of Lena and Baikal mountains - finally here! 
The station building from Ust-Kut, which carries the station name Lena
Soon we will cross the Lena - Oliver photographed constantly.
We wind up in the Baikal Mountains, surrounded by two of thousands of peaks.
04:07:06: Oliver had decided to get up early that day. He wanted to enjoy this last day of travel the varied landscape, which would result from Ust-Kut past us. Even before the arrival in get up Ust-Kut , had to get up early - very early, compared to recent days. Of course, also increases the excitement, if such a long car ride coming to an end.
Thus, we are on our arrival at the station Lena - this is the station of Ust-Kut - alert and ready for the first exit of the day. This time there are also some photos from the station. The sun is just rising and casts a long shadow. After the train is moving again, we roll through industrial wasteland. We see a building fire, but which is deleted by some fire departments and almost smoldering plumes of smoke rising from the charred building can be. Then the train clings ever closer to the west bank of the Lena and reveals a view of the river across to the wooded slopes of the eastern side.
Oliver is already armed with a camera to document the trip on the Lena photographs. Finally, we cross it, the Lena, which flows freely from dams to the Arctic Ocean and from Ust-Kut is navigable downstream - but only at the ice-free season from June to October.
After we passed the railway bridge, curve the tracks again to the mountain slope and slowly gain altitude. After we have already climbed to an impressive height of the Lena, the BAM adopted by the Lena, with a last breathtaking views of the majestic valley and swings in a side valley, which belongs to the foothills of the Baikal Mountains.
entrance to the tunnel before Severobaikalsk BAM - for a railfan Oliver oligatorisches photo.
The first day in Severobaikalsk - a fast-food meal under the umbrella on the central square.
view from the central square towards the hinterland.
begins for us one of the best BAM-sections. Although there are still many hours to Severobaikalsk, one finds little time to eat or pack up the items for the upcoming arrival. The changing pristine mountain landscapes attract constant views.
is some point where it and we pull a big loop around Strelka, before entering the first big BAM tunnel. Oliver also busily photographed. The conductor asked us to close in the tunnel window. He told us we would whisper of any radiation in the tunnel. Even if I do not believe the law, may we close the windows so that simply no musty tunnel air penetrates into the car. On the other side of the tunnel we are almost there. By Davan we drive along the valley of the river Goudshekit and after its confluence with the Tyja Tyja along the valley up to Lake Baikal, where the train station at Severobaikalsk holds.
Now we are here - finally! After disembarking, we can discover no "welcoming committee". A little later appears Ljuba and welcomed us warmly. When she learns that Matt has not come along, she is disappointed visible, but only for a short time. Together, we drive to the SchTEO - the School of Tourism and Environmental Education ", which Staff of the same GBT and hostel is.
In SchTEO (Russian ШТЭО), we make further acquaintance. All are busy to pack tools and supplies. We decide to stay in SchtEO and bring our bags in the room. After welcoming all friend, I am going with Aliona in a shed where there is the steel cable. There are two down in rings of rope with a diameter of 11 mm and a very strong individual wires. It is therefore very stiff and brought my cable clamps really too thick, because I had that selected for a 10-mm rope. Then I checked with Aliona the tools. We found that we needed some special things, such as a hacksaw. Aliona summarily decided that I should go with Yegor in a hardware store and get the missing items. Yegor chauffeured his father the car there and we bought everything we needed.
Back in SchTEO all other preparations were already made and we said goodbye for the rest of the day from our Russian friends. Then we went into town for dining and entertainment. Back in SchTEO finally found a night's rest at one of the local dormitory rooms.
The distance Yenisei and other highlights 
The new station building Krasnoyarsk was completed in 2006
This time is paved and the new platform, not a mist over the mountains to the east front of the Yenisei.
The distance Yenisei - the most water Siberian current.
03:07:06: The early morning greets us in Krasnoyarsk. We take a morning walk along the platform, which we encounter bustling with activity in the morning sun. We note that the new station building is now completed and the platform is now paved, which last year was still under construction. Only a few remaining work of construction workers performed. The view east is impressive as last year. The mountain range forms a barrier across the Yenisei in the haze. Only the fog over the river this time are not there. Viewed from here, you can hardly believe that even before the mountains flows a mile-wide river.
After a few obligatory purchases and photos on the platform it is again: All aboard! Then we continue and we roll out of the station, first over to the new buildings of Krasnoyarsk, and then the railway bridge.
Christian makes us to a work site near the river closely. On a large area are agricultural machinery, especially combines. This work was one the largest in the former Soviet Union and built to combine the VEB to progress under license.
Then we roll over the bridge and marvel at the mighty Yenisey stretching, which is considered the most water Siberian current. Finally, we dive into the western foothills of the Sayan Mountains.
Taishet - View from the pedestrian bridge to the east, where they are separated by the Trans Siberian BAM.
At BAM, the picture changes: forests, little agriculture, but forestry.
moves slowly relative to BAM its curves through the taiga.
Now the landscape is varied and draws me back like last year in his car. It is this alternation of taiga and steppe landscape, which fascinates me.
About seven hours we drive so - with a longer stop in Iljanskaja - to Taishet. Railway experts know: This is where the chaff from the wheat. The wimps go south to the Trans-Siberian Railway to Irkutsk, the tough guys but go north with the BAM. Well jokes aside, here in Taishet is the last station of common age-Trans-Siberian and BAM, the Baikal-Amur Mainline. After the train has left Taishet, one can very well see how the two rail lines to dig up, the Trans-Siberian Liene pans with multi-track pomp to the southeast, and the BAM-line modestly less traveled, and later single-track line edges away in the northeast.
BAM is different from the ancient Trans-Siberian Railway. One sees fewer places, little more agriculture, but a lot of taiga. The few places through which we roll, are usually only Holzverladestationen the forestry along the railway line.
