Upcoming Trans Siberian trip/KHL games

[Heffmanhere]

Hi there,

I was in Russia a few years ago and was lucky to take in a KHL game in Moscow. It was in the old rink where the Canada-Russia 1972 Summitt Series took place so it was a fascinating experience in so many ways. The game was Dinamo Moscow vs Sibr, the team from Novosibirsk in Siberia.

Anyway, I'm going back to Russia again this fall and I am going to do the trans Siberian railway trip this time, going from Moscow to Vladivostok. The 2016-2017 schedule isn't out yet and I'll have to book my flight before I see the schedule which obviously isn't ideal. I've also seen that the league has altered the schedule to accommodate the Eurotour stages etc and that will adversely affect my ability to see a few games because I plan to arrive in Moscow Oct 17 then head home to Vancouver Nov 7th and one of the KHL breaks will occur October 29th to Nov 6th. And much of my time in Russia this time will be on the train crossing the country.

OK sorry about the tediously long preamble there

What I am looking for is:

Any idea when the schedule is announced? Late June seems to be the norm from what I've seen. But who knows.

I'd love to see a game in Novosibirsk. It'll be blind luck that they play at home when I'm there Oct 21-23 but here's hoping. Has anyone been to a game there? How is the experience/arena? Can I buy tickets at the gate on game day?

My sked won't work to see a game in Vladivostok because of the league wise closure in late Ocotober but I may be able to see a game in Moscow again. Anyone have any insight seeing a game at the Spartak arena or the CSKA arena?

Any other suggestions and tips would be gratefully accepted.

Many thanks,

Jeff.

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[Go Donbass]

Like yourself I live in Canada, so can't answer any of your questions regarding game experiences and what not, as I've never been to Russia or a KHL game.

However, in regards to the schedule, well that's in flux right now. There really isn't any certainty as to how many teams will be in the league next year. There's 8 teams that are having financial difficulties and it's not yet determined whether they will be allowed to play next year. Also there's still the uncertainty as to whether there will be one, two or no teams from China. I'm guessing we won't see a schedule until some time in July.

 

[Milos Krasic]

Don't forget the VHL if you just want to see hockey on your travels.

 

[Atas2000]

Last season's schedule was signed on 30th June. Should be the case this year too.

 

[Heffmanhere]

Thanks for the replies...I guess I will have to wait until the KHL schedule comes out in a month or two and then cross my fingers that a few games take place in the cities along my route while I'm there. The VHL might be very interesting to check out too. Thanks again for your help...

 

[pulverapa]

Teams you can visit:

Moscow: Dynamo, CSKA, Spartak
Nizhny Novgorod: Torpedo
Kazan: Ak Bars
Ekaterinburg: Avtomobilist (Chelyabinsk, Salavat Yulaev, Metallurg Magnitogorsk within 500 km)
Omsk: Avangard
Novosibirsk: Sibir
Novokuznetsk: Metallurg Novokuznetsk
Khabarovsk: Amur
Vladivostok: Admiral

Good to know: Teams in Siberia and in the Urals often play 3-4 games in a row at home, every second day. So if you for instance get to Ekaterinburg and they are not playing, you could travel to Chelyabinsk. Thats about 300km to the south with bus (6-7 hours, bad roads). And then go back to Ekaterinburg and catch a game then continue your travel. Also, it's not necessary to travel all the way from Moscow to Vladivstok. You could for instance fly back to Moscow when you reach Novosibirsk.

 

[Atas2000]

Teams you can visit:

Moscow: Dynamo, CSKA, Spartak
Nizhny Novgorod: Torpedo
Kazan: Ak Bars
Ekaterinburg: Avtomobilist (Chelyabinsk, Salavat Yulaev, Metallurg Magnitogorsk within 500 km)
Omsk: Avangard
Novosibirsk: Sibir
Novokuznetsk: Metallurg Novokuznetsk
Khabarovsk: Amur
Vladivostok: Admiral

Good to know: Teams in Siberia and in the Urals often play 3-4 games in a row at home, every second day. So if you for instance get to Ekaterinburg and they are not playing, you could travel to Chelyabinsk. Thats about 300km to the south with bus (6-7 hours, bad roads). And then go back to Ekaterinburg and catch a game then continue your travel. Also, it's not necessary to travel all the way from Moscow to Vladivstok. You could for instance fly back to Moscow when you reach Novosibirsk.

If you had read the OP carefully... He obviously wants to travel the whole Transsib in the first place and hockey is just icing on the cake if it works. And he seems to be from the West coast as hes planning on flying back to Vancouver. The plan makes perfect sense for him then to travel to Vladivostok and fly over to Vancouver from there. The way home through Moscow would take him around the globe again nearly.

I will also just add to your post that due to distances there are pretty lengthy road trips/home stays. But as long as the Transsib travels through nearly all the cities involved in the KHL there definitely schould be at least one team at home at the right time. I don't think excessive deviations from the route just to catch some hockey somewhere make sense.

Also the actual route depends on how the trip is planned. The actual better way is to just buy train tickets in Russia and have the route your way. Travel agencies mostly bind you to some route and time frame. Also the first part of the route may be very different. You can go through Yaroslavl or Kazan. Those are different routes. the northern route through Yaroslavl would include the following KHL locations:

Moscow, Yaroslavl, Yekateringburg, Omsk, Novosibirsk, Khabarovsk, Vladivostok.

(There are also routes deviating in the asian part, but that's the main route basically)

One could easily buy tickets through Kazan, Ufa and Chelyabinsk too instead. On this route you miss Yaroslavl and Yekaterinburg though.

 

[Heffmanhere]

Quick update:

Atlas pretty much nailed it for me...Taking in a few hockey games is something I'd like to compliment my TSR trip across the entire country if at all possible.

My train trip is broken up into four pieces (Moscow to Novosibirsk, then Novosibirsk to Irkutsk, then Irkutsk to Ulan Ude and then from there to Vladivostok. I'll be in each town for approx 3 nights. Because of the break in the KHL sked in late October/early November this year, my only chance to see a game is in Moscow in mid October and again in Novosibirsk Oct 20-22. I knew from the outset that seeing a game was a long shot but that is also part of the fun too Once I see the 2016-2017 KHL sked, I'll know if I will be able to see a game during this train trip.

As an aside, as I mentioned in my original post, I saw a KHL game in Moscow in 2013 and it was beyond cool so if anyone has a chance to see a KHL game, it's something I highly recommend. The bonus for me was that I was able to see a game in the same rink where the Canada-Russia 1972 series took place; I had a great seat there that I bought just as they were dropping the puck and I only paid about $5 CAD for the privilege

I'll keep you posted on my plans once the schedule comes out. If I'm able to take in a game, I'd be happy to report back on that too if there's anyone interested that is