score:5
In Thailand you can get a Transit visa (even if you Thai visa/permit/certificate allows you to stay less then 90 days), but you can't use it for Transsiberian Railway.
Transit visa. A transit visa allows a single entry into Russia on a transit trip. Passengers traveling by aircraft are issued a visa for up to 72 hours only. Passengers traveling by land transport are issued a visa for a period sufficient to proceed through the territory of the Customs Union (Russia, Belarus and Kazakhstan) by the shortest route possible, but not over 10 days.
Though
Foreign nationals traveling along the Transsiberian Railway should apply for a tourist visa.
http://thailand.mid.ru/en/types-of-visa
Seems like your plan should work in Tokyo. US citizens can obtain a tourist visa in Japan. Get your passport, photo, fill application forms, get your tourist voucher and go.
http://www.russia-emb.jp/english/consular/service/index.html
In most countries foreigners need to have a permit/visa to stay longer than 90 days in order to receive Visa in Russian embassy, but in Japan they not so strict about it. I would better call them to confirm it:
CONSULAR SECTION Tel: +81-3-3583-4445 (Japan)
Upvote:7
One important issue ... the Russian Embassy in Thailand can only issue visas to foreign nationals (ie non-Thais) who have a residency certificate or a visa that allows stay over 90 days. This later part pretty much eliminates tourists from applying.
http://thailand.mid.ru/en/consular-section/visa-application-procedure
Not sure if a similar policy holds true for Japan.