Getting Around Arzamas
Arzamas is a compact city in Nizhny Novgorod Oblast, and getting around it is refreshingly straightforward. There is no metro and no tram network here, so visitors rely on a combination of city buses, taxis, and their own two feet. The good news is that the city's layout and its bus network are both centred on the same place, which makes navigation easy once you understand the pattern.
Orient Yourself Around Sobornaya Square
The single most useful thing to know about transport in Arzamas is that almost everything radiates from Sobornaya Square (Соборная пл.), the central square. The overwhelming majority of city bus routes begin, end, or pass through it. If you remember nothing else, remember this: when in doubt, head for Sobornaya Square and you can almost always find a bus onward to where you need to go.
Two other landmarks are worth fixing in your mind because they anchor several routes and are the points most visitors arrive at or depart from:
- Arzamas I railway station — the main rail station, served directly by city buses.
- Arzamas III railway station — a second station, also on the bus network.
City Buses: The Backbone of Local Transport
Buses are how locals get around Arzamas. The network is made up of numbered routes that connect the centre with residential districts, hospitals, markets, and the outlying settlements. You do not need to memorise the whole list, but a few patterns will help you plan your day.
Routes that serve the central square and the railway stations are the ones a visitor is most likely to use. For example, Route 1 loops between Sobornaya Square, Arzamas III, and Arzamas I, making it a handy link between the two stations and the centre. Route 4 also connects the square with Arzamas III before continuing out to the 408 km area. Several other routes — including 2, 3, 5, 7, 9, 10, 10А, 11, 12, 14, and 14А — start or finish at Sobornaya Square, so the square functions as a de facto central bus hub.
Beyond the centre, buses reach a range of destinations that may be useful depending on where you are staying or what you want to see:
- Polyclinic No. 2 (Поликлиника №2) — a terminus for routes 2 and 3.
- Hospital No. 1 (Больница №1) — served by Route 8.
- 408 km — an outlying point served by routes 4, 6, 7, and (on weekends) Route 8.
- Kirillovsky district (м-н Кирилловский) — served by routes 9, 10, and 10А.
- Sosnovy district (м-н Сосновый) — served by routes 14 and 14А.
- Vyyezdnoye (р.п. Выездное) and Vysokaya Gora (п. Высокая гора) — outlying settlements reached by routes 5 and 11 respectively.
Service generally starts early in the morning and runs until late evening, with the busiest routes running at frequent intervals throughout the day. Some routes, particularly the ones heading to the outer districts, run on fixed departure times rather than a steady interval, so it is worth checking the schedule at your stop if you are relying on one of those. Route 8, for instance, follows a different pattern on weekdays and weekends, and Route 14 only operates in the early morning while Route 14А covers the late afternoon — a reminder to confirm the timetable rather than assume a bus will come along shortly.
As for tickets: you pay on board, and it is sensible to carry small change or a bank card for the fare. Buying a ticket is a simple, cash-or-card transaction with the driver or conductor — there is no need to hunt for a ticket machine or a travel pass in advance.
Taxis and Ride-Hailing
Taxis are widely available in Arzamas and are a practical option for short hops, late arrivals, or trips with luggage. You can flag one down, find a rank near the stations or the central square, or — as in most Russian cities — book through a ride-hailing app. This is often the easiest way to get from a railway station to your accommodation if you arrive after the buses have thinned out, and it spares you from working out which route serves your particular street.
Walkability
Central Arzamas is compact and pleasant to explore on foot. The area around Sobornaya Square and the historic core is where you will find the city's main sights, and walking between them is entirely feasible. For a visitor whose plans centre on the old town, you may find you barely need public transport at all during the day. Save the buses and taxis for reaching the railway stations, the outlying districts, or the settlements beyond the city when your legs — or your schedule — call for it.
Getting Into the City from the Airport
Arzamas itself has no commercial airport. The practical air gateway for the region is Nizhny Novgorod, and from there you reach Arzamas overland. The most reliable approach is by rail: Arzamas sits on the Moscow-to-eastern-Russia corridor and has long been a transit point on that route, so trains from the Nizhny Novgorod direction run to Arzamas I and Arzamas III. Once you arrive at either station, city buses (including Route 1, which links both stations with the central square) or a taxi will take you the rest of the way into town.
If you prefer to travel by road, long-distance buses and coaches connect Arzamas with Nizhny Novgorod and other regional centres, and a taxi or pre-booked transfer from the airport is another option, particularly if you are arriving late or with a lot of luggage. Whichever you choose, plan to complete the final leg from the station or bus stop to your accommodation by local bus or taxi.
Practical Summary
- No metro, no tram — buses, taxis, and walking cover the city.
- Sobornaya Square is the hub — most routes pass through or start here.
- Buses serve both railway stations and the main residential and outlying districts.
- Pay on board with cash or card; no advance pass needed.
- Taxis and ride-hailing apps are easy options for short trips and station transfers.
- The centre is walkable — you may not need transport for sightseeing at all.
- Fly into Nizhny Novgorod, then continue by rail or road to Arzamas, finishing the journey by local bus or taxi.