Transport in Smolensk

Smolensk Railway Station

Smolensk is considered the main gateway into Russia from Europe many international trains stop at its railway station.  Smolensk Railway Station is located around 2km from the Smolensk Kremlin on the northern side of the River Dnieper. Although it is possible to walk to the centre from the railway station, you can also take bus No. 17 or minibus (marshrutka) No. 17 or No. 13 to Ulitsa Kashena close to Ulitsa Boshaya Sovetskaya - one of Smolensk's main streets. More forms of public transport run to the centre from Kolkhoznaya Ploschad which is located 200 metres from the railway station.  

Smolensk Suburban Railway Station is located opposite to the railway station on the other side of the bridge over the railway lines, next to Ss Peter and Paul's Church.

Location Ulitsa Kashena (ул. Кашена, д.1)
Timetables Long-Distance Trains & Suburban Trains
Selected Russian Destinations Moscow Belorussky, St Petersburg Moskovsky or Vitebsky, Kaliningrad, Arkhangelsk, Novsibirsk, Vologda, Yaroslavl, Irkutsk, Vladimir, Kirov, Perm, Tyumen, Omsk, Irkutsk, Adler, Sochi, Bryansk
Selected International Destinations Vilnius, Brest, Warsaw, Prague, Paris, Minsk, Nice, Berlin, Stasbourg, Frankfurt and Hannover. 
Suburban Destinations In the direction of Vyazma, Vitebsk, Roslavl, Orsha and Spas-Demensk.

Smolensk Bus Station

Smolensk Bus Station is located close to the railway station on the opposite side of the road. The bus station mostly serves regional routes but also buses to Moscow, Minsk and Riga.

Location 13 Ulitsa Kashena (ул. Кашина, д.13)
Website http://smolavtovokzal.ru/
Online Tickets http://www.biletnaavto.ru/

Getting to/from Smolensk

From Moscow

Many transit trains and a direct Moscow-Smolensk train connect Smolensk with Moscow, they take between 4½ and 6½ hours.  There is also the daily Lastochka high-speed train from Moscow to Smolensk and back. It leaves Smolensk in the early morning and returns from Moscow after midday. It takes 4½ hours.

Buses to Smolensk leave from the square next to Belorussky Railway Station (Белорусский вокзал) - Belorusskaya metro station (станция метро Белорусская). Buses leave almost every hour from 7:30 until 23:30. In Smolensk the ticket office is located next to the lugguage department of the railway station.  Details can be found here: http://www.smolensk-moskva.ru/kassa.html.

From St Petersburg

There are two trains which connect St Petersburg with Smolensk, but note that the St Petersburg Vitebsky - Smolensk train goes via Belarus and so you will need a multiple-entry Russian visa and a Belarusian transit visa.

Travelling from Smolensk

Travelling from Smolensk by Bus/Minibus
Destination Duration Frequency Notes
Talashkino (Талашкино) 20 mins several an hour Minibus No. 130 from Smolensk Bus Station. To get to Flyonovo from Talashkino just walk along the road until the turn, turn right and walk to the end of the road.
Gagarin (Гагарин) 4 hours one a day From Smolensk Bus Station.
Vyazma (Вязьма) 3½ hours up to 8 a day From Smolensk Bus Station.
Bryansk (Брянск) 5 hours 4 a day From Smolensk Bus Station.
Moscow (Москва) 5½ hours every hour From Smolensk Bus Station to Moscow's Belorussky Railway Station.

Travelling from Smolensk by Train/Suburban Train
Destination Duration Frequency Notes
Vyazma (Вязьма) 3½ hours 3 a day The Lastochka also makes a 2 min stop in Vyazma, it takes 2 hours from Smolensk.