How to get to Baikal by plane, train, car?

How to get to Baikal from Moscow, Irkutsk, Klan-Ude and other cities of the Russian Federation? Let's look at up-to-date information about ways to get there by train, car, or plane. We’ll find out ticket prices, schedules and other aspects of planning a vacation on the coast, and as a bonus, we’ll tell you about several recreation centers where it’s best to become the best.

The pride of the Russian land - Lake Baikal - is located deep in the forests of Eastern Siberia between the Irkutsk region and the Republic of Buryatia, a fusion of cultures that gives this area a special flavor. The oldest and deepest lake on the planet, unique in its diversity of unique flora and fauna, attracts the attention of scientists and travelers. Baikal has incredibly clear water, pristine nature has been preserved here, and there is no civilization. This place is shrouded in an aura of secrets, customs and traditions. From all over the world, millions of tourists dream of coming here to enjoy peace and quiet, or to find adventure and extreme relaxation. Baikal is not easy to get to, which is why this place attracts millions of people.

Call ! We have already repeatedly published photos from vacation spots where mountains of garbage are left behind by seemingly decent tourists at first glance. Respect yourself first of all; it is not so difficult to bring waste products to specially designated areas.

How to get to Baikal from Moscow?

On the coast of the lake there are three large cities that can be reached by train or plane - Irkutsk, Ulan-Ude and Severobaikalsk. You can also get there by car, as many independent travelers do; we will also touch on this point.

• Depending on your holiday destination on Lake Baikal, you will have to choose your arrival city. Irkutsk is ideal for a trip to Maloe More, Olkhon, Arshan, Listvyanka and other places.
• Ulan-Ude is ideal for relaxing in wild places (for example Enkhaluk), where tourism is not yet fully developed as on the Irkutsk side.
• Severobaykalsk is perfect for visiting hot springs.

Cost of flight to Irkutsk

Since there are airports in Irkutsk and Ulan-Ude, most tourists prefer to fly to the city closest to the lake - Irkutsk, and flights here will become even cheaper thanks to the return of Pobeda in the near future.

• Airplane tickets to Ulan-Ude are cheap, and flights are regular.

We will tell you how to get to Baikal from Moscow by plane. Everything is very simple: from any airport in the capital by planes of companies:

• Aeroflot,
• S7,
• UTair,
• Ural Airlines,
• Transaero.

Flight time is 5 hours. 45 min. The cost of a ticket is from 10 to 13 thousand rubles in both directions. The lowest prices for air tickets to Irkutsk are from December to March, the highest are in July, August and September. In order to plan the loading of the aircraft, the air carrier arranges a preliminary discount on tickets and their sale, and thus monitors the filling of the aircraft. If you are persistent and monitor prices frequently well in advance of your trip, you will eventually get lucky and score a discounted ticket.

We recommend that you definitely use the calendar below; it saves a lot of time and shows all the results in the required period of time. Sometimes neighboring dates are half the price.

• Price calendar for tickets to Irkutsk:

• Flights from Moscow to Ulan-Ude:

How to get there by train?

If you don’t know how to get to Lake Baikal cheaply, choose the train. You will travel along the legendary Trans-Siberian Railway, see the beauty of the European part of Russia, the Urals, and Siberia.

• The capital's Kazansky and Yaroslavsky stations offer several regular direct or transit trains to Irkutsk and Ulan-Ude . The travel time will be a little over three days. For a ticket in a reserved seat carriage you need to pay from 6 thousand rubles.

• to Severobaykalsk from the same stations. Travel time is about 4 days, the cost of a reserved seat starts from 6,400 rubles.

Advice! When choosing a train trip, you should buy tickets in advance; during the holiday season, many tourists buy up offers 2 months in advance.

When is the best time to relax?

What to see on Baikal?

Get there by your own car?

Surely, there are such desperate heads who dream of traveling to Lake Baikal in their own car. The idea is quite feasible, considering that you are a lover of serious adventures and the price of gasoline does not scare you at all. Calculate for yourself how many days it will take to cover 5200 km. It is worth noting that you will have to travel through Kazan, Chelyabinsk, Omsk along the federal highways M-7 (from 2013 “Volga”) and M-53 (from 2013 “Siberia”), asphalt concrete, 7 m wide, recently renovated .

