Travel Information

Time

Irkutsk runs on UTC+8 — five hours ahead of Moscow. Keep this in mind when booking trains and connections.

Money and payments

• Bank cards issued outside Russia generally do not work. International visitors should plan in advance how they will pay.
• In Irkutsk and Listvyanka cards from Russian banks are accepted almost everywhere; on Olkhon, along the Circum-Baikal Railway and in small villages you need cash.

Mobile coverage and internet

Coverage is good in Irkutsk and larger villages but disappears in northern Olkhon, along the Circum-Baikal Railway and in the mountains. Download offline maps and save your timetables.

Transport

• The bus station (Oktyabrskoy Revolyutsii St 11) — buses to Listvyanka, Bolshoye Goloustnoye and Olkhon.
• Irkutsk-Passazhirsky station — trains to Slyudyanka and along the Trans-Siberian.
• River boats — on the Angara and Baikal in summer.
• Ferries — to Olkhon, and between Listvyanka and Port Baikal.

Timetables change with the seasons. Our destination pages link to the operators and official sources.

Climate

The climate is sharply continental: frosty, sunny winters, a late spring, a short warm summer and a golden September. Baikal moderates the climate on its shores and generates strong local winds. The lake water is cold all year round.

Health and safety

• Ticks. From May to July the risk of tick-borne encephalitis in the forests around Baikal is high. Wear covering clothes and repellent, check yourself after walks, and get vaccinated well in advance if you can.
• Ice. Only go onto the ice on official crossings and routes. Near the Angara source and river mouths the ice is dangerous all winter.
• Fire. In summer, fire-danger regimes may restrict access to forests.
• Mountains. Weather in the Khamar-Daban changes quickly; tell someone your route.

Protected areas

Much of Baikal’s western shore and Olkhon lies within Pribaikalsky National Park. A visitor fee may apply; see the rules on the Zapovednoe Pribaikalye website.

Emergency services

The single emergency number is 112 (on many phones it works even without a SIM card).