The longest railway in the world. From China to Madrid

Everyone is familiar with the Guinness Book of Records, which captures all the most unusual human achievements. The tallest man in the world, the shortest, the fastest, as well as the largest building or the most gigantic sculpture of coins - all this contains this book. Have you ever thought about the longest railway in the world? What is she?

Trans-Siberian Railway

This is the name of the longest railway in the world. More than 100 years have passed since its construction, because the construction was completed back in 1916, and began in 1891. But to this day, it remains the longest railway in the world, connecting the capital of Russia with Vladivostok. On its way lie the largest industrial cities, such as Kirov, Perm, Yekaterinburg, Omsk, Novosibirsk, Taishent, Irkutsk, Khabarovsk.

The total length of the Trans-Siberian Railway is 9.289 km. It is capable of handling up to 100 million tons per year. In 2002, full electrification took place.

The population of such a world is 160,000 figurines, most of which are completely unique. The cost of this large-scale project is estimated at 16 million US dollars.

Own life

Here time does not stand still. You can watch the change of day and night when the lanterns are lit. The work of traffic lights, the movement of trucks, barges, even firefighters who eliminate the fire. Ordinary residents of the town do things that are familiar to us: ride and walk in parks, wait for a bus at a bus stop, swim in the river and even obscene in tall grass.

If you walk around this miniature town, you can understand that we are not much different from its inhabitants.

China breaks all records

Recently, China has opened the "New Silk Road", which will allow the export of cheap Chinese goods to Europe.

The route "Yiwu - Madrid" passes through the whole of China, Kazakhstan, crosses Russia, Belarus, Poland, Germany, France and, in the end, stops in the capital of Spain. The train leaving Yiwu will arrive in Madrid in 21 days.

To date, this route is used only for the purpose of industrial transportation of goods. But China has invested $40 billion in such a large-scale project. And, as confirmed by the Chinese media, is not going to stop. The Chinese authorities are already considering options for the development of trade routes through Turkey, as well as the option of building a connection between the largest ports in the Indian Ocean.

The creation of the railway was once a major breakthrough in the transport industry. Trains made it possible to get to cities and small towns faster, to deliver goods to various points at minimal cost. The railroad has not lost its relevance. It is in demand among avid travelers and ordinary people.

New Silk Road

This is the name of the railway that connected Europe and Asia. The highway with a length of more than 13 thousand km crosses 8 states. The train travels from the small Chinese town of Yiwu to the Spanish capital - the city of Madrid. To travel from start to finish, you need to stay on the road for 21 days.

Trans-Siberian Railway

The Trans-Siberian is the longest line in Russia. This is the first railway that connected Asia with Europe. It was built during the USSR. The way from the Russian capital to Vladivostok in 9288 km can be covered in 6 days.

Moscow - Beijing

The length of the railway line, which connects the two capitals of the great states, is more than 9 thousand km. Part of the train travels along the Trans-Siberian. Travel time is 145 hours. Due to different gauges at the border, the train is 6 hours long.

transcontinental network

The United States of America can be called leaders in the construction of railways. This type of transport is well developed in the state. There are also record-breaking roads. One of these champions can be called the Transcontinental Network, which stretched across the country. The total length of the roads included in its composition is 107 thousand km.

Chicago – Los Angeles

The longest road in the United States is the path that connects two American cities - Chicago and Los Angeles. The train covers a distance of 4.3 thousand km in 67 hours. At the same time, it stops at 40 stations.

Vancouver – Toronto

Not inferior to American roads and the Canadian railway, which stretches from the west coast to the east. The path, the length of which is almost 4.5 thousand km, the train overcomes in 86 hours. The train makes stops at 66 stations.

Lhasa – Guangzhou

China is also on the list of countries that boast the longest railways. The train travels almost 5,000 km in 54 hours. The main feature of traveling along this road is that you can see many Chinese sights along the way.

The Trans-Siberian Railway or the Great Siberian Way, which connects the Russian capital Moscow with Vladivostok, until recently bore the honorary title of the world's longest railway. But when the New Silk Road was launched, it moved the Trans-Siberian to second place, as it became noticeably longer than the previous record holder. The longest railway routes include unique routes with a length of many thousands of kilometers, during the journey along which a person can learn a lot about our planet.

