6 Ways to Explore the Silk Road by Private Train

For more than a thousand years, the interconnecting web of routes known as the Silk Road was at the heart of economic and cultural exchange between East and West. Winding through fabled oasis cities such as Samarkand and Bukhara, this legendary conduit gave rise to the trade of precious silks, spices, metals, and jewels that fueled ancient empires, and spread ideas, technology, art, and spiritual beliefs that shaped the ancient world. 

Camel caravans of old once trudged through treacherous desert sands and mountain passes. But today, you can follow in the footsteps of ancient merchants, monks, conquerors, and explorers aboard a comfortable and stylish rail journey by private train.

Why Travel the Silk Route Now?

During our 30 years of operation, we’ve seen interest in travel to Central Asia skyrocket – and we couldn’t be happier that one of our longtime favorite regions has grown in popularity. The 5 ‘Stans are rich repositories of treasures waiting to be discovered. And MIR has mined years of expertise and insider knowledge about them.

The time to visit these fascinating Silk Road countries is now. And what better way to traverse their vast desert expanses than in the comfort and style of a private train?

1. Republics of the Silk Road by Private Train

• 17-day rail journey: Moscow to Almaty via Central Asia aboard the luxury Golden Eagle private train
• Stops in 6 countries: Russia, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, Uzbekistan

• A shorter, 14-day version of this rail journey is also available: Tashkent to Almaty aboard the luxury Golden Eagle private train
• Stops in 4 countries: Uzbekistan, Kyrgyzstan, Turkmenistan, Kazakhstan

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2. The Silk Route by Private Train

• 21-day rail journey: Beijing to Moscow via Central Asia aboard the luxury Golden Eagle private train
• Stops in 5 countries: China, Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan, Turkmenistan, Russia

• A shorter, 13-day version of this rail journey is also available: Almaty to Moscow aboard the luxury Golden Eagle private train
• Stops in 4 countries: Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan, Turkmenistan, Russia

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3. Tibet & China Rail Discovery

• 13-day rail journey: Urumqi to Lhasa aboard the Shangri-La Western Express private train.
• Stops in: China and Tibet

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4. Essence of the Silk Road by Private Train

• 14-day rail journey: Between Almaty and Ashgabat aboard the Orient Silk Road Express private train, eastbound and westbound routes
• Stops in 3 countries: Kazakhstan, Turkmenistan, Uzbekistan

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5. Essence of the Silk Road & Beyond by Private Train

• 16-day rail journey: Almaty to Tashkent aboard the Orient Silk Road Express private train
• Stops in 4 countries: Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Uzbekistan, Kyrgyzstan

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6. Caspian Odyssey by Private Train

• 16-day rail journey: South Caucasus to Central Asia aboard the luxury Golden Eagle private train
• Stops in 6 countries: Armenia, Georgia, Azerbaijan, Turkmenistan, Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan

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MIR is an award-winning company with over 30 years of travel experience in this area of the world, in addition to having affiliate offices in Siberia, Western Russia, and Uzbekistan that provide a superior edge in on-the-ground operations. 

MIR makes it easy to discover incredible destinations on all of our private rail journeys. Each train departure features comfortable accommodations, modern amenities, and superb service on board, and allows travelers to easily and efficiently cover thousands of miles across multiple time zones.