Trans-Siberian Railway
The Trans-Siberian Railway is the railway across Russia from Moscow to Vladivostok, begun in 1891 and completed on an all-Russian route in 1916, which at about 9,289 km is the longest railway line in the world.
What happened and why it matters
The Trans-Siberian created the first continuous land route between Europe and the Pacific, and it is an ancestor of today's China to Europe rail freight services. Construction began at Vladivostok in May 1891, a through route via Manchuria opened in 1904, and the Amur line completed the route on Russian soil in 1916. Rail across Eurasia sits between ocean and air freight in speed and cost, faster than ships and cheaper than planes, but it is exposed to border crossings, gauge changes, and political risk, factors importers still weigh when choosing a mode.
Related events
Sources
- Trans-Siberian Railroad britannica.com
- Trans-Siberian Railway en.wikipedia.org