Perm

Perm (Russian: Пермь p`yehr`m`) is a city in Perm Krai, Russia.

Understand
Many pass through Perm on the Trans-Siberian Railway; however, few stay here, unless they are looking for a break from train travel. Highlights of the city include a walk along the Kama River, art museums and shows, and a visit to the nearby Gulag museum.

Perm is a large industrial city on the Kama river banks, at the western foothills of the Ural Mountain range. With a population of approximately 1 million people, Perm is the most populous city and the administrative capital of Perm Krai. Its name is derived from the same place as the "Permian" period, meaning "Far-away Land". Like Yekaterinburg, the city was founded in 1723 by Vasily Tatishchev, who was sent by Peter The Great to exploit the vast amounts of ores found in the region. From 1940 to 1957, the city was called Molotov (Мо́лотов), after Vyacheslav Molotov, the minister of foreign affairs under Stalin. The city is bifurcated by the Kama River. Perm was known as the "Gateway to the Gulag" and the horrors of the Gulags are on display at a nearby museum.

During Soviet times, Perm was a manufacturing center for artillery and weapons, some of which are on display at an outdoor museum. It was a "closed city" and was inaccessible by foreigners and most non-residents. It was "hidden" and did not appear on Soviet-made maps. Gorbachev opened the city in 1990 and Perm modernized rapidly.

By plane


Bus #42 operates every 9 minutes between the airport and the bus station (Автовокзал) in the southwestern part of the city. Bus #35 also operates to/from the airport.

By train


When searching timetables and fares on RZD, enter "Perm 2" as this is the main station for Perm. There are several daily trains to Moscow (20 hours, ₽1,400-5,600).



By bus
The central bus station of Perm is on Shosse Kosmonavtov opposite the central market. There are daily buses to/from Ekaterinburg, Kazan, Izhevsk, Chelyabinsk, and many cities in Perm Krai.

By car
Although Perm lies on the "Siberian Trakt", the main motorway from Moscow to Siberia, the local roads are of poor quality, similar to most of Russia.

By boat
Perm is accessible through its Kama river port. Passenger transportation is limited to recreational cruises to Chaikovsky, Kazan, Moscow, St. Petersburg and Volgograd. Cruise companies tend to sell return tickets only.

Get around
Perm stretches 25 km along the Kama River; travelling the entire distance by bus or tram requires several transfers. Therefore, it can be hard to get around.

Tram and bus tickets each cost ₽20 and can only be purchased from the driver or conductor. Transfers require the purchase of a new ticket.

Public transport operates 05:30-00:30.

See

 * Other places in this guide: https://dlink.maps.me/catalogue?id=84e91e30-0833-4366-a717-fd81c9c0722f&name=Perm%20holidays&ref=webeditor (en)
 * Other places in this guide: https://dlink.maps.me/catalogue?id=84e91e30-0833-4366-a717-fd81c9c0722f&name=Perm%20holidays&ref=webeditor (en)
 * Other places in this guide: https://dlink.maps.me/catalogue?id=84e91e30-0833-4366-a717-fd81c9c0722f&name=Perm%20holidays&ref=webeditor (en)
 * Other places in this guide: https://dlink.maps.me/catalogue?id=84e91e30-0833-4366-a717-fd81c9c0722f&name=Perm%20holidays&ref=webeditor (en)
 * Other places in this guide: https://dlink.maps.me/catalogue?id=84e91e30-0833-4366-a717-fd81c9c0722f&name=Perm%20holidays&ref=webeditor (en)

Buy
With the city quickly developing, new shopping malls appear everywhere. Definitely worth seeing is the always crowded Central Bazaar, with uncountable kiosks and market stands, as well as huge market halls. The bazaar is located opposite the central bus station, at the very beginning of Kosmonavtov avenue. Perm also has a Chinese market, with mostly clothing being sold.



Eat
There is plenty of Russian, Georgian, Azeri, and Uzbek food in Perm.

Drink
There are many cafes in the city, all of them serving food specialities. One of the most popular bars are the Coffee City chain (Кофе Сити).



Stay safe
Reckless drivers are probably the biggest safety threat. Pickpocketing is common in the crowded public transport and in the Central and Chinese Bazars. Occasional drunkards may be somewhat annoying but rarely pose any menace. It is wise to stay out of city parks, Balatovo Park, during the night.

Cope
Be prepared for cold weather from November to March. Despite cold temperatures outside, nearly all indoor spaces and public transportation are well heated.

Go next

 * Kungur is the next stop on the Trans-Siberian Railway going eastward, 50 km from Perm, and is famous for its Ice Caves.