Berlin-Irkutsk

JSC Russian Railways is planning a new route from the German capital to Irkutsk, one of the largest cities in Siberia, situated near Lake Baikal. It is about 1,800 km (1,200 miles) east of Novosibirsk by rail.

The journey could take up to 30 hours longer than the Berlin-Novosibirsk route, a spokesman for the Russian operator said.

About 2.7 million people live in the region of Irkutsk, where the climate is characterised by long and cold winters and humid and warm summers.

Travellers can also reach the city with the Trans-Siberian Railway. It route in Russia runs from Moscow in the west to the eastern coastal city of Vladivostock and is the longest rail line in the word, spanning almost 9,300 km (5,700 miles).