1. sceneryThe journey from Moscow to Vladivostok (the official Trans-Siberian Railway) or Beijing (either the Trans-Mongolian or Trans-Manchurian, depending on the route) takes the best part of a week and covers, on average, 8,620km. That’s a staggering lot of land you’ll be covering. And, as you might expect, the landscape changes as you move from west to east (or vice versa), morphing from the urban landscapes around Moscow to the rolling fields of the Siberian countryside. The scenery is especially beautiful around Lake Baikal where the railway takes you right along side this stunning expanse of water.从莫斯科到符拉迪沃斯托克（官方的跨西伯利亚铁路）或北京（根据路线的不同，可以是跨蒙古或跨满洲铁路）的旅程耗时一周，平均行程8620公里。你要穿越的土地跨度大得惊人。而且，正如你所料，当你从西向东（或反之亦然）移动时，景观会发生变化，从莫斯科周围的城市景观演变成西伯利亚乡村的起伏田野。贝加尔湖周围的景色尤其美丽，铁路将您带到这片令人惊叹的广阔水域。The Trans-Siberian services rarely move faster than 60kph so there’s no need to worry about blurred vision – you’ll have the liberty of taking it all in bit by bit. And whether or not you’re getting off the train, you’ll be spending a full few days in your carriage – that’s potentially 12 hours of scenic views, times seven. You’ll get a true sense of scale and realise just how big Russia really is.横贯西伯利亚的火车速度很少超过60公里/小时，因此不必担心视力模糊-你可以自由地一点一点地接受这一切。不管你是否要下火车，你都要在车厢里呆上整整几天— 那可能是12个小时的风景，乘以7。你会有一个真正的规模感，并意识到俄罗斯到底有多大。
2. The train experience 乘火车的体验
With so much time spent on the train itself, there’s no doubt that this is what the Trans-Siberian journey is all about. And this is part of its timeless appeal. Unlike planes, you’ll see exactly where you’re travelling as you go. And unlike cars, what you’ll see won’t be endless motorways and service stations. On a train you can move around. You can catch up on a year’s worth of reading. It’s a chance to master a card game. Or even figure out what you’re actually doing with your life. Train travel is to daydreaming what vodka is to social bonding – one fuels the other.在火车上花了这么多时间，毫无疑问，这才是横穿西伯利亚之旅的意义所在。这是它永恒魅力的一部分。与飞机不同，你可以在旅途中准确地看到自己的行踪。与汽车不同的是，你看到的不会是无尽的高速公路和服务站。在火车上你可以四处走动，你可以把落下一年的阅读量在这里读完，也是一个掌握纸牌游戏的绝佳机会，或者把你的生活到底在做什么想想清楚。火车旅行与白日梦就如同伏特加与社交活动的意义一样 — 相得益彰，互为表里。Time is definitely on your side here. There’s nothing stopping you from wandering down the train carriages, checking out what’s going on elsewhere. In all likelihood it will be nothing more exciting than Russian families wiling away their own time but you never know who you might encounter.你有足够的时间，没有什么能阻挡你在车厢里闲逛，看看世界的其他地方都发生了什么。或许俄罗斯家庭消磨自己的时间再好不过的方法了，但你永远不知道你会遇到谁。
3. The people you meet
On the train you’ll be sharing with others – other travellers that hail from various countries around the world and locals travelling for business or to visit family. With hours to spare there will be plenty of opportunities for conversations with strangers. Have a shot (or two), chase with kvass – a fermented beverage made from rye bread, and snack on tinned meat and bread. Trust me, it’s more fun than it sounds.在火车上，你将与其他人分享 — 来自世界各地的其他旅行者和因公出差或探亲的当地人。在空闲的时间里，会有很多与陌生人交谈的机会。喝一杯（或两杯），用格瓦斯（一种由黑麦面包制成的发酵饮料）和罐头肉和面包做的零食。相信我，这比听起来有趣多了。
4. The foodYep, you read right – food. OK, I’ll admit that the food served in the train’s dining carriage is nothing short of mediocre. It’s overpriced and underwhelming. But elsewhere you’re in for a culinary treat. If you’re a bit of a foodie, it’s worth getting off the train just to sample Russian cuisine.是的，你没听错 — 食物。好吧，我承认火车餐车上的食物简直是平庸。它的价格过高而令人不快。但在其他地方你会享受美食。如果你是一个美食家，就算是为了品尝俄罗斯美食，下火车都是值得的。5. The chance for adventureSure, you can hop on the train at Moscow and get off a week later in Vladivostok or Beijing without stepping foot outside of a train station. But why would you want to do that when there’s so many great places to disembark at? Get off at Irkutsk and make your way to Lake Baikal, the world’s largest freshwater lake. In winter you can go cross-country skiing, ride huskies and go snow-mobiling. In summer you can take a scenic trek through the surrounding taiga forest and camp by the water’s edge.当然，你可以在莫斯科跳上火车，一周后在符拉迪沃斯托克或北京下车，而不用走出火车站。但是有那么多好的地方可以下车，你为什么要这么做呢？在伊尔库茨克下车，前往贝加尔湖，世界上最大的淡水湖。冬天你可以去越野滑雪，骑哈士奇和雪地摩托。夏天，你可以徒步穿过周围的泰加森林，在水边露营。If you’re travelling through Mongolia then break up the journey at Ulaan Bataar and set out for the countryside. The Terelj National Park is just an hour away from the capital. Here you can go on long walks, explore the landscape on horseback and spend a night or two in a traditional Mongolian ger (a large felt tent). You can also time your journey with the annual Nadaam Festival, a celebration of Mongolia’s traditional sports – wrestling, horse racing and archery. It’s held in July and is a real spectacle with an elaborate opening ceremony of acrobats and marching bands.如果你要穿越蒙古，那么在乌兰巴托结束旅程，出发去乡村。特雷尔吉国家公园离首都只有一个小时的路程。在这里你可以走很长的路，骑马探索风景，在传统的蒙古帐篷（一个大毡帐）里呆上一两个晚上。您还可以参加一年一度的那达慕节（Nadaam Festival），庆祝蒙古的传统体育项目 — 摔跤、赛马和射箭。它在七月举行，由杂技演员和仪仗队精心准备的开幕式是一个真正的奇观。
