Russia Airports and Stations: How to Get to the City

This page covers the airport, stations, bus station and river pier of Irkutsk. Some are stops you will use, and others are included because visitors search for them, so the guides say plainly when a service could not be verified.

The list on this page gives each entry in turn. Use the text here to pick the one that fits your journey, whether that is a Trans-Siberian train, a flight, a bus to Lake Baikal or a boat. Timetables vary by day and season, so check the operator's current schedule before you travel.

Airports and stations

• Anichkov Bridge Pier, Saint Petersburg – A landing on the Fontanka Embankment, a short walk from Nevsky Prospekt and the Anichkov Bridge, where small boats leave for trips along the…
• Baltiysky Railway Station, Saint Petersburg – The terminus built in 1857 as the Peterhof station, modelled on the Gare de l'Est in Paris, now the main station for suburban trains…
• Central Market Transport Hub, Irkutsk – The stops around the Irkutsk Central Market work as an informal transport hub: city buses, minibuses and trams meet here, and private minibuses to…
• English Embankment Pier, Saint Petersburg – A small semicircular landing on the English Embankment near the Blagoveshchensky Bridge, a quieter alternative to the piers by the Hermitage for boat trips…
• Finlyandsky Railway Station, Saint Petersburg – The terminus of the 1870 line towards Finland, where Lenin returned to Petrograd in 1917, now a station for suburban trains to Vyborg and…
• Gagarin Boulevard Pier, Irkutsk – Gagarin Boulevard is a green promenade on the right bank of the Angara in Irkutsk. A regular public pier there could not be verified,…
• Irkutsk Bus Station – Irkutsk Bus Station is the intercity bus hub of the city and the main departure point for buses and minibuses to Listvyanka on Lake…
• Irkutsk International Airport – Irkutsk International Airport (IKT) lies inside the city and has separate domestic and international terminals. Buses, minibuses and taxis reach the center in a…
• Irkutsk-Passazhirsky Railway Station – Irkutsk-Passazhirsky is the main railway station of Irkutsk, on the left bank of the Angara, where Trans-Siberian trains arrive and depart. City buses and…
• Irkutsk-Sortirovochny Railway Station – Irkutsk-Sortirovochny is a railway sorting station in the Leninsky district of Irkutsk. It serves freight operations and is not a passenger or sightseeing stop…
• Kaya Railway Station, Irkutsk – Kaya is a railway station in Irkutsk used by suburban trains on the East Siberian Railway. It is a local commuter stop, not a…
• Ladozhsky Railway Station, Saint Petersburg – The newest of Saint Petersburg's five main stations, opened in 2003 on Zanevsky Prospekt: the city's only through station, with trains to Karelia, Murmansk…
• Lions' Descent Pier, Saint Petersburg – A wide granite staircase to the Neva beside the Admiralty, guarded by sculpted lions, and the best-known departure point for the fast Meteor boats…
• Moskovsky Railway Station, Saint Petersburg – The 1851 terminus on Nevsky Prospekt where Sapsan trains leave for Moscow, with a Konstantin Thon facade, a direct exit to the Ploshchad Vosstaniya…
• Palace Pier, Saint Petersburg – A landing on the Palace Embankment beside the Hermitage, used by sightseeing boats on the Neva and canals. It is one of several central…
• Pulkovo International Airport, Saint Petersburg – The only airport of Saint Petersburg, south of the centre in Moskovsky District: one modern terminal for all flights, linked to the Moskovskaya metro…
• Raketa Pier, Irkutsk – Raketa Pier is the river passenger station of Irkutsk in the Solnechny microdistrict, the starting point of seasonal boats along the Angara toward Listvyanka…
• Rumyantsev Descent Pier, Saint Petersburg – A busy landing on Universitetskaya Embankment, on Vasilyevsky Island across from the Admiralty, where boats leave daily in season for day, evening and night…
• Saint Petersburg Central Bus Station – The main intercity bus station of Saint Petersburg, on the Obvodny Canal since 1963, with routes to Pskov, Veliky Novgorod, Petrozavodsk and Moscow, and…
• Saint Petersburg River Cruise Terminal – Where river cruises to Valaam, Kizhi, the Volga and Moscow board. Since the old River Station was demolished in 2012, ships leave from the…
• Senate Pier, Saint Petersburg – A landing on the English Embankment beside Senate Square and the Bronze Horseman, where sightseeing boats on the Neva leave. Several piers nearby sound…
• Sevkabel Port Pier, Saint Petersburg – A boat landing at the end of the Sevkabel Port quay on Vasilyevsky Island, where boats from the centre arrive and sunset trips on…
• Vitebsky Railway Station, Saint Petersburg – The oldest railway terminus in Russia, opened in 1837 for the line to Tsarskoye Selo, rebuilt in 1904 as an Art Nouveau landmark, with…
• Yelagin Island Pier, Saint Petersburg – A park landing on Yelagin Island beside the Second Yelagin Bridge, where sightseeing boats stop in season for trips on the Neva, the canals…
• Yunost Island Pier, Irkutsk – Yunost Island is a park island in the Angara beside central Irkutsk, reached on foot over a bridge from the embankment. A scheduled public…

