Tours to Lake Baikal - Circumbaikal Railway Tour

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Tours to Baikal - Circumbaikal Railway Tour

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!

Travel by Circumbaikal railroad: Circumbaikal railway map

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.

The Circumbaikal railway can be visited in a one day trip
using one of the following options:

Price: 1900 R / $63baikal tour to circumbaikal railway
! - price is valid till May 2010baikal 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

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 Circumbaikal 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: 1900 R / $63
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: 1900 R / $63
! - price is valid till May 2010

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 Circumbaikal 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: 1900 R / $63
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.

Electric Circumbaikal train in Sludyanka

Circumbaikal railroad trip: Soviet and American locomotives of 1940-50

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.

Circumbaikal diesel-powered train operates from October till May

Circumbaikal diesel-powered train operates from October till May

View inside of the train - 1st class carriages

Circumbaikal train view from inside - 1st class carriages

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.

Circumbaikal electric train operates from June till September

Circumbaikal electric train operates from June till September

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:
		Guesthouse "Staruy Mayak" is a former train station building which was reconstructed according to the 100 years old drawings. It is located at Port Baikal and offers double and triple rooms with all facilities for 17 persons. Operates all year round. Price 500-700 rubles per person. Meals are not included. Guesthouse "Fort Baikal". Three-storey building made of wooden logs in a siberian style. It is located at Port Baikal and offers 1 single and 2 double rooms. Shower and bathroom is on the floor. Operates all year round. Double room 1600 rubles / Single: 800 rubles. Breakfast is included. B&B Port Baikal is a two-storey wooden building which is situated 100 meters away from the shore of lake Baikal. It offers double and single rooms at a price of 700 rubles per person. The house has all the facilities, offers sauna and meals 3 times per day. Guesthouse "Yahont" is a two-storey wooden building made in a russian style. Single room 800 rubles, double room 2400 rubles, family room 3600 rubles. Breakfast is included. Rooms has all the facilities. Tourist base "Khvoinaya" is a 2-storey wooden building. It is located on the 93rd km of the Circumbaikal railway and 26 km away from Port Baikal. Operates only in summer. Offers double and triple rooms. Price 450-800 rubles per person. No running water. Toilet is outside. Tourist base Shumiha offers the same service as Khvoinaya for the same prices. It is located on the 102 km of the Circumbaikal railway and 30 km away from port Baikal.
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.

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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