I rode the legendary Trans-Siberian Railway on a 2,000-mile journey across four time zones in Russia. Here's what it was like spending 50 hours on the longest train line in the world.

Katie Warren/Business Insider

I paid $148 for a second-class ticket on the Trans-Siberian Railway.

• The Trans-Siberian Railway is the longest railway line in the world, spanning 5,772 miles (9,289 kilometers) and connecting Moscow to far Eastern Russia.
• On a recent trip to Russia, I spent 50 hours on a Trans-Siberian train from the Siberian city of Novosibirsk to Moscow. The more than 2,000-mile journey crossed four time zones.
• I paid $148 for a second-class ticket to stay in a shared compartment with three other passengers.
• I had to deal with not showering or changing clothes for more than two days, entertaining myself without cell service or Wi-Fi, a cramped and smelly bathroom, mediocre food, and a snoring compartment mate.
• But it was the experience of a lifetime, and I would do it again with a few key changes.
• I expected the train to be filled with tourists, but most of the other passengers seemed to be Russians traveling for work.
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The Trans-Siberian Railway is the longest railway line in the world, running from Moscow, Russia, all the way to Vladivostok, near the border with China.

The legendary railway, which is 5,772 miles long and crosses seven time zones, has become a dream trip for many adventurous travelers. So on a recent trip to Russia, I had to give it a try.

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I rode the Trans-Siberian Railway from Novosibirsk, the largest city in Siberia and the third-largest city in Russia, to Moscow. The journey took about 50 hours, so I spent two nights on the train.

Here's what it was like.