Living There
Synopsis: The Trans-Siberian Railway opens up a vast area for tourists and brings much-needed revenue to the local people and economies.
Throughout history, you can see that as transportation has been improved, making it easier to travel to distant destinations, civilisation soon grows up around it. When the railway was constructed in North America, it linked both the Atlantic, and Pacific coasts, decreasing shipping time immensely. All along the route of the railway settlements appeared and prospered. This can also be said for the Trans-Siberian Railway, which finished construction in 1916. Linking Moscow in the West to Vladivostok in the East, this railway has dissected the vast expanse of this country and allowed remote destinations to become thriving communities.
The Great Expansion
The construction of the railway started in 1891 and was completed in 1916. With the completion of the railroad, it was suddenly a lot easier to transport raw materials, as well as modern machinery to aid with their extraction. Russia, and especially Siberia, is rich in a wide variety of different resources wh8ch are sometimes hard to process due to the remoteness of their location. Out of the emptiness, towns and cities appeared, which grew up around the prospering areas that harvested all of the on all of the valuable resources that Russian soil had to offer. Due to its size, Russia is one of the richest countries in the world because of their vast natural resources. With the significant expansion of industry and the economy, there was also a migration of people that were needed to keep these industries running. There were many successful towns and cities founded, but also some that disappeared into obscurity.
A Growing Number of Tourists
With the ease of travel also came an increase in the leisure travellers, interested in experiencing new cultures and peoples. Tourists are never far behind when transportation to areas opens up, which helps to diversify a town or city. Tourists need catering for and this in itself is an entire industry. So along with successful mining operations, the more scenic of areas also increased in popularity with travellers. The Cold War with the West stopped a lot of foreign visitors to certain parts of Russia, and also China Tours were limited. When the Cold War ended, once again the vast expanse of Russia was opened up to the masses, allowing foreign visitors to explore this proud and beautiful land. Tourists use the network of railways known as the Trans-Siberian to visit many different places.
- Moscow
- Mongolia
- China
- Krasnoyarsk
- Vladivostok
The list is almost endless and there are many places where you can leave the railway and head off to explore the countryside for yourself.
A Resurgent Tourism Business
With the Cold War well and truly in the past, tourists are coming to visit through the Trans Siberian railway tours, in numbers never seen before. Whether you are travelling Russia or including Mongolia and China in your tour, there is plenty to see and do, as well as some fascinating cultures that you will encounter. As tourist numbers increase, so does the amount of money that comes to these areas, with more money being injected directly into the local economy through the tourists spending their money. With this inflow of cash within the local economy, jobs are created, services are offered, as well as products sold. This has happened all along the railroad with the number of visitors increasing over the last 15 years.
Benefitting Local Culture
Another good thing that tourists bring with them is their own culture. This allows people who may not travel very far at all in their lives, to meet new people from different cultures, giving them an insight to the rest of the world. Different cultures also arriving means that different languages are spoken, so this also helps to encourage the local people with educating themselves to be able to communicate with visitors. Given time, all of these different factors accumulate to make a society which grows and learns which helps them to improve over time. It is also somewhat gratifying to go off and explore your surroundings and spend money with the local people, rather than giving it to the major corporations such a Starbucks and Pizza Hut! By exploring our surroundings and staying off the beaten path, you can find a new perspective of your surroundings. This is also good for the local community and helps to invest money at a roots level, putting the money where it is needed most. If the language is your biggest potential barrier, then there are plenty of translation applications which can be downloaded to your Smartphone or Tablet device, which can make communication a lot easier. You can also use this device to find your way around by using one of the many maps that are available online. Whether you are looking for souvenirs, clothes or just some food, by using independent shops, you are helping to preserve the local community and to allow them to prosper. This will mean that many other tourists will be able to appreciate the same experiences that you did, whilst exploring the Trans-Siberian route.
That Sense of Accomplishment
When you go off exploring the paths that are less travelled by tourists, as well as giving something back to the local economy, you can also get that immense feeling of accomplishment. There is sometimes nothing like the thrill of putting on a backpack and seeing where your feet end up taking you. Experiencing a country from a local perspective is an excellent way to broaden your horizons and bring your own life into perspective. There are countless adventures just waiting to happen if you get off the beaten path and are willing to do a bit of exploring outside of your comfort zone! The world is now a much smaller place.
