From the country’s small villages to its big cities, Russia depends on the mighty Trans-Siberian Railway to traverse more than 6,000 miles and seven time zones between Moscow and Vladivostok.

In just seven days, the railway transports travelers and cargo from western Russia, across rocky tundra and frequently impassable countryside, all the way to the Pacific Ocean. Built over 26 years and completed a century ago, it remains a critical facet of Russian trade with Europe and China, and is a stalwart example of Russian engineering.

Today’s Doodle celebrates the railway that helped link a nation with the world. Doodler Matt Cruickshank relied on his first-hand experience traveling the Trans-Siberian Railway in April 2015 to bring the Doodle to life.

During the trip, Matt sketched out images of the Russian cities and countryside that would help form the foundation of the animation. “I felt compelled to echo the visual strength of Russian graphics coupled with a folk art style,” Matt explains.

The Doodle also features Tchaikovsky’s “Serenade for Strings in C Major, Op. 48, II. Waltz” as performed by the Moscow Virtuosi Chamber Orchestra. “The accompanying score gave the short film the momentum and gravitas that brought the whole project together."

Check out scene-by-scene GIFs of today’s Trans-Siberian Railway Doodle below.