Train Moscow-Aktau

[Crazydre]

Hello, I'm going from Moscow to Aktau by Train in summer and have two choices:

1. Direct Train from Moscow to Aktau taking 77.5 hours (with an 11-hour stop in Aqtöbe, Kazakhstan).
2. Train from Moscow to Beyneu (460 km from Aktau), taking 49 hours, then bus/marshrukta or hitchhiking.

Firstly, what is there to see in Aqtöbe? And secondly, what Transport is there from Beyneu to Aktau, and what does it cost (other trains are not an Option because of poor syncing)?

[steven]

1. Never been, but in my mind, not much. I don't have my guidebook on Kazakhstan here, otherwise I might be able to tell you more. Lots of Soviet stuff, I guess.

2. There should be regular marshrutkas from Beyneu. Cost would be a few dollars.