<div
    class="modal modal--animate-translate-up flex flex-center bg-contrast-higher gradient-contrast--higher bg-opacity-90% padding-md js-modal"
    id="modal-name-2">
    <div
      class="modal__content border border-2 border-contrast-medium width-100% max-width-xs max-height-100% overflow-auto gradient-contrast--white radius shadow-md"
      role="alertdialog" aria-labelledby="modal-title-2" aria-describedby="modal-description-2">
      <header class="padding-md padding-bottom-0 flex justify-between">
        <h2 class="text-truncate font-secondary text-lg font-medium" id="modal-title-2" style="margin-top: 0 !important; margin-bottom: 0 !important;">Leaving so soon?</h2>
 
        <button class="cursor-pointer reset modal__close-btn modal__close-btn--inner js-modal__close js-tab-focus"
          onclick="closeModal()">
          <svg class="icon" viewBox="0 0 20 20">
            <title>Close modal window</title>
            <g fill="none" stroke="currentColor" stroke-miterlimit="10" stroke-width="2" stroke-linecap="round"
              stroke-linejoin="round">
              <line x1="3" y1="3" x2="17" y2="17" />
              <line x1="17" y1="3" x2="3" y2="17" />
            </g>
          </svg>
        </button>
      </header>

      <div class="padding-md" id="modal-text" style="padding-bottom: 0;">
        <p style="line-height: 1.6;">
          Fill in the form below we'll send you our latest blog posts as soon as they're published,
          so you can keep up-to-date with the legalisation and travel situation across the globe.
        </p>
      </div>

      <div class="padding-md padding-top-0">
        <form class="kwes-form" id="sign-up-sidebar" action="https://kwes.io/api/foreign/forms/Tmxa8TFY5QEVuDWYqVgw">

          <div class="col margin-top-md flex flex-column">
            <label for="name" class="margin-bottom-xs">Your Name</label>
            <input type="text" name="name" rules="required|max:255">
          </div>

          <div class="col margin-top-md flex flex-column">
            <label for="email" class="margin-bottom-xs">Email</label>
            <input type="email" name="email" rules="required|email">
          </div>

          <input name="type" type="hidden" value="Exit Popup">

          <div class="flex flex-center">
            <button type="submit" class="btn btn--accent margin-top-lg width-100%">Submit</button>
          </div>

        </form>
      </div>
    </div>
  </div>
<progress aria-hidden="true" class="reset reading-progressbar reading-progressbar--is-hidden js-reading-progressbar" max="100" value="0">
  <div class="reading-progressbar__fallback js-reading-progressbar__fallback"></div>
</progress>
<!--THE CHAT-->

<div class="hs-chat">

  <input type="checkbox" class="hs-chat__checkbox" id="navi-toggle" onclick="toggleBeacon();" data-track-content data-content-name="Help Scout Beacon" data-content-piece="Button">
  <label for="navi-toggle" class="hs-chat__button color-white flex justify-center">
  <span class="hs-chat__text">Need Help?</span>

      <span class="hs-chat__icon icon icon--xs">
          <svg class="hs-chat__svg" viewBox="0 0 511.072 511.072"><path d="m74.39 480.536h-36.213l25.607-25.607c13.807-13.807 22.429-31.765 24.747-51.246-36.029-23.644-62.375-54.751-76.478-90.425-14.093-35.647-15.864-74.888-5.121-113.482 12.89-46.309 43.123-88.518 85.128-118.853 45.646-32.963 102.47-50.387 164.33-50.387 77.927 0 143.611 22.389 189.948 64.745 41.744 38.159 64.734 89.63 64.734 144.933 0 26.868-5.471 53.011-16.26 77.703-11.165 25.551-27.514 48.302-48.593 67.619-46.399 42.523-112.042 65-189.83 65-28.877 0-59.01-3.855-85.913-10.929-25.465 26.123-59.972 40.929-96.086 40.929zm182-420c-124.039 0-200.15 73.973-220.557 147.285-19.284 69.28 9.143 134.743 76.043 175.115l7.475 4.511-.23 8.727c-.456 17.274-4.574 33.912-11.945 48.952 17.949-6.073 34.236-17.083 46.99-32.151l6.342-7.493 9.405 2.813c26.393 7.894 57.104 12.241 86.477 12.241 154.372 0 224.682-93.473 224.682-180.322 0-46.776-19.524-90.384-54.976-122.79-40.713-37.216-99.397-56.888-169.706-56.888z"/></path></svg>
      </span>
  </label>

</div>

<!--END CHAT-->

A Brief History of the Amazing Trans-Siberian Railway

Choo choo! All aboard. I'd type a whistle sound if I knew how. Phhhhwwwhhhhhp!! Something like that, anyway. Jump on, we're going travelling down the history of the Trans-Siberian railway.