We would like to note:

• You can get to Baikal on your own by car from Moscow in a week, driving about 800-1000 km a day.
• Be sure to take a spare tire, many sections of the gravel road are not kind to tires.
• Mountain sections of roads are serpentine (especially in the Kultuk area), here we advise you to be extremely careful, many trucks have brake failures.

A number of sections of the route have dangerous factors: steep descents and ascents, turns, limited visibility. Every 50-60 km of the route there are food points, the food is tasty and inexpensive, be guided by heavy trucks. The price of AI95 gasoline in Kazan is 43.04 rubles, in Chelyabinsk – 44.05 rubles, in Omsk – 45.10 rubles, in Irkutsk – 44.02 rubles, (AI92 – 41.60 rubles, at the time of publication).

Olkhon Island, Shamanka Rock

What to do on Lake Baikal?

So, we got to Baikal. Now you need to decide how to spend your leisure time. We list the most popular activities and routes:

— A walk through the taiga. This place attracts many travelers with its mystery and special atmosphere. Baikal is unique for its flora and fauna. Many representatives can only be seen here. For example, the musk deer is the smallest deer in the world. If you want to stay overnight in the taiga, take a tent. But for safety reasons, it is recommended to find a local guide.

- Diving. The water in the lake is so clear that visibility is approximately 40 meters. Discover the unique underwater world of Lake Baikal by diving with special equipment. The lake is home to five dozen species of fish. Sometimes you can see colonies of sponges, to which Baikal owes the crystal purity of its waters. You should not dive to a depth of more than two tens of meters. Such extreme entertainment can be dangerous;

- Rafting along one of the tributaries of the Angara - Irkut. This is entertainment for those who love truly extreme recreation;

— Do you prefer to relax on the beach? So you should go to Sandy Bay. Rocks, taiga, picturesque landscapes... What else is needed to feel unity with nature;

— Climbing Mount Minku-Sardyk - the highest point in Siberia. As you rise to the heights, you will enjoy magnificent scenery;

— Why not enjoy the contemplation of the majestic Baikal and think about the hidden? Find a place on the lake and be in silence, smell it and listen to its voice.

— Olkhon is one of the main attractions of Lake Baikal. This island has plains and hills, mountains and forests. The island's territory is more than 700 square kilometers. Here you can see the beautiful Shaman Rock. According to legend, the grave of Genghis Khan is located on Olkhon;

— Mount Yord is considered the highlight of the Baikal region. In the valley there is a mound made of granite and shaped like a dome. Scientists still cannot determine whether the mound was created by people or formed as a result of natural processes;

- Shaman-Stone. This local attraction attracts the attention of tourists. It is located at the source of the Angara. Shamans have been performing rituals at the stone for thousands of years. It is believed that this is where the spirit of Angara lives;

— Petroglyphs are rock carvings that are more than two thousand years old. You can see them on the Sagan-Zaba rock. You won't be able to find them on your own. Use the services of guides.

How to get to Baikal from Irkutsk?

And now you have reached Irkutsk. But from there to the nearest village on the lake there are still 70 km, which also need to be overcome somehow. You have several options for how to get to Baikal from Irkutsk: take a minibus or bus, go by car or boat, or train.

Buses and minibuses to Baikal

• The first automobile option is a bus .

Therefore, we are looking for a bus station, which is located on October Revolution Street, 11 (15 minutes walk from the city center). From there towards Baikal every day from 8 to 16 hours. Buses depart every 50 minutes. Ticket price from 130 rub. to Listvyanka, to Olkhon - 510 rubles. We buy tickets at the box office, there are no queues. Official website of the bus station with schedule.

• The second option is a minibus .

The parking lot is located at the Central Market (near the Shopping Complex), the cost of transportation to Listvyanka will cost 150 rubles, and to Olkhon - 800 rubles. Minibuses depart as soon as they are full. If suddenly there are no places (which is unlikely), then we go along Timiryazev Street towards City Hospital No. 3, near the “Original” photo salon there is a pavilion where you can buy tickets to Olkhon Island.

