An American couple, Roy (Woody Harrelson) and Jessie (Emily Mortimer), take the train from Beijing to Moscow as an adventurous side trip on their return home from a Christian mission in People's Republic of China. The gregarious Roy befriends their cabin mates, a Spain man, Carlos (Eduardo Noriega (Spanish actor)), travelling with his young Seattle-born girlfriend, Abby (Kate Mara). The reserved Jessie does not share her husband's warmth towards the globe trotting pair. In course of the journey, Carlos shows Jessie a collection of "rare" Matryoshka doll he is carrying.