Yaroslavsky Station

Yaroslavsky Station in Moscow has green and white turrets and pointed roofs. It was built in 1902.

Polly came in low through the city. Moscow in June was warm. She circled the station and landed on the canopy.

The Trans-Siberian Railway begins here. It runs east for 9,289 kilometres, all the way across Russia. It ends at Vladivostok on the Pacific. The line was finished in 1916. It is the longest railway in the world. The main train is called the Rossiya. It leaves Moscow at one in the afternoon. It arrives in Vladivostok seven days later.

Polly had a window seat in second class. Her compartment had two upper and two lower bunks and a small table.

Two bunks were taken. One by a quiet older woman reading. The other by a young man with a laptop. He saw Polly and said "OK."

Polly hopped onto the table and looked out the window. The platform was busy.

At one o'clock, the train moved. The platform slid away.

In half an hour, Moscow had thinned to suburbs. In an hour, to small wooden houses called dachas. In two hours, to forest.

The older woman looked up from her book. "First time?" she said. "It is a long way. Settle in."