Yekaterinburg

Yekaterinburg (Russian: Екатеринбу́рг yee-kuh-tee-reen-BOORG) is the capital of Sverdlovsk Oblast of Russia. A city of over 1.3 million inhabitants, it is a center of industry and culture in the broader Urals region, and the 4th largest city in the country after Moscow, Saint Petersburg and Novosibirsk. As such, it is one of Russia's most popular cities for foreign tourists, mainly known for its architecture.

Understand
The city was founded in 1723 by the order of Peter the Great as a metallurgical factory. It was named after the wife of Peter the Great, Yekaterina. In 1918, the last czar family was imprisoned, and later executed, a house in Yekaterinburg which was later demolished; the Church on the Blood now occupies the former site of the house. During World War II, the city grew rapidly as industries and people were relocated east to escape the war. Between 1924 and 1991, the city was known as Sverdlovsk (Свердловск), named after Communist Party leader Yakov Sverdlov and signs with this name still abound, particularly at the train station.

The city retains its metallurgical roots and the metal industry is the largest contributor to the economy.

The city is next to the Ural Mountains, which divide Europe from Asia. This border is marked by several symbolic monuments.

By train
See Russia for general advice on traveling in Russia by train.



Tourist information and maps


You can either buy a street map from one of the many newsstands and shops in the train stations, print out a street map of Yekaterinburg, or pick up a free detailed street map from the Ekaterinburg Tourist Information Service at 8 Marta St. #21, office #2, in the city centre.

By metro
Yekaterinburg has 1 underground metro line, connecting the city centre (the stop is near the Circus) to Uralmash, a large industrial and residential area, with a stop near the main railway station. The metro is popular with locals because it is quick and inexpensive, costing ₽32 per journey. The stations are impressive, decorated with native Ural stones, granite and marble.

All stations are open between 06:00 and 00:00. Train frequency on weekdays in rush hour is 4-5 minutes; all other times and weekends it is 8-11 minutes.

Metro stations from north to south:





Tram
Yekaterinburg has the densest tram network in Russia. Pay by contactless bank cards or cash to conductors. Use Yandex or 2gis app for route info.

Suburban rail
Stations from North to South

Embankment of the City Pond






Do

 * Cross-country skiing: the trails stretch away for miles. There are some downhill skiing resorts as well. It will take you approximately 25 minutes to get to the nearest of them from the center of the city.
 * Watch football at Yekaterinburg Arena, which hosted matches in the 2018 World Cup. The home team are FC Ural who play in the Russian Premier League, the top tier of Russian football - in 2018 they narrowly avoided relegation. The stadium dates back to 1957; it was upgraded and expanded for the World Cup but its capacity has now reduced to 23,000. The Arena is 3 km southwest of city centre, take tram or bus to Kommunarov Square.

Learn

 * Alliance Française.

Markets


Leather in Russia is considered some of the best in Europe; handbags and wallets are of especially high quality. Gold jewellery, while expensive, is also very good. Markets, such as the Chinese market, are good for cheap bargains.

Eat
Many cafés and restaurants provide the usual mix of Russian, Japanese and Italian food, but the level of international cuisine is not that high.

Budget
You can pay hourly rates at the resting rooms (Komnaty Otdykha) at the main train station. To get there, walk to the eastern end of the station to the last and small set of glass doors. First door on the right should lead you to a set of stairs which will take you there.

Consulates

 * 🇦🇲 Armenia
 * 🇦🇹 Austria
 * 🇨🇳 China
 * 🇨🇿 Czech Republic
 * Democratic Republic of the Congo
 * 🇫🇷 France
 * 🇩🇪 Germany
 * 🇭🇺 Hungary
 * 🇮🇹 Italy
 * 🇲🇳 Mongolia
 * 🇬🇧 United Kingdom
 * 🇺🇸 United States
 * Vietnam

Visa centers

 * 🇧🇬 Bulgaria 🇬🇷 Greece 🇲🇹 Malta 🇳🇱 Netherlands 🇪🇸 Spain
 * 🇱🇻 Latvia
 * 🇨🇦 Canada