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Irkutsk
City in Irkutsk Oblast, Russia

Irkutsk

Irkutsk is the largest city and administrative center of Irkutsk Oblast, Russia.

Plan a trip to Irkutsk→From Ulan Ude

With a population of 587,891 as of the 2010 Census, Irkutsk is the 25th-largest city in Russia by population, the fifth-largest in the Siberian Federal District, and one of the largest cities in Siberia.

Get in

Getting to Irkutsk

  1. 01
    International Airport Irkutsk
See

Worth seeing

Among the Soviet concrete monstrosities, Irkutsk features many of atmospheric, decaying wooden buildings. Most of these are either abandoned or still used as private residences and add to the atmosphere of the city.

Do

Things to do

City drama theater (Иркутский городской театр народной драмы), Ul. Karla Marksa, (Карла Маркса,) 14. Built in 1898. Angara embankment, end of Ul. Karla Marksa. In the evening, this is the place for meeting of the youth. Statue of famous Russian writer A. Vampilov, Karl Marx St (Near Drama theatre). He was born near Irkutsk. Visiting for good luck and happiness in your life.

Eat

Where to eat

For a local speciality, Omul, Sig and Kharius are local fishes found in the lake Baikal (available in many restaurants). Cold smoked kharius is good with beer. Hot smoked kharius you can find in Listvyanka or Kultuk villages near Baikal lake. Price depends on fish size and is usually about 150-25 руб for one. In the Central or New market (Noviy Rinok) you can buy kharius and sig caviar - tasty.

How locals move

Getting around Irkutsk the local way

  • Get in}} Buses, trams, and minibuses run frequently between the airport and Kirov Square (near the Angara Hotel) and other points in the historical center.
  • Get in{{listing | name Иркутск-Пассажирский | url | address 52.283056 | long Minibuses: № 6, 16, 20, 72, 77, 80, 80к 116; Tram 1, 2, 4а; | phone | fax | price Suburban lines to Bajkalsk, Bolshoy Lug, Voennyi Gorodok, Malta, Polovyna, Usolie Siberskoye, Cheremkhovo, Vydrino, Glubokaya, Zyma, Half, Kaya, Podkamennaya, Sludyanka.
  • Get aroundKnowing at least how to read the signs on the buses and bus stops is helpful, and on the minibuses, one must call out to the driver to request a stop.
  • Get aroundBus and minibus ("marshrutka") fare is usually .
  • Go next}} {{do | name Курорт Аршан | url | address | long You can get there by bus or marshrutka from the bus station.
  • Go nextMarshrutka is more convenient because it is faster and do not have a stops.
  • Go nextFor getting a marshrutka ask the men staying in front of the station, they will show you who goes there.
  • Go next| phone | fax | price= (bus or marshrutka) | content=Arshan village in Buryatia offers mineral water springs (cold and hot springs at Arshan, and hot springs at Zhemchug village (Жемчуг) — about 10 km from Arshan) and scenic views of mountains.

From Wikivoyage: Irkutsk, CC BY-SA. Not yet checked by us. Last edited 2026-09.

Text adapted from Wikipedia and Wikivoyage, CC BY-SA 4.0. Photograph: Wikimedia Commons (see file page), Wikimedia Commons.