Irkutsk can be considered one of the main tourist centers of the Asian part of Russia. Tourists come to this city both from the west and from the east, which is facilitated by its location on the Trans-Siberian Railway and the presence of an international airport. It is not difficult to get from Irkutsk to Moscow. If you look for tickets in advance, you will get it quickly and cheaply.
Flight
The fastest way. The plane from Irkutsk to Moscow flies about 6 hours. There are many flights, they are operated by different airlines:
- "Aeroflot";
- "Ural Airlines";
- "Belavia";
- "Victory";
- "Nordavia";
- Red Wings;
- S7.
Departure time from Irkutsk airport can be from 05:30 to 20:30. The price of air travel depends on the season and the company's offers. The cheapest ticket will cost at least 5,000 rubles. Relatively little, considering that the distance from Irkutsk to Moscow is about 5,200 km.
The airport in Irkutsk is located on the outskirts ofcities. It’s really possible to get there by trolley bus from the historical center for 15 rubles.
In Moscow, the plane lands most often at Sheremetyevo and Domodedovo airports, rarely at Vnukovo. The center of the capital can be quickly and comfortably reached by Aeroexpress. A ticket costs 500 rubles, or 450 if purchased online in advance.
It should be remembered that the time in Irkutsk differs from Moscow by five hours.
Rail ride
You can travel from Irkutsk to Moscow by train. It takes a lot of time, but this method is popular with railway enthusiasts, both among Russians and foreign tourists. The trip will take from 75 to 90 hours. Trains run along the Trans-Siberian Railway. Their departure schedule from Irkutsk is as follows:
- 03:37. Slow unbranded train from Vladivostok.
- 15:22. At this time, international trains depart from Ulaanbaatar and Beijing. The first one is formed by the Mongolian Railways, and the second belongs to the PRC Railways. They have few stops, in fact, 1 for each region (Perm, Balezino, Kirov, etc.), but the prices are high, they rarely go, once a week.
- 15:54. Corporate composition "Russia" from Vladivostok. It alternates with the international composition of the Beijing-Moscow formation of Russian Railways.
- 16:39. Slow unbranded train from Chita. In the European part of the country he travels through the cities of Perm, Kirov and Galich.
- 23:55. Unbranded train from Ulan-Ude, goes a little faster than the previous one. In the European part of Russia,passes through Kazan and Murom.
The price of a ticket depends not only on the type of carriage, but also on the train class and seasonal tariffs of Russian Railways. The reserved seat costs approximately 4,000 rubles. If branded, then 50% more expensive. Coupe from 6,800 in a non-branded composition and up to 10,000 in a branded one. Tickets for sleeping cars can be very expensive, up to 40 thousand
Travel by car
From Irkutsk to Moscow it is really possible to get there by car in 5-7 days. That is, it is desirable to divide 5,200 km by a week to get about 730 km per day. You need to plan for overnight stays, gas stations, meals and sightseeing along the way.
First you need to get from Irkutsk to Novosibirsk along the R-255 highway. It passes through the cities: Tulun, Kansk, Krasnoyarsk, Achinsk and Kemerovo.
Novosibirsk and Omsk are connected by the R-254 highway, and then you need to move along the E-30 through the South Urals to Ufa.
The M-7 highway leads from the capital of Bashkiria to Moscow. On the way there will be the city of Naberezhnye Chelny, Kazan and a couple of regional centers, Nizhny Novgorod and Vladimir.
Some attractions are very close to the slopes. For example, the village of Bogolyubovo and the Church of the Intercession on the Nerl. There you can stop for an hour and see the monuments of architecture.
Sights of Irkutsk
If you travel in the opposite direction? It is really possible to get from Moscow to Irkutsk by all of the above methods.
Irkutsk can be considered one of the most interesting cities in the Asian partRussia. It has developed electric transport, trolleybuses and trams, they are almost the cheapest in the country (15 rubles).
The railway station is separated from the historical center by the Glazov bridge. The airport is located on the opposite side of the city.
The city is divided into two parts by the Angara, and there is a railway on the river island of Konnom. This is a rather rare option for accommodating such an attraction in Russia. As a rule, it is located in some kind of children's park.
Irkutsk is full of attractions: monuments, museums, examples of Soviet and pre-revolutionary architecture. It is worth allocating a week for a detailed acquaintance with the city and its environs.