1. Madrid-Iu, or the "New Silk Road" (13,052 km)

So many people would love to ride the cable car to experience all the extraordinary sensations caused by this way of moving ...

Nowadays, to deliver goods from the Middle Kingdom to Europe, it is not necessary to make dangerous months-long off-road trips on horses and camels. However, to avoid this, huge investments are required. The Chinese have historically dreamed of making the direction to the west profitable, fast and reliable, and at some point attracted Russian specialists to cooperate.
The length of the railway line with the big name "New Silk Road" was 13,052 kilometers. That is how much railway track it took to connect the capital of Spain with the small Chinese town of Yiwu. After the completion of construction, this railway became the record holder in the world in terms of length. The Chinese government has not been stingy and has spent about $40 billion to improve the infrastructure of the railway and increase the tonnage of goods carried on it.
At the end of 2014, a train from the Chinese city of Yiwu, located on the Pacific coast, solemnly set off, and 21 days later it finished in distant Madrid. This was the beginning of the work of the longest railway in the world. Unfortunately, the quality of the track does not yet allow comfortable passenger express trains to run on it, the movement of trains is strongly influenced by weather and other natural factors, but despite this, the start of operation of this highway has allowed the world economy to rise one step higher.

2. Moscow-Vladivostok, or the Trans-Siberian Railway (9,289 km)

This road passes exclusively through Russian territory; it was the first to globally connect Europe and Asia. The construction of the Trans-Siberian Railway began in 1891. The heir to the throne, Nikolai Romanov (the future last Emperor Nicholas II), returning from a many-month sea cruise from Japan, laid the first stone of the Ussuri railway in the vicinity of Vladivostok. The longest railway in Russia, like beads, strung 87 cities, 5 federal districts and 8 time zones on itself. 81% of the length of this path falls on the Asian part, and the rest on the European.
The Soviet builders of BAM could envy the speed of construction of this railway line - the route from Kotlas and Miass to Port Arthur and Vladivostok appeared in just 13.5 years (1891-1904). Basically, the "cast iron" passed through undeveloped lands, areas of permafrost. Many bridges were thrown over large rivers. The construction of the Trans-Siberian Railway was completed on October 1 (according to the old style), 1904. But even after the official completion, construction continued for many more years. For example, only in 1938 the second track was completed. This legendary railway, which has a length of 9289 kilometers, was launched at the height of the First World War - in 1916.
To get from the capital to Vladivostok, a traveler will need to spend 167 hours on the train, which will make 120 stops during this time. Traveling along the Trans-Siberian Railway is akin to a long tourist voyage - passengers will see many famous settlements, natural sights of incredible beauty and untouchedness during the journey. In addition, winding kilometers, the train gradually crosses 8 time zones.

3. Moscow-Beijing (8,984 km)

Russia and China are long-standing partners with common interests not only in politics and economics, but also in culture. It is not surprising that the capitals of these vast countries were connected by a direct railway line, which stretches for 8984 kilometers. The journey from one capital to another lasts about 145 hours. A significant part of the train route is covered by the already mentioned Trans-Siberian Railway, but in Chita, the cars heading to China turn towards the Chinese border. This is followed by a 6-hour stop in Zabaikalsk, where border control and a change of wheelsets are carried out, since the gauge is different in the two countries.

4. Far Eastern Railway (6,826 km)

The length of this route is 6826 kilometers. The railway administration is located in Khabarovsk. Throughout the journey, the train passes through 416 stations, as well as 3 state border crossing points. Travelers sitting on the train will not get bored, because they can admire the nature of the reserves and the view of the permafrost zones.

5. Gorky Railway (5,296 km)

In 1936, the Gorky railway was formed with a length of 5296 kilometers. This highway is being modernized all the time, for example, in 2010, Sapsan, a high-speed electric train manufactured by the German company Siemens, began to run along it, which began to deliver passengers in a shorter time. For example, with its help, it became possible to get from Moscow to Nizhny Novgorod in 3.5 hours. More than 52 million passengers travel on the Gorky Railway every year. For Russia, this direction has long been an important economic and political factor; historical cities are located along its path, along the way you can look at large forests and picturesque landscapes.