LinkedIn

Imagine me stood in front of a whiteboard, ‘Trans-Siberian Railway’ written on it in massive letters. I’ve got a marker pen in one hand and I’m wearing a dark blue pullover, sleeves rolled up. I’m your cool history teacher, or so I like to think, and you’ve all been looking forward to my class because I’m young and I don’t like shouting so I let you sit next to your friends and talk while you’re doing work and I pretend that I don’t notice when you eat crisps under your desk. Today, class, we’re going to learn about one of the greatest feats of engineering of all time – the Trans-Siberian railway! Quiet at the back.

In the beginning

In the late 19th Century, Russia, under the leadership of Emperor Alexander III, wanted to expand. Luckily for them, they had the entire expanse of Siberia to the east. Unluckily for them, they had no efficient way of getting there. The solution they came up with was the Trans-Siberian railway; a huge railroad stretching from west to east, covering a whopping 5,772 miles. To put that into perspective, it’s about 600 miles from the top of Scotland to the bottom of England.

Construction began in 1891 and it wasn’t completed until 1904. They started at both ends – Moscow and Vladivostok – and worked inwards. It’s hard to know how many workers it took to complete the railway – anywhere between 60,000 and 300,000 men, according to estimates. It’s no easy feat, building the longest railway in the world. Especially not in Russia and Siberia, what with the swamps, dangerous rivers and mountainous terrain. Not to mention the freezing cold temperatures. And Siberian tigers. And bears. They’re only a lion away from an ‘oh my’.

trans-siberian railway russian nature park
The sort of landscape the workers had to traverse

Jokes aside, the Trans-Siberian railway is a ridiculous achievement, and it’s mind-blowing to think about. Thousands of men working tirelessly and endlessly out in the dangerous wilderness, making and shaping history. They did it in record time too, averaging 600km built a year!

The impact of the Trans-Siberian railway

Russia now had its route east. Europe’s trade with East Asia was made a lot easier. It opened up so many opportunities for commerce, travel and expansion. Expansion caused issues, though. When doesn’t it? For example, and this is a very simple explanation, it helped kick off the Russo-Japanese War. Russia expanded eastward and Japan, quite understandably, felt threatened. Tensions rose, one thing led to another, and war broke out. The railway, thrown up so quickly, was poorly equipped to deal with the numbers of Russian troops being sent east.

Japan won, and it’s hard to comprehend how embarrassing that was for Russia. It was the first time an Asian country had defeated a Western power in modern times. Japan rose up as a dominant power in East Asia and then started beefing with the USA. I won’t go into detail now, but a terrible, terrible Ben Affleck film was born of it. Meanwhile, in Russia, civil unrest following the defeat resulted in the 1905 Russian Revolution, which Lenin referred to as ‘The Great Dress Rehearsal’ for the 1917 one. Now, I’m not saying the railway caused communism, but you know. I’m not not saying that. It played its part.

The Trans-Siberian railway in World War 2

The railway played its part in World War 2, too – for both sides. At the start of the war, Russia and Germany had a non-aggression pact, so the Germans were able to use the railway to trade with East Asia. Through the Trans-Siberian railway, they traded with Japan for rubber – Japan had access to about 90% of the world’s natural rubber resources (I didn’t even know rubber grew on trees. Thought they made it in factories. You learn something new everyday.). Rubber was proper valuable during the war – it was used for gas masks, tyres, life rafts, boots, and loads of other supplies. I don’t know how much you know about World War 2, but to put it mildly Germany and Russia fell out and the Germans lost their railway privileges.

There was a much more positive use of the Trans-Siberian railway during World War 2. It was an escape route for Jews and anti-Nazis fleeing Europe. Imagine the relief that was felt as the train travelled east, knowing that with every passing minute you were getting further and further away from the Nazi regime. Further away from persecution, further away from terror, further away from death. A train ride to freedom. The railway took them from Europe to Vladivostok – from there, they could board a ship and sail across the Pacific to the safety of the USA. The railway possibly saved many, many lives.

The rich history of the railway is fascinating. It was such an impressive feat when it was built, and it continues to be so to this day. Blows my mind.

vecteezy kiyevskaya railway station of moscow russia 828406
Kiyevskaya Station, Moscow

Now

Nowadays the railway’s mostly used by Russian domestic passengers. It’s still hugely important for the economy, with around 30% of Russian exports coming through the railway. Probably just a mountain of vodka. It’s also a huge attraction for tourists. And is it any wonder? It’s got the fantastic history I’ve just described here coupled with stunning landscapes and breath-taking scenery. It’s a man-made wonder of the world. There’s so much to do along the route; so many stop-offs and incredible experiences.

