Omsk stretches along the banks of the north-flowing Irtysh at its
confluence with the smaller Om River. The city has an elevation of 87
meters (285 ft) above mean sea level at its highest point.
Omsk is an
important railroad hub, and is the junction point for the northern and
southern branches of the Trans-Siberian Railway. The city also serves as
a major hub for the regional highway network. River-port facilities
handle both passengers and freight, giving the city access to navigating
the extensive waterways of the Irtysh and Ob River;. The waterways
connect Omsk with the coal and mineral-mining towns further up the river
in Kazakhstan, as well as with the oil, natural gas and lumber
operations of northern Siberia. Omsk is served by the Tsentralny
Airport, which offers access to domestic and international (primarily,
German and Kazakh) destinations, making the city an important aviation
hub for Siberia and the Russian Far East.
Omsk is a major rail, road,
and air hub. The city is served by a station on the Trans-Siberian
Railroad, and by the Tsentralny Airport. Additionally, Omsk possesses a
river port on the Irtysh, offering service to domestic destinations and
to cities within Kazakhstan.
Municipal Transport consists of a large
bus and trolley, and tram networks, although the latter of these has
deteriorated severely since the collapse of the USSR. Marshrutkas
(shared taxis) supplement municipal transit networks.
A subway
system, proposed in the late 1980s, but postponed for lack of funds, is
currently under construction, with the Metro bridge over the Irtysh
river. The bridge is already opened for cars (upper level), but the
metro (lower level) is still under construction. As a first step, one
short line will connect the districts in the northwest with the city
center. The first line of the metro is scheduled to be finished in 2015