After 1 hour along the Baikal Highway (65 km) you get off at the “Baikal Museum” stop in Listvyanka. Here, a ferry runs from the Rogatka pier to the Port Baikal pier, which takes up to 30 passengers on board. The cost of a ferry ticket for an adult is 71 rubles, for children from 5 to 10 years old – 36 rubles.

100 meters from the bus station, private minibuses await passengers, which will take you to any place on the Baikal coast at a negotiated price.

The best recreation centers

How to get there by train?

Along the Baikal coast you can get to the necessary station by train on the Circum-Baikal Railway, which connects the southern village of Kultuk with the eastern Mysovaya station and makes stops at several stations and stopping points.

First, they get to Kultuk or Slyudyanka by train for 150 rubles and transfer to the train to the desired station. To board the Port Baikal railway station, tourists get to it by the Voskhod motor ship, and to the village of Listvyanka by bus.

In summer, the Circum-Baikal Express tourist train runs between the stations of Irkutsk and the port of Baikal. Trains run to Severobaikalsk and Nizhneangarsk every other day. Official website of the railway station with schedule.

How to get there by car?

By car, you need to get to the coast approximately 100 km along the M-55 highway to Baikalsk, Tankhoy, Vydrino, or 60 km to the village of Listvyanka along the Baikal Highway. It all depends on your vacation spot and desires. Baikal is different everywhere, so we welcome questions in the comments.

And one more way : from Irkutsk, take the Yakut highway to Bayandai, turn right and after a short time you will reach the ferry crossing to Olkhon Island or turn off the highway to MRS earlier.

Map with routes and main places

How to get there by water?

It’s very simple, go to the VSRP website and look at the schedule of the ship to different parts of the lake, and buy tickets here. Tourists mainly use the shuttle service to Bolshie Koty and Peschanaya Bay.

Departure takes place from the Raketa pier in the microdistrict. Solar. The stop with the same name is located nearby; minibus No. 16 goes here from the railway station through the city center. (By the way, you can also buy tickets at the pier; the ticket office is open from Monday to Saturday)

Recreation centers on the Small Sea

Severobaykalsk

Severobaykalsk is connected by direct rail services to more than 180 cities.

Tourist routes along northern Baikal begin from Severobaikalsk and Nizhneangarsk. From here you can get to Yarki Island, the Frolikha Nature Reserve, Lake Frolikha, Khakusy Bay, and the hot springs of northern Baikal. In summer, Severobaikalsk and Nizhneangarsk are connected by water route with Olkhon Island, the village of Listvyanka and Irkutsk.

• Train schedule and ticket to Severobaykalsk
• Book a hotel in Severobaykalsk

How to get to Baikal from Ulan-Ude?

If you are planning to visit the eastern coast of Lake Baikal - Bezymyannaya Bay, Zmeinaya Bay, Ust-Barguzin, Transbaikal National Park, Vydrino, Tankhoy, Baikal Nature Reserve, Enkhaluk, then it is better to buy a ticket to the capital of Buryatia, Ulan-Ude, right away.

From this city you can get to many places on the lake, both by public transport and by your own car. Buses, trains and minibuses are at your service. The transport schedule is constantly changing, so it is better to check the official website of the city railway and bus station often.

The villages of Vydrino , Tankhoy , Kultushnaya , Baikalsky Priboy , which are located in one direction from Ulan-Ude, can be reached by minibus from the railway station on the street. Revolutions of 1905, 35. Travel time is 5 hours, ticket price is 1300 rubles. The minibus schedule changes, so information must be clarified at the station contact center.

The villages of Ust-Barguzin , Gremyachinsk , Turka , Goryachinsk , located along the Barguzinsky tract, can be reached by minibuses No. 301, 302, 344, 345, 346 from the Selenga bus station, which is located almost in the city center on the street. Sovetskaya, 1. In the summer, it makes sense to book tickets in advance, as there is a very large influx of tourists. Ust-Barguzin is located further, the travel time to it is approximately 4-5 hours. The cost of tickets to the above stations is from 270 (Gremyachinsk) to 540 (Ust-Barguzin) rubles.