You can even choose between a couple of different routes, depending on what tickles your fancy. The Trans-Manchurian route takes you through Russia and China, or, if you’re feeling a bit more adventurous, the Trans-Mongolian goes through Russia, China AND Mongolia. Plenty to do wherever you want to go. It’s an alluring adventure with an old-world, romantic charm. Would you like to travel it?

Course you would. Well, luckily for you, I’ve written a blog about starting the process here. If you’re still a bit confused about visas, what they are and how they work, have a read of my beginner’s guide. I’ve tried simplify ’em for you. The Trans-Siberian is a bucket list item for many people, myself included. Why not just go for it? But I digress. Oop, is that the time? Sorry, didn’t realise I’d rambled on for that long. Class dismissed!

While you’re here, why not keep up to date with all the latest comings and goings by following us on social media?

Declan Ramsden
Declan Ramsden

Declan is a Content Creator at Vital Consular. He studied English Literature for 4 years before joining the company. Outside of work, he enjoys listening to retro music and reading classic novels – particularly Charles Dickens!

Articles: 42

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

  <section class="popular-topics padding-y-xl gradient-contrast--lighter">
    <div class="adaptive-container">


      <h2 class="text-xxl font-secondary font-medium">Popular Topics</h2>


      <div class="grid gap-lg margin-top-lg">

        <div class="col-8@lg">


          <div class="grid gap-md">

            <a href="https://blog.vitalconsular.com/qatar/" data-track-content data-content-name="Popular Topics" data-content-piece="Qatar" class="card-v9 card-v9--overlay-bg radius col-5@sm" aria-labelledby="card-title-1"
              style="background-image: url('/wp-content/uploads/2021/03/Qatar-Category-Block-Image.jpg');">
              <div class="card-v9__content padding-md">
                <div class="padding-bottom-xxxl max-width-xxs">
                  <h3 id="card-title-1"
                    class="card-v9__title font-secondary font-medium padding-xxs inline-block radius gradient-contrast--white opacity-90%">
                    Qatar</h3>
                </div>

                <div class="margin-top-auto">
                  <span class="card-v9__btn"><i>Read more</i></span>
                </div>
              </div>
            </a>

            <a href="https://blog.vitalconsular.com/teaching-tefl/" data-track-content data-content-name="Popular Topics" data-content-piece="TEFL" class="card-v9 card-v9--overlay-bg radius col-7@sm" aria-labelledby="card-title-2"
              style="background-image: url('/wp-content/uploads/2021/03/TEFL-Category-Block-Image.jpg');"">
              <div class=" card-v9__content padding-md">
              <div class="padding-bottom-xxxl max-width-xxs">
                <h3 id="card-title-2"
                  class="color-white card-v9__title font-secondary font-medium padding-xxs inline-block radius gradient-primary--dark opacity-90%">
                  Teaching TEFL</h3>
              </div>

              <div class="margin-top-auto">
                <span class="card-v9__btn"><i>Read more</i></span>
              </div>
          </div>
          </a>

          <a href="https://blog.vitalconsular.com/police-clearance-documents/" data-track-content data-content-name="Popular Topics" data-content-piece="Police Clearance" class="card-v9 card-v9--overlay-bg radius col-6@sm" aria-labelledby="card-title-4"
            style="background-image: url('/wp-content/uploads/2021/03/Police-Clearance-Category-Block-Image.jpg');">
            <div class="card-v9__content padding-md">
              <div class="padding-bottom-xxxl max-width-xxs">
                <h3 id="card-title-4"
                  class="color-white card-v9__title font-secondary font-medium padding-xxs inline-block radius gradient-primary--dark opacity-90%">
                  Police Clearance Documents</h3>
              </div>

              <div class="margin-top-auto">
                <span class="card-v9__btn"><i>Read more</i></span>
              </div>
            </div>
          </a>



          <a href="https://blog.vitalconsular.com/china-legalisation/" data-track-content data-content-name="Popular Topics" data-content-piece="China" class="card-v9 card-v9--overlay-bg radius col-6@sm" aria-labelledby="card-title-3"
            style="background-image: url('/wp-content/uploads/2021/03/China-Category-Block-Image.jpg');">
            <div class="card-v9__content padding-md">
              <div class="padding-bottom-xxxl max-width-xxs">
                <h3 id="card-title-3"
                  class="card-v9__title font-secondary font-medium padding-xxs inline-block radius gradient-contrast--white opacity-90%">China
                </h3>
              </div>

