Long Distance Trains

The Trans-Siberian Railway was originally planned for Tsar Alexander II, to connect St Petersburg with Vladivostok, on the Sea of Japan, Russia's gateway to Asia. From 1891 to 1916 the construction went on, costing an estimated 1.5 billion rubles. Rail travel became important to the Tsar and he opened the very first few feet of the Trans-Siberian railway in Vladivostok at the end of his world tour in March 1891.

The railway connects Moscow and European Russia to the Russian Far East through Mongolia, and on into China. At 9,288 kms (5,772 miles), spanning seven time zones and taking several days to complete the journey, it is the third-longest single continuous service in the world, after the Moscow–Pyongyang (10,267 km, 6,380 mi) and the Kiev–Vladivostok (11,085 km, 6,888 mi) services, both of which also follow the Trans-Siberian for much of their routes. Electrification of the route began as far back as 1929, but was only completed the entire length of the route in 2002. The route also goes round Lake Baikal (the largest freshwater lake in the world, and also the deepest at 5000 feet), a route that was a major construction task as the lake is about 400 miles in length. Travelling along the entire length of the Trans-Siberian is still a railway enthusiast's dream: the train has second-class berth compartments and also first-class sleeping compartments (two berth) and prices start at about US$320 for first-class, $250 for second. If you make stopovers along the way the price increases considerably. Although tickets can be bought in Russia it is cheaper to buy them at rail stations in Germany or Poland, where you can even find return fares from central Europe to Vladivostok for about €250, though sleeper fares are about €60 extra each way. The journey from Moscow takes six days and four hours. Services continue on to Pyongyang in N Korea – add three days – if you have a visa !

This amazing photo shows a view from the rear platform of the Simskaia Station of the Samara-Zlatoust Railway, Russia, by Sergei Mikhailovich Prokudin-Gorskii, made in 1910 on three glass plates, one for each of the colors red, green, and blue.

There are discussions in progress with Japanese Railways about upgrading the line, but only with freight in mind – although any project would not be completed until at least 2030 it would reduce journey times from the Sea of Japan to Moscow to just three days, cutting out the need for freight from China or Japan bound for Europe to go by sea round the Cape of Good Hope or through the pirate-infested Horn of Africa and Suez.

The premier of Australia's two great train journeys the Indian Pacific links those two oceans, running from Perth to Sydney (via Adelaide). The total distance is an amazing 4352 kms and the trains, which run twice a week in each direction, take three days (65 hours) to reach their destination. The history of the Indian Pacific can be traced back to the early 1900s. The colonies of Australia were headed towards federation at the end of the 19th Century. Western Australia was lured to join this new nation by the promise of a transcontinental railway, linking this isolated western region with the rest of the eastern colonies.

A skeleton rail link extended from the east to the west coasts of Australia except for a 1,996 km gap in the system between Kalgoorlie in Western Australia and Port Augusta in South Australia. On 17 October, 1917 in a remarkable surveying and engineering feat, two construction teams, one starting from Port Augusta and the other from Kalgoorlie, made an historic achievement, meeting to join the lines at what is now the tiny South Australian siding of Ooldea on the Nullarbor Plain.

This was the longest railway ever built as a single project in Australia, taking five years to complete. It was constructed using the most basic tools – pick and shovel, carthorse and camel.

At 10.15am on 25 October, 1917, the first eastbound passenger train, the Transcontinental Express, departed Kalgoorlie for Port Augusta. The different rail gauges required guests to change trains several times along the journey. A standard trip from Sydney to Perth comprised: Sydney to Albury on a standard gauge track, change trains at Albury to travel to Melbourne on broad gauge; continue onto Adelaide on broad gauge through to Terowie, change trains for the short journey to Port Augusta via Peterborough and then on to Kalgoorlie on standard gauge; change trains in Kalgoorlie for the narrow gauge journey into Perth.

It was not until 1969 that an uninterrupted rail line from the Pacific Ocean in the east to the Indian Ocean in the west existed when the standard gauge railway line across Australia was completed. The first unbroken journey of the Indian Pacific commenced at Sydney Central Station on Monday 23 February, 1970, arriving in Perth on 27 February. The route involves the world's longest section of straight track, not a single curve for 478 kms across the Nullabor plain, a huge arid area of Australia – the name comes from the Latin "nullus" (nothing) and "arbor" (tree).

Leaving Sydney at 2.55pm on Wednesdays and Saturdays the train passes through the Blue Mountain range on its way to Adelaide, where it arrives 24 hours later, stopping for three-and-a-half hours before heading west again, arriving in Perth on the Saturday or Tuesday morning just after 9am. The return trips leave Perth just before midday on Wednesdays and Sundays, arriving in Sydney at 10.15am on Saturday and Wednesday. Fares range from A$300 to A$1950. The first train ran in 1970 after the entire length of the track had been converted to standard gauge. The train is normally made up of 25 coaches, headed by two NR diesel electric locomotives, each weighing 132 tonnes, with a power output (each) of 3000kW (4020 Bhp) and a top speed of 115 km/h (72 mph).