There is another option - renting a car, but it is very expensive, approximately 1000 rubles per day for an old car, and even with a deposit of 5 to 40 thousand rubles.

Sunset in Khuzhir

General information about Baikal

I can talk about this place endlessly. This is one of the most magnificent bodies of water in the world. Baikal is considered not only the deepest lake on the planet, but also the largest natural reservoir of drinking fresh water. The width ranges from 27 to 80 kilometers, and it extends 635 kilometers in length.

There are unique nature reserves and national parks around.

Baikal is a cold lake because it is fed by mountain glaciers. The average temperature barely reaches 4 degrees. Only in summer in shallow waters does the water warm up to 22 degrees.

Baikal attracts not only nature lovers. It is believed that this place is one of the most mystical and colorful. For example, there are places that are visited by lovers of esotericism and shamans to perform mysterious rituals and communicate with the spirits of nature.

How to get to Peschanaya Bay?

This place is considered the most beautiful on the lake. People come here to take a break from civilization, retire and be left alone with their thoughts. Since the bay is very far from the roads, you can get to it by the motor ship “Barguzin” from the Irkutsk river station at the Solnechny microdistrict, Zhukova Ave., 98 (for tickets, see the WSRP at the link above).

The ship operates only in the summer, and the rest of the time it is fashionable to order a private boat, especially during the Indian summer. The trip by boat takes 4 hours and 2800 rubles per ticket. In winter, brave souls can reach the Bay by car across the frozen lake. This route will take 35 minutes at a speed of 40-60 km per hour.

Another option for the hardy ones is a minibus to the village of Bolshoye Goloustnoye and a walk along the Baikal Trail, 35 km long.

The bus schedule from Irkutsk to Bolshoye Goloustnoye is variable, as are the prices. Therefore, the information needs to be clarified.

Due to the ever-growing interest of tourists in the lake, more and more travel companies are appearing in Buryatia and Irkutsk, which solve the problems of delivering tourists to different places of Lake Baikal. Both long tours and day trips allow you to get where you want to go and see the untouched edge of the sacred Lake Baikal, but remember the call at the beginning of the material.

It's expensive for Russian citizens

Over the phone to a correspondent of Realnoe Vremya, a consultant from the tour operator “My Baikal” said that most tourists fly from Moscow, St. Petersburg, Novosibirsk, Khabarovsk, and Crimea.
Among foreigners, the primacy is occupied by the Chinese, Koreans, Germans and French. A popular week-long tour costs 40 thousand rubles. — Holidays on Lake Baikal are very expensive. For this money you can buy a trip abroad along with a flight. It’s expensive for Russian citizens, but for foreigners, after the ruble collapsed, it became cheaper. That’s why we have a lot of Chinese, Koreans, Thais are gradually starting to come, the Germans love Baikal. Prices are high because the infrastructure is not developed. We have no roads or sewerage. Business exists not thanks to the state, but in spite of it, because there is no investment from the state,” said a consultant for the My Baikal tour operator.

According to her, on the most popular resort island, Olkhon Island, there is not even a good pier, and the road was built only a few years ago.

Although tourists have chosen only four months to relax on Lake Baikal, travel companies claim that there is something to do on the lake at other times of the year. Photo vk.com/planetabaikal

How to get to Olkhon and the Small Sea?

• To get to Khuzhir, choose the Yakutsky highway and follow the highway to Bayandai (distance 134 km). The road is of good quality, mostly straight, sometimes there are traffic police posts. You can have a snack at the Cozy Cafe in Gulun Tumur.
• There are gas stations along the way; we recommend refueling at Rosneft.
• At Bayandai you need to turn right, from here it’s another 130 km. to the ferry crossing to Olkhon Island (Khuzhir). The crossing is free, during the holiday season we recommend traveling on weekdays; at peak times the queue can last up to 5 hours.
• The last 37 km after the ferry crossing is a gravel road; here you must adhere to the speed limit and stay away from oncoming traffic. This way you can extend the life of the suspension and tires.

