Russia / Exploring Siberia / The Trans-Siberian Railway
 
 
For those who travel for the pleasure of the journey, those who     believe that getting there is as much fun as being there, Russia's Trans-Siberian Railway     has long been an almost mythic experience. It is the longest continuous rail line on     earth, each run clattering along in an epic journey of almost six thousand miles (or about     ten thousand kilometers) over one third of the globe. For most of its history, the     Trans-Siberian journey has been an experience of almost continuous movement, seven days or     more of unabated train travel through the vast expanse of Russia. A great part of the     pleasure of such a trip is simply sitting back and watching the land go by. However, most     travelers on the Trans-Siberian find that interaction with other passengers, both Russians     and tourists, is what makes the trip an unforgettable experience. Today, with far fewer     travel restrictions, it is possible to use the rail journey as the core of a more varied     tour. Travelers can enjoy stopovers in many of the Russian cities     and towns along the route, from the historic Volga port of Yaroslavl to Irkutsk and     the scenic Lake Baikal region.
Routes and Western Extensions
Travel along the Trans-Siberian Railway is     usually undertaken from west to east, though it is quite possible to go in the opposite     direction. Moreover, a number of choices of route are available, as are extensions of the     journey on either end.
The usual route taken by travellers is the Trans-Siberian line, which runs from Moscow to Vladivostok, passing through Yaroslavl on the Volga,     Exaterinburg in the Urals, Irkutsk near Lake Baikal's southern extremity, and then     Khabarovsk. From Vladivostok it is possible to continue by ferry to Niigata on the west     coast of Japan.
A second primary route is the Trans-Manchurian line, which     coincides with the Trans-Siberian as far as Tarskaya, a few hundred miles east of Baikal.     From Tarskaya the Trans-Manchurian heads southeast into China and makes its way down to     Beijing.
The third primary route is the Trans-Mongolian line, which     coincides with the Trans-Siberian as far as the Buddhist enclave of Ulan Ude on Baikal's     eastern shore. From Ulan-Ude the Trans- Mongolian heads south to Ulaan-Baatar before     making its way southeast to Beijing.
In 1984, a fourth route running further to the north was     finally completed, after more than five decades of sporadic work. Known as the Baikal Amur     Mainline, this recent extension departs from the Trans-Siberian line several hundred miles     west of Lake Baikal and passes the lake at its northernmost extremity. It reaches the     Pacific to the northeast of Khabarovsk, at Imperatorskaya Gavan. While this route provides     access to Baikal's stunning northern coast, it also passes through some pretty forbidding     terrain.
To the west, connections are available through Moscow to     Berlin (and from there to Paris), to Budapest, and to St. Petersburg (and from there to     Helsinki).
History of the Railway
Russia's longstanding desire for a Pacific port was     realized with the foundation of Vladivostok in 1860. By 1880, Vladivostok had grown into a     major port city, and the lack of adequate transportation links between European Russia and     its Far Eastern provinces soon became an obvious problem. In 1891, Czar Alexander III drew     up plans for the Trans-Siberian Railway and initiated its construction. Upon his death     three years later, the work was continued by his son Nicholas. Despite the enormity of the     project, a continuous route was completed in 1905, having been rushed to completion by the     outbreak of the Russo-Japanese War the year before. The present route of the line,     including both the difficult stretch around Baikal and a northerly replacement for the     dangerously situated Manchurian line, was opened in 1916.
Cities and Towns Along the Way
The Trans-Siberian trains     stop several times a day, for periods ranging from just a few moments to almost half an     hour. Even the longest stops, however, allow for little more than a quick expedition from     the station to make some necessary purchases. It is possible, however, to arrange a     stopover in many of the major destinations along the route, and what follows is a brief     listing of some of the most popular sites.
Yaroslavl
One of Russia's oldest cities, Yaroslavl was founded by     Yaroslav the Wise of Kievan Rus' in 1010. Over the next several centuries the city     prospered as a trading port on the Volga and a center of textile manufacture, becoming by     the 17th century the second largest city in Russia behind Moscow. Its wealthy merchant     community became notable patrons of the arts, building hundreds of churches. Fortunately,     the great majority of these remain intact today, making the city one of the most beautiful     destinations along the railway.
Ekaterinburg
The Trans-Siberian's first major stop in Asian Russia is the     major industrial city and transport hub of Ekaterinburg. The town was founded in 1721 by     Catherine the Great as a fort and metallurgical factory, its position having been chosen     for its strategic proximity to the great mining operations of the Urals and Siberia.     Although there are few tourist sites here other than the 18th-century cathedral, the city     is nonetheless of great historical interest. It was here, in a house that once stood on     Liebknecht ulitsa, that Tsar Nicholas II and his family were executed on the morning of     July 17, 1918. Although the house no longer exists, its site is marked by a plain wooden     cross. The Imperial family, like most tourists, was brought to Ekaterinburg on the Trans-     Siberian. Ekaterinburg is also notable for being the hometown of Boris Yeltsin.
Krasnoyarsk
One of the older towns in Siberia, Krasnoyarsk was founded in     1628 as a trading post along the Yenisei River. It grew rapidly when gold was discovered     in the region, and eventually became a major river port and industrial center. Outside the     ciy is the Stolby Reserve, an attractive preserve notable for the odd, columnar cliffs     that rise from the river's edge inside its area. After one passes over the Yenesei,     another of the Trans-Siberian's most significant border crossings takes place--one leaves     the steppe and plunges into the taiga, the great forest that extends over most of Russia.     The vast Siberian taiga is the largest remaining forest in the world.
Irkutsk
Irkutsk became a wealthy trading center soon after its     founding in the 1660s, benefiting from its position along overland trade routes between     China and Western Russia. Since then it has maintained its position as the regions most     important city, though today its attraction for visitors is supplemented by its proximity     to Lake Baikal. Trans Siberian Railway enthusiasts should try to make it for a visit in     1998, when the city has planned a celebration commemorating the inauguration of the rail     line.
Ulan Ude
Like most Siberian cities, Ulan Ude was founded during the     17th century. However, as the center of the Buddhist Buryat culture, it is unlike any of     the other stops along the Trans-Siberian railway. Although the city's Buddhist tradition,     like all other religions, suffered a sharp decline under Stalin, there has been a     noticeable revival in recent years. Visitors to Ulan Ude today should not miss the     opportunity to visit nearby Ivolginsk Datsan, a restored Tibetan Buddhist monastery which     now serves as the center of Buddhism in Russia.
Khabarovsk
Strategically located on the hills overlooking the Amur River,     Khabarovsk was founded as a military outpost in 1651, during the first wave of Russian     colonization. The town gained importance during the nineteenth century as a trading     outpost, and today it is one of the most important and promising cities of the Russian Far     East. Khabarovsk is a pleasant city, with wide, tree-lined boulevards, a popular beach,     and an interesting museum of ethnography and local history.
Vladivostok
Vladivostok was founded in 1860 as a military outpost, but its     outstanding natural harbour soon brought it prosperity as a trading port. The city's     nomination as the headquarters of the Russian Pacific fleet in the 1870s brought further     growth, and by the twentieth century it had become a major center of international trade.     During the Soviet era, Vladivostok's military role eclipsed its trading function, and the     city was closed both to foreigners and to Soviet citizens lacking special entry     permission. The city was opened once again to visitors in 1992. It is currently     experiencing a rapid recovery of its historic role as a major Pacific commercial port and     has also maintained its naval importance as the headquarters of the Russian Pacific Fleet.     Today Vladivostok is a a lively, attractive city, with a wealth of attractions and, as     always, a strikingly impressive harbour.