In Britain, we are generally used to fast train rides. Even London to Inverness can be done in fewer than 12 hours. A day’s journey in Russia, by contrast, can move you a mere blip on the map, though many sprawling cities, villages and vast lakes may have been passed.The Trans-Siberian is one of the most famous train lines in the world. Every year, it transports thousands of tourists, civilians, migrant workers and others 5,771 miles from Moscow to Vladivostok: the exact number is stated on a small statue at the eastern end. In the summer, the experience can involve sweltering heat; in the winter, endless snow and bitter frost. Many have it on their list of “things to do before I die”.David Greene made the trip a few years ago, before redoing it on a commission to write