Kaliningrad occupies a special position on the tourist map not only of Russia, but also of the world. Tourist interest in this city is growing every year, and the city authorities are doing everything possible to make your stay in it convenient and comfortable. Over the past few years, transport communications have improved significantly, so the question of how to get to the city of Kaliningrad from the airport does not arise.
A Brief History of the City
Kaliningrad was founded by the crusaders in 1255 on the territory of the Prussian pagans and from the very beginning was conceived as a fortress. She was given the name Koenigsberg, which means "Mountain of Kings".
Kaliningrad is Russia's westernmost city, and it's no surprise that the city's architecture has been heavily influenced by European art. Polish, Russian, German myths and legends are reflected in small streets and magnificent cathedrals.
Kaliningrad has a sad story. During the Great PatrioticDuring the war, the city was destroyed almost to the ground by continuous bombings of fascist aircraft. The destruction of the city was completed by cruel vandals who perceived the city as German.
How to get to Kaliningrad?
The westernmost city in Russia is easily accessible from Moscow or St. Petersburg. From Moscow, in addition to air routes, there are legendary trains. Day train "Yantar" and night - "Dunes". If you chose the overland method of travel, then you should know that trains pass through Belarus and Lithuania.
From St. Petersburg to Kaliningrad can be reached by boat. This type of transport, unusual for Russia, will take you to Kaliningrad in a few hours. The only difficulty is to get to the port of Ust-Luga, located 150 kilometers from St. Petersburg. The ship arrives in the port of B altiysk. It is 45 kilometers from Kaliningrad. It's about how to get to the city of Kaliningrad from the airport twice.
Khrabrovo Airport
Kaliningrad International Airport is called Khrabrovo. It is a large transport hub and accepts both domestic Russian flights and international ones. Especially in the summer season, when flights to popular European resorts depart from this air harbor.
Khrabrovo, in addition to the functions of civil aviation, has another important meaning. It is the base for aviation of the Ministry of Emergency Situations, the FSB and the Ministry of Defense.
The airport is divided into two parts: the arrival area and the departure area. Everything is created for those who meet and expectconditions for a comfortable stay. There are cafes, shops, luggage storage service, free internet. The airport is located about twenty kilometers from the city, and the question of how to get from Khrabrovo airport to Kaliningrad can be solved in several ways. Depending on the needs, you can choose a more suitable one.
Municipal transport
To date, the easiest and most popular option for getting from Kaliningrad Airport to the city center is public transport. Comfortable city buses number 244E and 144 will be the most convenient and economical way for those who travel light.
The bus stop is located near the main entrance to the airport building. If you come to Kaliningrad in the summer, you can wait for the bus outside. In winter, it is better to check the bus schedule in advance and, after arrival, stay in the airport building, wait for transport in the warmth.
The bus runs only during the day with an interval of 45 minutes. The first flight starts at 8.20 am. Travel time is about forty minutes, so you can safely sit down and admire the city, as the route passes through the central part of the city to the South Bus Station. Stops are announced by the conductor or driver. The fare is about a hundred rubles. The last bus leaves the airport at 22.00 local time. At night, there are no opportunities at all to get to the city of Kaliningrad from the airport. Be vigilant.
Taxi services
For those who savetime and nerves, the question of how to get from Kaliningrad Khrabrovo airport to the city does not pose a significant problem. They use taxi services.
There are several large taxi services in Kaliningrad, and each has a number of advantages. For example, "Yandex" or "Lucky" values time and will pick up the car closest to the customer.
Taxi services such as "Kenigsberg" and "Kaliningrad" have the option of pre-ordering a car to the airport. Just enter your arrival time and the car will be waiting for you at the main entrance.
The average bill for a taxi trip is 500 rubles. The cost depends on the class of the car. Rush hour and weather conditions should also be taken into account. This will affect travel time.
An important condition is payment in cash. Not all taxi services accept card payments. Therefore, take care of cash in advance. If an advance payment is required to order a car, you must call the dispatch service and clarify all the details.
Rent a car
Upon arrival in an unfamiliar city, it is not always possible to deal with travel options and organize a transfer. The question of how to get from Kaliningrad airport will be solved quickly if you have a driver's license. The way out is to rent a car for a day, which will be cheaper than a taxi. In addition, it is possible to get permanent transport for the duration of your stay in the city. One of the most popular companies is Koenig-rent.
Somecar rental services have their own check-in desks right at the airport. You come, register, pay the daily fee and get the keys to the car, which is already in the airport parking lot. Pay and go.
You can also order a car before arrival, from home via the Internet. In this case, the car will be served by a company employee immediately at the time of your arrival.
The cost of renting a car varies from 1500 to 5000 rubles. It depends on the brand of the car you choose.
If you are traveling with small children, be sure to indicate when ordering a car that you need a child seat. If the company cannot provide you with a child seat, then the decision on how to get to the city of Kaliningrad from the airport should be reconsidered for your safety.
Free options
Adventurers traveling light or just on a budget can take advantage of the world's most popular free route - hitchhiking.
To catch a car, just go to the side of the roadway towards the city. We note right away that this method can be quite time-consuming, since not every driver will agree to pick up a stranger on the road. To make it immediately clear that you are not a bandit from the main road, but just a tourist, prepare in advance a sheet of paper with an inscription where you are going. Even if the end point of the drivers route and yours do not match, some can give you a couple of tens of kilometers. It is important to clarify that this method is unsafe, and it is better not to practice it at night.
All the options we've introduced you to in this article also work in reverse. How to get to Khrabrovo airport, by what means, is up to you.
Transport in the city
The transport system of Russia's westernmost city is one of the most convenient. A developed network of buses, with more than thirty routes, will take you anywhere in the city. Of particular note is the Kaliningrad tram system, the oldest in Russia.
Rail transport in Kaliningrad dates back to 1895. An amazing feature of the tram tracks is that the rails are located a meter apart. This type of rails in Russia remained only in Kaliningrad and Pyatigorsk.
At the moment, tram tracks have undergone many changes. In connection with the reconstruction, the city authorities left only three tram routes.