Severobaikalsk can be reached by aeroplane, car, ship or train. It is the most authentic, reliable and especially scenically attractive way, though, if you arrive by aeroplane in Moskow, Novosibirsk or Irkutsk and travel on by train on the Trans Siberian Railway as well as the Baikal-Amur-Magistrale (BAM).

Severobaikalsk can be reached comfortably from Moskow, Novosibirsk and Irkutsk. The train leaves Moskow at midday mostly on even calendar days. After 92 hours (4 nights) you arrive in Severobaikalsk in the afternoon. Train No 92 - Moskow (Kasanskaya) - Severobaikalsk Ι even days departure 12:50 pm, arrival 2:05 pm, time of travel approx. 92 hours Train No 91 – Severobaikalsk - Moskow (Kasanskaya) Ι odd days departure 12:50 pm, arrival 04:20, time of travel approx. 92 hours When you travel from Novosibirsk, the train generally leaves the Middle-Siberian metropolis on odd days in the evening and arrives in Severobaikalsk in the afternoon after next, but only from mid June to mid September. Train No 292 - Novosibirsk - Severobaikalsk Ι odd days departure 6:19 pm, arrival 2:01 pm, time of travel approx. 40 hours Train No 291 - Severobaikalsk - Novosibirsk Ι odd days departure 12:50 pm, arrival 4:11 am, time of travel approx. 40 hours From Irkutsk the trains (No 71/72) leave on odd days. The departure is in the evening and after 33 hours the train arrives in Severobaikalsk in the morning. Train No 71/72 (Change of train number in Taitshet) - Irkutsk (Passajirskij) - Severobaikalsk Ι odd days departure 10:05 pm, arrival 8:21 am, time of travel approx. 33 hours Train No 71/72 (Change of train number in Taitshet) - Severobaikalsk - Irkutsk (Passajirskij) Ι odd days departure 10:35 pm, arrival 6:04 am, time of travel approx. 33 hours. You can download the current timetables at www.timetable.tsi.ru .

Between the end of June and the beginning of September, hydrofoils operate from Irkutsk via the island Olkhon to Severobaikalsk respectively Nizhneangarsk two times a week (Tue and Fri). In Port Baikal, you have to change ships. Time of travel approx. 12 hours, timetable www.eastland.ru, booking of tickets: at the landing east of the dam in Irkutsk Solnechny as well as in the information center in Severobaikalsk. In the past, the boats have not been very reliable, which is why it is worth asking in advance by phone if the boat is actually operating.

The only existing road link leads from Bratsk via Ust-Kut and Ulkan to Severobaikalsk. On the way from Irkutsk via Kachug, Shigallovo and Ulkan you need an off -road vehicle as the track from Zhigalovo on is still under construction.

The small airfield is situated in Nizhneangarsk (ul. Rabochaya 143) and is only served by Buriyat Airlines. There are daily connections except Saturdays to Ulan-Ude. Unfortunately, the connection to Irkutsk is not offered at the moment. Flights are often delayed or cancelled due to changing weather conditions, however. Tickets can be purchased at the airport only and cost about 5000 rub per distance.

The accommodations that are on off er in the northern Baikal region are still very limited. You mostly find private accommodations or small timber houses, which almost always results in a very close contact with the hosts.

Baikal Trail House, Anya Maryasova, ulitza Studencheskaya 12-16, mobile +7-924-3508239 , baikalinfo@gmail.com; the hostel is located 10 min. by foot from the train station in a typical Russian apartment block. Two bedrooms with 2-4 beds each. Shared kitchen, shower, WC, internet. The proprietor is an experienced traveller, she speaks English, can offer you many pieces of advice and can arrange tours. 550 ruble per person (breakfast excluded) Hostel Baikal Wave, Larissa Lukyanova, view onto Lake Baikal, Prospekt 60 let SSSR 8- 49, mobile +7-908-5942720, loralyk@mail.ru ;The hostel is located 10 min. by foot from the train station in the only blue coloured apartment block of the city. Two bedrooms with 2-4 beds each. Shared kitchen, shower, WC, internet. 550 ruble per person (small breakfast included) Dom u Baikala, ul. Neptunskaya 3, Kutusovka, phone 23950, fax 22395, baikal-kruiz@yandex.ru ;Big timber house with ensuite bedrooms, a dining area as well as cheap summer residences. 600 – 800 ruble (meals excluded) Baikal Service, Irina und Evgeny Kusnetzova, ul Promyshlennaya 18, phone/fax 23912, baikals@burnet.ru, http://baikaltour.irkutsk.ru/ ;13 beds in the guest house as well as three timber houses for three people each amid pinewood; shower, WC, phone, refrigerator as well as Russian Benja with swimming pool in the garden, private boat and private tours, from 12 euros (breakfast excluded), comfort room 25 euros (breakfast included)

Natalya Malashkevisha, Ulitza Trudovaya 8/2, mobile +7-914-0534056, rooms in private timber house with Benja in the yard, full board if desired, from 350 ruble per person Igor und Tanya Valivach, ul. Rechnaya 3, phone 43623, valivach@bk.ru, timber house for 4-5 people with outdoor toilet, full board if desired Olga Shivoloshneva, ul. Stroitelei 43, phone 46793, comfortable room with bathroom and WC in an apartment building

Michail Kontakov, ul. Baikalskaya 21, phone 43249, separate timber house for 4-5 people with sofa bed and pallets; bigger groups can also be accommodated in the dormitory of the school.