How to get to the Small Sea? Moving towards Olkhon along the Yakutsky Highway we reach the Kraisneft gas station, sign for Chernorud. We turn left and move further along the gravel road, it will lead you to tourist centers on the coast and the village of Sarma.

By plane via Minvody

Stage 1 - airplane

The closest airport to the Dombay resort is Mineralnye Vody.

It is located 250 kilometers from the resort. You can fly there from Moscow using various airlines and at any time of the day. Flights operate daily from the capital's airports:

• Domodedovo,
• Vnukovo,
• Sheremetyevo.

Travel time from Moscow to Mineralnye Vody is about two hours.

The air terminal in Minvody is small, it’s impossible to get lost. Everything is located very conveniently, there are many signs.

Stage 2

The fastest way

For those who value speed and comfort and are not used to the inconvenience of public transport, taking a taxi would be the best solution.

There are taxi ranks located on the station square, opposite the exits from the arrivals sector of the airport terminal.

Be prepared for local taxi drivers to jack up their prices.

Travel time from Minvod airport to Dombay is about 3.5 hours. Distance – 250 kilometers. Cost of the trip: from 3000 rubles. The exact cost of a taxi can be found here.

Do not use unlicensed carriers. Take your car only to designated official parking lots. A trip with a random driver can end in unpleasant adventures and will never be cheaper than an official taxi.

By bus

If you prefer to continue your journey by public transport, you will need to get to the city first.

Route taxi No. 11 goes from Minvod Airport to the city. Its stop is located near the taxi stands. The stop pavilion is clearly visible from the baggage claim section of the airport terminal.

The minibus service interval is 15-20 minutes. Travel time is about 25 minutes. Opening hours – from 06.00 to 22.00.

The minibus makes stops:

• at the Minvod bus station,
• on the forecourt of the railway station.

To get to Dombay, you should get off at the train station and take a bus. True, they do not go all year round, but only in the winter months - from December to March.

The fare is 800-900 rubles. The price includes transportation:

• one piece of luggage,
• one pair of skis,
• one board.

Departure time from the Minvod railway station is 05.00-06.00 (depending on occupancy). Travel time is 4-5 hours.

If such a bus does not suit you, you can get off minibus No. 11 at the bus station and take a bus going to Teberda.

Quite a lot of flights depart towards Teberda per day; as a rule, there are no queues for them.

It is better to check the exact schedule and ticket prices at the bus station ticket office.

In Teberda you will need to take a minibus to the bus station in the village of Dombay, or take a taxi. A Teberda-Dombay taxi will cost you 300-350 rubles.

How to get to Listvyanka?

You can get to Listvnyaki from Irkutsk by your own car, bus or minibus. The distance from the center to the village is 67 km. You can take a minibus or bus from the Central Market or the bus station, as we have already mentioned in more detail above.

The Baikal highway, leading to the destination, is constantly being reconstructed and the route is expanding, the first 25 km of the road are of excellent quality, then there is asphalt with cracks and filled holes, there are places with cameras. Travel time is approximately 1 hour. The cost of travel by minibus is 150 rubles, the bus is cheaper.

Let's go on vacation to the “Pearl of Siberia”!

Before you go by plane, you need to take into account that in relative proximity to Lake Baikal there are two large settlements with air harbors - the cities of Irkutsk and Ulan-Ude.

When choosing a place where you plan to spend your vacation on the lake, you will need to decide on the arrival airport, since these cities are located on opposite shores from each other. There are beautiful places and attractions all along the Baikal coast, and if you plan your time correctly, you can get to any place on Lake Baikal!

The air port of the city of Ulan-Ude with the same name “Baikal” has international status; it receives direct daily flights from Moscow and back. The flight is 5000 kilometers or 5 hours in the air.

Photo: https://booking.com

Air transportation of passengers on the route Moscow - Ulan-Ude and back is carried out by 3 airlines:

Air (Domodedovo): The cost of an air ticket is up to 20,000 rubles and more. The flight departs from the capital in the evening. The flight lasts about 5 hours; food and drinks are offered during the flight. Arrival in the capital of Buryatia at about 7 a.m. Ulan-Ude time. In the opposite direction, the flight departs in the morning local time; hot meals and drinks are offered along the way. The flight arrives in the capital at noon Moscow time at Domodedovo Airport.

