Take a virtual train trip to Siberia

MOSCOW -- The Trans-Siberian Mainline, one of the world's classic rail journeys, is intimidating to some potential passengers because they don't speak Russian and because the trip takes a week.

Now, with a new Web site launched by Russian Railways, interested travelers can take a virtual trip on the train from Moscow to Vladivostok in about 30 minutes -- but it's still hard to find someone speaking English.

Although the Web site is only in Russian, it's easy to navigate intuitively. Go to www.rzd.ru/static/index.html?he--id--sh=1457&he--id=1457 and click on the word that looks like "ctapt." Now you're on your way.

At the top of the screen is a line divided into eight segments -- one for departure from Moscow, one for arrival, and the other six for the days in between. Each shows views of the characteristic scenery of the day, as seen from inside the train. Clicking on the window takes the viewer to a 360-degree view of what's outside.

Inside the train, life looks more cheerful. At the bottom of the screen are segments showing the cars with four-berth compartments, the more luxurious two-berth cars and the restaurant car.

In the restaurant car, each day's view shows a hefty, bearded young man named Bigus sitting with a beer at a different table.