# Biysk

Biysk (Бийск) is the second largest city in Altai Krai with population of 202,000 people (2018) and featured as naukograd, i.e., a science city.

## Understand

Biysk is a starting point for tourists trekking to the Altay Mountains, 'the gateway to Mountainous Altai'.

### Geography

Biysk is located 163 km south of Barnaul and 356 km away from Novosibirsk. The Mongolian border is farther 617 km south. The terrain around is a hilly plain. Separated by the river Biya both banks of the city are connected by three bridges. The city is situated on the Chuysky Highway, a tarmac road, which goes from Novosibirsk to Mongolia.

### History

The city appeared in 1709 as a part of the 'Biyskaya krepost', fortification line built from Ust'-Kamenogorsk. Its name is derived from hydronym 'bi', a Samodian word for 'water, river'.

### Climate

Continental climate. The average temperature of January is -18 °C, in July it is +18.9 °C.

## Get in

There are no flights to Biysk airport because of reconstruction (as of 2011).

### By train

The direct trains are coming from Novosibirsk, Moscow, Tomsk, Chita, Omsk, Surgut, Krasnoyarsk, Novokuznetsk, Kemerovo, Alma-Ata. Barnaul is the most probable place to arrive from.

### By bus

Bus station is serving routes from Gorno-Altaysk (hourly), Ongudai (that one is from Ongudai to Barnaul passing Biysk), Tomsk, Belokurikha, Kemerovo, Novokuznetsk and Barnaul. Tickets are available via the internet. The bus station is within 5 min walk from the railway station.

## Get around

The tram network is present with 8 routes. Public buses and taxis are numerous.

## See

Historic part of the city is the most curious place to give a look to where the architecture tells about the past epoch. Go on to the right bank of the river to enjoy 19th-century houses of merchants, Passages and an Orthodox Temple, all in compact area.
* Museum of regional studies, 134, Lenina st. W-Su 10:00-17:00. Archeological artefacts from paleolith era. Numismatic and mineral collections. Mammoth cranium. Chinese pottery. The museum's co-founder was Vitaly Bianki, whose memory is honoured in the museum's name. The museum's expositions are accommodated in two old buildings
* Museum of Chuysky Highway, 10, Tsentralny pereoulok. M-F 10:00-17:00. Museum's location is the left bank and rather far off from the city's center. This is the only museum in Russia dedicated to the history of road.
* Your collection of Lenin's statues would be incomplete if you haven't taken a picture of one from Biysk. Thanks to cold weather Lenin was put a hat on here.
* There is a monument to the city's founder Peter the Great on the horseback.
* If the weather permits one can see rockets being launched from the Baikonur cosmodrome, Kazakhstan. At nights rockets remind of comets.

## Do

* Visit the Drama theater.
* Go to the Bowling club.
* Musical theater Echo.

## Buy

Trade-center 'Maria-Ra' has a small souvenir shop inside.

## Eat

* Bowling club, 4, Chaikovskogo st, ☏ +7 3854 34-70-07.
* Grill house, 59, Merlina st, ☏ +7 3854 32-23-24.
* Kalina Krasnaya (Калина красная), 164, Lva Tolstogo st, ☏ +7 3854 33-77-92.
* Praga (Прага), 65, Moprovsky pereoulok, ☏ +7 3854 35-67-41, +7 3854 35-62-35, fax: +7 3854 35-65-68.

## Sleep

Business class
* Hotel Tsentralnaya (Центральная), 256, Lenina st, ☏ +7 385 433-83-07. Pretty comfortable hotel in the city's center which offers luxurious and economy class rooms. ATM and wi-fi. 1300-4600 руб.
* Hotel Biya (Бия), 144, Tolstogo st, ☏ +7 3854 22-7451.
* Hotel Gostevoy Dvor (Гостевой Двор), 228, Lenina st., ☏ +7 3854 32-72-00.
* Hotel Gvozdika (Гвоздика), gvozdikabiysk@mail.ru. 16 single and double rooms.
Economy class
* Hotel Vostok (Восток), 20/1 Radischeva st, ☏ +7 385-4 31-01-80.

## Connect

The central post-office is located at 34, Sovetskaya st.