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I. Getting Around Irkutsk
What to expect at the airport in Irkutsk
Information (Spravochanaya): Phone: 27-12-74; 28-67-22, Luggage: 29-51-85
The airport in Irkutsk is divided into two main buildings. Everyone arrives to the same arrival gate, so that is not so confusing. Simply follow the crowd as you leave the plane/bus and you will exit out a gate into the area in front of the buildings. Just follow the people the stream of people to the baggage claim. It is a small baggage area, so everything should be clear. People waiting to pick up arriving passengers generally wait near the gate you emerge from or near the baggage claim.
When departing, you must go to the building on the left, which houses the departure "lounge" for foreign passengers. Really silly system, and hopefully they have already changed it (or will soon), but for now, you must wait with the few other foreigners in a separate area. You must check in no later than 40 minutes before your flight.
Local train station info
Information (domestic): Phone: 43-17-17, 28-22-87
Information (international): Phone: 28-28-20
Advanced Ticket Purchase Order: Phone: 29-65-01
City Orientation and directions:
Public transportation in Irkutsk city, while fairly efficient, is not the easiest to navigate. Trolleys are the most common, fast, and convenient mode of transportation. The approximate wait for transport is: Trolley: 5-15 minutes; Tram: 10-25 minutes; Bus: 20-40 minutes. Be prepared to "fight" for your spot in the public bus, trolley, or tram during peak hours. Irkutsk is a comfortable walking city and if you don’t like feeling like a sardine at times, it is the recommended mode of transport. Knigi at the corner of Karla Marksa and Letvinova streets sells maps, books and some souvenirs. Expect to pay five rubles per trip for all forms of transport, except for the marshrutkas, which cost about 8-10.
Fromthe airporttothe hotelAngara
Taxi (should be around $5-8); Trolley #4, Trolley #6. If you take Trolley #6, after 10-15 minutes exit before the rotary at "ostanovka microraion Baikalsky,” on ulitsa Baikalskaya. Take ulitsa Baikalskaya, staying on the right-hand side (if you face downtown the hydroelectric dam will be behind you) to the bus stop “microraion Baikalsky” on Baikalskaya street and take trolleys #1,5,7,8. Exit at “Khudozestvenni musei.” Walk 5-6 minutes to the hotel Angara.
From the airport to Studgorodok (Technical University)
Taxi (should be around $5-8); Trolley #6. Exit at "Studgorodok."
Fromthe railwaystationtothe hotelAngara
Bus #20, 16. Those bus routes connect the railway station with the hotel Angara. If you are going from the railway station to Hotel Angara exit at ostanovka Inyaz.
From the International Faculty of ISTU (Technical University) to the hotel Angara
Taxi buses (marshrutka) #3, 4. The central telegraph, central market and most museums are within walking distance of the hotel Angara.
Regular taxi
Regular taxis wait at taxi stands in Irkutsk which are not always marked, but include the airport, railway station, hotel Angara, and the hotel Intourist. They are marked with the usual taxi signs (a fairly indistinct black symbol on the side doors usually) and can also be called for pick up. Don’t be surprised if the taxi doesn’t have a meter. Always negotiate the price before entering. Tips are not expected, but welcome especially from foreigners.
Other transport
Buses to areas outside Irkutsk (Prigorodnoe dvizhenie avtobusov) and scenic water transport is available. Visit the bus station (avtobusnaya stantsiya), Pristan Raketa or Rechnoi Vokzal for more information.
Peshkom – on foot
CAREFUL! Please be very careful when you cross roads in Irkutsk city. The number of cars in the city has more than tripled since perestroika. The current road conditions have led to very reckless driving.
II. Getting Around Outside of Irkutsk
Epicentre, one of the city’s newest, is at the corner of Karla Marksa and Sukhe-Batora. Open 24/7, with a gaming hall and some of the city's lowest prices (70 kopecks per minute). Web Corner is at the corner of Karla Marksa and Lenina charges one ruble per minute (the same as at the universities, with whom they contract to provide Internet access). Web Corner has a good range of services (scanning, printing, CD recording, etc).
IV. Post Office / Central telegraph
Located across from the circus in the center of town. As you enter, turn left immediately into the post office section. E-mail will be to your right, but not generally recommended – use one of the cafes. For fax, go past the entryway and turn left at the stairs. Down the hallway is on the right is a little office—a sort of commercial communications center. For faxes, you can either have them fax immediately, or it is slightly cheaper for them to do it later (lower rates) and you can pick up confirmation later. Incoming faxes are noted in a book register on the counter. Just look for your name (look under both last and first, as well as the senders name, as sometimes they are not sure how to list it) and ask them for it. Incoming fax number: 34-34-60; 43-23-22. Phone number for this office: 34-43-77
V. Public Toilets and Banyas
Russia is famous with tourists for a profound lack of public toilets. Some good, centrally located ones include those at the hotel Angara (city center), the hotel Intourist (Bulvar Gagarina, 44) and Fixtelberg Restaurant (ul. Lenina right near Dvorets Sporta)
Russia is also famous for its banya (a type of sauna – very fun) tradition. This is also a good alternative when the hot water is turned off in your room/apartment by the city for annual pipe maintenance. Ask your teachers for recommendations on which banya or sauna provides good quality service in the city.
