With the deadline-driven lives that we lead, travel also becomes fast-paced, with people often preferring flights over trains to reach their destination on time. However, there are certain trains around the world that you should take at least once in your lifetime, and one of them is the incredible royal train in Kyrgyzstan.
In a video shared in October 2025, Instagram travel influencer Kate Woodley shared details about this train. Kate travelled to Kyrgyzstan last year, and during the holidayshe took this train from the capital, Bishkek, to Balykchy (Ribache), a town on Issyk Kul. stressing that one needs to take this train, she posted the clip with the caption, “You’ll never believe where this train is and how much it costs…”
A regal ride from Bishkek to Balykchy
As per Kate, she originally saw the train on Instagram and knew she had to take it while she was travelling in that country. She added, “There was barely any information online and booking the tickets involved translating a pretty sketchy Russian website. But was it worth it? 100%. You’ll find this incredible train in Kyrgyzstan, going from the capital Bishkek to Balykchy, a town on Issyk Kul.”
As for the ticket price, you’ll never guess how much she paid. According to the influencer, she had to shell out £8 (approximately ₹1,001) for the 4-hour train journey in the VIP section. She added, “Something like this in Switzerland would cost over €150.”
Sharing details about the amenities available on the train, she revealed, “The sofas were super comfy, the views were insane, and the bathrooms were some of the fanciest I’ve ever seen. You could buy food and drink on board, and they even had complimentary blankets if you got a bit chilly. The train only runs in summer, once a day from July 6th.”
However, the price she mentioned was for summer 2025, and she noted that prices might be higher for summer 2026. According to information available online, it is a seasonal panoramic train that runs from Bishkek to Balykchy on the western shore of Issyk Kul, the largest lake in Kyrgyzstan, during summer, and passes through the Chu River Canyon.
How to book
According to the influencer, the website for booking tickets for the train looks ‘sketchy’, but she managed to secure one for herself, and here are the steps she followed:
- Head to the railway.kg website
- Translate the website
- Even though the town on Issyk Kul is called Balykchy, you need to search for the station name Ribache
- You can pay for the ticket by card
Note to readers: This report is based on user-generated content from social media. HT.com has not independently verified the claims and does not endorse them.
