Korean Job Discussion Forums

[chris_J2]

I'm having a hard time locating specific information on flights from Irkutsk to Seoul.

The S7 website was not that helpful. http://www.s7.ru/files/S7_summer.pdf

Apparently flights only go on Wednesdays, but the above website has the entire 3 months blank for available flights. I know flight S7 509 goes 3 days a week from Irkutsk to Beijing. Would it be easier to get a double entry visa to Beijing & fly from there?

Another option I looked at, was the Trans Siberian Rail from Irkutsk to Vladivostok, then a flight from there to Seoul. Thoughts? Has anyone on Daves ESL actually used flight S7-509?

Irkutsk (IKT) > Seoul (ICN) S7 509 TU-154 / Sibir Avia 4:45 8:25 Wednesday. o/w & return fares: on request / on request +

http://www.vostok.cc/int_flights.php

[soviet_man]

As I understand it the Irkutsk-Incheon flight on "S7" is seasonal - it only flies for a few months of the year during the peak summer period.

A lot safer to try Khabarovsk or Vladivostok - where there are now almost daily flights direct to ICN all year round.

[chris_J2]

I got this from avia.unifest:

Option 1
Trip fare: 18 305 rub. (+ airport taxes) adt.
Total: 1 adt. ticket(s) x (18 305 rub. + 940 rub.) = 19 245 rub. (including taxes) : about 700k won.

===========
Trip segment: Irkutsk (IKT) -> Seoul (SEL)
08:35 Depart Irkutsk Airport 08 August 2007 Siberia Airlines S73275
14:10 Arrive Vladivostok Arpt 08 August 2007 Economy class, seats available
<<<<-- connection Vladivostok (VVO) -->>>>
17:30 Depart Vladivostok Arpt 08 August 2007 Korean Air KE982
18:00 Arrive Incheon Intl Arpt 08 August 2007 Economy class, seats available
Total travel time: 9 h. 25 m.

Option 2 was via Beijing, & tranfering from an S7 flight 509, to a morning CSA flight:

Option 2
Trip fare: 21 035 rub. (+ airport taxes) adt.
Total: 1 adt. ticket(s) x (21 035 rub. + 978 rub.) = 22 013 rub. (including taxes)

============
Trip segment: Irkutsk (IKT) -> Seoul (SEL)
00:05 Depart Irkutsk Airport 08 August 2007 Siberia Airlines S7509
01:35 Arrive Beijing Capital Arpt 08 August 2007 Economy class, seats available
<<<<-- connection Beijing (BJS) -->>>>
08:50 Depart Beijing Capital Arpt 08 August 2007 China Southern Airlines CZ317
11:50 Arrive Incheon Intl Arpt 08 August 2007 Economy class, seats available
Total travel time: 11 h. 45 m.

I'm more interested in Option 1, as the times are more convenient, it's cheaper, & I don't need a double entry visa for China. Or need to sleep 6 hours at Beijing airport. Plus I get to see Vladivostok! Albeit, from the air.

Dalavia Far East Airways also appears to fly from Irkutsk on Saturdays & Sundays, (11 & 12 August), & has cheaper fares & more direct flights from Irkutsk to Seoul. I will look into them, too. 10,500 R plus taxes & 12,000 rubles plus taxes (around 1,000 rubles tax). The Dalavia website & timetable are in Russian, which I do not speak / read. Has anyone flown Dalavia FEA, Irkutsk to Seoul?

[davai!]

this website ( www.avantix.ru ) gave a price of 11,725 rubles (about 480 USD) for flights on Aug. 10. This was on Vladivostok Air. Caveat: scary planes.

There are options for an 8.5 hour layover in Vladivostok, which would give you enough time to go and check out the city if you wanted.

Interesting factoid- (and the reason you WON'T see Vladivostok from the air)
Stalin built the airport WAY far away from the city so people wouldn't see that the precious Pacific Fleet was trapped in by ice for a good 4 months of the year. Or so the rumor goes.......

Let me know if you want that ticket and need help. You could also call their offices here in Moscow and someone will speak English

Good luck

[chris_J2]

Thanks davai

Was that flight for 11,725 rubles, "s7 3275", departing Irkutsk August 8 around 8-30am? And arriving Vladivostok around 2pm? Was it inclusive of the Vladivostok to Seoul flight?

I found an English version of Vladavia:

http://www.vladavia.ru/en/flightsinfo/

And ticket office in Seoul

http://www.vladavia.ru/en/flightsinfo/casses/korea_republic/seoul/

Koryo, Bldg., #24 1-Ga, Jong Ro-gu Street (Suite 1212), Phone: +82 (822) 73-32-920, 73-32-921, 73-32-922, 73-32-923; fax: 73-32-924

Not sure if it shows fares.

[dogbert]

You can find Vladivostok Avia current fares (as of Apr. 2007) here:

http://info.topasweb.com/XF

Click on 정규요금 on the left, then select the message title reading: XF전노선판매가(VVO성수기요금UPDATE)/(BKK비수기프로모션요금)

[chris_J2]

dogbert:

1/ I do not speak or read fluent Korean / Hangul
2/ That link is for Bangkok (Bkk)

XF전노선판매가(VVO성수기요금UPDATE)/(BKK비수기프로모션요금) even has Bangkok (BKK) in the title of the hyperlink. And 'VVO' looks like Vladivostoks code. I want to get from Irkutsk -> Vladivostok -> Seoul. Then I'm heading home to Australia mid August.

I am going from Irkutsk / Vladivostok, Russia, to Seoul, not Bkk, Thailand.

[dogbert]

[chris_J2]

My apologies, dogbert. I've had a frustrating week trying to decypher Russian websites. And my Korean travel agent declined to purchase the tickets for me. And the invitation for a Russian visa only accepts visa, Amex, Diners or Mastercard, NOT Maestro or Cirrus, so I have to go to my bank & fill out a form & fax it. Trying to read Korean must have sent me over the edge.

[davai!]

inclusive, thru Vlad on to Seoul.

there are travel agents in Seoul who will issue a visa voucher for about 25000won in cash. You have plenty of time for that, unless you will be in Russia for more than one month.

[chris_J2]

This is the translation from Russian to English that I got using Babelfish. I need to convert it into fluent English for a Korean Travel agent like Kangsan.

[davai!]

[chris_J2]

I ended up travelling by train & bus from Irkutsk > Bratsk > Severobaikalsk > Tynda > Kommsommolsk Na Amur > Khabarovsk > Vladivostok, & then flying Vlad Avia xf 737 to Incheon for around 11,400 rubles.