Avia (Vnukovo): provides transportation from autumn 2021

What is important for those who want to save on a flight, the cost of an air ticket on Pobeda has been significantly reduced, amounting to 4,999 rubles and more! But unlike S7 Airlines, Pobeda has strict restrictions on hand luggage and baggage. Departure and arrival times are approximately the same with S7 Airlines.

Avia (Domodedovo): began flights on this route in June 2019

As previously reported by the media, there are discounted tickets to Moscow ranging from 6,200 rubles (under 23 years of age, women over 55 years of age, men over 60 years of age, members of large families, disabled people with accompanying persons). For the remaining category of passengers, air tickets cost ≈ 11,000 rubles and more.

There are also regular flights from Ulan-Ude to cities in Eastern Siberia. There are direct international flights from Beijing, Seoul and Ulaanbaatar. The airport is located 15 kilometers from the central part of the city and 150 kilometers from the eastern shore of Lake Baikal.

If you are planning to visit the famous Barguzinsky Bay, the Barguzinsky Nature Reserve or the Chivyrkuisky Gulf, then it will be more convenient for you to arrive in the Buryat capital - the city of Ulan-Ude. Next, you will need to travel by car or minibus to the eastern coast of the lake.

The first village you will encounter on the eastern shore will be Gremyachinsk. You can also get there by train or train, but in this case you will arrive at the southern tip of the lake (Slyudyanka). Travel time by car or by train from Ulan-Ude to the nearest Baikal shore is approximately 1.5-2 hours.

Irkutsk airport also receives flights from major Russian cities. In addition to the Moscow flight, from May 25, 2021, the airline began flights to Irkutsk from St. Petersburg and back. There have been no flights between St. Petersburg and the capital of the Angara region since 2012! The cost of an air ticket starts from ≈ 6,000 rubles.

Photo: https://booking.com

If you intend to visit the village of Listvyanka, Olkhon Island and the Small Sea, then your destination is the glorious city of Irkutsk. Next, a ride by minibus is about 70 kilometers to the popular lake. Also in summer, there is water navigation to Olkhon Island by boat.

You can use the popular “Cheap Air Ticket Search Service” in Russia and see the cost of air tickets to get to the Baikal shore!

How to save money on your trip? Working lifehacks!

These tips will help you plan an independent holiday at resorts in winter or summer for less:

• We recommend looking for the best hotel prices on ROOMGURU . The search engine searches among all hotel databases on the Internet, even from such giants as Booking, and compares prices. If you are a smartphone lover, then the HOUSING SEARCH is a must. It is very convenient to open options upon arrival and book immediately.
• TRIPINSURANCE service will help you profitably insure your health and life while traveling ; the search engine shows results from all major insurance companies. All you have to do is choose only the most profitable option, but we advise you not to skimp on your health!
• Air tickets? Experiencedly, we recommend using AVIASALES , it is still the No. 1 search engine among independent travelers.

By plane from Russia to China

Aeroflot, S7, Air China, China Southern, and China Eastern Airlines fly regularly from Russia to China. Flights operate from many Russian cities. The largest selection is, of course, from Moscow: you can fly to Beijing, Shanghai, Hong Kong, Guangzhou, Chengdu, Urumqi and many other cities. Round-trip prices start from 17,000 rubles. for a flight with a transfer, and from 19,000 rubles. for direct flights. You can also fly from Novosibirsk to Urumqi for 11,000 rubles, to Beijing for 19,000 rubles. The cheapest flights to China from Khabarovsk and Vladivostok: to Beijing - 12,000 rubles. round trip, to Harbin - 9,000 rubles, to Shanghai - 16,000 rubles.

There are promotions and sales - you can get a ticket even cheaper. At the height of the tourist season, on the contrary, prices rise. So it’s better to buy a plane ticket in advance or on special offer. You can find the cheapest plane tickets to China by searching in the form below. The system itself will select air tickets for more than 700 airlines and many reservation systems.

