Omsk Travel Guide, Russia

Omsk, the capital of Omsk Oblast, is a major city in Southern Siberia. Omsk is situated about 1700 miles east of Moscow, near the border with Kazakhstan. This Omsk travel guide will introduce you into relevant aspects related to Omsk, such as climate, location, transportation, economy etc.

Omsk Travel Guide – Geography and Climate

Omsk’s most distinctive geographical feature is the confluence of Irtysh and Om rivers, which make it an important river port. Omsk is surrounded by the West-Siberian plain, therefore the flora and fauna of Omsk region are those characteristic for the Siberian steppe (prairie). Omsk has a continental climate, described by very hot summers and bitter cold winters. Temperatures can go as high as 45˚C in summer and as low as -45˚C in winter. Weather is mostly sunny, with little rainfall.

Omsk Travel Guide – Transportation

No matter where you come from or what means of transportation you prefer, Omsk is very easy to reach. Omsk Tsentralny Airport is used for both domestic and international flights. Numerous highways link Omsk to other cities in Central Russia. The train is a very popular means of transportation in Siberia: both Trans-Siberian railway branches pass through Omsk. Another option is to take one of the passenger boats that circulate up and down the Irtysh and Om rivers. As for the local transportation, the construction of a subway system is now in progress and will supplement the existing network of buses and trams.

Omsk Travel Guide – Economy

Omsk’s most representative economic branches are commerce, the refinement of oil and the production of agricultural and railway equipment. Omsk manufactories produce clothing, footwear as well as oil derived products. A special attention is given to the healthcare industry: Omsk is home to 60 hospitals and the widely acclaimed Omsk Medical Academy.

Omsk travel guide – Interesting Facts about Omsk

Omsk has a population of about 1,5 million, encompassing around 80 different ethnicities (most representative ethnic groups are Russians, Germans, Ukrainians, Tartars and Khazachs). Omsk cosmopolitanism is also present at a spiritual level: Omsk is a bishop seat as well as the residence of the Siberian imam. Between 1918 and 1920, Omsk was chosen as the temporary capital of the Russian Empire, and the tsar’s golden reserves were brought here.

Another interesting fact about this city that you will probably find in any Omsk travel guide is that, in 1849, the Russian writer F. Dostoevsky was imprisoned in Omsk, where he stayed until 1853. Many world-famous gymnasts, swimmers and hockey players were born in Omsk, like Irina Tchachina, Yuri Shatalov or Svetlana Karpeeva. Omsk Hockey Team Avangard has won the European Hockey Championship in 2005. The closest major city is Novosibirsk, 500 miles east from Omsk.