This landscape will change to Bratsk little more and that will be around midnight. The giant dam of the Bratsk Hydropower Plant, we will then admire more in the dark can only see the lights of Bratsk will be reflected in the huge water reservoir.
West Siberian Plain 
new buildings on the outskirts of Novosibirsk.
cargo ships on the Ob, the second giant Siberian river, we pass to the Irtysh.
At the station of Novosibirsk - our train was standing on the platform there and hustle and bustle.
02:07:06: This day is dedicated to the monotonous West Siberian Plain. Endlessly she is gone and drag bring us a day of leaden monotony, broken by many stops, and only two major cities loosened, which we will cross each one of the Siberian rivers - and then only Omsk Novosibirsk.
In Omsk I'm too lazy to develop any such activities. Therefore, unfortunately, no pictures of the city or the river caused Irtysh. The Irtysh is the first west of the Siberian giant streams that flow into the Arctic Ocean. It joins the lower reaches of the Ob and forms with him a giant estuary.
Omsk Behind the endless plain begins in earnest. There are no closed forest cover more. Endless meadows, often wet meadows dotted with vegetation bins of individual birch trees pass by. We use the time to get to know us better. Above all, we learn about Christian. Above all, his professional experience from the East German agricultural machinery produce some interesting history. In the afternoon we reach
Novosibirsk. The city is relatively young and was only at the beginning of the 20th Century, the town charter. In contrast to Omsk and Irkutsk, the city that rose until the construction of the Trans-Siberian as a settlement, virtually no historic buildings. Nevertheless, it is now considered the capital of Siberia, although officially it is not the title. But it is home to several Consulates, including the German agency for the entire region, Siberia.
Already on the west bank of the Ob can be seen extensive building activities. The city seems to boom. Then we cross the Ob, within which there is lively freight shipping. Finally, we are rolling in the Novosibirsk central station.
endless flat desert of western Siberia.
Taiga Station - evening stop: There are actually more forest again seen along the route.
Here again there is a long stop. Since it is a must, to stretch your legs and into the colorful travel to the station.
For Oliver, of course, is the company's train "Sibiryak" a photo event. We wander around a bit on our side on the platform, pedestrian bridge and the station building until the wagon companion reflect the signal for boarding.
And then we roll to the east. Moscow time, and thus according to the Russian railway clock time is 15:08, but after time it is 18:08 clock - it's already on the evening. During our last big stop on today's date "Taiga" there are already four-hour time difference between Moscow and we are. Until then, there are still about three hours.
In the vicinity of the station Taiga Landscape the name again just stronger. Rather than have the expansive meadows with individual birch trees it again more closed forest with mainly coniferous trees. Here we complete a final walk on the platform. Aside from the passengers of our train has left the station of Taiga but pretty. Then we continue and we roll into the night.
Kama - Ural - Asia 
As in the previous year, I was amazed at the width of the Kama, which is only a tributary of the Volga.
located on the Kama Perm, an industrial city and inland port west of the Urals.
At km in 1777, an obelisk marks the border between the continents of Europe and Asia.
01:07:06: passed in the night we Kirov and in the morning we had a Lokwechselhalt in Balesino. By late morning, we finally crossed the Kama and thus reached Perm. Again I was amazed at how in 2005, but for what the Kama is a huge river. Although it is only a tributary of the Volga, it can easily compete with the lower reaches of the Danube. This time I also managed a few photos. Finally
we held in Perm . The city is the train is not overly welcoming. Also on the banks of the Kama it is more influenced by huge inland port facilities as a skyline of the water - at least what one can see from the train like that. The city is in fact primarily an industrial city. The oil company Lukoil is headquartered here.
Perm is on the route, the last major city west of the Urals, and thus also in Europe. We roll on and there it gradually becomes more hilly. These are the first foothills of the Ural what we have achieved. Much more mountainous it is along this route can not be.
Olga seems at odds with the technology to stand. First they had a problem with their Clock - Watch With a newly acquired fitness functions. She had no instructions with it, but wanted time to the new time zone switch. Here I was with a little patience and Probiererei finally getting the hang of it and help her. With her phone it was not me. It was also new. Olga said there would be no provider lock and could be used with any Sim card. Therefore, they had bought in Moscow a cheap Russian prepaid card and then inserted into the phone. But obviously it was a lock, probably set a provider lock in mobile phone firmware and it did not work with this Russian map. Worse was that then the phone was completely blocked and no longer accept the old card. There was then, despite some Probiererei to do anything.
through the rolling hills of the southern Urals, the tracks wind up Yekaterinburg.
purchase food on the platform in Ekaterinburg - Oliver with food in her arms.
Ekaterinburg Shortly before the 1777 km we reach the border between Europe and Asia. This time I was also a snapshot of inconspicuous on the edge of the rails stationary white obelisk that marks the border. Soon after we reach Jekaterienburg .
In Jekaterienburg is the last chance for today to buy food and something to stroll on the platform. The city is historically significant, not least because of the 1918 murder of the Tsar's family. She competes in the ranking of the largest Russian cities with Nizhny Novgorod to place 3 Sorry, we can see from the train not too far from the splendor of this city, but a little walk on the platform, at least in it. should
a stop there today, but it will already be in the dead of night. And although in Tyumen and this time we will again (as in 2005), only the nightly light show to get this city presents. The rich Petroleum and natural gas city shows its rise during the night and its neon signs and lavishly illuminated magnificent buildings, shopping malls and high streets. As the symbol of the West Siberian oil production is a brightly lit oversized oil rig in sight of the railway line - designed as a kind of Eiffel tower derrick - where we roll over after we leave the station from Tyumen. But then final night's rest the day.
