Are you planning to visit Baikal by car? We've collected valuable practical tips and feedback from car travelers to help you organize your trip in the summer of 2021 and give you an idea of what awaits you on the road.
A trip to Baikal by car is always a small adventure, and if the start is to be from Moscow or St. Petersburg, then it is a whole journey. When planning your route, you need to take into account that you can get to the legendary lake from the three nearest cities - Irkutsk, Severobaikalsk and Ulan-Ude.
Alternative: To Baikal by plane and train.
How to get to Baikal by car
From Moscow
The distance from Moscow to Lake Baikal is more than 5000 km (5200-5300 km depending on the chosen route). The route runs along federal highways M-7 "Volga" and M-53 (P255) "Siberia" - through Nizhny Novgorod to Kazan, Ufa, Chelyabinsk, Tyumen, Omsk, Novosibirsk, Krasnoyarsk, Irkutsk. The second option is from Moscow via Kirov to Yekaterinburg, Tyumen and further along the same route. During this time, travelers will change five time zones.
From Saint-Petersburg
By car to Baikal from St. Petersburg, you can drive through Tikhvin (A114) to Vologda, then to Kirov, Yekaterinburg, Omsk, Novosibirsk, Kemerovo, Krasnoyarsk, Irkutsk. Distance - about 5 800 km. The second popular route option is along the M-10 to Moscow, from there by any route given above.
From other cities of Russia
From Yekaterinburg to Baikal by car, it is best to go along federal highways P-351 through Tyumen, P-402 to Ishim, Omsk and P-254, P-255 to Kemerovo and Krasnoyarsk. The distance to Irkutsk is about 3500 km.
The distance Novosibirsk-Irkutsk is about 1850 km. The main route is P-255 to Kemerovo, Krasnoyarsk.
From Krasnoyarsk, the distance to Irkutsk is almost 1100 km, the main route is M-53 (P-255). According to reviews for 2020, the road is good, but repairs are underway in some places.
The road to Baikal according to travel reviews
Considering the long distance and duration of the trip, you should make sure that the vehicle is in good technical condition. The main trouble is bad road sections, which is dangerous for the suspension and tires. There is always a chance of minor breakdowns, so you must take a spare tire, spare parts and a cable with you.
Distances between cities increase with distance from Moscow. Due to the difference in time zones, two hours "disappear" in Ufa, then one hour each in Omsk, Krasnoyarsk and Tulun. And every hour on such a trip is very noticeable, so it is advisable to worry about an overnight stay in advance. Not all sites have motels and you may have to veer off course. According to the reviews of tourists, someone, in order not to waste time and quickly get to the lake, sleeps in the car, and some tourists are in no hurry and stop by the big cities to see the sights. An obligatory ritual is a commemorative photo near the Europe-Asia monument. We advise you not to take risks and fully rest at night, staying at a hotel, since the road to Lake Baikal by car is quite tiresome.
Travelers who traveled to Lake Baikal by car noted in their reviews that, in general, the state of federal highways is satisfactory, although difficult sections are encountered. The road from Yekaterinburg to Tyumen is depressing with its traffic - there are many trucks, overtaking is problematic. Closer to Tyumen there is already a good free road, two lanes in each direction.
In the Omsk region the road is good, but Ishim has a bad section. The drivers unanimously named Ishim-Abatskoye the worst section. It is possible that the road will be repaired this season. The route to Novosibirsk is unloaded, flat and monotonous: birch groves, steppes and a complete absence of settlements for hundreds of kilometers.
Tourist tips about traveling to Baikal by car
When to go to Baikal. Most of the locals and experienced travelers assure us that the best time to travel to Lake Baikal is from mid-July to mid-August. There are many tourists, but the weather is good and the nights are warm. Another period popular with travelers is early spring, when it is no longer so cold, but at the same time you can catch the lake ice, famous for its blue.
What to take with you. Even in summer, a strong temperature difference is possible on Lake Baikal (the difference is 10-15 ° C), and the weather can be simply unpredictable. So sunblock, first aid kit and warm clothes (autumn jackets, sweaters, warm socks) must be taken with you. In the first aid kit - medicines for allergies and colds, diarrhea, pain relievers. If you plan to live in a tent and rest as savages, think carefully about your equipment and do not forget all the things you need in field conditions.
Petrol. The most widespread refueling brand in Siberia is Gazpromneft. The peculiarity of Siberian roads is that refueling is not so common here, approximately every 50 km. After Krasnoyarsk, the distance is even greater, so it is better to fill in a full tank and periodically replenish, keeping the fuel supply 200 kilometers.
DPS... The regularity here is simple - the farther into Siberia, the less travel. Already beyond Omsk, the number of law enforcement officers is significantly thinning. But this does not mean at all that it is possible to violate: CCTV cameras record everything.
Food and accommodation... The density of cafes, gas stations, hotels and small shops on the highway is quite high. The travelers will not remain hungry, nor will they remain cold. It is cheaper to sleep in roadside motels than in cities. You can find a pretty decent 3-bed room for 1500 rubles. with free parking. You can save money and sleep in the car at the truck stops, but in this mode it is easy to spend 1 night, not 5-6 days.
Money. It is advisable to take cash with you, cashless payments are not very common, and ATMs are only in cities.
Atlases and GPS... Going on such a long journey by car, it is advisable to have both a paper map and a GPS navigator. The route is unfamiliar, it is easy to get confused and go astray. You cannot rely entirely on a GPS navigator, many travelers note that technology is deceiving, many objects are recognized incorrectly. Of course, a lot depends on the maps that are loaded.
Ticks. Tick activity peaks in May and June. In August, they also exist, but they are not so active anymore. The main precautions are to cover parts of the body with clothing, wear a hat, especially when crossing woodland. Treat clothes, tents, and sleeping bags with mite repellent.
Roads on Lake Baikal. In places they are extremely bad. On Olkhon Island there is a dirt road and a strong rut. The way from Irkutsk to Olkhon along the P-418 road (Irkutsk - Kachug) through Elantsy to the Sakhyurty ferry crossing will take at least 6 hours. In summer, there are long lines at the crossing, especially on weekends. All parts of the lake are loosely connected, and the shortest path is through water.
What to see. Lake Baikal is not only popular Olkhon and Listvyanka. Read what other interesting places of Lake Baikal are.
An independent trip to Lake Baikal by car is difficult. The road is long, difficult, bumpy in places, but this is a good opportunity to see all the beauty of Russia with your own eyes. In addition, the car gives you freedom: only you form your travel schedule and choose the route, and this makes the trip much more interesting and eventful.
