There are a great many roads leading to Lake Baikal. These are highways, railways, air and water transport. The choice depends on the point of departure, transport preference and the size of the wallet.
To Baikal by plane
To get to Lake Baikal and enjoy the picturesque nature of this unique place, you first need to drive to Irkutsk (about 70 km to the lake) or to Ulan-Ude. The map shows that these two cities are located near the shores of Lake Baikal. And already from Irkutsk or Ulan-Ude you can get to the desired point on the shore of Lake Baikal.
An airplane is the most expensive and at the same time the fastest way to travel. For example, flights from Moscow and St. Petersburg to the Irkutsk airport take off every day. The flight time is about 6 hours, and the cost of a round-trip plane ticket is twice as expensive as the same train ticket.
Electric trains, regular buses and minibuses go from Irkutsk to Baikal. If financial possibilities permit, then you can take a taxi, which is many times more expensive. The choice of transport depends on which coast of Lake Baikal you want to get to.
Buses and minibuses go from the Angara Hotel to Lake Baikal, trains and electric trains go from the railway station, buses, minibuses and taxis go from the bus station, and motor ships and yachts go from the Raketa pier during the navigation period (from mid-June to late August) … The average fare is from 350 to 500 rubles. If you order a ticket in advance through a travel agency, the price will vary from 700 to 900 rubles.
To Baikal by train
The railway is an old proven way to get to Irkutsk and to the nearest areas of Lake Baikal. The duration of such a trip is about 3 days, but, as mentioned earlier, the price of a ticket is much lower than that of a plane. Here the choice is yours.
The branded train "Baikal" runs directly from Moscow on the route "Moscow-Irkutsk". You can also get to Irkutsk by train from Khabarovsk, Yekaterinburg, Adler, Brest, Anapa, Minsk, Rostov-on-Don, Penza and other cities of Russia and neighboring countries.
Train tickets can be purchased 45 days prior to departure.
To Baikal by car
You can get to Irkutsk and then drive to Lake Baikal by means of a personal car. This type of travel is suitable for very patient people who have excellent driving skills, "fresh" maps and atlases, which is the key to a successful trip. It is advisable not to go on such a trip without an accompanying person.
The distance from Moscow to Irkutsk is more than 5000 km, so draw conclusions about the travel time and stock up on the necessary amount of gasoline.