Whilst avoiding any political comment we do have to admit that the high altitude rail line linking China to Lhasa in Tibet is impressive. The Qingzang railway, linking Xining, in Qinghai province, to Lhasa in Tibet is the world's highest working railway, reaching an impressive 16,640 feet over the Tanggula Pass. It also includes the world's highest railway tunnel, the Fenghuoshan, 16,098 feet above sea level. Construction of the line began in the early 1980s and was finally completed in 2006. Part of the line runs over permafrost, where speeds are limited to about 60 mph.

The trains are specially built to withstand the high altitude conditions and contain oxygen for passengers at the upper altitudes and passengers are required to complete a health card and disclaimer for any breathing problems they may suffer at altitude. The diesel locomotives were built by GE in Pennsylvania and the carriages are provided by bombardier. The total 2,500 mile journey from Beijing to Lhasa, with a connection, takes almost 48 hours and it is no surprise that half the train is made up of sleeper carriages, either "hard sleeper" type in basic accommodation, or "soft sleeper" – slightly more luxurious. A one way ticket in soft sleeper is about £120. The train is proving a success commercially though will take many years to pay back its construction investment. There are also plans to extend this further westwards to Nepal.

The Canadian is a long distance train running between Toronto and Vancouver, a total distance of 2,775 miles. The train, operated by VIA (Canada's passenger rail service) three times a week in each direction, leaves Toronto at 10pm in the evening, arriving on day three in Vancouver at 09.42, a little under 81 hours travel (there is a three-hour time difference between the two cities). Canada also has a long-distance train operating between Winnipeg and Churchill, far north on Hudson's Bay, a journey a little over 1,000 miles that takes 43 hours and offers some stunning views along the way with as chance to see polar bears at Churchill.

The United States now has more long-distance train services than any other continent, a fact you may find surprising given the predominance of the airline industry in the US. From Chicago three main routes depart, the Southwest Chief for Los Angeles, via Kansas City and Albuquerque, departing Chicago at 3.15 pm daily and arriving in Los Angles at 8.15 am on day three; the California Zephyr which leaves Chicago daily at 2pm, stopping at Denver and Salt Lake City on its 2,438 miles journey to San Francisco, taking 48 hours; and the Texas Eagle, leaving Chicago at 1.45 pm en route to St Louis, Dallas, Austin, El Paso, Tucson, Palm Springs and into Los Angeles at 8.40 am on day three, a journey of 2,728 miles. Los Angeles is also the destination for the Sunset Limited, a 2,000 mile trek from New Orleans, leaving that city at midday and arriving in LA on day three at 8.40 am.

Australia's other great train journey is "The Ghan" – originally the Afghan Express, the name The Ghan was inspired by the pioneering Afghan camel drivers who blazed a permanent trail into the Red Centre of Australia over 150 years ago. The Ghan’s emblem is an Afghan on a camel in recognition of their efforts in opening up the inhospitable interior to the rest of Australia.

The original Ghan line followed the route of explorer John MacDouall Stuart. On Sunday August 4, 1929, an excited crowd gathered at the Adelaide Railway Station to bid farewell to the first Ghan train, which carried supplies and over 100 passengers bound for the remote town of Stuart, later to be called Alice Springs. The train was steam hauled, and the service had to contend with extreme conditions including flash flooding and intense heat. As such, it was often an irregular service.

The Old Ghan ran on its light, narrow gauge track well to the east of the track it travels today. As well as termite damage, it was savaged by fire and flood. Flash flooding, when the normally parched river beds spilled out onto the low lying desert plains, frequently washed away the track completely. Legend has it The Old Ghan was once stranded for two weeks in one spot and the engine driver shot wild goats to feed his passengers.

In 1980, The Old Ghan railway track was abandoned in favour of a new standard gauge rail line built with termite-proof concrete sleepers further to the west in order to avoid the potential flooding and other problems encountered along the old route.

When The Ghan first departed Adelaide for Alice Springs, it was always intended that it would one day travel through to Darwin. With the completion of the Alice Springs to Darwin rail-link this dream became reality with The Ghan making its Inaugural Journey to Darwin on 1-3 February 2004. The north-south transcontinental journey covers 2,979 kilometres and encounters spectacular and diverse landscapes; from the rusty reds of the MacDonnell Ranges surrounding a town called Alice, gateway to Ayers Rock and the Red Centre, then north to Tennant Creek, Katherine and the tropical splendour of Darwin.

The trains depart Adelaide on Sundays and Wednesdays at 12.20pm, arriving in Darwin at 5.30pm on Tuesdays and Fridays, with a four-hour stop in Alice Springs with prices ranging from A$200 to A$2000. The return trip leaves Darwin at 10am on Wednesdays and 9am on Saturdays, arriving back down south in Adelaide at 1.10pm on Fridays and Mondays. It is possible to take your car on the train too, and with the motorail option the length of the train is between 15 and 25 carriages. It often takes two locomotives to haul it.