Novosibirsk Oblast

The heart of Siberia, whose capital, Novosibirsk, is known for its opera and ballet theater and its science city.

Novosibirsk Oblast lies in the southeastern West Siberian Plain, with the Ob River running through it and the large Ob Reservoir, nicknamed the "Ob Sea," in the south. The capital, Novosibirsk, is the largest city in Siberia, and it rose because the Trans-Siberian Railway crossed the Ob there. It has the grand Novosibirsk State Academic Opera and Ballet Theatre, a zoo, and a railway technology museum. The science city (Akademgorodok) in the southern suburbs is home to many research institutes and is leafy and green. In summer you can escape the heat by the reservoir; winters are long and cold. Tolmachevo Airport is a major air hub for Siberia, and Novosibirsk is also a major stop on the Trans-Siberian Railway.

Destinations

• Novosibirsk

Itineraries

• Novosibirsk to Krasnoyarsk Railway – Connect Siberia's two major cities by rail, visiting Akademgorodok, the Opera House, and the granite peaks of Stolby.
• Trans-Siberian Railway: Moscow to Beijing – Cross Russia by train in stages, traveling through Lake Baikal and the Mongolian steppes to Beijing.