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The stone gallery of the Circum-Baikal Railway near Cape Stolby

Destinations

Port Baikal and the Circum-Baikal Railway

Tunnels, galleries and bridges right above the water

Photo: Vyacheslav Argenberg, CC BY 4.0

Journey time
Several hours for the whole line by suburban train; a short crossing by ferry from Listvyanka
Coordinates
51.8705, 104.8084
Verified
14 October 2026

The Circum-Baikal Railway is a stretch of the old Trans-Siberian along the south-western shore of Baikal between Slyudyanka and Port Baikal, about 89 km long. It was built in the early twentieth century, with tunnels cut through the cliffs right above the water. Today it is a dead-end branch and one of the region’s great sights.

What has been verified. Checked against official sources on the verification date: operators, ways of getting there and the existence of seasonal restrictions. Timetables, fares and seasonal crossing dates are deliberately not reproduced — follow the operator links.

Why visit

Nowhere else on Baikal can you ride (or walk) so far along the very edge of the water. Dozens of tunnels, stone galleries, retaining walls and bridges make it a well-preserved engineering monument that is still in use.

Port Baikal is the village on the far side of the Angara source from Listvyanka. Before the Circum-Baikal line was built, the icebreaker-ferry Baikal carried railway wagons across the lake from here, while the smaller icebreaker Angara took passengers and freight.

What to see

  • Baikal station at Port Baikal — the start of the line.
  • The tunnels and galleries between Port Baikal and Kultuk.
  • Marituy and Polovinnaya stations — mid-way stops.
  • Slyudyanka station — faced with local marble.

Getting there from Irkutsk

Port Baikal has no road connection to Irkutsk. There are two ways in:

  • By water — the ferry from Listvyanka across the Angara source (a short crossing), or in summer a river boat from Irkutsk.
  • By rail — along the Circum-Baikal line itself from Slyudyanka, on the suburban train or a tourist train.

Transport options

It is important to distinguish two kinds of trip:

  • The suburban train between Slyudyanka and Baikal runs several days a week, slowly, stopping everywhere — ideal if you want to get off at one station and walk part of the line.
  • Tourist trains (including Russian Railways’ “Baikal Express”) follow a fixed programme with stops at the main sights; part of the trip may be by bus and ferry.

Walking along the line is popular with prepared hikers — check the train you will return on.

Where journeys start

Slyudyanka (Slyudyanka-1 station) for trains along the line; Listvyanka (Rogatka pier) for the ferry to Port Baikal.

How the seasons differ

The main season runs from late spring to autumn. Trains also run in winter, when the lake below the tunnels is frozen, but daylight is short and walking is harder. The Listvyanka ferry may run a reduced timetable in the shoulder seasons.

Before you go

  • There are almost no shops or cafés along the way: bring water and food.
  • Many sections have no mobile signal.
  • Take a torch for walking — some tunnels are long.

Risks and restrictions

  • This is a working railway: keep well clear of the track when a train approaches, especially in tunnels and on bridges.
  • The slopes above the line shed rocks; do not climb cliffs or retaining walls.
  • Ticks are active in the woods in spring and early summer.
A steam locomotive and a passenger train at Port Baikal station Photo: Artem Svetlov from Moscow, Russia, CC BY 2.0
A tunnel portal on the Circum-Baikal Railway above the lake Photo: Vyacheslav Argenberg, CC BY 4.0
A stone tunnel portal on the Circum-Baikal Railway Photo: Vyacheslav Argenberg, CC BY 4.0
An abandoned gallery on an old section of the Circum-Baikal Railway Photo: Artem Svetlov from Moscow, Russia, CC BY 2.0

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