To buy the cheapest plane tickets, read our article, which discusses the main ways to save on buying an air ticket.

We recommend searching for air tickets on metasearch engines, for example.

I also advise you to look and subscribe to, sometimes you can catch good prices!

Airplanes fly within China very often and in any direction, so you can always quickly fly even to a small town by making a transfer in Beijing, Shanghai, Guangzhou, Hong Kong, etc.

To search for tickets, I also recommend using mobile applications such as Skyskanner. We've reviewed these and other most useful apps.

A car ride is a romantic adventure

One day I had the chance to drive along the fascinating route Moscow - Ulan-Ude by car, my friends suggested going to Baikal, and since my relatives live in Ulan-Ude, we couldn’t help but stop by this beautiful city. The road is very long and difficult, it’s physically difficult to drive, it’s good that we had several drivers. The distance between the cities is 5,600 kilometers, which is at least three days on the road, if you don’t take into account overnight stays, but on such a road you definitely need to stop for the night. We made three stops, in Perm, Omsk and Krasnoyarsk. We thought for a long time about which route to choose and decided to go to Yaroslavl.

• Leaving Moscow, we found ourselves on the M-8 highway, I really like this road, it has four lanes, you can drive freely and quickly. There is a lot of traffic despite it being early in the morning. The coverage is very good, there are no holes. Gas stations are common, and so are cafes, but there is no particular need for them at this stage.
• You can go on an excursion to Yaroslavl, but we bypassed it and turned onto the P-400 highway to Kostroma. The road is also good, although there are already two lanes, but the surface is without damage, which made us very happy.
• From Kostroma we take the P-98 highway, but soon it goes to the left, and we continue towards the village of Sharya. Having driven along a road of average quality, we got onto the R-176 highway, along which we got to Kirov. On this section (Kostroma-Kirov) the road is probably of the worst quality on the entire route; you can’t go fast here. There are almost no gas stations and traffic is light.
• Having passed Kirov, we drove to Perm along the P-166 highway, this is a good road, in some places there are bad sections, which really annoyed me, because I wanted to get to Perm faster, since that was our first overnight stop. But there weren’t that many bad areas, so we got to Perm without any problems. There are already gas stations and cafes here.
• There is a very good highway R-242 leading to Yekaterinburg, here you can press the gas well, the surface is of very good quality, there are often gas stations along the way. There are sharp turns in places, you need to watch carefully.
• The P-351 highway leads to Tyumen, here the road is narrow, with two lanes, and there are often trucks along the road. I don’t recommend driving very fast, although the track is in excellent condition, there are occasional holes and cracks, but most of the track is of ideal quality. There are many gas stations and cafes.
• Having passed Tyumen, we found ourselves on the P-402 highway, also a good road, almost unbroken, also narrow with two lanes, but the asphalt is of good quality, there are almost no potholes. Cafes and gas stations aren't common, but there are a few good places to grab lunch.
• To Novosibirsk we drove along a very good highway R-254, in some places it is broken, but basically it is an excellent road, the main advantage of which is that it is smooth and straight, without sharp turns. There are not many gas stations and cafes here, but you can see the horizon and beautiful scenery on both sides.
• We drove to Krasnoyarsk along the R-255 highway, this is also a good road that winds through the taiga. Here you have to slow down a little, but the quality of the road is good and you can drive without fear. There are already a lot of gas stations and cafes in this area.
• From Krasnoyarsk we continued driving along the same road, but for the first 50 kilometers the quality of the road is much worse, there are holes and cracks, but then it’s quite normal. Only in Kansk the road around the city is simply terrible, and even beyond Kansk there are sometimes bad sections. And then all the way to Irkutsk the route is normal. There are not many gas stations, but they are common.
• From Irkutsk to Ulan-Ude we take the good highway R-258, there are very good sections with new asphalt, and there are quite bad ones, broken with potholes, but the former still predominate. The route runs along Lake Baikal, but the lake itself is not always visible because of the trees. There are many gas stations along the route, cafes too, and interesting viewing platforms.