Tours to Baikal
- Circumbaikal Railway Tour
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Circumbaikal railway is the old part of the Transsiberian railroad. It starts in Kultuk village / Station Kultuk (157 km)
and ends in Port Baikal (73 km). Kultuk village is situated 8 km before Sludyanka and 98 km away from Irkutsk by road.
The main railway building however is in Sludyanka.
Within the section of 84 km from Kultuk to Port Baikal there are 424 engineering constructions and 39 tunnels, the total
length of which is 8994 metres. The biggest tunnels are Katorzhny (538 m), Khabartuy (548 m), Poloviny (807 m). There are
about 200 bridges and 14 km of walls that supports the railway. All these constructions were build more than 100 years ago!
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the distance between Irkutsk and Listvyanka: 70 km / 44 ml
the distance between Irkutsk and Sludyanka: 106 km / 66 ml
the distance between Sludyanka and Port Baikal: 84 km / 52 ml
the distance between Port Baikal and Listvyanka: 2 km / 1.2 ml
The railroad was named "the Golden Buckle of the Great Siberian Trail". The "Buckle" - as it connected the Trans Siberian
railway divided by Baikal lake; the "Golden" - because the total value of building operations exceeded the cost of all
railroads in Russia at those time. At the end of 70's the railway was recognized as the historic and architectural monument
and now it is under government protection.
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The Circumbaikal railway can be visited in a one day trip
using one of the following options:
Price: 1700 R / $71baikal tour to circumbaikal railway
TOUR OPTION 1:
Tour duration: 1 day (08:00 - 21:00)
Irkutsk - Sludyanka - Circumbaikal railway - Port Baikal - Ferry to Listvyanka - Irkutsk
Distance: 262 km / 162 ml
Departure days: all year round / every Wednesdays and Saturdays at 08:00
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At 07:30 meet driver in Irkutsk and transfer to the train station to board the Trans-siberian train. Departure is at 08:00 for
Sludyanka and 2 hours non-stop (100 km) journey. At 10:00 start the Cicrumbaikal railway excursion by train along lake Baikal to
Port Baikal (92 km). Special stops enroute are done for tourists at the most beautiful places on the railway: Staraya Angasolka,
Shabartuysky bridge, Polovinaya river, "Italian" Wall, longest tunnels, viaducts and supporting walls. Arrive Port Baikal at 19:30
and cross the Angara river (2 km) by ferry-boat to Listvyanka. Drive 70 km and 1 hour to Irkutsk. Upon arrival transfer to the
hotel or hostel.
Price per person: 1700 R / $71
Price includes:
- Train Irkutsk to Sludyanka
- Circumbaikal train tickets to port Baikal
- Ferry-boat Port Baikal to Listvyanka
- Transfer Listvyanka to Irkutsk 70km
- Guide to accompany group at all times
- Meals are not included:
Price: 1700 R / $71
TOUR OPTION 2:
Tour duration: 1 day (09:00 - 22:00)
Irkutsk - Listvyanka - Ferry to Port Baikal - Circumbaikal railway - Sludyanka - Irkutsk
Distance: 262 km / 162 ml
Departure days: all year round / every Thursdays and Sundays at 09:00
At 09:00 meet driver in Irkutsk and transfer 70 km and 1 hour to Listvyanka on the southwestern shore of 637 km long Lake Baikal,
the world's largest and deepest freshwater lake. At 10:30 cross the Angara river (2 km) by ferry-boat to Port Baikal. At 11:30
start the Cicrumbaikal railway excursion by train along lake Baikal to Sludyanka (92 km). Special stops enroute are done for
tourists at the most beautiful places on the railway: "Italian" Wall, Polovinaya river, Shabartuysky bridge, Staraya Angasolka,
longest tunnels, viaducts and supporting walls. Arrive Sludyanka at 19:30 and further ride along the Trans-Siberian railway
(100 km) with stops to Irkutsk. Upon arrival transfer to the hotel or hostel.
Price per person: 1700 R / $71
Price includes:
- Transfer Irkutsk to Listvyanka 70km
- Ferry-boat Listvyanka to Port Baikal
- Circumbaikal train tickets to Sludyanka
- Train tickets to Irkutsk
- Guide to accompany group at all times
- Meals are not included:
The tour starts in Irkutsk on every Wednesdays, Thursdays, Saturdays and Sundays. The tour ends in Irkutsk
in the evening (21:00 - 22:00). Price does not include meals during the tour. Light snacks can be bought on
the train at the restaurant carriage. English-speaking guide services for the tour costs additional 750 rubles / total.
TOUR OPTION 3:
Tour duration: 2 days / 1 night
Irkutsk - Listvyanka - Ferry to Port Baikal - Circumbaikal ralway - Sludyanka - Irkutsk
The Circumbaikal railway tour (option 2) can be combined with the trip to Listvyanka on the previous day. The duration of
the tour is 2 days / 1 night. If you are already in Listvyanka, you can start the one day Circumbaikal trip (option 2)
on every Thursdays and Sundays at 11:00
TOUR OPTION 4:
Tour duration: 2 days / 1 night
Irkutsk - Kultuk - Arshan - Sludyanka - Circumbaikal railway - Port Baikal - Ferry to Listvyanka - Irkutsk
The Circumbaikal railway tour (option 1) can be combined with the trip to Arshan or Tunka valley on the previous day. The
duration of the tour is 2 days / 1 night. Otherwise you can also start the tour from Sludyanka on every Wednesdays and
Saturdays at 10:00.
The Circumbaikal railway can be visited by boat from Listvyanka. The Yaroslavets boat rent is 1500 - 2000 rubles per hour.
Boats can take aboard up to 20 people. From Listvyanka it requires 1.5 - 2 hours to get to the most spectacular places of
the Circumbaikal railway. Please note that the boat rent price includes the cruise back to Listvyanka, plus the time the
boat is spending at the Circumbaikal railway.
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October - May:
Diesel-powered train carriage: comfortable carriages are equipped with special heating system and have bar.
Soft arm-chairs are located infront of each other and have cosy tables in between. Every carriage has 4 LCD monitors
which show DVD about the railway and camera view from the front of the train. Everything to meet the 1st class
standards.
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June - September:
Electric train has 4 types of carriages: 1st and business class carriages have a pair of arm-chairs located
infront of each other and a table. 2nd class carriages have 2 and 3 chairs in a row and no tables. The train has a
restaurant car. Cars have hot boiled water supply for every table. Every car has LCD monitors which show DVD about
the railway and lake Baikal.
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You are welcome to spend more than 1 day at the circumbaikal
railway and explore the area by foot. 1-2 days trekking trips are possible along the Baikal shore and the railway
line, through the tunnels. Accommodation is available at the following guesthouses and tourist bases:
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All the accommodations above has big outside yards, view to the lake,
saunas/banya, places for picnics equipped for barbecues, dinning rooms with chimneys, cable TV, offer
excursions.
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Read more information about Circumbaikal railway.
Read more information
about Trans Siberian railway.
Tour options are endless. You are welcome to ask questions or reserve the trip at
request form page.
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