              <div class="margin-top-auto">
                <span class="card-v9__btn"><i>Read more</i></span>
              </div>
            </div>
          </a>


          <a href="https://blog.vitalconsular.com/uae-document-legalisation-and-expat-advice/" data-track-content data-content-name="Popular Topics" data-content-piece="UAE" class="card-v9 card-v9--overlay-bg radius col-7@sm" aria-labelledby="card-title-5"
            style="background-image: url('/wp-content/uploads/2021/03/UAE-Category-Block-Image.jpg');">
            <div class="card-v9__content padding-md">
              <div class="padding-bottom-xxxl max-width-xxs">
                <h3 id="card-title-5"
                  class="card-v9__title font-secondary font-medium padding-xxs inline-block radius gradient-contrast--white opacity-90%">UAE
                </h3>
              </div>

              <div class="margin-top-auto">
                <span class="card-v9__btn"><i>Read more</i></span>
              </div>
            </div>
          </a>

          <a href="https://blog.vitalconsular.com/education-documents/" data-track-content data-content-name="Popular Topics" data-content-piece="Education Documents" class="card-v9 card-v9--overlay-bg radius col-5@sm" aria-labelledby="card-title-6"
            style="background-image: url('/wp-content/uploads/2021/03/Education-Documents-Category-Block-Image.jpg');">
            <div class="card-v9__content padding-md">
              <div class="padding-bottom-xxxl max-width-xxs">
                <h3 id="card-title-6"
                  class="card-v9__title font-secondary color-white font-medium padding-xxs inline-block radius gradient-primary--dark opacity-90%">
                  Education Documents</h3>
              </div>

              <div class="margin-top-auto">
                <span class="card-v9__btn"><i>Read more</i></span>
              </div>
            </div>
          </a>


        </div>
      </div>


      <div class="col-4@lg">

        <div class="other-topics">
        <h3 class="font-semibold text-md text-uppercase letter-spacing-md">Other Topics</h3>
        <ul class="other-topics__list">
          <li><a class="other-topics__link" href="https://blog.vitalconsular.com/distance-learning-qualifications/" data-track-content data-content-name="Popular Topics" data-content-piece="Distance Learning Qualifications">Distance Learning Qualifications</a></li>
          <li><a class="other-topics__link" href="https://blog.vitalconsular.com/getting-married-abroad/" data-track-content data-content-name="Popular Topics" data-content-piece="Getting Married Abroad">Getting Married Abroad</a></li>
          <li><a class="other-topics__link" href="https://blog.vitalconsular.com/apostille-countries/" data-track-content data-content-name="Popular Topics" data-content-piece="Apostilles">Apostilles</a></li>
          <li><a class="other-topics__link" href="https://blog.vitalconsular.com/schengen-visas/" data-track-content data-content-name="Popular Topics" data-content-piece="Schengen Visas">Schengen Visas</a></li>
          <li><a class="other-topics__link" href="https://blog.vitalconsular.com/vietnam/" data-track-content data-content-name="Popular Topics" data-content-piece="Vietnam">Vietnam</a></li>
          <li><a class="other-topics__link" href="https://blog.vitalconsular.com/thailand-2/" data-track-content data-content-name="Popular Topics" data-content-piece="Thailand">Thailand</a></li>
        </ul>
      </div>


        <div class="shadow-sm radius padding-md bg-white border border-2 border-contrast-low">
          <h4 class="font-secondary font-medium text-lg">Stay up to date...</h4>
          <p class="color-contrast-higher margin-y-sm line-height-body">Sign up to our monthly round-up
            newsletter, where we will let you know about any news, exciting new services we can
            offer and other information we think you'll enjoy.</p>

          <form class="kwes-form" id="sign-up-category-block"
            action="https://kwes.io/api/foreign/forms/Tmxa8TFY5QEVuDWYqVgw">

            <div class="col margin-top-sm flex flex-column">
              <label for="name" class="margin-bottom-sm">Your Name</label>
              <input type="text" name="name" rules="required|max:255">
            </div>

            <div class="col margin-top-sm flex flex-column">
              <label for="email" class="margin-bottom-sm">Email</label>
              <input type="email" name="email" rules="required|email">
            </div>

            <input name="type" type="hidden" value="Popular Topics Block">

            <div class="flex flex-center">
              <button type="submit" class="btn btn--accent margin-top-lg width-100%">Submit</button>
            </div>

          </form>

        </div>

      </div>



  </section>