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A statue of Lenin in front of Tomsk's Cathedral of the Epiphany on Lenin Square

Tomsk (Russian: Томск tohmsk) is the capital city of Tomsk Oblast.

Understand

Located on the River Tom, the city was founded in 1604 by the order of Tsar Boris Godunov as a military outpost against nomadic peoples. Gold was discovered in 1830, which boosted the fortunes of the city, but after the construction of the Trans-Siberian Railroad, which bypassed Tomsk and passed the area further to the south, economic development also moved away from the city. Instead, Tomsk became a university town. Tomsk benefited after World War II as factories were moved east, away from the conflict. It was closed to outsiders during the Cold War.

Today, Tomsk has a population of around 525,000, of which 15% are students, coming from all over Siberia, Central Asia and even the European part of Russia. As a result, Tomsk probably has a bigger proportion of foreign language speakers than any other Siberian city.

Get in

By plane

Bus #118 (16 руб) operates between the airport and the city centre.

By bus

Buses are the most convenient way to reach Tomsk from Novosibirsk (4.5 hours, 800 руб, 12 per day). Tickets can be purchased online.

By train

There is a rail branch from the Trans-Siberian Railway junction at Taiga, 2.5 hours from Tomsk by train.

Get around

By foot

Most of the city centre is within walking distance.

By public transport

Buses and trams typically cost 25 руб.

By taxi

There are many taxi companies, most of which charge around 150-200 руб to go anywhere in the city. Taxi dispatchers and drivers do not speak English, so you would have to learn a couple of key phrases. If you are going to the airport or bus station, book the taxi in advance in case of high wait times. Don't hail taxis from the streets if possible, since they can rip off foreigners.

See

Traditional Russian wooden architecture in Tomsk, sadly not yet renovated

University campuses

Districts

  • Governor's District. The central location in Tomsk, near the Oblast Administration office, on the bank of the river Tom. It was built to commemorate the 400th anniversary of the city and reflects its history with several attractions, including the city's main cathedral and controversial and funny monument to Anton Chekhov.
  • Verhnyaya Yelan' is a carefully renovated and well-kept little district with wooden architecture, where old traditional merchant mansions are situated. Stunningly beautiful at night.

Monuments

  • Chekhov through the Eyes of a Drunk Man Lying in a Pit Who Never Read Kashtanka - a funny-looking monument of Chekhov in retaliation for Chechov's description of Tomsk as a muddy little town where the only good place to eat was Slavyanskiy Bazar.
  • Wolf Monument inspired by the cartoon Once Upon a Time Lived a Dog (on Shevchenko Street) - if you press the button on the wolf's belly, it will say one of 8 sayings from the cartoon.
  • Tomsk Slippers Monument (on the steps of Tomsk-2 Hotel across from Tomsk-I Train Station)
  • The Pregnant Woman Monument - a monument of a baby coming out of a pregnant woman.
  • Lagerny Sad (Camp Garden) is WWII monument on the bank of the river Tom which is beautiful by itself and provides an amazing view of the river and the surroundings.

Viewpoints

  • Voskersenskaya Hill has a great viewing point; this is where, in the 19th century, fire fighters watched for signs of fire.

Do

Concerts

  • The church choir in the Epiphany Cathedral
  • Tomsk State University capella performs at what was the University chapel

Parks

  • Tomsk City Garden (Томский Городской сад) - has a Ferris wheel that offers a great view
  • Buff-Garden features an artificial cascade

Spectator sports

  • FC Tom Tomsk is the local team in the Russian Premier League

Buy

A lot of beautiful souvenirs made from birch bark, these range from hair brushes to bottles and baskets and maps of Russia. These are characteristic of Western Siberia and you will not get them anywhere else. Also try local souvenir shops conveniently located at the airport and the main railway station for some other traditional local gifts.

Eat

The cuisine is similar to what you can try in Novosibirsk, Krasnoyarsk and any other city in the region. Local foods like pelmeni or bliny (pancakes) can be found in practically any restaurant. Try the Siberian Pancakes (Sibirskie Bliny) with a lot of different fillings.

Cafes

Budget

Mid-range

Splurge

Drink

Nefiltroff is the local non-filtered beer — cheap, tasty and cheerful! Local vodka is also pretty cheap and considerably well-done.

Supermarkets cannot sell spirits after 11PM, although beer is still available at night.

Bars

Nightclubs

Most nightclubs charge high entrance fees.

Sleep

Budget

Mid-range

Splurge

Stay safe

Try not to drink on the streets, or at least not to show it to local policemen. They are usually quite tolerant and in most cases will just tell you to stop drinking, still there may be accidents.

There is zero tolerance toward drugs, even the softest ones — so take extreme care.

Go next

  • The Altai Republic is a long drive south but has extremely beautiful scenery that will take at least a few days to explore.
  • Krasnoyarsk is a large city to the east.
  • Novokuznetsk is a polluted city south of Tomsk that offers more insights into Russian life.
  • Novosibirsk is 4.5 hours away by bus and is a bigger city with more nightlife options.
  • Moscow is easily accessible via a direct flight.
This city travel guide to Tomsk is a usable article. It has information on how to get there and on restaurants and hotels. An adventurous person could use this article, but please feel free to improve it by editing the page.
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