Khozyain, phone 24512, main building with bedrooms for 2-3 people, refrigerator, shower, 800 ruble per room as well as small basic timber houses, café-bar and bath house with hot spring, from 200 ruble per person

Shopping You get the biggest offer in the commercial centre (torgovy zentr) located in the city center. Apart from groceries and cosmetics you can also buy angling, camping and photography equipment. Furthermore, the bakery at the rear exit sells the best pirogis in northern Baikal. It is the cheapest option to buy groceries at the market stands outside of the commercial centre as well as in the supermarket (Magazin) "Vist" on the Prospekt Leningradski. Health Pharmacies are located on the Prospekt Leningradski as well as in the commercial centre. The medical center is located in the sanatorium on the Prospekt 60 let SSSR 21A. Banja Yachtclub White Sail, landing at the harbour directly on the lake, phone 8 33467, 500 ruble per hour, max. 6 people Sauna na obesdnoi, ul Obezdnaya, directly behind the petrol station and the shashlik stand, phone 24010, fits 8 people, 1000 ruble per hour, open 24/7 Communication Code 30139 Telephone booth: telecommunications office, per. Proletarski 1 Post office: pr. Leningradski 6 (next to the commercial centre) Money Cash machines are located at the train station as well as the commercial centre. In several shops as e. g. the supermarket and in the train station credit cards are accepted as well. Often you need the PIN, though!!! Food and beverages There are no restaurant or cafes to be found in the city until now. You can find some snack bars where you get Shashlik or Posy (Buryat Pelmeni). The pirogis at the bakery at the rear exit of the commercial centre are recommendable as well. At many accommodations you can get typical Russian and Buryat food on enquiry, however. Guides ShTEO (school for hiking and environmental education), per shkolny 11, phone +7-30130-20323, fax 21513, 1000-2000 ruble per day Translator Ekaterina Polivko, English, eknick@yandex.ru, mobile +7-914-8303492, 1600 ruble per day, 200 ruble per hour, also excursions

Visitor centre Severobaikalsk, ul 60 let SSSR at the train station, 90 ruble per person per day Tourism agency Nizhneangarsk, ul. Kicherskaya 10, nord-baikal@mail.ru, phone 8-930130- 47539, opening hours Mon - Tue 9 am - 3 pm, 90 ruble per person per day

As the north of the east coast of Lake Baikal is not developed infrastructurally yet, a boat transfer is necessary. It always has to be arranged individually as there is no regular service on this route. If time does not play a major role, you can also try to get a seat on one of the ships leaving for the east coast almost on a daily basis at the harbour in the morning. On the journey back you should leave from Khakussy, as a ship leaves almost daily from the health clinic in the summer months and the chances of getting a lift are best there. Furthermore, it is the cheapest option. Depending on boat and weather conditions the crossing from Severobaikalsk to the ranger station respectively the way back from Khakussy take 3 - 5 hours. In any case you should allow for some days of leeway as you can easily be stuck for several days during bad weather. Yachtclub White Sail, landing at the harbour, crossing 500 ruble, or 800 ruble per hour. Max. 6 people Viktor Lamanitskij, ul. Oktyabrskaya 20, apartment No 2, mobile +7-950-391 3378, crossing 10,000 ruble, max. 15 people, alternatively 18,000 ruble/24h + 800 ruble per day and person, food for max. 8 people. Viktor is the only ship owner at the northern Baikal with a captain's patent. He has several years of experience in carrying out day or multi-day tours and guiding tourists Viktor Kusnetzov, ul. Pobedy 8/7, phone/fax 47005, frolicha@mail.ru, several ships for up to 12 people Journey back: Boat transfer from the health clinic in Khakussy, tickets can be purchased at the administration of the health clinic (50 metres from the harbour), phone 30130-21885, 1700 ruble per person Help: Trekking-Information centre Severobaikalsk, Evgenij Maryasov, mobile +7-924-3914514, evgenij.maryasov@baikalinfo.com. Attention, office move! up-to-date adress information www.baikalinfo.com. It is indispensable to make an appointment in advance as the centre is only occupied temporarily. Evgenij is a very experienced tour guide, he speaks English and off ers cheap help with the organisation of tours at the Northern Baikal (national park fees, boat hire, accommodation, registration (400 rub) and tickets for train and hydrofoils to Irkutsk).