Train journeys are always special as you get to watch the beautiful scenery while travelling. But do you know which one is the longest train system in the world? It covers thousands of kilometres, and 3 countries and offers a beautiful scenic view! It is the Trans-Siberian Railway also known as Great Siberian Route!
The Trans-Siberian Railway Is The World’s Longest Train System!
The Trans-Siberian Railway, often referred to as the Great Siberian Route in the past and frequently abbreviated as Transsib, is a vast railway network that links European Russia with the Russian Far East. With a total length of more than 9,289 kilometres, it holds the title of the longest railway line globally. It stretches from Vladivostok, in the east, to Moscow, in the west.
The creation of the Trans-Siberian Railway, also known as the “Transsibirskaya Magistral” in Russian, was a turning point in the past for the former Russian Empire. By 1916, just a few months before the Bolsheviks toppled the Tsarist dynasty, the entire railway system connecting Moscow and Vladivostok, which was laid entirely across the Russian mainland, was completed. Still, ten years after construction started in 1891, the line’s services had started in 1904. Passengers on Lake Baikal were transported by ferries until 1916, and the entire voyage took four weeks!
The Trans-Siberian trains go across several time zones and diverse scenery. The trains go through the vast Siberian plains and alongside Lake Baikal, the world’s oldest and deepest freshwater lake, for more than 200 km after traversing the Ural Mountains, which act as the natural border between Europe and Asia. The train travels 39 km along the Sea of Japan shore around the tail end of the eastward voyage from Moscow, or early in the opposite direction from Vladivostok.
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The Journey Covers Around 90 Russian Towns
The train travels across Europe in two days, and then it races into Asia for the next four days, at the very least. The European portion makes up around one-fifth (19%) of the overall distance, with the Asian portion making up the remaining 81%. In between, the train that travels from Moscow to Vladivostok goes through about ninety Russian towns and cities, as well as twelve major rivers, including the Yenisei, Volga, Ob, and Amur.
Some meticulous Trans-Siberian explorers have meticulously studied maps and craned their necks to identify the border between the two continents. The obelisk is located on a section of the Trans-Siberian route near the town of Pervouralsk, which is roughly 50 km west of Yekaterinburg.
Another obelisk may be found on the border between Europe and Asia in Yekaterinburg, which is located in the eastern foothills of the Urals. A tour of the Europe-Asia border and other sights of this stunning city on the banks of the Iset River may be had by getting off at the Yekaterinburg railway station.
The Trans-Siberian Railroad’s highest point is located at Yablonovy Pass, 1070 metres above sea level, in the Yablonoi Mountains of Transbaikal (mostly in Zabaykalsky Krai), Siberia, Russia.
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The Trans-Siberian Railway travels through a tunnel to avoid the heights after passing the mountains at Chita and running parallel to the range.
Cover Image Courtesy: Wikimedia
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First Published: November 16, 2023 3:15 PM