The Trans-Siberian Railway is the longest one in the world. It is 9289 kilometers long and covers 8 time zones. It also has branch lines to Mongolia, China and North Korea. The main route has been connecting Moscow with Vladivostok since 1916. The second Trans-Manchurian primary route starts to the east of Chita city and is the shortest and the oldest route to Vladivostok. The third one is the Trans-Mongolian Railway connecting Ulan-Ude with the Chinese city of Jining.

The Trans-Siberian Railway was constructed from 1891 till 1916 under the supervision of the Russian government appointed by Tsar Alexander III and his son Nickolas. It is interesting that Nickolas, the future Russian emperor, personally inaugurated construction of the Trans-Siberian railway on the Far East while visiting Japan and Vladivostok at the end of his journey around the world. 
Nowadays the Trans-Siberian railway plays a significant role for Russia and its residents. It attracts a great number of foreign tourists and is often used by the Russians for travelling across the country. The Railway also has economic importance because it is often used for delivering cargo of different types from one part of Russia to another.