Spotlight On: The Trans-Siberian Railway!

Many railroads were built during the Industrial Revolution, but none of them can stand up to the sheer magnitude of the Trans-Siberian Railway. Stretching just shy of ten thousand kilometers across the vast expanse of Russia from Moscow to the Pacific, the Trans-Siberian Railway is so much more than just a mode of transportation - it's a way of life! For those who travel on the train, Siberia is more than just a name, it's that last frontier- the new Texas.

In the late nineteenth century, the development of Siberia was hampered by poor transportation links within the region and between Siberia and the rest of Russia. The Great Siberian Route was just about the only road in the area suitable for wheeled transportation. Because rivers were covered with ice seven months out of the year, steamboats proved to be an ineffective option. During the cold parts of the year, cargo had to be carried on dog sleds. Only a railway could be a real solution to the region's transport problems. Full time construction of the Trans-Siberian Railway began in 1891 and was overseen by Sergei Witte, the current Finance Minister. Just like in the construction of the Transcontinental Railroad in America, Russian workers began building at both ends and worked toward the center. In 1916, the railway was completed, and to this day, it is the world's longest continuous railway. The Trans-Siberian Railway gave a positive boost to Siberian agriculture and also brought in millions of peasant-migrants from the western regions of Russia and Ukraine.

Interested? Then plan your trip today at TransSiberianRailway.org! "Once you have braved the snaking ticket queues (and met the sharp end of Russian customer service), on the Trans-Siberian you'll soon get to experience the real Russia that all the Cold War Propaganda you've been fed never prepared you for: multitudes of steely but twinkly-eyed and curious fellow Russian passengers all dressed in tracksuits and keen to get to know the foreigner who is passionate - or insane - enough to tackle their beloved Mother Russia from side-to-side by train.

You'll be regaled in broken English with tales of far-off sweethearts, and be offered all manner of Russian food and drink by some of the most truly generous people on Earth. Your liver may not thank you for the vodka, but the damage will be short-lived, unlike your memories of this fascinating journey - which will stay with you for a lifetime."

Still not convinced? Maybe this video will persuade you...