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Because of Russia's geography and extreme weather conditions, Russia's first transport systems were not easily developed. River transport was the preference for a few hundred years but was difficult and lengthy, as the rivers in Russia could freeze anywhere from four months a year to seven months a year and were sometimes too shallow in the summer months! Most roads began as sand on top of dirt and would be too muddy to use during summer months or covered in snow during winter months. The first paved road system was built from 1817-1834 but was also unsatisfactory for all types of travel and was not improved very much during the next few decades.

The First Russian Rail

The first Russian rail was a tramway built for mining industries from 1763-1765. And in 1810, a railway of 6,000 feet was built for mining transport, but was only used in the summer. When the first Russian Railway system was approved, it was not yet recognized as very valuable or profitable. It took many years for the Russian government to understand the value of Russian rail and to be assured that it would not be economically detrimental and, instead, would be beneficial to the state overall.

When it was proposed by an Austrian engineer -- Franz Anton von Gestner -- von Gestner wanted to build a Russian railway from St. Petersburg to Moscow. But von Gestner offered a smaller trial railway in order to prove the value of creating a whole system of railways. The trial or experimental railway was built first -- from St. Petersburg to Tsarskoe Selo in the year 1836 - and was completed in October of 1837. In the beginning, horse power was used on this two mile long railway, and was later replaced by steam power.

Though railway systems had already become useful in some western countries by this time, Russian authorities were still skeptical of its value. Von Gestner knew that Russian rail would work well during many severe weather conditions and would make transportation of goods much faster, and he proved this by building a Russian railway between St. Petersburg and Tsarkskoe Selo. After this, he was able to get enough funding for the railway from St. Petersburg to Moscow and it was completed in 1851.

Trans-Siberian Railway

In 1891, the idea for the longest railway in the world was born. This is now known as the Trans-Siberian Railway. By 1916, a Russian rail taking cargo from Moscow to the far east of Russia - Vladivostok -- was ready. This was valuable for the economy and the agriculture of Russia because this was the first satisfactory and reliable route -- irrespective of most weather conditions -- connecting the east to the west.

Today, a train from one end to the other can take anywhere from 12 days to 25 days or more and the Trans-Siberian Railway is still the longest railway system in the world. Although foreigners often enjoy the trip, it is mostly used for domestic travelers and carries 30% of Russia's exports.

Russian rail is comfortable, affordable and safe. It is used quite often between cities and even the local rail can take you from the city to the city suburbs. Due to the size of Russia's landmass, it's almost always a lengthy journey from here to there -- but you might take that time to enjoy the scenery, connect with your fellow passengers, and enjoy the authentic travel experience.