Tomsk Oblast
Russia · Europe
About Tomsk Oblast
Tomsk Oblast (Russian: То́мская о́бласть TOHM-skuh-yuh OH-bluhst') is a region in Western Siberia, which borders Omsk Oblast and Tyumen Oblast to the west, Khantia-Mansia to the north, Krasnoyarsk (region) to the east, Kemerovo Oblast to the southeast, and Novosibirsk Oblast to the south.
Tomsk Oblast travel guide
Understand
The Tomsk region was long an important center of Western Siberia, but lost importance after the construction of the Trans-Siberian Railway, which passed the region by to the south. But due to the discovery of oil in the late 20th century, Tomsk Oblast received a vital injection of economic importance and has reclaimed some of its status as an important region of Western Siberia. Tourists will find that Tomsk Oblast lives up to their Siberian expectations. It is sparsely inhabited, vast, flat, wooded, and yes, it gets quite cold during the winter! Its principal attraction is the city of Tomsk, which is a worthwhile detour off the Trans-Siberian Railway for its historical importance, architecture, and Siberian culture.
Getting there
Tomsk's Bogashevo Airport (TOF IATA) is served by numerous domestic flights from Moscow, Saint Petersburg, Krasnoyarsk, Vladivostok, and others. It is also possible to arrive via the Taiga-Tomsk-Asino-Bely Yar branch line off the Trans-Siberian Railway from Kemerovo Oblast.
Eat
You should visit the famous Uzbek restaurant Osh (Ош) at Timakova street which is very popular especially for foreign students) or eat bliny (pancakes) which you can buy in many kiosk in the city.
Overview adapted from Wikipedia, travel guide fromWikivoyage (CC BY-SA)。Photography via Wikimedia Commons.