We liked it very much in the Altai Mountains, but did not quite like it. road. Therefore, I decided to sketch a couple of lines how to get from Moscow to Barnaul and beyond. Report on the hike, read my links: hike on the Maashei part 1 and the march on the Maashei part 2.
There are two territories: the Altai Territory and the Altai Republic (Mountainous Altai). Accordingly, the first is solid fields, the second these are mountains. At the first you arrive / fly in, before the second you need get by bus or car. That is, you fly to Barnaul, or by train you either reach Barnaul, either to Biysk, and then already on buses and cars drive to the point destination. 
Preface. It is clear that if you have money, it is better to fly. by plane than to shake the train 60 hours. We thought so too, but decided to save by flying to Barnaul by plane, and back by train, and slightly regretted. I like trains, and I’m fine with reserved seat, but, the contingent we got not very bydlovataya a company that was drinking black all over, even almost there was a fight. If you go for a day, you could be patient, more – already difficult. In addition, we have concluded for ourselves that this is too long, back well, I really want to go home very much, and to suffer from idleness quickly bored. Better to go there by train, back by plane. Still, better in a coupe for a long distance. And also better by plane at both ends.
Our route to Gorny Altai: Moscow – Barnaul – Gorno-Altaisk – Aktash. Back: Aktash – Barnaul – Novosbirsk – Moscow
If you are going to the valley of the Maashey (Mazhoi), to the Maashei glacier (Mazhoy), to Mount Karagen, on the Shavlinsky Lakes, then you just need go to Aktash or Chibita.
– If you plan your trip in advance, you can buy tickets (on Aviasales.ru and Skyscanner.ru) to Barnaul for the price of a coupe in train ride. It is necessary to buy not less than a month for 3. It is very tasty. option. Cheap tickets, I know for sure, have Aeroflot and S7.
– You can fly through Novosibirsk, then transfer to the train or bus to Barnaul, but time is wasted.
– If you go by train, then the tickets, especially the reserved seat, you need buy in the first days of their appearance (45 days). Tickets either before Barnaul, or before Biysk, they are bought very quickly.
– At the airport of Barnaul, it is better to take a regular scheduled bus, cheaper. He will drive to the bus station.
– Buses from the bus station in Barnaul to Gorno-Altaisk go often, almost every hour, travel time is about 5 hours.
– In Gorno-Altaisk will have to take the car to get to places. The cost is about 1000r per person (to Akatash). we Agreed on 800r, it can be probably cheaper to try. And, as practice has shown, it is useless to call someone from Moscow in advance from local and negotiate. The one with whom we agreed, dumped earlier, taking other tourists.
– From Gorno-Altaisk to Aktash to go about 5 hours.
– It is important to be in Gorno-Altaisk not much later than lunch, if want to get there in one day. We arrived just in time for lunch and cars there are already only 2. Tourists are many, the earnings are popular.
– It makes sense to negotiate with the driver and exchange phones, so he picked you up on the way back. If there is no agreement, then it’s best to go early on the track, at 7 o’clock, they’ll go local to the city for tourists and there is also a chance to stumble upon bus to Barnaul, which travels around 8 o’clock in the morning. No traffic big, hitchhiking is embarrassing.
– If you decide to go by train, but have not bought a return ticket, do not be discouraged. It can be bought on the way back, but not in Barnaul, and in Novosibirsk. Novosibirsk is a major transport node, and through it goes a lot of trains. To do this, you need to the way back to Barnaul, take the bus to Novosibirsk, go they are somewhere before 7pm.
The best connection in the mountains, near Aktash – Beeline. Not advertising! They just somewhere high tower zafigachili. Rest operators are already getting closer to the track.
