The Moscow–Brest Railway () is about 1,100 km of Moscow Railway within Russian Railways and Belarusian Railway, that connects between Moscow in
Russia
Russia, or the Russian Federation, is a country spanning Eastern Europe and North Asia. It is the list of countries and dependencies by area, largest country in the world, and extends across Time in Russia, eleven time zones, sharing Borders ...
and
Brest near at the
Polish border. It was built during the period of
Imperial Russia
Imperial is that which relates to an empire, emperor/empress, or imperialism.
Imperial or The Imperial may also refer to:
Places
United States
* Imperial, California
* Imperial, Missouri
* Imperial, Nebraska
* Imperial, Pennsylvania
* ...
.
History
The construction of Moscow–Smolensk railway was approved by Alexander II On December 15, 1868. Construction began in the spring of 1869 with the construction of the
Moscow Smolensk railway station at the Tverskaya Zastava Square.
This railway was built simultaneously from
Smolensk
Smolensk is a city and the administrative center of Smolensk Oblast, Russia, located on the Dnieper River, west-southwest of Moscow.
First mentioned in 863, it is one of the oldest cities in Russia. It has been a regional capital for most of ...
and from
Moscow
Moscow is the Capital city, capital and List of cities and towns in Russia by population, largest city of Russia, standing on the Moskva (river), Moskva River in Central Russia. It has a population estimated at over 13 million residents with ...
. On August 9, 1870, the first trains passed from Smolensk to
Gzhatsk
Gagarin (), known until 1968 as Gzhatsk (), is a types of inhabited localities in Russia, town and the administrative centre of Gagarinsky District, Smolensk Oblast, Gagarinsky District of Smolensk Oblast, Russia, located on the Gzhat River, n ...
. On September 20, 1870, Moscow-Smolensk Railway was opened. In 1870–1871, the Smolensk-Brest railway was built, and this section was opened on November 16, 1871.
Both railways merged into one and they were named the Moscow–Brest Railway. In 1877–1879, from Moscow to Kubinka, and from Smolensk to Brest became double-track sections. In 1891–1892, from Kubinka to Smolensk became a double-track section.
Electrification began in 1941 and by 1973 between Moscow and Vyazma was electrified at 3,000 V direct current. In 1979 ahead of the Moscow Olympic Games the rest of the Vyazma–Brest was electrified at 50 Hz 25,000 V.
Major stations
Moscow (Belorussky) -
Vyazma
Vyazma () is a types of inhabited localities in Russia, town and the administrative center of Vyazemsky District, Smolensk Oblast, Vyazemsky District in Smolensk Oblast, Russia, located on the Vyazma River, about halfway between Smolensk, the ...
-
Smolensk
Smolensk is a city and the administrative center of Smolensk Oblast, Russia, located on the Dnieper River, west-southwest of Moscow.
First mentioned in 863, it is one of the oldest cities in Russia. It has been a regional capital for most of ...
-
Orsha
Orsha (; , ; ) is a city in Vitebsk Region, Belarus. It is situated on the fork of the Dnieper, Dnieper River and Arshytsa River, and it serves as the administrative center of Orsha District. As of 2025, it has a population of 101,662.
History
...
-
Minsk
Minsk (, ; , ) is the capital and largest city of Belarus, located on the Svislach (Berezina), Svislach and the now subterranean Nyamiha, Niamiha rivers. As the capital, Minsk has a special administrative status in Belarus and is the administra ...
-
Stoŭbcy -
Baranovichi
Baranavichy or Baranovichi is a city in the Brest Region of western Belarus. It serves as the administrative center of Baranavichy District, though it is administratively separated from the district. As of 2025, it has a population of 170,817. ...
-
Brest
In popular culture
The Moscow–Brest Railway plays a role in the novel
Doctor Zhivago by
Boris Pasternak
Boris Leonidovich Pasternak (30 May 1960) was a Russian and Soviet poet, novelist, composer, and literary translator.
Composed in 1917, Pasternak's first book of poems, ''My Sister, Life'', was published in Berlin in 1922 and soon became an imp ...
.
See also
*
List of railway lines in Russia
{{Refimprove, date=September 2014
This is a list of railway lines in Russia.
Main lines and their divisions
Russian Railways is by far the largest railway company. It owns many of the other railways.
* East Siberian Railway
** Irkutsk Railway ...
References
Railway lines in Russia
Railway lines in Belarus
International railway lines
Cross-border railway lines in Belarus
Cross-border railway lines in Russia
{{Russia-rail-transport-stub