Golden Eagle Trans-Siberian Express

The Golden Eagle Trans-Siberian Express launched in May 7, 2007 is Russia’s first luxury private train. It is a joint Russian-British project, which cost $25 million and took 7 years. The train serves the world's longest railway line from Moscow to Vladivostok as well as specially developed routes. One of them, the Silk Road goes on through Kazakhstan, stopping at Baikonur Space Centre, Uzbekistan and Turkmenistan, across Asia's largest and coldest Gobi desert in China with Beijing as the final destination.

The highest level of comfort and service offered to the train passengers justifies describing Golden Eagle as a real five-star hotel on the wheels. Prince Michael of Kent, one of the authors of the project, said at a reception at the British Embassy in Moscow that it was a dream for any Brit to drive a train, and added that two of his dreams, Russia and trains, had been united in the Golden Eagle project.

The Golden Eagle Express consists of 12 Gold and Silver class sleeping cars. The maximum capacity of the Golden Eagle is 132 passengers. There is 64 staff on board the train.

The six Gold class carriages have 5 spacious sleeping compartments equipped with individual air conditioning and heating, lavatories, showers, under floor heating, wardrobe spaces, fridges, armchairs and tables. There are also LCD TV screens, state-of-the-art DVD/CD players, audio systems, Web access, attendant call buttons. The Silver class compartments have all of the same mod cons¹ but are slightly smaller.

The train includes a 35-seat bar car (the bar remains open until the last person leaves), two dining cars seating 64 each, a kitchen car, a laundry car and a storage car. Doctor and barber services are available to passengers as well. The menu of the Trans-Siberian dining cars features Russian and Siberian cuisine, from borsch to black caviar with vodka.

The Golden Eagle leaves from Moscow, traveling almost 10,000 km at an average speed of 80 kmh to its final destination on the Sea of Japan. The route includes visits to Kazan, Yekaterinburg, Novosibirsk, Irkutsk, Lake Baikal, Ulan Ude, the Mongolian capital Ulan-Bator, Khabarovsk and Vladivostok.

Notes: ¹mod cons – современные удобства

(B) Найдите в тексте английские эквиваленты следующих фраз.

1. частный поезд повышенной комфортности

2. Шёлковый Путь

3. специально разработанные маршруты

4. пятизвездочный отель на колёсах

5. управлять поездом

6. багажный вагон

7. кнопка вызова проводника

8. к услугам пассажиров есть врач и парикмахер

9. вагон-буфет на 35 мест

10. ехать со средней скоростью