irkutsk

CNY 3,361

CNY 2,139

Krasnoyarsk

CNY 4,042

CNY 2,551

Novosibirsk

CNY 4,470

CNY 2,799

Omsk

CNY 4,770

CNY 2,985

Tyumen

CNY 5,077

CNY 3,173

Ekaterinburg

CNY 5,245

CNY 3,285

Perm

CNY 5,469

CNY 3,418

Moscow

CNY 6,080

CNY 3,793

Note:
1. To buy group tickets, the group must have 6 or more passengers.
2. The above ticket price is for reference only. It may be different on the spot due to exchange rate changes and other reasons.
3. The service fee of CNY 50 shall be paid.
 

How to Buy the Ticket

International railway tickets can be purchased from designated ticket counters at railway stations or from commissioned agencies like TCG. They are generally open for booking 30 days prior to departure for individual passengers and 60 days for group passengers. After booking, the tickets are released 10 days ahead of departure for individuals and 20 days ahead for groups.
See details of Purchase an International Rail Ticket
 

Basic Information

This train started running on June 4th, 1959, along the branch of the well-known Trans-Siberian Railway. From then on, it has travelled over 26.1 million miles (42 million kilometers), equivalent to 1,000 circles of the earth, hence reputed as "No. 1 Train of China". In the early years, the passengers were mainly officials who went on business trips; in 1990s, with the development of border trade, businessmen became the major passengers. However, entering the 21st century, tourists prevail, whose aim is to appreciate scenery along the trail.

The facilities onboard offer no major differences from other regular trains of China, except that only deluxe soft sleeper carriages have air-conditioners while the other carriages are still heated by coal and cooled by fan. Also, two deluxe soft sleeper carriages share one toilets and shower facilities are not offered.
See details of China train facilities onboard

 

Tips

1. The train is not overcrowded, as with other China trains. It is not tiring and uncomfortable to take it. Besides, there are many magnificent views along the trail;
2. Regular passengers should apply for a Mongolian transit visa and a Russian visa before getting on board;
3. The hard sleepers are in separate lockable compartments which is not a big difference with soft sleepers on Chinese domestic routes.
4. Before leaving China at Erlian, the train's bogey will be changed to universal track width, (Chinese trains are narrower). Passengers can either stay on the train to watch the process or get off to have a rest in the waiting hall;
5. Compared with K19, which also heads for Moscow, K3 is suggested. There are several reasons: a) the deluxe soft sleepers of K3 are better-conditioned than K19; b) the duration of K3 is about one day less than K19; c) K19 enters Russia directly from Manzhouli, China and one cannot appreciate the scenery of Mongolia.

Other International Trains between China and nearby Countries

K23/K24:
Beijing - Ulaanbaatar

K27/K28:
Beijing - Pyongyang

T8701/T8702:
Nanning - Hanoi

4652/4653:
Hohhot - Ulaanbaatar

Z5/Z6:
Beijing - Hanoi

K9795/K9796: Urumqi - Almaty
K9797/K9798: Urumqi - Astana

Erlian - Ulaanbaatar

D87/D88:
Kunming - Vientiane


 International railways under construction/planning from China to:

- Last updated on Nov. 14, 2024 by Grace Yang -
Questions & Answers on Beijing - Moscow Trains: K3/ K4
Asked by Salma AlJuffry from MALAYSIA | Jun. 23, 2024 03:11Reply
Trans Siberian Beijing to Moscow
Can you buy tickets somewhat like hop on hop off from city to city along the journey from Beijing to Moscow eg., stop 2 nights in Ulaanbaatar, 2 nights Irkutsk etc?
Answers (1)
Answered by Daniel | Jun. 24, 2024 02:25
00Reply


You can make the train trip separately and buy tickets like this:
Beijing - Hohhot
Hohhot - Ulaanbaartar via Erlian
Ulaanbaartar - Irkutsk
Asked by Roy Ng Chye Lai from SINGAPORE | May. 08, 2024 06:25Reply
Just want to know when in 2024 this train to Moscow will be in service
Answers (1)
Answered by Marcy | May. 09, 2024 00:59
00Reply


I haven't heard of any piece of news about the resumption time yet.
Asked by Joseph from SINGAPORE | Mar. 08, 2024 03:28Reply
K4 in operation?
Planning on taking K4 from Irkutsk to Beijing in June 2024.

Are the K4 trains operating currently? If not are there other options if they are not?
If they are running, is there any way i can buy tickets online?
Answers (1)
Answered by Lisa | Mar. 10, 2024 19:46
00Reply


As I know, they are not operated yet and you can only take a flight.
Asked by Ariena from MALAYSIA | Jan. 03, 2024 23:08Reply
Travelling in July 2024
Are there trains running from Beijing to Ulan Ude? I heard currently train K3 still not in operation. It is correct?
Answers (1)
Answered by David | Jan. 07, 2024 19:24
00Reply


There is no train available between the two cities.

Yes, it is correct.
Asked by J from CHINA | May. 31, 2020 02:44Reply
travelling in June 2020
Are there trains running from Beijing to Moscow now (June 2020)? Is it possible to travel through Mongolia, Russia? My friend and I are Serbian and we are looking for a way to get home.
I read about buying meals on the train. Which currency is accepted?
Answers (1)
Answered by Cora from AUSTRALIA | Jun. 01, 2020 18:45
00Reply


The Trans-Siberia trains are still not available, all trains are stopped due to the COVID-19. USD and local currency are acceptable on the train.
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