Choose by how you arrive

Choose Irkutsk-Passazhirsky if you arrive by Trans-Siberian train. It is the main railway station, on the left bank of the Angara, and works around the clock. City buses and trams link it to the centre.

Choose Irkutsk International Airport if you fly. It lies inside the city, with separate domestic and international terminals, and buses, minibuses and taxis reach the centre in a short ride. Arrive well before departure and allow extra time in winter for cold-weather delays and snow.

Choose Irkutsk Bus Station for an intercity bus. It is the main departure point for buses and minibuses to Listvyanka, and is a practical, no-frills stop.

Boats, minibuses and entries to skip

Choose Raketa Pier for boats. It is the river passenger station in the Solnechny microdistrict, and seasonal boats toward Listvyanka start there. Services run in the warm season, with mornings best for day trips.

The stops around the Central Market work as an informal hub where city buses, minibuses and trams meet, and private minibuses to Listvyanka leave. Allow extra time if you wait for a minibus to fill.

Skip Irkutsk-Sortirovochny, a freight sorting station. Kaya is a commuter stop for suburban trains. Yunost Island Pier and Gagarin Boulevard Pier are listed because people look for them, but a regular public pier with a timetable could not be verified at either.

Timing and practical differences

Mornings are best for Baikal day trips, because buses and minibuses leave more often and you have more daylight at the lake. Summer weekends are the busiest, with queues for popular departures. Arrive early enough to buy a ticket and find your departure stand.

At the main station, mornings and evenings are busiest because many long-distance trains arrive and leave then. Midday is calmer. Allow extra time with luggage in winter.

Fares on city transport and the bus station are at the budget level (₽). Boat tickets at Raketa Pier are moderate (₽₽). Hours for every service can change, so check the official source.

Frequently asked questions

Which station do Trans-Siberian trains use in Irkutsk?

Trains arrive and depart at Irkutsk-Passazhirsky, the main station on the left bank of the Angara. City buses and trams link it to the centre.

How do I get from the airport to the centre?

The airport lies inside the city. Buses, minibuses and taxis reach the centre in a short ride.

Where do buses to Listvyanka leave from?

Buses and minibuses leave from Irkutsk Bus Station, and private minibuses also leave from the area around the Central Market. Mornings are the best time for a day trip.

Where do I catch a boat to Listvyanka?

Seasonal boats toward Listvyanka start from Raketa Pier. Services follow the operator's timetable and run in the warm season.

Is there a pier on Yunost Island or Gagarin Boulevard?

A regular public pier with a timetable could not be verified at either place. Use Raketa Pier for river services.

Can visitors use Irkutsk-Sortirovochny?

No. It is a railway sorting station for freight operations and is not a passenger stop.