Kaluga land is famous for its holy places. It is there that the monastery is located, which gave such a direction in monasticism as the elders. Today Optina Pustyn receives pilgrims every day seeking answers for their wounded soul.
By car
The best way to get to the Optina Pustyn Monastery is by car. The name of the monastery can be entered into the navigator search and it will optimally lay the route. The monastery is located in the Kaluga region near the town of Kozelsk. The route from Moscow will start on the Kievskoe highway and continue for 270 kilometers. Almost before Kaluga, it will be necessary to turn right to the bridge over the Oka and keep to the signs to Kozelsk. Already before Kozelsk itself, you need to turn left to bypass the city towards the Optina Pustyn signpost. There is a comfortable free parking near the monastery. But on weekends and holidays there are a lot of cars and tourist buses.
By bus
The Optina Pustyn Monastery can also be reached by a regular intercity bus that goes to Kozelsk or Kaluga. You can find the required flight at the Yugo-Zapadnaya metro station. You can get to Kaluga, then take a bus to Kozelsk, and from the city take a taxi or walk to the monastery. From the bus station of Kozelsk to the monastery there is a minibus once an hour from seven in the morning to five in the evening. And you can get from Moscow by bus directly to Kozelsk (such flights run a little less often).
From the bus station near the Teply Stan metro station there is a bus that goes only to Optina Pustyn, stopping at Obninsk and Kaluga for small stops. The travel time on this route is about five hours, but you can get directly to the monastery without changes. But a ticket for such a bus costs a little more than a regular regular one.
By train
The fastest way to get to Optina Pustyn is by train to Kaluga. It takes 3, 5 hours, but then you have to get to the place by bus again. You can take an express train in 2.5 hours, but a ticket for such a train is more expensive. So in the end, all the options are about the same in time. Unless the train does not stand in traffic jams, which happen on weekends when leaving Moscow.
Where to stay
If you plan to stay overnight in the monastery, you should arrange for a hotel in advance. There is a pilgrim hotel on the territory of the monastery. But most often it is booked for organized groups and the conditions there are quite modest: eight people in the room and amenities on the floor. The nearest hotels and guest houses can be found in Kozelsk. There are also good options for accommodation in apartments, in other words, apartments. The apartment option is even more interesting, because in Kozelsk it is not very good with catering points. The monastery has a refectory for pilgrims, but it does not work in the evening.