6. Lhasa-Guangzhou (4,980 km)

Inside China, there is another long railroad with 4,980 kilometer poles. It connects the port city of Guangzhou and the continental Lhasa, located in the Tibetan Plateau. Train T264 overcomes this grandiose way in 54.5 hours. Conductors tell passengers about the sights flashing outside the windows in three languages. The train has a 24-hour restaurant serving Tibetan and Chinese cuisine.
In recent decades, China has taken a leading position in the world in organizing modern railway networks. The Chinese are using the latest construction technologies, putting on rails modern high-speed trains that can race much faster than ordinary cars.

7. Yining-Shanghai (4,742 km)

In 2014, traffic was opened on a new railway route connecting Shanghai and Yining with a length of 4742 kilometers. Passenger trains move along it, while they sequentially cross 7 Chinese provinces, in which they make 32 stops. Travel time is 56 hours, during which passengers cross most of China and have the opportunity to admire its beauty, which is really quite a lot.

8. Urumqi-Guangzhou (4,684 km)

This railway connects the northwestern lands of China with its southeastern regions, its length was 4684 kilometers, and it will take 49.5 hours to overcome them. Three trains operate here, in which businessmen, politicians and just travelers who want to get to Guangzhou most often sit.

9. Toronto-Vancouver (4,466 km)

In Canada, VIA Rail trains run between Vancouver and Toronto on a 4,466 kilometer route. They make 66 stops along the way. But passengers sitting in comfortable carriages do not have to be bored, because the snow-capped peaks of the Rocky Mountains, the Canadian taiga untouched by man and various natural attractions rush through the windows. Often, passengers manage not only to admire the scenery, but also to see deer, elk or bears.

Currently, over a billion people pedal bicycles, which makes this particular vehicle the most popular in the world. In Europe myself...

10. Chicago - Los Angeles (4,390 km)

The American Transcontinental Highway connects Los Angeles and Chicago, which are on opposite sides of the North American mainland. This route is operated by the state-owned company Amtrak. The length of the path is 4390 kilometers, which the trains cover on average in 65 hours. During the journey, they cross 7 states and make 40 stops along the way. For the convenience of travelers, train cars have a special design - there are windows here not only on their sides, but also on the roof.

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The first railroad tracks were laid almost two centuries ago. Today, traveling even in an ultra-modern high-speed train is not the fastest way to travel around the planet, but remains one of the most convenient and safe. And freight rail transportation will be the main type of commodity exchange between countries and regions for a long time to come.

A developed network of railways, including the world's longest railway, which for a long time was considered the Trans-Siberian Railway, is a prerequisite for the progress of any economically developed region and the entire world economy.

History reference

A very short time after the first public railway track was opened in England in 1825, it became clear that this was the best way to transport goods and passengers. The railways of the world began to entangle the land with a web of rails. The number of laid tracks began to clearly reflect the level of economic development of the state and its potential, including military.

The Russian Empire, in full accordance with the national character of the titular nation, harnessed and carried loads on horseback for a long time. Although the first railway communication between the capital St. Petersburg was established as early as 1837, the operation of railways in Russia was conditional for a long time due to their absence.

National feat

The specifics of the Russian spaces dictated the need for the accelerated development of the railway network - this was clear to the most backward retrograde in the tsarist government. In May 1891, the heir to the throne, the future last autocrat, Nicholas II personally poured a wheelbarrow of earth into the base of the railway embankment near Vladivostok. And the construction of the eastern section of the Trans-Siberian began. In order for the first train to run from the Atlantic coast to Vladivostok in 1904, a colossal amount of money and manpower was spent.

The distance from Europe to the Russian Far East is such that after the completion of construction, Russia inevitably ended up with the longest railway in the world. The construction of the Great Siberian Way, as the highway was called at the beginning, was called by many (especially during the days of celebrations on the occasion of the opening of the movement) a joint feat of a single Russian people, uniting both a leading engineer and a simple digger to achieve a result. Having removed excessive pathos, one can find a large share of truth in this statement.

