Slyudyanka
Slyudyanka (Russian: Слюд'янка, slyu-DYAN-kah) is a town in Irkutsk Oblast 110km away from Irkutsk with population of 19,000 people.
Understand
Whenever you ride Trans-Siberian railway and the train moves slightly south to curve the Baikal, it stops and the passengers pitched by the fish-sellers always get out to buy some smoked Omul then you have arrived in Slyudyanka station. When fish is bought and carriage is oozing with the smell, give a look to the station building. White plates are the same as the gravel under the rails. It's marble. The name Slyudyanka stands for another mineral found here - the mica.
Get in
By bus
You can take marshrutka #543 from Irkutsk railway station (158 RUB, 2 hours).
By train
There are elektrichkas (105 RUB, 3hr 30min) on working days and more on weekends but you should check the timetable on irkutsk.tutu.ru.
Get around
There are local marshrutka minibuses, but since the town is small there is little use for them. The walk from Rudo district in the SW of the town to the centre takes about 20 mins. Anyway you can see the bus stops on map on [http:\www.yandex.ru this website].
See
- 1 Museum of minerals, 36, Slyudyanaya st..
- 2 Wooden church.
- There is also a small exhibit inside the station building.
Do
Hike: Slyudyanka may serve as a base and starting point for walks into nearby mountains.
Buy
A shop in Russian is "магазин", so look for this sign.
Eat
Drink
Sleep
- Hostel Slyudyanka, Shcholnaya street 10, Apartment 7 (About a 25-min walk SW from the town centre). Breakfast included. Hosts speak fairly good English and are helpful. Offers a bed in a room for 5-6 people for 500-600 RUB.
Connect
Go next
- The Circum-Baikal Railway starts (or ends) in Slyudyanka. Train 6201 Matanya departs Slyudyanka 4 times a week (Mon, Thu, Fri, Sun) at around 13:20, arriving in Port Baikal 5-6 hours later.
- Arshan: There is one marshrutka mini-bus daily going to this foothill spa town, leaving at 09:30; price is around 250-300 RUB. In high season, try to book early.