Tomsk travel guide

Tomsk travel guide

Tomsk is the capital city of Tomsk Oblast.

Located on the River Tom, the city was founded in the early 17th century as a military outpost against nomadic peoples. After that it became a place of exile, a trade and transportation center, and, finally, a university town. Today Tomsk has a population of around 500,000, of which every sixth person is a student, coming from all over Siberia, Central Asia and even European part of Russia. Due to this fact, Tomsk probably has a bigger proportion of foreign language speakers than any other Siberian city.

Tomsk is served by Bogashevo airport, receiving flights from Moscow, St.Petersburg, Vladivostok, Krasnoyarsk, Novokuznetsk and other cities. There is a rail branch from the Trans-Siberian Railway junction at Taiga, Kemerovo Oblast leading to Tomsk. Besides, you can use buses from Novosibirsk, Kemerovo, Novokuznetsk, Krasnoyarsk and other cities in the region.

Most of the city center is within walking distance. There are a lot of buses and trams going around the city - you can expect a fee of about half a euro for a ride. However, the quickest and most convenient way to get around is by taxi - there are a lot of taxicab companies most of which charge around 2-3 Euros to go anywhere in the city. The problem is the taxi dispatchers and drivers do not speak English, so you would have to learn a couple of key phrases. The possibility of being cheated is close to nothing if you are using a taxicab company, especially if you are using one and the same company several times.

Tomsk State University and other university campuses - Tomsk boasts 6 universities, some of them among the top 3 in Russia in their respective industries. The campuses were built in the late 1800s and are a nice place to visit.

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' - a carefully renovated and well-kept little district with wooden architecture, where old traditional merchant mansions are situated. Stunningly beautiful at night.

Lagerny Sad (Camp Garden) - a 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.

Take a walk through the city center - it won't take you more than several hours to see virtually everything and the town is really beautiful May through September.

Climb the Voskersenskaya hill and go to the city viewing point - see the view the 19th century firefighters watched everyday for signs of fire.

Listen to the church choir in the Epiphany Cathedral or to the Tomsk State University capella performing at what was the University chapel - a must hear for everyone who is interested in vocal music.

Try the Siberian Pancakes (Sibirskie Bliny) with a lot of different stuffings (sold at outlets throughtout downtown).

Have a ride on the Ferris wheel in the Town Park.

Attend a Russian Premier Football League game with the local team called Tom - a great chance to see Russia's best football teams and feel the heat amongst Tomsk football fans supporting their favorite team.

Ask your local friends or guides for other things to do - there is a lot more.

Tomsk is a pretty safe place in terms of crime, especially if you stay within the downtown, don't look too freaky and don't show off with a lot of cash. Still, there are some useful rules:

You are obliged to carry your passport with you - though cases when you are actually asked for it are extremely rare.

Don't take walks outside downtown at night - it is better and faster to use a taxi and watch the night city from a car. Also, try to steer clear of intoxicated people wherever you meet them.

Don't stop private taxis on the street - there are plenty of reliable taxi companies in the city that can be easily called. Ask your guide or a Russian speaking friend for a phone number.

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.

Call your Russian-speaking friends, your country's representative or your guide immediately if you think you may be in trouble with the police or anyone else.