My Life Aboard the Nomad Train
Photo Essay + Videos
I’m always up for an adventure, so I was an easy target for the Nomad Train. Three attractions in particular induced me to sign up.
#1 “The Stans” Itinerary: Central Asia, colloquially known as “The Stans,” has been calling me for a while. It was my last region of the world to explore. So I was certainly hearing the siren call.
And I happened to be in the neighborhood, hanging out in the Caucasus, it was easy (and cheap - only $200) for me to catch a direct flight from Tbilisi to Almaty, the capital of Kazakhstan.
Our itinerary moved pretty fast, with only 10 days riding the rails. It knew it would be quick, but it turned out to be lightning fast, especially when you included side trips.
Only once did we spend 2 nights in the same hotel. This rate of fast travel turned out to be hard on everyone, lots of 5:00 a.m. alarms and 10:00 p.m. dinners.
#2 Soviet-style Trains: As a Trans-Siberian veteran, I was acquainted with Soviet-style trains. I dig them. I like the nostalgia. I like the constant, rocking motion. I like the samovar and hot tea.
And I was prepared for the conditions inside the train, such as our quad compartment. On each new stretch, we were given bed linens and towels and were responsible for making up our beds.
An inside peek at one of the Soviet-style trains that we rode during our Central Asia Nomad Train adventure. Pictured: Fraz in the corridor and my cabin mates Katharine, Zsofia, and Laura.
Now, there are certain unwritten rules to sleeper trains:
Don’t sit on someone’s bunk without permission.
Try not to put your feet (especially if they’ve had contact with the floor) on someone’s bed.
Pay attention to swinging your feet in someone’s face.
The toilet, of course, was in a separate category of concern. Because of men’s general inability to aim straight and the train movement, there was usually some minor flooding on the floor. (This is one of the main reasons I bought boots for the trip.)
I also just really like train travel in general and the opportunity to sit back and watch the world go by. Out the window, we spied sunrises and sunsets, young boys riding horses, and farmers tending their fields.
Train stops are also part of the fun. At times, we had 15-20 minutes to walk around and explore far-flung stations. Sometimes we’d get off to buy some food – fried bread was a favorite – or just stretch our legs.
We only spent one night on the train; the rest of the time was long-day trips. Usually, we stayed in new(ish) small hotels. Although along Issyk Kul, we had the option to stay in lake-side yurts.
Note: All the trains were Soviet-style except the line connecting Tashkent – Samarkand – Bukhara. These trains were not only modern, but some of the nicest I’ve ever seen, complete with beverage and snack service.
#3 Nomad Friends: Led by our intrepid leaders, Olga and Andy, about half of us were nomads and half travelers on holiday. All of us were friends by the end.
We easily moved between train compartments, visiting one another. Playing cards was a hot activity. Here’s our Kyrgyz conductor trying to teach us a new game. There was a definite language barrier, but it didn’t seem to matter much.
Learning (sort of) a new card game with our conductor. Video by Katharine Ferrier.
In each new city, we had the option to take a tour. For instance, most of us went on a day trip to Turkestan (a region in Kazakhstan, not to be confused with the country of Turkmenistan).
There was plenty of time to do our own thing, too. Often, we would self-segregate by activity. Some went on hikes and bike rides, while others paired off to go to lunch or check out the bazaar.
We even had (a little bit of) time to do some work. Here a group of us are digital-nomading during a break in Kyrgyzstan.
Most days, we would congregate for dinner, swapping experiences we’d had throughout the day. Everyone was here for the adventure and enjoyed the camaraderie of our fellow travelers.
In the end, I had an all-around good time and made some life-long friends.
Did the Nomad Train live up to its promise? Definitely.
Would I recommend? Yes.
Would I go again? Never say never.
Do you like train travel? What is the best train trip you’ve been on? How about group travel? Any nightmare stories?
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Christened “Wander Woman” by National Geographic, Erin Michelson is a professional speaker and author of the Nomad Life™ series of curated trips and travel guides, including the #1-ranked “Explore the World with Nomads.”