Trans-Siberian Highway spans 6,800 miles from St. Petersburg to Vladivostok
Stretching almost 7,000 miles from St. Petersburg to Vladivostok, the Trans-Siberian Highway is a network of federal highways that spans the width of Russia from the Baltic Sea of the Atlantic Ocean to the Japan Sea of the Pacific Ocean. Running across some of the toughest environments and terrain around, it’s one of the longest roads in the world.
Can you drive from Moscow to Vladivostok?
Built by gulag inmates, the road stretches over 11,000 kilometres (6,800 mi) from St. Petersburg to Vladivostok. The highway serves as a vital transportation route, facilitating both domestic and international trade, as well as connecting remote regions of Russia.
Is the Trans-Siberian Highway paved?
The quality of the road infrastructure can vary along different sections of the highway. While some parts may have well-maintained roads, others may present challenges, especially in less populated and remote areas. It varies from a pristine motorway in the west to badly paved roads in the east. For most of the year, conditions are excellent (if a little cold), but during the warm, wet summers, sections of the road have been transformed into an impassable quagmire. Although some parts are fairly smooth, many parts of the highway are in terrible condition. Maintaining such a huge stretch of road is pretty much impossible, and so they don’t. Heavy rain and severe winters make it even more difficult to navigate.
Is Trans-Siberian Highway dangerous?
The drive spans about 6,800 miles connecting the western part of the country with the eastern part, across some of the toughest environments and terrain around, along with arguably the longest national highway in the world, and if it’s a challenge you’re after, this should be close to the top of your list. Today, along the whole highway, there is an asphalt-concrete pavement, but not always of good quality. The road crosses everything from forests to tundra to vast stretches of narcotizing nothingness. Much of the drive is uneventful, but there are sections that are deeply foreboding and dangerous. Traffic in Russia is unpredictable; expect to encounter dangerous overtaking and excessive speeds in urban areas.
How to get ready before driving the Trans-Siberian Highway?
If you attempt to drive across from St. Petersburg to Vladivostok, make sure you come prepared for the absolute worst. And remember: never travel this road alone. Some of the Siberian sections are unpaved and traverse remote stretches far from help or gasoline. Russia also has a high per-capita death rate of its drivers, due to bad roads and drinking. Roads and cars are often in dangerously bad condition.
Map: By SibStudent1994 - Own work, CC BY-SA 4.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=67645179