This epic journey takes you from the Western part of Russia to the Far East, passing through Siberia, Mongolia, China and ending by the Sea of Japan.
The Trans-Siberian Railway was originally set up to link St Petersburg, capital of Russia, to Vladivostock, a port on the Pacific Ocean. It was opened and blessed by the future Tsar Nicholas II in 1891 but wasn't completed till 1913.
The Trans-Siberian trains greatly increased agricultural trade opportunities for Siberia and also allowed remote towns and villages to travel faster than ever before around their huge country.
Today, the Trans-Siberian trains are still mainly used by domestic passengers, but they have also developed a tourist trade.
There are 2 main routes on the Trans-Siberian network.
The most used route goes from Moscow to Vladivostock and can take as little as 7 days to cross 7 time zones and cover 9,258 km.
This is the one least used by tourists as it has few stopovers and is very intense. However, it is an interesting experience as you get to meet a lot of locals as they get on and off at various stops and now and then some Westerners. The 7 day journey gives you time to reflect as you are staring out of the window at the Siberian landscape, and experience the Trans-Siberian railway authentically but isn't the most exciting adventure.
[image:transib.net]
Probably the most popular tourist route goes from Moscow to Beijing via Mongolia. This Trans-Siberian route goes through some of the more interesting parts of the continent and only takes 6 days.
Firstly, the train goes through the vastness of Siberia but then the train passes from Europe to Asia and goes past the Lake Baikal, the deepest fresh water lake in the world. By the fifth day of travelling, the train will have arrived in Mongolia, with beautiful green steppes right next to the Gobi desert. Finally, the train crosses China and reaches Beijing on Day 6.
[image: baltictravelcompany.com]
There are many other possible routes and packages created specifically for tourists who want to stop-off in certain locations and experience activities like trekking, day trips to villages, monasteries, lakes, mountains and even stay with a host family for a night.
Embark on this good tourist track and discover the pleasures of watching the world go by, meeting people from all walks of life and completing an intense, extensive journey.