Hopefully we can get some local knowledge or insight here but either way it would be nice to have a place to discuss travel, plans, advice, accommodation, logistics, meetups, updates, and all other things related to Kazan for the World Cup. Aside from football, this city sounds very interesting. It is sometimes referred to as the third capital of Russia (after Moscow and St. Petersburg), is the capital of the Tatarstan Region, and is the sixth most populous city in Russia. FIFA World Cup 2018 Matches: #05 - France vs. Australia - 16 June 2018 #20 - Iran vs. Spain - 20 June 2018 #31 - Poland vs. Colombia - 24 June 2018 #43 - South Korea vs. Germany - 27 June 2018 #50 - 1C vs. 2D (R16) - 30 June 2018 #58 - W53 vs. W54 (QF) - 6 July 2018 Map of Stadium Entrances Kazan 2018 Stadium Guide FootballTripper.com: Kazan Arena StadiumGuide.com: Kazan Arena Kazan Arena Official FIFA.com Kazan Arena Kazan Arena Wikipedia Kazan Fan Fest: The Kazan Fan Fest will be located at the palace of Family Center Kazan. The area has a capacity of 25,000 people and is situated on the bank of the Kazanka River. The bowl-shaped building has an observation deck 32m high and is supposed to be one of the best views of the city. It is on the other (Northern) side of the river from the city centre, but 15 minutes by car to Kazan Arena or fifty minutes by foot (unsure about public transport at the moment). FIFA.com Fan Fest Info Visit Tatarstan: Kazan Family Center Kazan Information: CultureTrip Kazan Russia 2018 LonelyPlanet Kazan InYourPocket Kazan WikiTravel Kazan WikiVoyage Kazan TripAdvisor Kazan Kazan Host City Website FIFA.com Kazan
After researching and consulting some friends who went there for the Confederations Cup here is a start: Points of Interest: The Kremlin (Hermitage, Kul Sharif Mosque, Museum of Natural History); Museum of Soviet Life, Temple of All Religions, Raifia Monastery, Annunciation Cathedral, Suyumbike Tower, Bauman Street, Central Market, Agricultural Palace, Zilant the Dragon, SS Peter and Paul Cathedral, Chak-chak Museum, Epiphany Cathedral, Musa Jail Monument, Kazan Riviera Beach & Water Park (650/900 RUB weekday/weekend). Daytrips: Raifa Monastery, catch a bus/boat to Sviyazhsk. Bars/Pubs: Cuba Libre, Belgian Beer Bar, The Woods Craft Beer Bar, Fomin Bar&Shop, Razvedka (KGB Theme), Rockstar Bar, ReLab (Cocktails) Mr Willard (Cocktails). Food: Tatar cuisine: Dom Tatarskoi Kulinarii, Dom Chaya, Tatarskaya Usadba, + (try Kystybyi (tartan cakes), Manty (Meat pastry) Solyanka (Horse)). Other recommended: Malabar (Indian), Cuba Libre (Cuban), Chak-Chak Cafe (Cheap Russian), Pashmir (Pricey but best in Kazan), Cernovar (Pub). Brunch/Cafe: Mambochino, Green Dog, Truffo, Skazka, Beanhearts. Coffee: Gudini, Neft, Coffee Cava, Kofein. Information about Tatar Cuisine: Wikipedia Tatar Cuisine 10 Dishes to Try At Least Once Six Tatar Dishes That Will Make You Visit Kazan FIFA.com What To Eat In Kazan
http://tass.ru/ekonomika/4910069 This is in Russian. They announced that trains between Kazan and the Kazan airport will be free for WC ticket holders. There will be a train every hour for 24 hours on matchdays until 6am the day after.
I will be spending 3 nights here from the 4th to the 7th. Hopefully Brazil will be there. Looking forward to it!
I'll be arriving in Kazan at 2am on the midnight flight from St Petersburg, any suggestions on where to hang out for a few hours until daylight? We didn't book accommodation for the night that we are arriving, oops
Looking to spend a few days here for either the R16 or QF match, wondering where everyone is planning to stay?
I will probably book an AirBnB for the quarters near the Kremlin. Seems like staying in the modern commercial business district is a bit far from the action.
Do you feel Airbnb is trustworthy in Russia? There are some decent looking places up for rent but I dont know if they may cancel when their family and neighbors start to tell them to raise the price come closer!
It's a risk -- I suggest going with Superhosts as they get penalized by Airbnb if they cancel on you. Unfortunately, there are not many Superhost apartments remaining in Moscow, though, and I may have to risk it with a newer account with no Superhost.
Post for visibility incase any more people found out they are going to Kazan in June or July! I'll be there for four days around the QF - See you there
I have booked 3 nights in Kazan from the 4th to the 7th. I will be staying by the embankment - more or less across the canal from the DoubleTree Hotel. Looks to be about a 15 minute walk to the Kremlin and mosque.
I'll try to book a place in Kazan between 4-5th to 7-8th. The only problem is that until next month there is a possibility of a friend of mine join me there, and I'll be with my girlfriend too. But I hope we all can have a beer together during these days.
Definitely! My AirBnB host has a few more apartments that were available. Looks to be in a good location. I know of a few other Brazilians who are going. So should be fun!
Bro where you looking to stay for that period? I'm also traveling, desperately looking for a place to stay.
Worked out perfectly the way I planned in 2014. But famous potential "last words' here if it doesn't happen this time around!
I went to Kazan last year for the Confederations Cup. It wasn't on my radar before that, but I'd have to say it's an underrated city. The Kremlin is nice, the Russian City built on the remains of the Golden Horde in the 1600s is cool, Tatarstan has a unique blend of Russian and Tatar cultures, and the city has a reputation of being the best-run and least-corrupt in all of Russia. They have done the riverfront area around the Kremlin very nice. I stayed at a hotel in the center across from the University. There is one main club in the city -- The Legend. It's aptly named. Only issue is that I'm sure it will be packed with foreigners during the WC. I'd have liked to do a river cruise and see more, but I didn't get a chance. Overall, I highly recommend Kazan. Only issue might be that I don't remember English being very widely spoken.
Some trains say Moscow to Vosstanie Passajirskai while others say Moscow to Kazan on the pass.rzd.ru page. Is there a difference? EDIT- nevermind, found it, two different stations. Didnt see this on a previous guide I read, it only pointed to the old station as the main train terminal. https://en.wikivoyage.org/wiki/Kazan
English is far more widely spoken there now than a few years ago. I've been there nearly every year since 2012. Even lived there for 3 months in late 2012/early 2013. It's a fantastic city with plenty to see & do. Lots of great bars/restaurants/clubs. And as you highlighted, steeped in history.
I will be there for Poland vs Germany, I have a hotel, but still need to find a way to get to Moscow on the 25 or 26th.
World Heriatage sites near Kazan Assumption Cathedral and Monastery of the town-island of Sviyazhsk http://whc.unesco.org/en/list/1525 Historic and Architectural Complex of the Kazan Kremlin http://whc.unesco.org/en/list/980 Bolgar Historical and Archaeological Complex http://whc.unesco.org/en/list/981