VI. Food and Entertainment
Below are restaurants, cafes, bars, and other spots that have come to our attention.
Traditional Russian Food: The atmosphere at Blinnaya isn’t much, but the prices are low (a full meal for $2!) and the staff is friendly. Located on Ulitsa Sukhe-Batora. You might also try the Baikal Buisness Center Café at Baikalskaya St., 279. It’s a new café with very low prices, although the portions are typically small. Finally, Pelmennaya on the second floor of Torgovii Compleks (Tsentralnii Univermag) is also fairly low-priced and traditionally Russian. The entrance is from the side, not from in the mall itself.
Oriental Food: try the Orion Chinese Restaurant, located downtown at Sverdlova Street, 28 (tel. 202-515; 202-512). An average dinner costs $10-15, but the meals are big and tasty. Alternatively, try Kioto, a quite expensive (dinners start at $17-20) Japanese restaurant practically next door at Sverdlova, 19.
Soviet Experiences: Most hotels in Irkutsk also offer restaurants. At last check, most were still hopelessly Soviet establishments, where the prices must be asked before ordering to avoid potential embarrassment when the check arrives, but as a one-time experience, these places are recommended. Hotel Intourist, Bulvar Gagarina, 44 (Chinese, Russian, European food). Hotel Angara, in the center (Russian and Chinese food) Hotel Rus, Sverdlova St., 19 (Russian food).
Dance Clubs: Try Club 01, reported to resemble Moscow’s famous Propaganda club, at Baikalskaya St, 241a or club Fortuna, which occasionally hosts “events” from local DJs at Karla Marksa St, 53.
Hangouts: 24 Hour Pizza serves pizzas for about three dollars apiece all night long, at Lenina St, 19. See also the Maraona Sport Café, the local sport bar, at Kievskaya St, 1. The local coffee shop, Café Morozhenoe (an old classic in Irkutsk), at the corner of ul. Lenina and ul. Karl Marksa, sells ice cream, coffee, tea, and drinks.
Strolling areas: For interesting places to walk and hangout, try the calm, green Gagarinsky Prospekt, which follows the Angara River. Alternately, there is the square in front of the Okholpov Drama Theatre, a popular area with young people which features numerous open-air cafes close by. It’s very easy to meet new people there..
VII. Cultural Performances
Irkutsk Regional Philharmonic Hall Ul. Dzerzhinskogo, 2. Tel: 24-50-76
Okholopkov Drama Theatre, Ul. Karla Marxa, near the Stadium.Tel: 33-39-75
The Musical Theatre,ph. 27-77-95, 27-83-31
Kukolnii Teatr (Puppet Theatre), ph. 27-06-66; 34-92-79
Circus – recommended! – Ul Zhelyabova(Information ph. 33-62-17; Tickets ph. 33-61-39)
VIII. Museums,Churches, and others
The Decembrists: Volkonsky House-Museum (per. Volkonskogo, 10; ph. 27-75-32) and Trubetskovo House Museum (ul. Dzerzinskogo, 64; ph. 27-78-18, 27-57-73) both give a picture of what life in exile was like for the Decembrists who largely founded Irkutsk.
General History: The City History Museum (ul Tchaikovskogo, 5) gives a rounder picture of the city’s history through decorated displays.
Art:The Art Gallery (at the corner of Lenina and Sverdlova streets) featuresart ranging from ancient Mongolianto modern Russian.
Churches: At the end of ul. Sukhe-Batora, in a nice cluster by a large park and the river, there are three strikingly different churches: The Polish Chapel (in gothic style), Bogoyavlensky Cathedral and Spasskaya Church (in Russian style and breathtaking).
Ecology: The Nature Department(ul. Karla Marksa, 11; tel: 34-08-42) will be of interest to those interested in nature and ecology.
Railroad:The Steam Ship Angora used to carry rail passengers across Lake Baikal many years back. Now it is a museum and a drink store for a nearby restaurant.
IX. Banks
Vneshtorgbank at Ulitsa Sverdlova, 40 is recommended. Open 9am-3:30pm with lunch break 1pm-2pm. Good exchange rate and 1-2% commission for travelers’ checks (Visa, American Express). Accepts Visa & Mastercard. A good bank for opening an account.
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