Trans-Siberian Railway

Formally, the Trans-Siberian was completed when the section of the route from Chelyabinsk to Vladivostok was built, but the reconstruction continued for a very long time. Documented in the form of a tablet at the Yaroslavl railway station in Moscow, the length of the Trans-Siberian Railway is 9298 km. In 2012, the full electrification of the Trans-Siberian Railway was completed, and today the train from Moscow to Vladivostok takes only 6 days and 13 hours.

Russian nature cannot leave even a purely prosaic and economic concept inanimate. A long journey along the Russian railways is not just a movement in space, it impresses any person, giving rise to deep feelings. The longest railway in the world - the Trans-Siberian Railway - is the heroine of numerous poetic and prose texts of various genres, they compose songs and make films about it.

Great Silk Road

China has long been a leader in economic growth. Trade turnover, economic, political, social and public relations of modern China with Russia and Europe require the establishment of high-throughput communication routes. The railways of the world and Europe are becoming an important part of this process.

Many modern businessmen and politicians see historical traditions in establishing contacts in laying the Great Silk Road, known since ancient times, on a modern basis. The caravan routes that connected the East and Europe were for some time of great intensity, which was reflected in the widespread use of Orientalism in fashion, fine and applied arts in Europe. Chinoiserie - Chinese Rococo, which became the defining trend for leading European architects and decorators at the turn of the 17th and 18th centuries - is largely the result of the heroic efforts of merchants who brought rich caravans from China.

An important direction of the economy

In the modern economy, the component is significant. The need to connect remote areas of the country with the industrial and economic center, the high need for interstate transportation made China a leader in the railway industry. The length of the railways, on which ultra-modern trains move, is constantly growing.

In 2012, a new railway line from Beijing to Guangzhou was opened to traffic. The longest and fastest line in the world connected the Chinese capital and a major metropolis in the south of the country. Super-comfortable and reliable trains will move along it at a speed of about 300 km/h, reducing by three times the time spent on this road before. The largest railways in the world are following this path of development.

Madrid - Yiwu

Today, to deliver goods from China to Europe, many months of dangerous journeys on camels and horses along difficult paths are not needed. But you need to invest heavily. The desire to make such a way fast, profitable, reliable, the Chinese proclaimed long ago, inviting Russian specialists to cooperate.

At the end of 2014, they solemnly celebrated in China, and in Madrid 21 days later they met a train that had overcome the path from the Chinese city of Yiwu, located on the Pacific coast. This is how the longest railway in the world with a length of about 13,000 km began to function. Although its condition does not yet allow the movement of comfortable passenger trains, and the passage of trains largely depends on the weather and other local factors, it can be said that the development of the world's transport network has entered a new, impressive stage of development.

Time goes by, and the world is changing according to the laws of economic development. New routes of movement are being opened, modern highways and railway lines are being designed and implemented. One of these railway routes is the route laid in China - from the province of Yiwu to the city of Madrid, crossing the whole of Central Asia. The result is the longest railway line in the world, operating at the present time.

The length of the new railway route is 6,200 miles or 13,000 kilometers, which, as you can see even on the map, is longer than our Trans-Siberian Railway (which is just over 9,000 kilometers long).

The longest railway on the planet - development plans

The small city of Yiwu in eastern China is known throughout the world as one of the largest wholesale trade centers, with which foreign entrepreneurs of various levels prefer to cooperate. For a more complete development of the Chinese economy and the export of various kinds of goods to other countries, a new railway line was originally conceived.

Although many experts attribute its appearance to the geopolitical orientation of the state, it seems that such an innovation was not enough for the Chinese economy to revive intercontinental trade. The project was symbolically named the "new Silk Road", and the Chinese government allocated $40 billion to improve infrastructure and develop freight traffic through freight trains.

Railway Silk Road from China to Europe

China has long been at the center of world trade, but is striving to cover ever larger areas. It can be said that the main driving force behind this railway project is a sense of historical primacy.

Trains on the Yiwu-Madrid route cross China and then Kazakhstan in Central Asia, a reminder of how many centuries ago, caravans with goods moved almost the same way. Travel time is 21 days.

In addition, other options for the “new Silk Road” were being developed, both on land and at sea. According to a map published by Chinese media, there is an option to develop trade routes even through Turkey. The Chinese government is ready to invest considerable funds in the construction projects of ports in the countries of the Indian Ocean, developing the sphere of maritime trade as much as possible.