The Trans-Siberian Railroad, known in Russia as the Transsibirskaya Zheleznodorozhnaya Magistral, stretches across the country for thousands of miles. Construction of the railroad began in 1891 when Tsar Alexander III, the Russian monarch, conceived of rail line that would connect eastern and western Russia through the largely unexplored and remote Siberian region of the country. The first tracks were laid simultaneously in Moscow and Vladivostok, and were then built toward each other. The Trans-Siberian Railroad was completed in 1904; however, there was a large portion of the track that went through Manchuria, which the Tsar was in danger of losing in a war with Japan. An alternate line was laid to bypass Manchuria, which was finished in 1916. The railroad remains an important feature of Russian commerce and travel today.
Travelers on the Trans-Siberian Railroad have a number of options when planning a trip. Travel agencies have travel and tour packages, which normally include reservations at various hotels along the route, meal stipends and definite starting and ending locations. Tourists may also elect to take the train without prior arrangements; this allows for maximum freedom on the trip, but can also be confusing and expensive if not planned carefully. Travelers should take food onto the train to supplement the train's limited selection. Trans-Siberian Railroad cars are temperature-controlled, but Russia can get extremely cold in the winter months, so be sure to pack appropriately.
The Trans-Siberian Railroad route extends from Moscow in the west to Vladivostok in the far east. It approximately follows the curve of the southern Russian border. It runs for 5,778 miles, or just slightly over 9,000 kilometers. Trains on the railroad approach the route in different ways; some make frequent stops at the major cities or historical locations, while others may make only a couple of stops along the whole track. Non-stop, the train takes about eight days to travel from one end of the route to the other.
The Trans-Siberian Railroad passes through many historically, culturally and economically important cities; depending on the chosen travel package, stopovers may occur at some of these locations and not others. Yaroslavl is an ancient city; founded in 1010, the city is home to hundreds of impressive churches. Irkutsk is a wealthy city that is close to Lake Baikal, the world's oldest lake. Moscow is Russia's capital and most populous city; travelers should make an exploration of Moscow a priority when traveling the Trans-Siberian Railroad.
