Getting Around Kostroma
Kostroma is a compact, walkable city, and most visitors find that the historic core takes care of itself on foot. For the sights that sit further out, a small network of buses, trolleybuses, minibuses and taxis fills the gaps. This guide covers the practical options: how to move around the centre, how to reach the train station and the Ipatiev Monastery, and how to get into town from the airport.
On Foot
The city centre is compact, and the main attractions sit within walking distance of one another. The heart of the city is Susaninskaya Ploshchad, the main square, from which the historic streets radiate. Because Kostroma was rebuilt after a great fire with streets fanning out from a single focal point near the river, the centre is easy to navigate on foot once you orient yourself around that square and the Volga embankment.
A few practical notes for walkers: the cobblestone centre is best tackled in flat, comfortable shoes, and summer evenings by the river can turn cool, so a light layer helps. Tap water is not recommended, so plan to buy bottled water, and mosquito repellent is useful in summer along the embankment and in the parks.
Rail: Trains and the Station
Kostroma has no metro and no tram network; rail here means the mainline railway station and the suburban trains that serve it. The city's station is Kostroma-Novaya, located in the eastern part of the city near the end of Ulitsa Sovetskaya. It is not in the very centre, so you will need a short ride to reach the main attractions and hotels.
The station has waiting halls and luggage storage, which makes it a convenient base if you arrive early or leave late. It handles long-distance services to destinations including St Petersburg, Moscow, Rybinsk, Yaroslavl, Kirov, Perm, Tyumen and Omsk, as well as other cities along the Trans-Siberian route. Suburban trains also run toward Yaroslavl and Galich.
Rail has connected Kostroma with Moscow since 1887, and that link remains the most common way visitors arrive. From Moscow, a premium overnight train runs daily in both directions, departing late evening and arriving early morning. A high-speed electric train, the Lastochka ("Swallow"), also runs from Moscow's Yaroslavsky station. Direct connections with St Petersburg exist as well. In peak seasons, an alternative is to travel via Yaroslavl, which has more frequent trains, and cover the remaining leg by suburban commuter train or intercity bus.
Buses, Trolleybuses and Minibuses
Public transport in Kostroma is built around buses, trolleybuses and minibuses (marshrutkas). These serve the outlying districts and the key visitor destinations outside the walkable centre.
- To the Ipatiev Monastery: bus No. 13 shuttles between the main square (Susaninskaya Ploshchad) and the monastery. Minibuses also serve outlying districts such as the monastery.
- To and from the train station: trolleybus No. 2 runs between the main square and the train station. From the Ploshchad Shirokova stop next to the station, you can also take bus No. 7 or minibuses No. 7 and No. 42 into the city centre.
- To the airport: minibuses No. 5 and No. 13 run from Susaninskaya Ploshchad.
For fares, carry cash in small denominations — it is recommended for public transport, markets and purchases in the Trading Rows. Bank cards are accepted almost everywhere else, including hotels, restaurants and museums.
The Bus Station and Intercity Buses
Kostroma's bus station sits on Kineshemskoye Highway, roughly a kilometre east of the railway station — from the station, cross the bridge and walk along the highway. From the bus station, a taxi or local bus will get you to the historic centre.
Intercity buses are a practical way to reach Kostroma from neighbouring cities, and the bus station connects to a wide range of destinations:
- Yaroslavl: the most popular and shortest route, with regular departures.
- Ivanovo: frequent daily service.
- Moscow: several buses a day in each direction between Moscow's Schyolkovsky Bus Station and Kostroma Bus Station.
- Other connections: Galich (roughly hourly), Nerekhta, Sudislavl, and Vladimir via Suzdal.
Daily buses also run from Ivanovo, Yaroslavl and Vladimir through Suzdal.
Taxis and Ride-Hailing
Taxis and ride-hailing apps operate in Kostroma and are often the quickest option for getting around, particularly for the station-to-centre leg or for reaching the airport. The train station is a short taxi ride from the main attractions and hotels, and the airport is close to the city limits, so a taxi or public transport transfer to the centre takes minimal time.
For longer journeys, intercity taxis from neighbouring regional centres are available, with average fares from around 3,000 rubles. If you are arriving by air into a nearby city instead of Kostroma itself, a taxi or bus can cover the ground transfer.
Arriving by Air
Kostroma is served by Kostroma Airport (code KMW), located a short distance north-east of the city centre. It handles domestic flights, with the most frequent arrivals from Saint Petersburg and Kazan, and additional summer destinations. There are also several flights a week by Kostroma Air Enterprise from St Petersburg.
Because the airport sits close to the city limits, getting into town is quick. Your options are:
- Minibuses No. 5 and No. 13, which run from Susaninskaya Ploshchad — useful if you are heading out to the airport rather than in.
- Taxi or ride-hailing, generally the simplest option for a direct transfer to your hotel.
- Public transport more generally, which reaches the centre in minimal time given the airport's proximity.
If Kostroma's own flight schedule does not suit you, several alternative airports are within reach. Yaroslavl is about 65 km away, with bus or taxi connections onward. Travellers also use Moscow or Ivanovo airports plus a ground transfer. From Moscow, there are also a couple of flights a week each direction from Domodedovo.
Practical Tips
- Language: Russian is the everyday language, and basic English is rare outside major tourist sites and hotels — it helps to have destination names written in Russian.
- Money: the currency is the Russian ruble. Keep small-denomination cash for public transport and markets; cards work almost everywhere else.
- Weather: winters are snowy and frosty, so bring warm clothes and waterproof footwear; summers are comfortable but with cool evenings by the river.
- Museums: many are closed or on maintenance on Mondays, so plan indoor sightseeing accordingly.
- Churches and monasteries: in active Orthodox sites, women traditionally cover the head with a scarf and wear skirts below the knee, while men remove headwear.
- Safety: avoid swimming in the Volga outside designated areas, as the current is strong and unpredictable.